How Much Does Probate Cost? UK Fees Explained

In England and Wales, the fixed court fee to apply for probate is £300 where the estate is worth more than £5,000, with no fee for estates of £5,000 or less. On top of that sits any professional fee (if a solicitor or probate firm is used) and a handful of smaller costs.

So the total cost of probate depends less on the court fee, which is fixed, and more on who does the work and how complex the estate is. Doing it yourself keeps the cost close to the £300 fee. Using a professional can add anywhere from a few hundred pounds to several thousand, depending on the estate. This guide separates the three cost layers so you can see where the money goes. Figures are current as at July 2026 and are subject to change.

How much does probate cost? The quick answer

The cost of probate is the sum of three separate things: the court application fee, any professional fees, and disbursements. The court fee is a fixed £300 in England and Wales for estates over £5,000 (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). Professional fees vary widely and are the part most worth comparing. Disbursements are usually modest.

Cost layer	Typical range	Who sets it
Court application fee	£0 or £300	HM Courts & Tribunals Service (fixed)
Professional fees (optional)	Nil (DIY) to several thousand pounds	The firm you choose
Disbursements	Usually modest	Third parties (registrars, notices)

Court fee source: gov.uk/applying-for-probate/fees, as at July 2026, subject to change. Professional fees and disbursement ranges are general market indications, not quotes, and vary by estate and provider.

Before spending anything, it is worth checking whether probate is needed at all. Some estates, particularly smaller ones or those held jointly, can be dealt with without a grant. Our guide on whether you need probate and when it is required covers that first question.

Item	Fee (July 2026)
Estate £5,000 or less	No fee
Estate over £5,000	£300
Extra copies of the grant	£16 each
Second application	£21

Solicitor and professional fees

Professional fees are the largest and most variable part of the cost, and the part most worth comparing. They apply only if you choose to use a solicitor, an accountant, or a specialist probate firm rather than handling the estate yourself. There is no single rate. Providers charge in a few different ways, and the same estate can cost very different amounts depending on the model and the firm.

Hourly rate. Common with solicitors. The total depends on how much work the estate involves and who does it. Complex estates take more hours.
Percentage of the estate. Some firms, and some banks, charge a percentage of the estate value, sometimes with a separate hourly element. This can produce a large fee on a high-value estate even where the work is straightforward.
Fixed fee. Increasingly common for estates of predictable complexity. The price is agreed in writing before work begins, which makes it easy to compare.

Because the models differ so much, a firm quoting a percentage and a firm quoting a fixed fee can be thousands of pounds apart on the same estate. Reputable providers set out their fees, and the basis of them, before starting. Many people choose to ask two or three providers for a written estimate and to check what is and is not included, such as VAT and disbursements, before deciding.

What drives a higher professional fee? An estate is generally more expensive to administer where it includes a property to sell, business or agricultural assets, foreign assets, several beneficiaries, gifts made in the last seven years, a trust, or a likely inheritance tax bill. A modest estate with one property and a clear will usually sits at the simpler, cheaper end. To understand what the professional work actually involves, see our explainer on what probate is.

Disbursements and other costs

Disbursements are payments to third parties made during the administration, separate from the court fee and any professional fee. Individually they are usually modest, but they add up, and it helps to know they are coming. They are the same whether you handle probate yourself or use a firm, though a firm will normally pass them on to the estate.

Copies of the death certificate. Ordered from the register office. Several are often needed because institutions each want their own.
A notice to creditors. Placing a statutory notice (for example in The Gazette) can help protect the personal representatives against unknown debts. There is a charge for placing it.
Asset and bankruptcy searches. Searches to trace accounts or confirm a beneficiary is not bankrupt carry small fees.
Property valuations. A professional valuation of a property or of contents may be needed, particularly where inheritance tax is in point.

Inheritance tax is not a probate cost as such, but it often has to be dealt with alongside probate, and any tax due is a separate and usually far larger figure. For how the thresholds work, our estate planning guide sets out the nil-rate bands and rates in detail.

An illustration

A worked example

Consider a straightforward estate: a home worth £280,000, savings of £60,000, one clear will, and two adult children as beneficiaries. Probate is needed to release the savings and to sell the house. Here is how the cost might build up. This is a general illustration using July 2026 figures, not a quote, and every estate differs.

Cost item	DIY route	Fixed-fee firm (illustrative)
Court application fee	£300	£300
Extra copies of the grant (say 4)	£64	£64
Disbursements (certificates, notice, searches)	Modest	Modest
Professional fee	Nil	Agreed in advance

Court and copy fees: gov.uk/applying-for-probate/fees, as at July 2026, subject to change. Disbursement and professional figures are illustrative and vary by provider.

The lesson from the example is that the fixed costs are small and predictable. The professional fee is the variable that moves the total, which is why comparing written estimates tends to matter more than worrying about the court fee. On a more complex estate, with a business or an inheritance tax bill, the professional element and the time involved both rise. How long the process runs is a related question, covered in our guide on how long probate takes in the UK.

Can you do probate yourself and save the fees?

Yes, in many cases the named executors can apply for probate themselves, online or by post, which keeps the cost close to the £300 court fee plus disbursements (gov.uk, as at July 2026). Doing it yourself can save the professional fee, but it means taking on the work and the personal responsibility that comes with administering an estate. Whether that is the right call depends on how complex the estate is.

The court fee is the same either way. What you are really deciding is whether to pay a professional to take on the time, the paperwork and the responsibility.

Many people handle a simple estate themselves and bring in a professional only for a specific difficulty, such as a disputed will, a property sale, or an inheritance tax return. Where an estate is large, contested, or involves a trust or business, one option some consider is taking advice from a solicitor or a STEP practitioner before applying, because a mistake made by a personal representative can carry personal liability. It can be worth discussing the balance of cost and risk with a suitably qualified professional.

How costs differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland

This guide describes England and Wales, where the £300 court fee applies. The other UK nations run separate systems with different fees. Scotland uses "confirmation" rather than a grant of probate, and its court fees are banded by estate value rather than a single flat fee. Northern Ireland has its own probate fee and a separate personal application fee where you apply without a solicitor. If an estate touches more than one UK nation, the fee position in each needs checking against that nation's own guidance.

Fees in Scotland and Northern Ireland are set separately and differ from the figures above. Check the relevant nation's official guidance for current amounts.

Frequently asked questions

Is the probate fee really £300?

In England and Wales the application fee is £300 where the estate is worth more than £5,000, and there is no fee where the estate is £5,000 or less (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). That is the court fee only. Any solicitor or probate firm charges its own separate fee on top, and Scotland and Northern Ireland set different fees.

Do you pay probate fees upfront?

The £300 court fee is generally paid when the application is submitted. Personal representatives sometimes meet it from their own funds and reclaim it from the estate later, or pay it from a bank account released for the purpose. Professional fees and disbursements are usually settled from the estate as the administration proceeds. The exact timing can depend on the firm and the estate.

How much do solicitors charge for probate?

There is no fixed rate. Solicitors commonly charge by the hour, some firms charge a percentage of the estate, and many now offer fixed fees for estates of predictable complexity. The total can range from a few hundred pounds to several thousand, depending on the size and complexity of the estate. Comparing written estimates, and checking what is included, tends to reveal large differences.

Who pays the probate fees?

Probate costs are generally met from the estate itself, not from the personal representatives' own pockets in the long run. In practice an executor may advance the court fee and reclaim it, or a bank may release funds to cover it before the grant is issued. Because the estate bears the cost, keeping fees proportionate benefits the beneficiaries who ultimately inherit.

Is there a probate fee if the estate is under £5,000?

No. In England and Wales there is no application fee where the estate is valued at £5,000 or less (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). Many small estates do not require a grant of probate at all, particularly where assets are modest or held jointly, so it can be worth checking whether an application is even needed before starting.

Does using a solicitor change the court fee?

No. The £300 court application fee is set by HM Courts & Tribunals Service and is the same whether you apply yourself or a professional applies for you (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). What a solicitor or probate firm adds is their own separate professional fee for doing the work, which is the part that varies between providers.

About Fairchild Oldfield

The Fairchild Oldfield team brings together estate planning, tax, independent financial advice and client care, working with families across England and Wales.

Fairchild Oldfield are estate planning specialists and will writers, not a firm of solicitors. This article is general information based on practical experience, not legal, tax or financial advice.

Important: This article is general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Reading it does not create a professional relationship. It is based on the law of England and Wales, and other UK jurisdictions may differ. Figures and rules are current as at July 2026 and are subject to change. Before acting, many people choose to seek advice from a suitably qualified professional, such as a solicitor, a STEP practitioner, an accountant, or an FCA-authorised financial adviser, who can consider individual circumstances.

How Much Does Probate Cost in England and Wales?