How much does probate cost in the UK?

England & Wales · Probate · Costs

Quick answer

The only unavoidable cost is the probate application fee of £300 (for estates worth more than £5,000; smaller estates pay nothing). Extra official copies of the grant are £16 each. Beyond that, costs are optional: a solicitor or probate specialist may charge a fixed fee or a percentage of the estate, but you can apply yourself and pay only the court fee.

What makes up the cost of probate

People often assume probate is expensive. In England and Wales the compulsory cost is small: a single court fee. Everything else depends on whether you do it yourself or pay someone to help.

1. The court application fee

The probate registry charges £300 to issue a grant of probate (or letters of administration) for any estate valued above £5,000. Estates of £5,000 or less pay no fee at all. You can also order extra sealed copies of the grant for £16 each — useful because banks and registrars often each want to see one.

2. Professional fees (optional)

If you instruct a solicitor or probate specialist, you are paying for their time, not a government charge. Common models are a fixed fee (often a few hundred to a couple of thousand pounds for a straightforward estate), an hourly rate, or a percentage of the estate's value (typically 1–5%). A percentage fee on a large estate can run to many thousands of pounds, which is why comparing quotes matters.

3. Disbursements and incidentals

Smaller costs can include property valuations, share valuations, bankruptcy searches, statutory advertisements for creditors, and postage. These are usually modest but should be expected.

4. Inheritance tax is separate

Inheritance tax is not a probate fee — it is a tax on the estate, charged at 40% above the available nil-rate bands. Many estates pay no inheritance tax at all because of the £325,000 nil-rate band and the £175,000 residence nil-rate band.

Worked example

Margaret's estate is worth £280,000, with a house, two bank accounts and some shares. Her son applies for probate himself. He pays the £300 court fee and orders four extra copies of the grant at £16 each (£64) to send to the bank, the share registrar and the Land Registry. His total outlay is £364. Had he used a solicitor charging 2% of the estate, that would have added roughly £5,600 plus VAT.

Tip: Get the estate valued before deciding who applies. A simple estate with one or two assets is often well within reach of a capable executor; a complex estate (business assets, foreign property, disputes, or inheritance tax to pay) is where professional help earns its fee.

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Sources

GOV.UK — Applying for probate (application fee £300; estates over £5,000)
GOV.UK — Probate fees and additional copies (£16 per copy)
HM Courts & Tribunals Service — probate timeliness statistics, 2025
GOV.UK — Valuing the estate of someone who's died

Reviewed by: ClearLegacy editorial team
Last reviewed: June 2026
Next review: December 2026
Jurisdiction: England & Wales

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