Fixed-fee probate lawyers in ACT
Probate is handled remotely, so any ACT firm can act for you wherever you live. We have checked the firms that do this work so you do not have to. Get a fixed-fee quote before you commit.
We have checked 8 firms that handle probate and deceased estates in the Australian Capital Territory: 3 apply for grants of probate, 2 handle letters of administration, 3 offer full estate administration and 2 take contested estates. None of them publish a fixed fee on their website, so ask for one in writing before you commit.
We do not publish firm names or contact details. Every firm behind this page is a real practice we have checked against its own published details. Tell us about the estate and we match you with a fixed-fee firm licensed in Australian Capital Territory. You get their introduction by email; reply to it and they send you a quote, so you are not ringing around.
Do you need probate for a the ACT estate?
Often not. Banks, share registries and super funds each have their own threshold below which they release funds on a certified death certificate and an indemnity, and real estate held as joint tenants passes without a grant at all. A grant becomes unavoidable when there is solely owned property to transfer or sell, when an institution insists on one, or when the estate is large enough that nobody will release anything without it. Start with Do I need probate? and check the bank thresholds before you pay anyone.
How probate works in the ACT
Probate in Australian Capital Territory is granted by the ACT Supreme Court. Filing is through the registry with the ACT Supreme Court; probate notices are published on the ACT Courts website.
Publish the online notice of intention
The notice runs on the ACT Courts probate notices page; wait 14 days before filing.
Prepare the application
Originating application, executor's affidavit and the statement of assets and liabilities.
File with the registry and pay the tiered fee
Documents, the original will and the death certificate are filed with the ACT Supreme Court registry.
Receive the grant
Allow four to eight weeks for a clean application.
ACT family provision claims must be filed within 6 months of the grant.
Full detail: how to apply in ACT, current timeframes, the forms. No will? See letters of administration in ACT.
What it costs in the ACT
Two costs, paid by the estate: the court's filing fee, and the lawyer's fee. The court fee is fixed by the state and nobody can discount it. The lawyer's fee is where quotes differ.
| Estate value | Filing fee |
|---|---|
| Less than $50,000 | $0 |
| $50,000 - $250,000 | $1,164 |
| $250,000 - $500,000 | $1,471 |
| $500,000 - $1 million | $2,224 |
| More than $1 million | $2,961 |
Estates under $50,000 pay no filing fee. Publishing the online notice costs about $63.
Most firms now quote fixed fees for a straightforward grant. Expect roughly $1,500-$3,000 + GST for grant-only work in ACT, and $4,000-$8,000+ if the firm administers the whole estate (collecting assets, paying debts, distributing). Hourly-rate retainers still exist. For a routine grant, a fixed quote is almost always the better deal, which is why every firm we match you with quotes one.
What pushes a quote up: a lost or damaged original will, assets in more than one state (a reseal or second grant), requisitions from the registry, family tension or a threatened family provision claim, and business interests, trusts or farmland in the estate. Say so up front and the quote will be accurate. Full breakdown: cost of probate in ACT, or try the cost calculator.
What a fixed-fee quote should cover, and what to ask
A fixed fee for a grant should include: taking your instructions and reviewing the will, the notice or advertisement the court requires, preparing the application, affidavit and inventory, filing, dealing with routine registry queries, and handing you the sealed grant. It should state the court fee and any advertising cost separately, and say what is excluded, most often estate administration after the grant, reseals in other states, disputes, and tax work.
- Is this a fixed fee for the grant, and what exactly is excluded?
- How many ACT grants did you do last month?
- Who will actually do the work, and who do I call with a question?
- If the registry raises a requisition, is fixing it in the price?
- What do you need from me, and how quickly can you file once you have it?
- If I want you to administer the whole estate afterwards, what does that cost?
the ACT questions
Do I have to use a lawyer for a the ACT estate?
No. Executors can apply in person, and in the ACT the court accepts self-prepared applications. Most people use a lawyer for two reasons: self-filed applications attract requisitions (queries from the registry) far more often, which adds weeks, and the executor is personally responsible for getting the distribution right. A fixed-fee grant is the middle path: professional application, known price.
Can a lawyer outside the ACT handle the estate?
Yes. Probate is granted by the ACT Supreme Court and the application is handled remotely, so any firm licensed in the ACT can act for a the ACT estate. What matters is that the firm does ACT grants every week, not where its office is.
Who pays the lawyer's fee?
The estate does. Court filing fees and reasonable professional costs are estate expenses, paid from estate funds before anything is distributed. Executors who pay up front are reimbursed. Confirm the quote is a fixed fee for the grant itself, and ask what is excluded.
How long from first call to grant?
Allow two to four weeks for the death certificate from Births, Deaths and Marriages before anything can be filed, then the the ACT timeline: Filing to grant (about six weeks is typical) (4-8 wks); Online notice period before filing (14 days). A firm with the documents in hand can usually have the application ready within a week of your first call.
Get matched in ACT without the browsing
Answer a few questions and we'll match you with a fixed-fee firm licensed in Australian Capital Territory and email you their introduction. Reply to it and they'll send you a quote. No obligation.
New to the process? Start with probate in ACT - fees, forms and current wait times.