What probate costs are unavoidable?
- Court application fee: £526 — estates over £5,000 (raised from £300 on 13 July 2026). No fee at £5,000 or under.
- Sealed grant copies: £1.50 each — order 4–6; every bank, platform and the Land Registry wants an official copy.
- Death certificates: £12.50 each — see registering a death.
- Statutory creditor notices: ~£90–£110 — the s.27 Trustee Act 1925 advertisements in The Gazette and a local paper that protect executors from unknown debts.
How much is DIY probate versus a professional?
DIY (straightforward estate): £600–£800 all-in, plus your time — expect 20–60 hours spread over months. Online probate services: roughly £1,000–£2,500 fixed fee. Solicitors: £1,500–£5,000+ for straightforward work, or 1–5% of estate value for full administration — always demand a fixed-fee quote and check whether VAT, disbursements and conveyancing are extra.
Estimate your own position with the probate fees estimator.
Which probate costs do people forget?
- Inheritance tax — not a fee, but often the largest single payment; some IHT must usually be paid before the grant issues (the Direct Payment Scheme lets banks pay HMRC directly from the deceased's accounts).
- Property costs — insurance on an empty property, utilities, maintenance and council tax while it sits unsold.
- Valuations — professional valuations for property, businesses or collections; HMRC can challenge amateur figures.
- Conveyancing — selling or transferring the property is a separate legal job with its own fee.
- Accountancy — estate income tax returns if assets earn income during administration.
How do you keep probate costs down?
Do the admin yourself and buy expertise only for the hard parts: many executors handle the application personally, then pay a solicitor for the IHT400 or an accountant for the estate return. Read the full process in the probate guide and the working order in the executor checklist.