The short answer
- The probate application fee is £526 for estates over £5,000. Smaller estates pay nothing.
- Extra official copies cost £2 each when you apply, or £16 each later.
- The fee is the same whether you apply yourself or use a solicitor.
- Professional help is optional and usually costs far more than the court fee.
What probate is
Probate is the court’s confirmation that someone can deal with a dead person’s property, money and possessions. If there is a will, executors apply for a grant of probate. If there is no will, the next of kin apply for letters of administration. Both are called “probate” and cost the same.
The grant lets banks, pension schemes and the Land Registry release or transfer assets. Without it, they will usually freeze anything above their own limits.
Do you need probate?
- Property
- A home or land in the person's sole name
- Shares
- Most share holdings and investments
- Large balances
- Bank accounts above the bank's own limit
- Joint assets
- Owned as joint tenants with someone living
- Small balances
- Often under £5,000 to £50,000, depending on the bank
- Nominated benefits
- Pensions and life cover paid to a named person
Ask each bank, building society and pension provider what they need. Each sets its own limit for releasing money without a grant.
The court fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Estate of £5,000 or less | £0 |
| Estate over £5,000 | £526 |
| Extra copy ordered with the application | £2 |
| Extra copy ordered later | £16 |
- Application fee£526
- Four copies at £2£8
Ordering the same four copies after applying would cost £64 instead of £8, taking the total to £590. Help with fees may be available if the applicant has a low income and little savings.
The July 2026 increase
From 13 July 2026, the fee rose from £300 to £526, an increase of about 75%. The Ministry of Justice said the new fee reflects the full cost of the service. At the same time, the price of copies ordered with the application changed from £1.50 to £2.
For a £100,000 estate, the fee is now about 0.53% of the estate. For a £250,000 estate, it is about 0.21%. It is a flat fee, so it weighs more heavily on smaller estates.
Official copies
Each organisation holding money or assets will want to see the grant. They usually accept an official sealed copy rather than the original. Count the banks, building societies, pension providers, share registrars and insurers, and add one or two spare.
Order them with the application
At £2 each with the application, there is little reason to order too few. Later copies cost £16 each.
Applying yourself
Most people can apply online at GOV.UK. You need the original will, the death certificate, and the estate’s value. If Inheritance Tax is due, or a full account is needed, you must send form IHT400 to HMRC first and wait 20 working days before applying.
- Value everything the person owned and owed on the date of death.
- Check whether Inheritance Tax is due and whether the estate is an “excepted estate” that needs no IHT400.
- Apply online, pay the fee and order copies.
- Send the original will and any documents the court asks for.
Doing it yourself costs only the court fee and copies. It can be straightforward for a simple estate with a will, a home and a few bank accounts.
Using a solicitor or probate firm
Professional fees vary a lot. The main options are:
| Fee basis | Cost |
|---|---|
| 1% of the estate | £3,000 |
| 2% of the estate | £6,000 |
| 3% of the estate | £9,000 |
| 5% of the estate | £15,000 |
A grant-only service, where a firm prepares the application but you collect and distribute the assets, often costs a fixed fee of a few hundred to a couple of thousand pounds. Hourly rates suit complex estates. Always ask for a written estimate, and compare at least two firms. Professional fees are paid from the estate, not by the executor personally.
Inheritance Tax and probate
If Inheritance Tax is due, most of it must be paid before the grant is issued. Many banks will pay it straight to HMRC from the deceased’s accounts under the Direct Payment Scheme. Tax on property can be paid in yearly instalments. The Inheritance Tax calculator shows whether tax is likely.
How long it takes
- Weeks 1 to 8Value the estate
Write to banks, pension schemes and others for date-of-death values.
- If tax is dueSend IHT400 and pay
Then wait 20 working days.
- ApplyOnline application
Pay £526 and order copies.
- Weeks to monthsGrant issued
Times vary; check GOV.UK for the latest.
- After the grantCollect, pay debts, distribute
Wait 6 months before distributing if there could be claims.
Being an executor
An executor must collect the assets, pay debts and taxes, and distribute what is left according to the will. You can be personally liable for mistakes, such as paying beneficiaries before a debt. Placing a Deceased Estate Notice in The Gazette protects you against unknown creditors.
Keep careful records of everything you receive and pay out. Beneficiaries are entitled to see estate accounts. You can claim reasonable out-of-pocket expenses from the estate.
Scotland and Northern Ireland
In Scotland, the equivalent of probate is called confirmation and is handled by the sheriff court, with its own fees. Northern Ireland has its own Probate Office and fees. This calculator covers England and Wales.
If there is no will
If someone dies without a valid will, the intestacy rules decide who inherits and who can apply. A spouse or civil partner is first in line, followed by children, parents, brothers and sisters and more distant relatives. Unmarried partners have no automatic right to inherit or to apply.
| Family | Who gets what |
|---|---|
| Spouse, no children | Everything to the spouse |
| Spouse and children | Spouse gets personal possessions, the first £322,000 and half the rest; children share the other half |
| Children, no spouse | Children share everything equally |
| No spouse or children | Parents, then brothers and sisters, then other relatives |
The application is for letters of administration rather than a grant of probate, but the fee is the same £526.
Excepted estates and IHT forms
Most estates are “excepted estates”, which means no Inheritance Tax account is needed and you simply give the figures in the probate application. Broadly, this covers estates under the nil-rate band, estates passing to a spouse or charity worth under £3 million, and some estates using a late spouse’s unused band.
If the estate is not excepted, you must send form IHT400 to HMRC and wait 20 working days before applying for probate. You will need more detailed valuations and supporting schedules.
Valuing the estate
- Ask banks and pension schemes for balances on the date of death.
- Use an estate agent’s or surveyor’s valuation for property, and a professional valuation if Inheritance Tax may be due.
- Value shares at their price on the date of death. A stockbroker or the share registrar can provide a valuation.
- Value household contents at what they would sell for second-hand, not their replacement cost.
- Deduct debts, such as a mortgage, credit cards, utility bills and funeral costs.
The value you give decides whether the £526 fee is due and whether Inheritance Tax applies. If you later find more assets, tell HMRC and the probate registry.
Selling a property during probate
You can put a property on the market before the grant is issued, but the sale cannot complete until you have it. Keep the property insured, tell the insurer it is empty, and check whether council tax relief applies to an unoccupied home.
If the property sells for more than its probate value, the estate may owe Capital Gains Tax on the increase. If it sells for less within 4 years, the estate may be able to claim back some Inheritance Tax.
Disputes and caveats
Anyone who wants to stop a grant being issued, for example because they think the will is invalid, can enter a caveat. It costs a court fee and lasts six months. Disputes over wills or inheritance usually need legal advice and can add significantly to the cost of administering an estate.
Ways to keep costs down
- Apply yourself if the estate is straightforward.
- Order enough copies with the application at £2 each.
- Use a fixed-fee or grant-only service rather than a percentage fee for simple estates.
- Gather documents and valuations before instructing a professional, so you pay for less of their time.
- Ask whether small balances can be released without a grant.
An executor's checklist
- Register the death and get several certified copies of the death certificate.
- Find the will and check it is the latest version.
- Use the Tell Us Once service to inform government departments.
- Secure the home and valuables, and tell the insurer.
- Contact banks, pension providers, insurers and share registrars for date-of-death values.
- Work out whether Inheritance Tax is due and which forms are needed.
- Apply for probate, pay the £526 fee and order copies.
- Collect the assets, pay debts, taxes and expenses, and keep estate accounts.
- Distribute the estate to the beneficiaries and get receipts.
The whole process often takes 9 to 12 months for a straightforward estate, longer if a property must be sold or Inheritance Tax is due.
While someone is alive, a Lasting Power of Attorney lets others manage their affairs; see the power of attorney cost calculator for its fees.