British Columbia Probate Fee Calculator

Enter the gross value of an estate to estimate the British Columbia probate fees and the British Columbia Supreme Court filing fee.

This calculator estimates court fees only and does not include court certified true copies fees, legal or other estate administration costs.

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British Columbia Probate Fee Calculator

Enter the gross value of the estate to estimate the BC probate fee and the $200 court filing fee (if applicable).

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Please note this is an estimate only and not legal advice.

How probate fees are calculated in British Columbia

  • No probate fee if the estate is $25,000 or less
  • $6 per $1,000 (or part) between $25,0001 and $50,000
  • $14 per $1,000 (or part) over $50,000
  • Court filing fee is $200 when the estate is over $25,000

Per $1,000 or part of $1,000 means the fee rounds up within that fee category. So you pay the same amount of probate fees for an estate value of $81,000 and $80,001.

  • Estate value $800,000 → estimated probate fees: $10,650
  • Estate value $500,000 → estimated probate fees: $6,450
  • Estate value $300,000 → estimated probate fees: $3,650

What estate value should I enter?

Use the gross value of the estate that is required to be disclosed to the court in the probate application. In general, this means adding up all assets of the estate at date of death (for example, real estate, bank accounts, investments, vehicles). If you’re unsure what should to include, request an estate consultation and we can help determine whether probate is required and the gross value of the estate.

Frequently asked questions

Probate fees are court fees paid to the British Columbia government when applying for an Estate Grant in Probate or resealing a foreign Grant of Probate. They are calculated based on the gross value of the estate, and they are separate from legal fees or other estate administration costs.

Use the BC Probate Fee Calculator to estimate both the probate fee and court filing fee.

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Probate fees are often called “probate tax” or a death or inheritance tax but they are not a tax. They are a British Columbia government fee paid to directly to the Minister of Finance by filing them with the court registry.

Separate from probate fees, an estate may have tax obligations (for example, final income tax returns).

Sometimes. Some assets may pass outside the estate depending on ownership and beneficiary designations and may not require probate. Whether probate is required is fact-specific, and avoiding probate isn’t always possible or advisable.

Unless there is blended family dynamics, with correct estate planning the first spouse should not have to probate their deceased’s spouse’s Will or pay probate fees. When planned correctly all assets should pass to the surviving spouse as the surviving joint tenant for real property, joint account holder or the designated beneficiary for financial assets.

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Sometimes — but many estates under $25,000 can often be administered without an Estate Grant in Probate, depending on the assets and what financial institutions require.

Even if an estate is under $25,000, probate may still be required if:

  • there is real property (vacant land or low value home) or a manufactured home in the deceased’s name alone, or
  • a financial institution require an Estate Grant in Probate before releasing funds.

Yes, resealing an out-of-province or even from another country grant of probate in British Columbia generally requires probate fees based on the value of assets in British Columbia.

Learn about Resealing a Grant of Probate in British Columbia