Settled EstateTennessee probate forms
Tennessee Probate and Estate Forms
Tennessee does not publish a single uniform statewide numbered probate form series the way some states do. Estate matters are opened in the probate court for the county where the decedent lived - in most counties the Chancery Court through the Clerk & Master, and in some counties a separate Probate Court or the General Sessions Court. The petitions, orders, inventories, and accountings are commonly provided by the local clerk's office or prepared by counsel, so form names and local requirements vary by county.
Find your county court
Tennessee Courts - Court Clerks DirectoryDirectory of county courts and clerks; the Clerk & Master or probate clerk's office opens and oversees estates.
Official sources
- Tennessee Courts - Probate ResourcesOfficial judiciary site with probate guidance and a directory of court clerks; Tennessee does not host a single statewide probate form library.
- Tennessee Courts - Small Estates MaterialsJudiciary continuing-education materials describing the Tennessee small estate process.
Tennessee probate procedures
Petition and LettersExecutor named in a will or eligible administrator
Forms filed with the probate court to admit a will and have a personal representative (executor or administrator) appointed.
Who qualifies
- Estate needs a personal representative to collect and distribute assets
- Assets do not fit the Tennessee Small Estate Probate Act or another simplified process
- The estate is opened in the probate court for the county where the decedent lived
Forms
- Petition for Letters Testamentary (with a will)
Petition asking the probate court to admit the will and appoint the named executor, who then receives letters testamentary as proof of authority. - Petition for Letters of Administration (no will)
Petition asking the probate court to appoint an administrator for an intestate estate, who then receives letters of administration as proof of authority. - Oath and Bond of Personal Representative
The appointed executor or administrator takes an oath and, unless the will or the court waives it, posts a surety bond before letters are issued (Tenn. Code Ann. 30-1-201 et seq.). - Notice to Creditors
Notice published after appointment so creditors can file claims; the clerk also gives notice to known creditors. Claims are generally barred four months from first publication, with a twelve-month outer limit from death.
Inventory and AccountingAppointed personal representative (executor or administrator)
Reports the personal representative files with the probate court after appointment, unless excused or waived.
Who qualifies
- A personal representative has been appointed and received letters
- The inventory and accountings are not excused by the will or waived by all residuary distributees
Forms
- Inventory of the Estate
Itemized inventory of probate assets and their date-of-death values filed with the probate court. - Accounting (Settlement)
Accounting of receipts, disbursements, and distributions filed with the probate court to settle the estate, unless waived. The clerk credits the personal representative with reasonable compensation and lawful disbursements (Tenn. Code Ann. 30-2-606).
Tennessee Small Estate Probate ActCompetent adult heir or other eligible person
Petition process for a small estate of $50,000 or less in probate property, replacing the older small estate affidavit (2023 Small Estate Probate Act).
Who qualifies
- The value of the decedent's probate property does not exceed $50,000
- At least 45 days have elapsed since the decedent's death
- No personal representative has been appointed and no petition for appointment is pending
Forms
- Petition for Limited Letters of Administration (Small Estate)
Petition under the Tennessee Small Estate Probate Act asking the probate court to issue limited letters of administration (or limited letters testamentary) for a small estate. The 2023 Small Estate Probate Act replaced the prior small estate affidavit with this petition-based process; the $50,000 threshold has been in place since 2014. The statutory clerk filing fee is $41 under Tenn. Code Ann. 8-21-401, plus county add-ons.
Good to know
- Estates are opened in the probate court for the county where the decedent lived - in most counties the Chancery Court through the Clerk & Master, and in some counties a separate Probate Court or the General Sessions Court.
- Tennessee does not publish a single uniform statewide numbered probate form series; petitions and inventory/accounting forms are provided by the local clerk or prepared by counsel and vary by county.
- The inventory is due within sixty days after appointment unless excused by the will or waived by all residuary distributees (Tenn. Code Ann. 30-2-301).
- The small estate petition for limited letters of administration is filed under the Tennessee Small Estate Probate Act for probate property of $50,000 or less, after a 45-day wait.
- Do not distribute estate assets before letters are issued, creditor claims are addressed, and any spousal or family rights are understood.
Form names and availability come from official Tennessee court sources and can change. Settled is an informational tool, not a law firm. Confirm the current forms with your probate court or an attorney before filing.