How long does probate take in Texas?

Texas sets no fixed length, but it does set deadlines: notice to beneficiaries within 60 days of the order admitting the will, notice to creditors within 1 month of letters, notice to secured creditors within 2 months, and the inventory (or an affidavit in lieu of it) before the 91st day after the executor qualifies (Estates Code §308.002, §308.051, §308.053, §309.051).

How long does probate take in Florida?

The creditor period alone runs 3 months from the first publication of the notice to creditors (Fla. Stat. §733.702), the inventory is due within 60 days of letters (Rule 5.340), and the final accounting and petition for discharge are due within 12 months of letters for an estate that does not file a federal estate tax return (Rule 5.400).

How long does probate take in California?

The personal representative must petition for final distribution or report on the status of the estate within one year of letters — 18 months if a federal estate tax return is required (Prob. Code §12200). Creditor claims are due 4 months after letters, or 60 days after a mailed notice if later (§9100).

What is the first deadline after someone dies?

Delivering the original will. In Florida whoever holds it must deposit it with the clerk within 10 days of learning of the death (§732.901); in California, within 30 days (§8200).

Does this replace a probate attorney?

No. It lays out the clocks the statutes set so nothing is missed. Courts can extend some of them, local rules add others, and the facts of an estate change which ones apply.

Does anything I enter get saved or sent anywhere?

No. The calculator runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Probate Timeline Calculator: Every Deadline in Texas, Florida and California

Enter the date of death and the date letters were issued. You get every deadline the statute or court rule sets, as calendar dates, in order, with the section it comes from.

Free · no signup · runs in your browser — nothing you type leaves your device.

The estate

Sample dates are filled in — replace them with yours.

State where the estate is probated

Date of death

Date letters were issued

Letters testamentary or of administration — the court document that lets the executor act. Not issued yet? Enter the date you expect.

Date of the order admitting the will

Often the same day as letters. The beneficiary-notice clocks run from this order.

First publication of the notice to creditors

The creditor period runs from this date. Not published yet? Enter the date you expect.

The person who died was 55 or older The estate must file a federal estate tax return

Deadlines

Next deadline: —
—: —

Every deadline, in date order

Clocks with no fixed date

Dates add calendar months and days to the dates you entered. Courts can extend several of these, and a weekend or court holiday can move a filing date — confirm with the clerk or the estate’s attorney.

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The deadlines, state by state

Each state has a page that lays its deadlines out in order: Texas, Florida, California. What the executor is paid for the work is on the executor fee calculator.

Texas

Send notice to each beneficiary named in the will — Estates Code §308.002
Publish notice to creditors in a newspaper — Estates Code §308.051
Notify creditors whose claims are secured by estate property — Estates Code §308.053
File the affidavit (or attorney’s certificate) that beneficiary notices went out — Estates Code §308.004
File the inventory, appraisement and list of claims — or an affidavit in lieu of inventory — Estates Code §309.051, §309.056 Due before the 91st day after the executor qualifies, unless the court grants more time.
Last day to admit the will to probate (with limited exceptions) — Estates Code §256.003

Florida

Whoever holds the original will deposits it with the clerk of court — Fla. Stat. §732.901 The 10 days run from learning of the death.
File the inventory of the estate — Fla. Prob. R. 5.340
Creditor claims period closes — Fla. Stat. §733.702 For a creditor who was served with the notice, the later of this date or 30 days after service.
Serve the notice to creditors and death certificate on the Agency for Health Care Administration — Fla. Stat. §733.2121(3)(d) Only when the decedent was 55 or older.
File the final accounting and petition for discharge — Fla. Prob. R. 5.400(c) Unless the court extends it for cause.
Two-year bar: claims against the estate are cut off — Fla. Stat. §733.710

California

Whoever holds the will delivers it to the superior court clerk — Prob. Code §8200 The 30 days run from learning of the death, unless a probate petition was already filed.
File the inventory and appraisal — Prob. Code §8800(b)
Give notice of administration to known creditors — Prob. Code §9051 Or 30 days after you first learn of a creditor, if later.
Creditor claims period closes — Prob. Code §9100 For a creditor mailed a notice, the later of this date or 60 days after the notice.
One-year outside limit to sue on the decedent’s debts — Code Civ. Proc. §366.2
Petition for final distribution, or file a status report — Prob. Code §12200(a)
Petition for final distribution, or file a status report — Prob. Code §12200(b)

What the calculator leaves out

It covers the deadlines written into the statutes and statewide court rules listed above. Local court rules, tax filing dates, deadlines tied to a hearing date the court has not set yet, and anything triggered by a contest or a creditor’s claim are not included. Small-estate and summary procedures run on different rules altogether.

Questions

How long does probate take in Texas?: Texas sets no fixed length, but it does set deadlines: notice to beneficiaries within 60 days of the order admitting the will, notice to creditors within 1 month of letters, notice to secured creditors within 2 months, and the inventory (or an affidavit in lieu of it) before the 91st day after the executor qualifies (Estates Code §308.002, §308.051, §308.053, §309.051).
How long does probate take in Florida?: The creditor period alone runs 3 months from the first publication of the notice to creditors (Fla. Stat. §733.702), the inventory is due within 60 days of letters (Rule 5.340), and the final accounting and petition for discharge are due within 12 months of letters for an estate that does not file a federal estate tax return (Rule 5.400).
How long does probate take in California?: The personal representative must petition for final distribution or report on the status of the estate within one year of letters — 18 months if a federal estate tax return is required (Prob. Code §12200). Creditor claims are due 4 months after letters, or 60 days after a mailed notice if later (§9100).
What is the first deadline after someone dies?: Delivering the original will. In Florida whoever holds it must deposit it with the clerk within 10 days of learning of the death (§732.901); in California, within 30 days (§8200).
Does this replace a probate attorney?: No. It lays out the clocks the statutes set so nothing is missed. Courts can extend some of them, local rules add others, and the facts of an estate change which ones apply.
Does anything I enter get saved or sent anywhere?: No. The calculator runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Probate deadlines every executor must know · Estate Executor OS, Interactive Probate Dashboard, Asset Inventory, Account Closure Tracker, Probate Deadline Auto-Calculator · All free tools