Fixed-fee probate lawyers in NSW
Probate is handled remotely, so any NSW 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 50 firms that handle probate and deceased estates in New South Wales: 47 apply for grants of probate, 30 handle letters of administration, 34 offer full estate administration, 1 have a small-estate service, 8 take contested estates and 2 list remote / australia-wide. 2 of them publish a fixed fee for a straightforward grant, from $1,320 to $1,980 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We do not publish firm names or contact details.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 New South Wales. 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 New South Wales 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 New South Wales
Probate in New South Wales is granted by the Supreme Court of New South Wales. Filing runs through NSW Online Registry (all probate filing is online).
Publish the online notice of intention
Filed through the NSW Online Registry. You must then wait 14 days before filing the application.
Prepare the summons, inventory and executor's affidavit
The inventory lists every NSW asset and liability at date-of-death values. Accuracy here is what avoids requisitions.
File online and pay the filing fee
Upload the sworn documents and the original will as directed by the registry.
Receive the grant
The sealed grant arrives electronically. Banks, the titles office and share registries will each want a copy.
Applications filed more than 6 months after death must include an affidavit explaining the delay. Build the 14-day notice period into your timing.
Full detail: how to apply in NSW, current timeframes, the forms. No will? See letters of administration in NSW.
What it costs in New South Wales
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 $100,000 | $0 |
| $100,000 - $250,000 | $960 |
| $250,000 - $500,000 | $1,303 |
| $500,000 - $1 million | $1,999 |
| $1 million - $2 million | $2,663 |
| $2 million - $5 million | $4,439 |
| More than $5 million | $7,399 |
Fees are based on the gross value of NSW assets only, at date-of-death values. Publishing the online notice costs $59.
Most firms now quote fixed fees for a straightforward grant. Expect roughly $1,500-$3,000 + GST for grant-only work in NSW, 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 NSW, 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 NSW 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?
New South Wales questions
Do I have to use a lawyer for a New South Wales estate?
No. Executors can apply in person, and in New South Wales 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 New South Wales handle the estate?
Yes. Probate is granted by the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the application is handled remotely, so any firm licensed in New South Wales can act for a New South Wales estate. What matters is that the firm does NSW 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 New South Wales timeline: Clean probate application to grant (2-4 wks); Mandatory 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 NSW without the browsing
Answer a few questions and we'll match you with a fixed-fee firm licensed in New South Wales 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 NSW - fees, forms and current wait times.