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There is no reliable national price for establishing and maintaining a guardianship or conservatorship in the United States. The total depends on the state and county, the type of authority sought, the size of any estate, and whether the matter needs professional help or ongoing court review. Plan for more than a filing fee: investigation, notice, service, attorney work, a possible bond, and recurring accountings may also affect the cost.
Why the total varies by location and case
States use the terms “guardian” and “conservator” differently. In some jurisdictions, one role concerns a person’s care while the other concerns property; elsewhere, terminology and procedures differ. That affects which petition is filed and which charges apply. County schedules and court orders can also add or change costs.
Official examples illustrate the variation, but they are not a national estimate:
| Jurisdiction and source | Published charge | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon, statutory court fees under ORS Chapter 21 | $278 for a conservatorship estate under $50,000; $591 for $50,000 to under $1 million; $882 for $1 million to under $10 million; and $1,176 for $10 million or more | Initial filing fees specified by Oregon statute; the statute also provides for annual or final conservatorship accounting fees. Verify the current statute and any additional court charges. Oregon Revised Statutes, Chapter 21. |
| Florida, 2026 statute | Maximum charge of $395 for formal administration, guardianship, ancillary, curatorship, or conservatorship proceedings; $230 for guardianship proceedings of the person only | These are statutory caps, not a quote for every cost in a case. Florida Statutes §28.2401. |
| Maricopa County, Arizona | $400 probate investigation fee; $300 probate accounting fee | Local county charges listed on the clerk’s fee page; confirm the current schedule. Maricopa County Clerk of Superior Court fee schedule. |
| Virginia | Bond-related fee components and a basic appointment cost appear in the statewide circuit fee appendix | The appendix does not establish that every circuit or case has the same total. Virginia Circuit Court Fee Schedule, Appendix C. |
| Nebraska | Separate guardianship and conservatorship appointment fees and a consolidated petition fee are listed | Procedure and charges can differ; check the current court schedule. Nebraska Judicial Branch fee schedule and Nebraska Revised Statute §33-126.02. |
These figures apply only to the cited jurisdictions and fee provisions. Do not add them together or treat them as a typical case total.
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What expenses may be involved?
Court filing and appointment charges
The initial filing fee is only one possible court charge. The amount may depend on the proceeding, estate value, or local fee schedule. Ask whether the schedule separately lists appointment, petition, or other court-work charges.
Investigation, notice, and service
A court may require investigation or examination, and parties may need formal notice or service. Publication, service, and certified-record costs can be separate from filing charges. The local schedule determines which apply; Maricopa County’s listed $400 probate investigation fee is one local example.
Attorney fees
An attorney’s fee is separate from the court’s filing charges. The official schedules cited here do not establish typical attorney rates. Ask for a written fee arrangement that defines what work is included and how contested hearings, amendments, or later petitions are billed.
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Bond premium
A court may require a bond in a particular case, but a bond is not a universal fixed expense. A required bond’s amount and the price of its premium are distinct questions: obtain the required amount from the court and a current premium quote from a licensed provider. The cited Virginia appendix shows bond-related fee components, not a universal bond requirement or premium.
Ongoing accounting and review
Managing property can create recurring costs for accountings or court review. Oregon law provides for annual or final conservatorship accounting fees, and Maricopa County lists a probate accounting fee. These examples do not establish a nationwide schedule or guarantee the same charge in another case.
Who pays the costs?
Payment responsibility depends on the governing law and the court’s orders; the examples do not establish a nationwide allocation rule. Ask the clerk or a local attorney whether a charge is initially paid by the petitioner, may be paid from the estate, or is allocated another way. Ask separately whether a fee waiver is available: the sources cited here do not establish a universal waiver rule.
Fiduciary compensation is not the same as a court fee or an attorney bill. Washington State Courts says, “Family members who serve as court-appointed guardian and/or conservator often do so without compensation.” “Often” is not a guarantee. Kansas law provides that “[t]he court must approve compensation and expenses payable under this section before payment”; that requirement applies to compensation and expenses governed by that section, not automatically to every jurisdiction or charge. See the Washington State Courts Guardianship Portal FAQ and Kansas Statutes §59-30,119.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to build a local estimate
- Contact the right clerk. Call the probate or guardianship clerk in the county where the petition would be filed. Request the current fee schedule and ask about filing, appointment, investigation or examiner, service, publication, accounting, and review charges.
- Ask about waivers and payment. Confirm the local fee-waiver process and ask who pays each charge under the applicable rules or likely court order.
- Get an attorney’s scope in writing. Ask what the quoted work includes, whether contested proceedings or amendments cost extra, and how later petitions are billed.
- Confirm any bond requirement. If a bond is required, ask the court for its amount and request a current premium quote from a licensed provider.
- Separate cost categories. Keep court costs, attorney fees, fiduciary compensation, and bond premiums as distinct entries in the estimate; different rules can govern approval and payment.
What a national estimate cannot tell you
The official material cited here does not establish a reliable national average for total costs, attorney rates, or bond premiums. Those figures require current, local information and case-specific quotes. Use state and county examples to identify possible categories—not to predict a total for a different jurisdiction.
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