Updated September 7, 2026. Quick answer: Alabama’s general law sets a $45.00 fee to probate a will and $45.00 for letters of administration; Jefferson County (Birmingham), the state’s most populous, charges $175.00 to probate a will and $57.00 to open an administration when there is no will.
If a trust could save your estate this fee in Alabama
A living trust avoids probate entirely in Alabama, which means the estate skips the $175.00 above along with every other cost the court charges once a case is open. LawDepot builds a state-specific one.
Build a living trust at LawDepot
LawDepot pays us a commission if you buy through this link, it costs you nothing extra. We are not a law firm and this is not legal advice. Affiliate Disclosure.
What Alabama charges to open probate
Alabama’s general law sets a $45.00 fee to probate a will and $45.00 for letters of administration, and local acts can set different amounts, so the exact amount depends on where the estate is opened.
| Probate of a will (Jefferson County) | $175.00 |
| Administration, no will (Jefferson County) | $57.00 |
| Successor letters (Jefferson County) | $56.00 |
| Alabama’s own statewide figure | $45.00 for a will and $45.00 for letters of administration (Ala. Code § 12-19-90(a)(1) and (2)), unless a local act sets a different fee |
Alabama’s general law sets the baseline probate fees for all 67 counties, and some counties have local acts with different amounts; Jefferson County’s schedule is shown as the largest-county example. Baldwin County charges $58/$68 for the same filings, cross-checked from its own official fee page.
Where this money goes and who sets it
The authority for the Jefferson figures is the Jefferson County Probate Court fee schedule, effective 10/15/25; the general-law baseline is Ala. Code § 12-19-90, which sets $45.00 for probating a will. In the source’s own words: “Will (Probate of): $175.00”
What this fee doesn’t cover
Because some Alabama counties have local acts with different amounts, the same estate could cost more or less to open depending on which county courthouse handles it. Either way, this is the court’s own charge just to open the file and issue letters, separate from what an attorney charges to actually handle the estate and separate from any state estate or inheritance tax the estate itself might owe.
Sources
Source: Jefferson County Probate Court fee schedule, effective 10/15/25; general-law baseline Ala. Code § 12-19-90.