Probate Costs & Fees in Ireland: What Does It Actually Cost?

“How much does probate cost?” sounds like it should have one number.

It does not.

The total cost of administering an estate can contain several completely different items:

• Probate Office court fees;
• solicitor professional fees;
• property valuations;
• conveyancing;
• accountant or tax work;
• estate-agent fees;
• insurance and property costs;
• copies and searches;
• dispute costs;
• and tax.

The court fee itself can be relatively modest.

The full estate-administration bill can be much larger.

This guide reflects Courts Service, Revenue and LSRA information checked on 5 October 2026.

For the overall process, start with Probate in Ireland: The Complete Guide.

Probate costs: the five separate buckets

A useful way to understand probate costs is to split them into five groups.

1. Court fees

Paid to the Probate Office or District Probate Registry.

2. Professional fees

Potentially paid to:

• solicitor;
• accountant;
• tax adviser;
• valuer;
• auctioneer;
• other specialist.

3. Estate administration expenses

Such as:

• property insurance;
• maintenance;
• travel;
• searches;
• certificates;
• copies;
• postage;
• storage.

4. Transaction costs

For example:

• selling a house;
• transferring land;
• selling shares;
• foreign legal work.

5. Tax

Potentially:

• pre-death tax owed by the deceased;
• Income Tax during administration;
• CGT during administration;
• Capital Acquisitions Tax for beneficiaries.

These are not all “probate fees”.

Keeping them separate makes the total much easier to understand.

Current Probate Office fees for solicitor applications

Where a solicitor makes the probate application on behalf of the estate, the current court-fee bands are:

The fee is based on the net value of the estate for the Probate Office application.

That is not necessarily the same number as:

• gross asset value;
• house sale price;
• beneficiary’s taxable inheritance;
• CAT taxable value.

Current fees for personal probate applications

A person applying without a solicitor pays double the primary-grant court fee.

Citizens Information gives the example of a €1.6 million personal application:

• first €1m: €1,300;
• first €500,000 above €1m: €800;
• remaining €100,000 counts as another part of €500,000: €800;
• total: €2,900.

Why are personal court fees higher?

The statutory fee schedule charges a personal applicant double the equivalent primary-grant fee.

That does not automatically mean a personal application is more expensive overall.

A solicitor application has:

• lower Probate Office fee;
• plus the solicitor’s professional fee.

A personal application has:

• higher Probate Office fee;
• but no solicitor professional fee for preparing the grant application.

The total comparison depends on the estate.

Worked example: €80,000 estate

Personal application

Court fee:

€200

Solicitor application

Court fee:

€100

Then add the solicitor’s professional fee and any VAT/outlays.

If the estate is extremely simple, the personal route can still be cheaper overall despite the higher court fee.

Worked example: €400,000 estate

Personal application

Court fee:

€700

Solicitor application

Court fee:

€350

Again, the solicitor fee is separate.

Worked example: €650,000 estate

Personal application

Court fee:

€1,000

Solicitor application

Court fee:

€500

The gap is now €500 before professional fees are considered.

Worked example: €900,000 estate

Personal application

Court fee:

€1,300

Solicitor application

Court fee:

€650

The difference is €650.

A solicitor’s professional fee will normally exceed that difference, but cost should not be the only decision factor where the estate is complicated.

Worked example: €1.6 million estate

Solicitor application

First €1m:

€650

Next €500,000:

€400

Remaining €100,000 is part of another €500,000:

€400

Total court fee:

€1,450

Personal application

First €1m:

€1,300

Next €500,000:

€800

Remaining €100,000:

€800

Total:

€2,900

That is exactly double the solicitor-application court fee.

What does “net estate value” mean?

The Probate Office fee is based on the estate’s net value.

Broadly, that means estate assets less allowable liabilities for probate purposes.

Do not assume every debt or future cost can simply be deducted.

The estate valuation used in Revenue’s SA.2 and the Probate Office application should be prepared carefully.

For significant estates, professional help can prevent expensive corrections later.

What does a solicitor charge for probate?

There is no fixed national solicitor fee for probate.

Solicitors set their own professional charges.

The amount can depend on:

• estate value;
• number of assets;
• number of beneficiaries;
• property;
• trusts;
• business assets;
• agricultural land;
• foreign assets;
• tax work;
• disputes;
• complexity;
• amount of correspondence;
• time involved.

Do not assume a percentage of the estate is the only legitimate pricing model.

Ask exactly how the fee is calculated.

Solicitors must disclose costs

Legal practitioners in Ireland are subject to legal-cost transparency rules.

The LSRA explains that section 150 of the Legal Services Regulation Act requires a solicitor to give the client a written notice setting out:

• the legal costs expected;
• or, where the final amount cannot reasonably be known, the basis on which the costs will be calculated.

If circumstances arise that will make the costs significantly higher, an updated costs notice is required.

That makes the Section 150 costs notice one of the most important documents to read before instructing a probate solicitor.

What should you ask a probate solicitor?

Ask for clarity on:

• professional fee;
• VAT;
• Probate Office fee;
• valuation costs;
• conveyancing costs;
• Revenue/tax-return work;
• estate accounts;
• property sale;
• foreign work;
• searches/copies;
• additional fees if queries arise;
• additional fees if the estate becomes contentious.

A low headline quote can become expensive if major pieces of the administration are outside scope.

Does the solicitor fee include selling the house?

Not necessarily.

Probate work and conveyancing are different legal services.

If the executor has to sell the deceased’s property, the solicitor may charge a separate conveyancing fee.

Ask explicitly:

“Does your probate quote include the property sale?”

Do not assume it does.

Does the solicitor fee include tax returns?

Not necessarily.

An estate can need:

• Revenue SA.2;
• deceased’s final Income Tax matters;
• estate Income Tax;
• CGT;
• beneficiary CAT assistance.

A probate quote may cover some but not all of that work.

Ask what is included.

Does the solicitor fee include estate accounts?

Again, not automatically.

Preparing full estate accounts can involve considerable work where there are:

• many bank transactions;
• property expenses;
• interim distributions;
• tax payments;
• investments;
• several beneficiaries.

Ask whether final estate accounts are part of the quoted professional fee.

VAT on solicitor fees

Legal professional fees generally attract VAT.

When comparing quotations, check whether the quoted amount is:

• inclusive of VAT;
• exclusive of VAT.

A €3,000 professional fee plus VAT is not a €3,000 total bill.

The Section 150 notice should help clarify the expected cost.

Other likely probate expenses

Property valuation

If the deceased owned a house or land, a professional valuation may be needed for the estate.

Shares/investments

Certain investments may need date-of-death valuations.

Business valuation

A private company, partnership or business interest can require specialist valuation.

Accountant or tax adviser

More complex estates may need tax work beyond standard probate administration.

Estate agent

If property is sold, sales fees can arise.

Property maintenance

While probate is pending:

• insurance;
• utilities;
• heating;
• grass cutting;
• security;
• repairs

can all cost money.

Foreign legal fees

Foreign assets may require a lawyer or probate process in another country.

Probate copy fees

The Courts Service currently charges:

• official copy of a will, grant or other document: €15;
• sealed/certified copy of will and grant: €40;
• official copy of will and grant: €30;
• sealed/certified copy of a grant: €20;
• sealed/certified copy of a will: €20;
• statement of affairs copy: €25.

These are relatively small individually but are part of the full administration cost.

Caveat fees

The current court fee for lodging a caveat is:

€100

Filing a warning, citation, subpoena or appearance is currently:

€30

A contested estate can generate far larger professional fees than these court charges.

The court fee is not the expensive part of litigation.

What about a duplicate or second grant?

The current fee for a double, cessate, unadministered or duplicate Grant of Representation is:

• €150 for a solicitor application;
• €300 where sought by personal application.

De Bonis Non applications follow the same €150 solicitor fee / double personal-applicant structure.

Can estate expenses be deducted before inheritance tax?

Some estate liabilities and administration expenses can reduce the taxable value for CAT purposes.

Revenue lists examples including:

• funeral expenses;
• pre-death tax liabilities;
• mortgage/overdraft and other pre-death debts;
• costs of administration;
• legal costs;
• Income Tax and CGT arising during administration.

The exact CAT deduction depends on the tax rules and whether the cost is actually allowable and paid.

Do not assume every probate-related expense is automatically deductible for CAT.

Probate fee is not inheritance tax

These are completely different.

Probate court fee

Paid to the Courts Service for the grant application.

Solicitor fee

Paid for legal services.

CAT

Potentially paid by a beneficiary receiving an inheritance.

You can have:

• probate fee with no CAT;
• CAT with relatively small probate fee;
• substantial legal fees even where no beneficiary owes CAT.

Keep the three separate.

For CAT, read Inheritance Tax in Ireland.

Is there a probate tax in Ireland?

People sometimes search for “probate tax” when they mean:

• Probate Office fees;
• CAT;
• an old historical estate-tax concept.

For a modern estate, do not treat “probate tax” as a single current charge payable simply because somebody dies.

The practical costs are the court fees, administration costs, professional fees and any taxes that actually arise under current law.

How much should you budget for a straightforward estate?

There is no universal total.

A simple estate administered personally could involve:

• court fee;
• valuations;
• certificates/copies;
• minor administration expenses.

A solicitor-administered estate adds professional fees and VAT.

A property sale can add conveyancing and estate-agent costs.

A complex estate can add:

• tax adviser;
• foreign lawyer;
• specialist valuer;
• litigation.

So the right question is not:

“What percentage does probate cost?”

It is:

“Which cost buckets apply to this particular estate?”

Example: simple €250,000 estate, personal application

Possible core costs:

• personal probate court fee: €400;
• death certificates/copies: variable;
• valuation: variable;
• minor administration costs: variable.

There may be no solicitor professional fee for the grant application.

But the executor carries the responsibility for preparing the application correctly.

Example: €500,000 estate using a solicitor

Known court fee:

€350

Then potentially:

• solicitor fee;
• VAT;
• property valuation;
• conveyancing if property sold;
• other outlays.

The court fee is often a small fraction of the total professional/transaction cost.

Example: estate with a house sale

Assume:

• house in deceased’s sole name;
• executor uses solicitor;
• Grant of Probate required;
• house must be sold.

Potential cost layers:

1. Probate Office application fee;
2. probate solicitor professional fee;
3. VAT;
4. property valuation;
5. conveyancing fee;
6. estate-agent fee;
7. property expenses while waiting;
8. possible CGT if value rises after death before sale;
9. beneficiary CAT where applicable.

That is why “probate costs €350” would be misleading.

€350 might only be the court fee.

Who pays probate costs?

Estate administration costs are generally paid from the estate rather than personally by the beneficiary.

The personal representative uses estate funds to meet valid administration expenses before distributing the residue.

This is one reason the executor should not distribute everything immediately.

Enough cash must be retained to settle:

• fees;
• tax;
• debts;
• expenses.

What if there is not enough cash?

An estate can be asset-rich but cash-poor.

For example:

• house worth €500,000;
• only €2,000 cash;
• probate and property expenses still due.

The executor may need to arrange funds or eventually sell assets.

Do not assume a valuable estate means there is cash available immediately.

Can an executor pay probate costs personally and get reimbursed?

Reasonable costs properly incurred for the estate can generally be reimbursed from estate funds.

Keep:

• invoices;
• receipts;
• bank evidence;
• clear records.

Do not mix personal and estate spending without documentation.

The Executor of a Will in Ireland guide explains estate accounts and executor responsibilities.

Is DIY probate always cheaper?

Not necessarily.

DIY avoids a solicitor’s probate professional fee.

But it can increase:

• court fee;
• time;
• risk of rejected/queried applications;
• personal workload.

And if a problem arises later, fixing it can cost more than getting advice at the start.

DIY makes most sense where the estate is genuinely straightforward.

When paying a solicitor is likely worth it

Professional probate assistance becomes easier to justify where there is:

• property;
• business;
• farm;
• foreign assets;
• complicated tax;
• missing documents;
• multiple executors;
• renunciation;
• family disagreement;
• possible Section 117 claim;
• cohabitant claim;
• insolvent estate;
• trust.

The more expensive the mistake could be, the less useful it is to judge the decision purely on legal fees.

How to compare probate solicitor quotes

Compare like with like.

Use this checklist:

1. professional fee;
2. VAT;
3. court fee;
4. outlays;
5. valuation;
6. estate accounts;
7. SA.2;
8. tax returns;
9. property sale;
10. beneficiary correspondence;
11. queries from Probate Office;
12. complexity surcharges.

A quote of €2,000 excluding everything can be more expensive than a quote of €3,000 that includes most of the estate administration.

What if legal costs become much higher than quoted?

The LSRA states that where circumstances arise that make the expected legal costs significantly greater than previously disclosed, the legal practitioner should issue an updated Section 150 costs notice.

If you receive one:

• ask what changed;
• ask which additional work is required;
• ask for the revised total or basis of calculation;
• decide whether you want to continue.

Good cost communication matters in long probate administrations.

Can you challenge excessive legal costs?

Potentially.

The LSRA can investigate complaints relating to excessive legal costs, inadequate legal services and misconduct.

There are also legal-cost adjudication mechanisms in appropriate cases.

But prevention is easier:

• get the costs notice;
• clarify scope;
• ask questions early;
• keep correspondence.

Probate cost checklist

Before choosing DIY or solicitor probate, write down:

Court fee

What is the net estate value?

Legal work

Is there:

• property;
• business;
• dispute;
• foreign asset;
• tax complexity?

Outlays

Will you need:

• valuations;
• certified copies;
• searches;
• professional reports?

Property

Will a house need to be:

• transferred;
• sold;
• maintained for months?

Tax

Are there:

• pre-death liabilities;
• estate Income Tax;
• CGT;
• beneficiary CAT?

That gives you a much more realistic total.

Frequently asked questions

How much does probate cost in Ireland?

The current court fee for a solicitor application starts at €100 for estates up to €100,000 and rises with estate value. Personal application court fees are double. Solicitor fees and other estate costs are separate.

How much is probate for a €500,000 estate?

The current court fee is €350 for a solicitor application and €700 for a personal application, assuming the net estate falls within the €250,001–€500,000 band.

How much is probate for a €1 million estate?

The current court fee is €650 through a solicitor and €1,300 for a personal application.

Are solicitor probate fees fixed?

No. There is no single national fixed fee. Legal practitioners must provide costs information under the legal-cost transparency rules.

Is a personal probate application free?

No. Personal applications have higher Probate Office fees than solicitor applications, although they avoid the solicitor’s professional fee for the application.

Are probate fees deductible from inheritance tax?

Certain administration expenses and legal costs can be allowable when calculating taxable value, subject to Revenue’s rules. Not every cost is automatically deductible.

Who pays probate costs?

Valid estate administration costs are generally paid from the estate before the residue is distributed.

Does the probate fee include selling the deceased’s house?

No. Conveyancing and estate-agent costs are separate.

The Compound wills, probate & inheritance cluster

Use these together:

• How to Make a Will in Ireland
• What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Ireland?
• Probate in Ireland: Complete Guide
• Executor of a Will in Ireland
• Probate Costs & Fees in Ireland — this page
• Inheritance Tax in Ireland

The next satellites should cover:

• How Long Probate Takes in Ireland;
• Applying for Probate Yourself vs Using a Solicitor;
• Spouse & Civil Partner Legal Right Share;
• Children and Section 117 Claims;
• How to Find a Will / Search the Probate Register;
• Inheriting a House in Ireland.

The bottom line

Probate costs are not one fee.

Think:

court fee + professional fees + valuations/outlays + property costs + tax.

For a simple estate, the court fee may be only a few hundred euro.

For a complex estate, the legal, property and tax work can be far more important than the Probate Office fee.

Before choosing the route, ask for the total expected cost, what is included and what can trigger additional fees.