Probate Court Nevada: Where to File, Fees, and What to Expect

Nevada probate cases are handled by district courts, not separate probate-specific courts. You file in the judicial district where the deceased lived — or for non-residents who owned Nevada real estate, where the property is located.

For most families, this means either the Eighth Judicial District Court in Clark County (Las Vegas) or the Second Judicial District Court in Washoe County (Reno). Here is what each court requires, what it costs, and how the process typically unfolds.

Which Court Has Jurisdiction

Clark County (Eighth Judicial District Court): If the deceased lived in Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Boulder City, or anywhere in Clark County, this is your court. It handles the vast majority of Nevada probate cases — roughly 70% of the state's population lives in Clark County. The court is located at the Regional Justice Center in downtown Las Vegas.

Washoe County (Second Judicial District Court): Covers Reno, Sparks, and the greater Washoe County area. Files are handled at the courthouse in downtown Reno.

Rural counties: Each rural county has its own judicial district. Carson City, Douglas County, Elko County, and Nye County each have district courts that handle probate. Caseloads are smaller, which can mean faster processing but also fewer self-help resources.

Non-resident decedents: If someone who lived in California or another state owned a Nevada timeshare, vacation property, or bank account, the family must open an ancillary probate in the Nevada county where the property is located. This is a separate proceeding from the home-state probate.

Filing Fees by Estate Size

Nevada probate filing fees scale with the gross value of the estate:

• Set Aside Without Administration (estates under $150,000): Filing fee is approximately $185 in Clark County
• Summary Administration (estates $150,000 to $500,000): Filing fee ranges from $270 to $370
• General Administration (estates over $500,000): Filing fee can reach $540

These fees cover the initial petition only. Additional fees apply for motions, objections, certified copies of court orders, and publication of creditor notices. Budget $50 to $150 for publication in a local newspaper — the court typically requires notice to creditors to run once a week for three consecutive weeks.

Clark County also charges a $5 technology surcharge per filing and various administrative fees for certified copies of letters testamentary or letters of administration (usually $1 per page plus a certification fee).

The Clark County Civil Law Self-Help Center

Clark County operates a free Civil Law Self-Help Center that assists people filing probate cases without an attorney. The center provides:

• Blank court-approved forms with filing instructions
• Staff who can explain procedures (but cannot give legal advice)
• Workshops on specific probate topics

The forms are available on the self-help center's website and at the physical location near the courthouse. Staff can help you identify which forms you need based on your situation, but they cannot tell you what to write on the forms, whether your case will succeed, or how to handle disputes among heirs.

This is a critical distinction. The center gives you tools, not strategy. Knowing which form to fill out is different from knowing what information to include, how to value assets for threshold calculations, and how to handle creditor claims within statutory deadlines.

What Happens After You File

Set Aside petition: After filing, the court schedules a hearing (usually two to four weeks out). You must mail notice to all known heirs, devisees, and creditors at least 10 days before the hearing. If nobody objects, the judge typically grants the set aside order at the hearing. The entire process can wrap up in 30 to 60 days.

Summary Administration: The court appoints a personal representative, who must then publish a notice to creditors in a local newspaper. Creditors have 60 days from the first publication to file claims. After resolving all claims, the representative files a final accounting and petition for distribution. Typical timeline: four to six months.

General Administration: Same structure as summary but with a 90-day creditor claim period, mandatory court-supervised inventories and appraisals, and more stringent oversight over asset sales. Timeline: six months to over a year for contested or complex estates.

Common Mistakes That Delay Cases

Wrong petition type: Filing for a Set Aside when the estate exceeds $150,000, or using an Affidavit of Entitlement when the estate includes real property. Both result in rejection and force you to start over with the correct filing — losing weeks and paying duplicate fees.

Incomplete creditor notice: Failing to publish notice in the correct newspaper or not mailing individual notices to known creditors. Creditors who were not properly notified can challenge the estate distribution months or years later.

Missing the Medicaid notification: Nevada requires that the Department of Health and Human Services be notified of probate proceedings if the deceased was 55 or older. Skipping this step does not eliminate Medicaid's recovery claim — it just delays the inevitable and can result in liens placed after you thought the estate was settled.

Undervaluing the estate: If the estate's gross value is close to a threshold boundary, an inaccurate valuation can land you in the wrong administration tier. Court-ordered appraisals may be required for real property, business interests, and valuable personal property.

Do You Need a Probate Attorney

Nevada's self-help resources make it possible to handle a Set Aside or small-estate Affidavit of Entitlement without a lawyer. Summary and General Administration cases are substantially more complex — the court and self-help centers strongly recommend attorney representation for these tiers.

Statutory attorney fees in Nevada are based on estate value: 4% of the first $100,000, 3% of the next $100,000, and 2% of the next $800,000. For a $300,000 estate, that is $9,000 in ordinary fees before any extraordinary compensation for contested matters.

The Nevada Estate Settlement Guide helps you determine which probate tier applies to your situation and walks through every step of each pathway — including the exact forms, deadlines, and notification requirements for Clark, Washoe, and rural Nevada courts.

See more Nevada guides →