Probate Fees 2026: What Applying for Probate Actually Costs
Applying for probate in England and Wales costs £526. That is the court fee, and for a straightforward estate it may be the only compulsory cost you face.
The figure most people end up paying is considerably higher, though, because of valuations, searches and — above all — professional fees. This page separates what you must pay from what you might.
Probate figures on this page apply to England and Wales. Scotland uses confirmation and Northern Ireland has its own procedure, both with different fee scales.
The court fee
| Estate value | Application fee |
|---|---|
| £5,000 or less | £0 |
| More than £5,000 | £526 |
The fee is flat. It is the same £526 whether the estate is worth £6,000 or £6,000,000 — which is worth remembering, because a proposal in 2017 to introduce a sliding scale rising to £6,000 was abandoned after considerable opposition. The flat fee is a genuinely good deal on a large estate.
The fee is the same whether you apply online or on paper, and whether you are an executor named in a will (applying for a grant of probate) or a relative applying where there is no will (applying for letters of administration).
⚠ These figures changed recently. The application fee rose from £300 to £526 on 13 July 2026, and copies of the grant from £1.50 to £2. Older guides and forum posts still quote the old figures. Court fees are reviewed periodically, so confirm both against GOV.UK before you budget.
How many copies to order
Extra sealed copies of the grant cost £2 each, ordered with the application.
Order generously. Every bank, pension provider, insurer, share registrar and the Land Registry will want to see a sealed copy, and most will want to keep it or hold it for weeks. Ordering copies later means a separate application and more delay.
| Estate | Suggested copies |
|---|---|
| One bank account, no property | 2–3 |
| Typical estate: house, 2–3 accounts, a pension | 6–8 |
| Complex: multiple properties, share holdings, several pensions | 10–15 |
At £2, ten copies cost £20. Being short by two copies can add a month. This is the easiest decision in the whole process.
Fee remission — Help with Fees
The Help with Fees scheme can reduce or eliminate the £526 fee. Crucially, it is assessed on the applicant's personal finances, not the estate's value — so an executor on a low income can qualify even for a substantial estate.
Eligibility depends on:
- Savings and investments — broadly under £4,250, with higher limits for applicants aged 66 or over
- Monthly income — thresholds vary with household composition and number of children
- Benefits — receiving certain income-related benefits (Universal Credit with low earnings, Income Support, income-based JSA or ESA, Pension Credit guarantee credit) generally qualifies
Apply using form EX160, or online, at the same time as the probate application. Applying afterwards is harder.
The other costs nobody mentions
The £526 is rarely the whole bill. Realistic additional costs for a typical estate with a house:
| Item | Typical cost | Needed? |
|---|---|---|
| RICS property valuation | £250–£800 | Where tax is due, effectively yes |
| Estate agent appraisals | Free | Fine where no tax is due |
| Death certificate copies | £12.50 each | Yes — order 4–6 |
| Statutory advertisements (s27 Trustee Act) | £250–£350 | Optional, but protects executors from unknown creditors |
| Bankruptcy searches against beneficiaries | £3–£10 each | Recommended |
| Unclaimed assets / will search | £100–£200 | Optional |
| Asset transfer and stockbroker fees | Varies | If shares are held |
| House insurance for an empty property | £300–£1,000+ | Usually essential; standard policies often lapse after 30 days unoccupied |
| Property clearance | £300–£1,500 | Commonly needed |
| Accountant for estate tax returns | £300–£1,000 | If there is income during administration |
For a straightforward estate doing it yourself, budget £750–£1,750 all in. The empty property insurance is the one people forget, and the one that can be catastrophic if it lapses.
Doing it yourself versus using a solicitor
Applying for probate yourself is entirely normal and the online service is reasonably good. Whether it's wise depends less on the estate's size than on its shape.
Reasonable to do yourself:
- A valid, clear will with no disputes
- One property, a handful of accounts, a pension
- No Inheritance Tax, or a simple excepted estate
- Beneficiaries who are adults, contactable and amicable
Worth paying for:
- Inheritance Tax to pay, especially with business or agricultural relief
- Trusts in the will, or a life interest
- No will and a complicated family — second marriages, estranged children, cohabiting partners
- Any hint of a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975
- Foreign assets or questions of domicile
- Missing beneficiaries, or an insolvent estate
- Executors who are in dispute with each other
What solicitors charge:
| Model | Typical | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed fee, grant only ("grant of probate only") | £500–£1,500 | You do the legwork; they handle the application |
| Fixed fee, full administration | £2,500–£7,000 | Predictable; ask exactly what is included |
| Hourly rate | £150–£400/hr | Reasonable for a limited, defined job |
| Percentage of the estate | 1%–5% | Scrutinise this. 2% of £700,000 is £14,000 |
Percentage charging bears almost no relationship to the work involved — a £700,000 estate consisting of one house and two bank accounts is not seven times the work of a £100,000 one. Banks' in-house probate services are frequently the most expensive option of all. Get at least two written quotes, and ask specifically whether the quote includes the court fee, VAT, and dealing with the Inheritance Tax account.
A third option, in development:
Between doing it entirely alone and paying £2,500 there is not much on offer, and the gap is mostly about organisation rather than legal expertise — knowing which forms the estate needs, what belongs in each box, and which of the thirty-odd organisations still have to be told. Executr is what we are building for that part of the job.
It is not finished and there is nothing to buy yet. The calculator came first deliberately, because it is useful on its own. If you are at the start of this and want an early look when it is ready, you can get early access.
Executors are entitled to reclaim reasonable out-of-pocket expenses from the estate — travel, postage, copies, the court fee itself. Keep receipts. An executor who is not a professional cannot usually charge for their time unless the will says so.
How to pay
Apply and pay online through the GOV.UK probate service — card payment, and usually the quickest route. Paper applications (form PA1P where there is a will, PA1A where there isn't) are still accepted.
The awkward part: the applicant normally has to pay the £526 before any estate funds are available, since banks generally won't release money until the grant is issued. It is reclaimable from the estate afterwards, but you need it up front.
Where Inheritance Tax is due, it has to be paid — or at least the first instalment — before the grant is issued. See how long does probate take? for how executors handle that chicken-and-egg problem.
The calculator shows the probate fee alongside the Inheritance Tax estimate, and flags whether the estate looks like an excepted estate that avoids the full IHT400 account.
Common questions
How much does probate cost in England and Wales?
The court application fee is £526 where the estate is worth more than £5,000, and nothing at or below £5,000. Extra copies of the grant cost £2 each. That is the only compulsory cost — valuations, searches and professional fees are on top and vary widely.
Is there a fee for small estates?
No. If the estate is worth £5,000 or less there is no application fee at all. Many small estates do not need probate in the first place, because banks will often release modest balances on sight of a death certificate.
Can I get help paying the probate fee?
Yes. The Help with Fees scheme can reduce or remove the fee based on the applicant's savings, income and benefits. It is assessed on the personal circumstances of the person applying, not on the size of the estate, and is applied for using form EX160.
How much do solicitors charge for probate?
Either an hourly rate, a fixed fee, or a percentage of the estate. Percentage charging of 1% to 5% is common and can be very expensive on a property-heavy estate — 2% of a £700,000 estate is £14,000 for work that may be largely administrative. Always ask for a written estimate and compare it with a fixed-fee quote.
Who pays the probate fee?
It is an estate expense, so it is ultimately paid out of the estate. In practice the applicant usually has to pay it up front, before any estate funds have been released, and reclaim it later.