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Wisconsin court costs

Wisconsin probate filing cost: $200

Through October 31, 2026, opening an estate proceeding costs 0.2% of the value of property subject to administration less encumbrances, liens, or charges, with a $20 fee at $10,000 or less and no stated cap. For petitions filed on or after November 1, 2026, the amended Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2 charges $36 at $18,500 or less and 0.2% of that value above $18,500. Both schedules are priced below with their filing dates; the calculator prices the one in force on the day it is used.

$200 is the statutory total at a $100,000 estate. Sources reviewed August 9, 2026. Latest primary-source re-fetch October 3, 2026.

What the statute charges

Every line below is computed from the statutory schedule quoted at the end of this page. These are court charges only. They are not an estimate of the total cost of settling an estate.

Petition commencing a deceased-person estate proceeding (operative through 2026-10-31)

Charge$25,000 estate$100,000 estate$400,000 estate$1,000,000 estate
Register in probate value fee$50$200$800$2,000
Total from this schedule$50$200$800$2,000

Value of the property subject to administration, less encumbrances, liens, or charges; property not subject to administration may not be included. A remainder greater than half a unit is charged as a whole unit, which is how the statute’s “major fraction thereof” is applied here.

Not included in this total

  • Property not subject to administration
  • Copies, certificates, publication, service, and bond costs

This is the schedule collected for petitions filed through October 31, 2026. The amended text, effective November 1, 2026, replaces the $20/$10,000 low band with $36 at $18,500 or less; it is priced as the next schedule.

Source: Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2, Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. Edition/currentness: 2023-24 Wisconsin Statutes updated through 2025 Wis. Act 247 and through all Supreme Court Orders and Controlled Substances Board Orders filed before and in effect on October 1, 2026. Published and certified under s. 35.18. Changes effective after October 1, 2026, are designated by NOTES. (Published 10-1-26). Verified October 3, 2026.

Petition commencing a deceased-person estate proceeding (operative from 2026-11-01)

Published value bands

These are the fee bands stated in the source. The worked examples below apply them to sample values; they do not replace the published thresholds.

Register in probate value fee
Value bandPublished calculation
Up to $18,500$36
More than $18,500$0 plus 0.2% of the amount over $0

Assessment basis: Value of the property subject to administration, less encumbrances, liens, or charges: a flat $36 at $18,500 or less, otherwise 0.2 percent of the whole value. Property not subject to administration may not be included..

Charge$25,000 estate$100,000 estate$400,000 estate$1,000,000 estate
Register in probate value fee$50$200$800$2,000
Total from this schedule$50$200$800$2,000

Not included in this total

  • Property not subject to administration
  • Copies, certificates, publication, service, and bond costs

Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2 as amended effective November 1, 2026: "if the value of the property subject to administration, less encumbrances, liens, or charges, is $18,500 or less, a fee of $36 and, if more than $18,500, a fee of 0.2 percent of the value". It applies to petitions filed on or after that date.

Source: Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2, Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. Edition/currentness: 2023-24 Wisconsin Statutes updated through 2025 Wis. Act 247 and through all Supreme Court Orders and Controlled Substances Board Orders filed before and in effect on October 1, 2026. Published and certified under s. 35.18. Changes effective after October 1, 2026, are designated by NOTES. (Published 10-1-26). Verified October 3, 2026.

What the Wisconsin figure leaves out

The Wisconsin caveats are listed once, on the Wisconsin overview.

Other costs: probate cost lines.

Filing-cost source

Wisconsin record: 6/6 verified, 21 matched checks, latest source re-fetch October 3, 2026. Source record · method · report a correction

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