Updated September 7, 2026. Quick answer: Mississippi’s statutory base is $85.00; Jackson County charges $184.00 total once its own recording fee is added.
If a trust could save your estate this fee in Mississippi
A living trust avoids probate entirely in Mississippi, which means the estate skips the $85.00 above along with every other cost the court charges once a case is open. LawDepot builds a state-specific one.
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What Mississippi charges to open probate
Mississippi sets no single statewide figure for this fee; each county’s probate court sets its own schedule, so the exact amount depends on where the estate is opened.
| Statewide statutory base fee | $85.00 |
| Jackson County total (includes $26 recording fee) | $184.00 |
| Recording-fee add-on (Jackson County) | $26.00 |
Mississippi’s base clerk fee is set by state statute, but county chancery clerks add their own local charges on top; Jackson County is shown as the verified example.
Where this money goes and who sets it
The authority for this figure is Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9 (statewide base); Jackson County Chancery Court fees, effective January 1, 2020. In the source’s own words: “Estate-Testate or Intestate (includes $26.00 recording fee in land records) $184.00”
What this fee doesn’t cover
Because Mississippi leaves this to each county, 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: Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9 (statewide base); Jackson County Chancery Court fees, effective January 1, 2020.