Probate costs: court fees and other expenses

By SwiftWillUpdated 24 September 2026England and Wales

Quick answer

The court fee to apply for probate in England and Wales is £526 when the estate is worth more than £5,000, and there is no fee at £5,000 or less. Extra copies of the grant cost £2 each if ordered with the application, or £16 each later. Other costs depend on the estate, such as professional fees, valuations and any inheritance tax. They are paid from the estate, though the applicant often pays the court fee first.

What are the probate court fees?

The application fee is £526 if the estate is worth more than £5,000. These fees apply to applications from 13 July 2026 under article 3 of the Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2026, which amended the Non-Contentious Probate Fees Order 2004. The order was due to start on 6 July 2026; S.I. 2026/665 moved the date to 13 July.

Probate court fees in England and Wales from 13 July 2026
Item	Fee from 13 July 2026	Before
Application, estate over £5,000	£526	£300
Application, estate £5,000 or less	No fee	No fee
Copy of the grant ordered with the application	£2 each	£16 each
Copy ordered at any other time	£16 each	£16 each
Second application after a grant	£22	£21
Entering or extending a caveat	£4	£3

GOV.UK's fees page confirms the £526, £2, £16 and £22 figures. The second-application fee applies even when the estate is £5,000 or less.

Which estate value decides the fee?

The fee depends on the net value of the estate passing under the grant, which the fee order calls the assessed value. GOV.UK explains how to work it out in before you apply:

Start with the gross value for inheritance tax.
Take off joint assets passing to a surviving owner, gifts made in the seven years before death, assets abroad and assets held in trust. This gives the gross value for probate.
Take off debts and funeral costs, but not debts owed jointly, such as a mortgage on a joint home. This gives the net value for probate.

So an estate where the home and main account were jointly owned may pass under the grant with a value of £5,000 or less, and no application fee is due. The probate fees estimator works this out from the figure you enter.

Can you get help paying the fee?

Yes, if you have a low income or receive certain benefits. You can apply for help with fees online or on form EX160 before applying. If you apply for probate online, you pay the full fee first and get a refund if help is granted. Help with fees does not cover extra copies.

What other costs might the estate pay?

Other costs depend on what the estate contains and how much help you pay for:

Death certificates: £12.50 each from the register office or the General Register Office. See registering a death.
Notices to creditors: a deceased estates notice in The Gazette and, where the estate includes land, a newspaper circulating in that area (Trustee Act 1925, s.27). Both charge for notices; check their current prices.
Valuations: GOV.UK says property can be valued by an estate agent or chartered surveyor, and other items worth over £1,500 can be professionally valued.
Professional help: a solicitor or probate practitioner for some or all of the work. Firms regulated by the SRA that offer uncontested probate must publish their prices and what the price includes; ask for a written estimate first.
Property costs: insurance, bills and council tax while a property waits to be sold or transferred, plus conveyancing on a sale.
Tax on the estate: income tax and capital gains tax on income or gains during the administration, and any inheritance tax, which is a liability of the estate rather than a fee.

Who pays probate costs?

The estate pays. A personal representative is entitled to be reimbursed for expenses properly incurred (Trustee Act 2000, s.31, applied to personal representatives by s.35). If you pay inheritance tax from your own account, GOV.UK says you can claim it back from the estate. Professional executors can charge for their time only where the will or the law allows it.

How can you keep probate costs down?

Apply yourself if the estate is straightforward: GOV.UK notes this can be cheaper than paying a probate practitioner. Order copies with the application at £2 rather than £16 later. If you want help, you can pay for specific parts, such as the IHT400 account or a property sale, and do the rest yourself. Keep a record of every payment for the estate accounts. The executor checklist and the probate guide set out the process.

Sources

Sources checked 24 September 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the probate application fee?

£526 when the estate is worth more than £5,000, and nothing when it is worth £5,000 or less. The fee rose from £300 on 13 July 2026 under the Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2026.

How much are extra copies of the grant?

£2 each if you order them when you apply, or £16 each if you order them afterwards. Order enough with the application to send one to each organisation at the same time. Help with fees does not cover copies.

Is the probate fee charged per estate or per asset?

Per application. One grant covers the whole estate, however many accounts or properties it includes. A second application after a grant has been issued, for example by an executor who held power reserved, costs £22.

Which value decides whether the £526 fee applies?

The fee order uses the net value of the estate passing under the grant. GOV.UK calls this the net value for probate: it leaves out joint assets passing to a surviving owner and deducts debts and funeral costs.

Who pays the probate costs?

The estate. The person applying often pays the court fee first and is repaid from the estate. Personal representatives are entitled to be reimbursed for expenses properly incurred, so keep every receipt.

How much does a solicitor charge for probate?

There is no set fee. Firms regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority that offer uncontested probate must publish price information on their websites, including what the price covers. Ask for a written estimate that says whether VAT is added and which costs, such as valuations, are extra.