Cost of probate in Australia
Updated 20 August 2026 · 8 minute read
Probate has two costs: the court filing fee, set by each Supreme Court and usually tiered by estate value, and professional fees if you use a lawyer. Both come out of the estate — not the executor's pocket.
Court filing fees by state, 2026–27
| State | Filing fee | Structure |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | $0 – $7,399 | Tiered by estate value |
| VIC | $0 – $17,770.80 | Tiered by estate value |
| QLD | $847.60 | Flat fee |
| WA | $418 | Flat fee |
| SA | $1,020 – $4,075 | Tiered by estate value |
| TAS | $548.80 – $2,338.28 | Tiered by estate value |
| ACT | $0 – $2,961 | Tiered by estate value |
| NT | $1,548 | Flat fee |
The spread is remarkable: a $600,000 estate pays $418 in WA, $847.60 in QLD, $1,088 in VIC, $1,352.40 in TAS, $1,999 in NSW, $2,224 in the ACT, $2,715 in SA and a flat $1,548 in the NT. Add the notice/advertising cost where your state requires one ($38–$162).
Fees are set by where the assets are, not where you live. An executor in Perth administering a Sydney estate pays NSW fees.
What lawyers charge
Most probate firms now quote fixed fees. As at 2026, typical ranges:
- Grant-only (you administer the estate yourself once granted): $1,500 – $3,000 + GST
- Grant + full estate administration (firm collects assets, pays debts, distributes): $4,000 – $8,000+, scaling with complexity
- Letters of administration: usually $300 – $800 more than probate, for the extra affidavits
- Hourly-rate retainers: still offered by general firms — for a routine grant, a fixed quote is almost always cheaper
Some states also allow solicitors to charge scale costs for probate work regulated by legislation — but the market has largely moved to fixed quotes, and comparing two or three is the single best way to keep costs down.
Who pays — and when
The estate pays. Executors are entitled to reimbursement for the filing fee, advertising and reasonable professional costs before any distribution. If the estate's cash is locked until the grant, most firms defer their fee until funds are released, and some banks will release money specifically to pay probate costs — ask the bank's deceased estates team.
Compare fixed-fee quotes
Two minutes, up to three quotes from firms licensed in your state. The easiest way to see the real price for your estate.
Get fixed-fee probate quotesIs probate cheaper if I do it myself?
You save the professional fee but still pay the court fee. Self-applications carry a higher requisition rate — fine for simple estates, false economy for complex ones.
Are there extra costs after the grant?
Sometimes: reseal fees for interstate assets, title transfer fees, and accountancy for the estate's final tax return. Ask any firm quoting you to list what's excluded.
Do pensioner or hardship discounts exist?
Some registries can waive or defer fees in hardship — ask the registry directly. The estate-value tiers (fee-free under $100k in NSW, under $250k in VIC, under $50k in the ACT) do most of the work for small estates.
Sources
- State Supreme Court fee schedules 2026–27 (effective 1 July 2026)
- nationalprobate.com.au state fee tables (retrieved 20 August 2026)
- Market survey of published fixed-fee probate pricing, August 2026