Probate lawyers in Adelaide
Adelaide estates are granted probate by the Supreme Court of South Australia - and because the whole process runs remotely, you can use a firm anywhere in SA. 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 22 firms that handle probate and deceased estates in Adelaide: 21 apply for grants of probate, 13 handle letters of administration, 14 offer full estate administration and 9 take contested estates. 2 of them publish a fixed fee for a straightforward grant, from $4,400 to $4,800 plus court fees.
We do not publish firm names or contact details.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 SA. 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 Adelaide 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 South Australia
Probate in South Australia is granted by the Supreme Court of South Australia. Filing runs through CourtSA online portal (Probate Registry).
Register on CourtSA
Applications are prepared and lodged through the CourtSA civil portal.
Prepare the application and affidavit
The application, executor's affidavit and statement of assets and liabilities are completed and sworn.
Lodge and pay the tiered fee
Upload the documents; the original will is provided to the Probate Registry as directed.
Receive the grant
Clean applications are granted in one to six weeks depending on registry workload.
Under the Succession Act 2023 (in force since 1 January 2025), family provision claims must be filed within 6 months of the grant. Pre-2025 guidance about SA law is out of date.
Full detail: how to apply in SA, current timeframes, the forms. No will? See letters of administration in SA.
What it costs in Adelaide
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 |
|---|---|
| Up to $200,000 | $1,020 |
| $200,001 - $500,000 | $2,038 |
| $500,001 - $1 million | $2,715 |
| More than $1 million | $4,075 |
South Australia's tiered fees (2026-27, from 1 July 2026) are comparatively high at every level - a $300,000 estate pays more here than a $2 million estate pays in Tasmania.
Most firms now quote fixed fees for a straightforward grant. Expect roughly $1,500-$3,000 + GST for grant-only work in SA, 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 SA, 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 SA 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?
Adelaide questions
Do I have to use a lawyer for a Adelaide estate?
No. Executors can apply in person, and in South Australia 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 Adelaide handle the estate?
Yes. Probate is granted by the Supreme Court of South Australia and the application is handled remotely, so any firm licensed in South Australia can act for a Adelaide estate. What matters is that the firm does SA 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 South Australia timeline: Filing to grant (clean applications) (1-6 wks); No notice period - file when ready (None). A firm with the documents in hand can usually have the application ready within a week of your first call.
Ready? Get a quote for a Adelaide estate
Answer a few questions and we'll match you with a fixed-fee firm licensed in SA and email you their introduction. Reply to it and they'll send you a quote. No obligation.
See also: probate in SA · cost of probate · SA overview