Updated September 7, 2026. Quick answer: Ohio has no statewide flat probate fee; Franklin County (Columbus), the state’s most populous, sets a $125.00 statutory-minimum deposit, with $250.00 recommended in practice.
If a trust could save your estate this fee in Ohio
A living trust avoids probate entirely in Ohio, which means the estate skips the $125.00 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 Ohio charges to open probate
Ohio 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.
| Full administration, statutory minimum (Franklin County) | $125.00 |
| Court-recommended deposit (Franklin County) | $250.00 |
| Gap between minimum and recommended | $125.00 |
All 88 Ohio county probate courts set their own cost/deposit schedule; Franklin County (Columbus) is shown as the largest-county example.
Where this money goes and who sets it
The authority for this figure is Franklin County Probate Court cost schedule (tied to Ohio Revised Code minimum-cost authority). In the source’s own words: “Full administration (ORC minimum deposit) $125.00 / Court recommended deposit $250.00”
What this fee doesn’t cover
Because Ohio 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: Franklin County Probate Court cost schedule (tied to Ohio Revised Code minimum-cost authority).