Probate fees UK 2026
For 2026 the probate application fee in England and Wales is £300 for any estate worth more than £5,000, and £0 for estates of £5,000 or less. Extra sealed copies of the grant are £16 each. The fee is the same flat amount regardless of the estate's value, and is usually paid from the estate.
The 2026 probate fees
These are the current official court fees — separate from any solicitor's charges and from inheritance tax.
| Estate value | Court application fee | DIY total (fee + ~4 copies) | Solicitor at ~2% (illustrative) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to £5,000 | £0 | £0–£64 | n/a (often no grant needed) |
| £50,000 | £300 | ≈ £364 | ≈ £1,000 |
| £250,000 | £300 | ≈ £364 | ≈ £5,000 |
| £500,000 | £300 | ≈ £364 | ≈ £10,000 |
| £1,000,000 | £300 | ≈ £364 | ≈ £20,000 |
The court fee is a flat £300 whatever the estate is worth — it does not scale with value. The percentage column is purely illustrative of how some solicitors price; always get a written quote.
Who pays the fee?
The fee is normally paid from the estate's funds, not by the executor personally. Where cash is hard to access before the grant, some banks release money directly to the probate registry, and the fee can be reimbursed from the estate.
How it's paid
Most applications are made through the online probate service, with the fee paid at the point of application. Extra copies can be ordered at the same time.
Fee reductions
Help with court fees may be available to applicants on a low income or certain benefits, which can reduce or remove the fee in qualifying cases.
An executor of a £700,000 estate pays the same £300 application fee as one dealing with a £60,000 estate — the fee does not scale. They order six copies of the grant (£96) to deal with multiple banks and the Land Registry at once, for £396 in total court costs.
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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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