Short answer. Up to $50,000; 45 days after the death; notarized; through a court office.
At a glance
- Limit
- Personal property worth $50,000 or less at death; real estate isn't personal property and isn't counted.
- Wait after death
- Forty-five days after the death.
- Notary
- Sworn before a notary public or a deputy clerk.
- Where it goes
- Filed with the probate court clerk; in Davidson County, the Circuit Court Clerk's office.
- Official form
- Small Estate Petition for Limited Letters of Authority (no will). Davidson County's version; other counties publish their own. Open it
- Simplified procedure
- Small estate limited letters of authority. A short court process that gives limited letters for an estate within the limit.
In the official wording
Limit
"Total value of all personal property owned by the deceased at death must be $50,000 or less."
Wait
"Forty-five (45) days must have passed since deceased's death."
Notary
"SWORN AND SUBSCRIBED BEFORE ME"
Get it notarized online today
Online notary: open now until 9 PM ET · sessions by appointment · times confirmed by email
A New Jersey notary can notarize this with you on a video call, wherever you are in the U.S. $50 for the session, $10 for each extra signer. Any other fee shows in the booking form before you confirm. Open 7 am to 9 pm ET, every day, by appointment.
What you need
- A valid government photo ID
- A computer or phone with a camera
- The unsigned document
Our certificate states the act was performed using communication technology, as New Jersey law requires. What it must say
Most U.S. recipients accept a remotely notarized document; check with whoever will receive it. What to ask them · Several signers
Three example estates
For a death on November 13, 2025, the stated limit gives:
- $12,500: under the stated limit. See why
- $45,000: under the stated limit. See why
- $75,000: over the stated limit. See why
Your own numbers: open the checker for this state.
Where an affidavit has to be notarized or sworn: MCC Solutions notarizes in New Jersey, with a mobile notary who comes to you and remote online notarization. Elsewhere, a local notary can help. Family far from the estate? Our estate paperwork help sends a local runner or notary to order records, pick up papers and get the affidavit signed, in any state.
Official sources
- Davidson County Circuit Court Clerk (Probate): Small estate petition for limited letters of authority, estates without a will (PDF) (checked November 2026)
General information, not legal advice; we are not lawyers. Each holder may still ask for its own form, and a lawyer can confirm whether the estate qualifies.
Common questions
What is the small estate limit in Tennessee?
Up to $50,000. Personal property worth $50,000 or less at death; real estate isn't personal property and isn't counted.
How long after a death can the Tennessee affidavit be used?
45 days. Forty-five days after the death.
Does a Tennessee small estate affidavit need a notary?
Yes. Sworn before a notary public or a deputy clerk.
Is it filed with a court in Tennessee?
Yes. Filed with the probate court clerk; in Davidson County, the Circuit Court Clerk's office.
Can real estate pass this way in Tennessee?
Not by this affidavit. Small estate limited letters of authority: A short court process that gives limited letters for an estate within the limit.
Is there an official Tennessee form?
Small Estate Petition for Limited Letters of Authority (no will). Davidson County's version; other counties publish their own.
All states: small estate affidavit by state · Rhode Island · Texas · Small estate affidavit: signing and notary checks