Small Estate Limits by State, Compared
Small-estate limits run from $15,000 in Rhode Island to $400,000 in Wyoming, with a median of $62,500 across the 48 jurisdictions here that write a dollar figure into the statute.
Every limit, highest first
| State | General limit | Spouse figure | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $400,000 | — | Wyo. Stat. § 2-1-201 |
| California | $208,850 | — | Cal. Prob. Code § 13100 |
| Arizona | $200,000 | — | A.R.S. § 14-3971 |
| Louisiana | $200,000 | — | La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 3421, 3431, 3432 |
| Florida | $150,000 | — | Fla. Stat. § 735.201 |
| Illinois | $150,000 | — | 755 ILCS 5/25-1 |
| Arkansas | $100,000 | — | Ark. Code Ann. § 28-41-101 |
| Hawaii | $100,000 | — | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 560:3-1205 |
| Idaho | $100,000 | — | Idaho Code § 15-3-1201 |
| Indiana | $100,000 | — | Ind. Code § 29-1-8-1 |
| Montana | $100,000 | — | Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-1101 |
| Nebraska | $100,000 | — | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125 |
| North Dakota | $100,000 | — | N.D. Cent. Code § 30.1-23-01 |
| South Dakota | $100,000 | — | SDCL 29A-3-1201 |
| Utah | $100,000 | — | Utah Code § 75-3-1201 |
| Washington | $100,000 | — | RCW 11.62.010 |
| Colorado | $88,000 | — | C.R.S. § 15-12-1201 |
| District of Columbia | $80,000 | — | D.C. Code § 20-351 |
| Kansas | $75,000 | — | K.S.A. 59-1507b |
| Minnesota | $75,000 | — | Minn. Stat. § 524.3-1201 |
| Mississippi | $75,000 | — | Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 |
| Oregon | $75,000 | — | ORS 114.510 and 114.515 |
| Texas | $75,000 | — | Tex. Est. Code § 205.001 |
| Virginia | $75,000 | — | Va. Code § 64.2-601 |
| Alaska | $50,000 | — | AS 13.16.680 |
| Delaware | $50,000 | — | 12 Del. C. § 2306 |
| Iowa | $50,000 | — | Iowa Code § 633.356 |
| Maryland | $50,000 | $100,000 | Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601 |
| Michigan | $50,000 (base) | — | MCL 700.3983 |
| New Jersey | $50,000 | — | N.J.S.A. 3B:10-3 |
| New Mexico | $50,000 | — | N.M. Stat. Ann. § 45-3-1201 |
| New York | $50,000 | — | N.Y. Surr. Ct. Proc. Act § 1301 |
| Oklahoma | $50,000 | — | 58 O.S. § 393 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,000 | — | 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 |
| Tennessee | $50,000 | — | Tenn. Code Ann. § 30-4-102 |
| West Virginia | $50,000 | — | W. Va. Code § 44-1A-1 |
| Wisconsin | $50,000 | — | Wis. Stat. § 867.03 |
| Alabama | $47,000 | — | Ala. Code §§ 43-2-691, 43-2-692 |
| South Carolina | $45,000 | — | S.C. Code § 62-3-1201 |
| Vermont | $45,000 | — | 14 V.S.A. § 1901 |
| Connecticut | $40,000 | — | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-273 |
| Maine | $40,000 (base) | — | 18-C M.R.S. § 3-1201 |
| Missouri | $40,000 | — | RSMo § 473.097 |
| Ohio | $35,000 | $100,000 | Ohio Rev. Code § 2113.03 |
| Massachusetts | $25,000 | — | M.G.L. c. 190B, § 3-1201 |
| Nevada | $25,000 | $150,000 | NRS 146.080 |
| North Carolina | $20,000 | $30,000 | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-25-1 |
| Rhode Island | $15,000 | — | R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-24-1 |
Limits that move with inflation
- Maine (18-C M.R.S. § 3-1201): The $40,000 figure is adjusted for inflation under 18-C M.R.S. § 1-108, and county probate courts must publish the adjusted threshold each year. Estates at or under $40,000 are within the limit; above it, the current adjusted figure decides.
- Michigan (MCL 700.3983): The $50,000 base is adjusted for inflation each year under MCL 700.1210; the State Court Administrative Office publishes the current figure. Estates at or under $50,000 are within the limit; above it, the current adjusted figure decides.
California also adjusts its figures every three years; the $208,850 shown comes from the Judicial Council's table for deaths on or after April 1, 2025.
No dollar ceiling
- Georgia — Petition for order that no administration is necessary (O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40).
- Kentucky — Order dispensing with administration (KRS 395.455).
- New Hampshire — Waiver of administration (RSA 553:32).
Worked example: one $60,000 estate in five states
| State | Limit | $60,000 estate |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $25,000 | Over by $35,000 |
| New York | $50,000 | Over by $10,000 |
| Texas | $75,000 | Within the limit |
| Washington | $100,000 | Within the limit |
| California | $208,850 | Within the limit |
The value tested is not the same in each state: Texas leaves out the homestead and exempt property, New York counts only personal property, Massachusetts lets one car ride on top. Read each state's page for its measure, and the assets that skip probate guide for what never enters the count.
Sources
Each limit links to its statute on the state pages, checked 2026-10-20. Jurisdictions whose statute could not be read are listed there and on the methodology page.
Questions
Which state has the highest small estate limit?
Among the jurisdictions on this site, Wyoming, whose affidavit statute uses the highest dollar figure. The table on this page lists every limit in order.
Does the limit include the house?
It depends on the state. Some statutes shut the route to estates with real property, some count it, and some have a separate real-property procedure.