Probate Fees by Province
Probate is a legal proceeding whereby the Will of a deceased person is validated by the courts. The fees vary from province to province and in most cases these fees are based on a percentage of the value of the estate.
Assets Excluded From Probate
Certain assets held by the deceased are excluded from the estate for probate purposes. These normally include assets held in joint tenancy with rights of survivorship, insurance proceeds, and registered accounts (i.e. RRSPs & RRIFs ) with named beneficiaries.
It is important to note that probate and income taxes are not the same thing. The deceased’s estate may have to pay income taxes on income or gains from assets that are excluded for probate purposes.
The following table shows the probate fees by province.
The rates in this table are believed to be accurate as of June 1, 2009. Please check with your local provincial court for the most current rates for your area.
| PROVINCE | ESTATE SIZE | PROBATE FEE |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta | $0 to $10,000 | $25 |
| $10,001 to $25,000 | $100 | |
| $25,001 to $125,000 | $200 | |
| $125,001 to $250,000 | $300 | |
| $250,001 & over | $400 | |
| British Columbia | $0 to $25,000 | No Fee |
| $25,001 to $50,000 | $208 + $6 per $1,000 over $25,000 | |
| $50,001 & over | $358 + $14 per $1,000 over $50,000 | |
| Manitoba | $0 to $10,000 | $70 |
| $10,001 & over | $70 + $7 per $1,000 over $10,000 | |
| New Brunswick | $0 to $5,000 | $25 |
| $5,001 to $10,000 | $50 | |
| $10,001 to $15,000 | $75 | |
| $15,001 to $20,000 | $100 | |
| $20,001 & over | $5 per $1,000 | |
| Newfoundland | $0 to $1,000 | $60 |
| $1,001 & over | $60 + $0.5 per $1,000 over $1,000 | |
| Northwest Territories | $0 to $10,000 | $25 |
| $10,001 to $25,000 | $100 | |
| $25,001 to $125,000 | $200 | |
| $125,001 to $250,000 | $300 | |
| $250,001 & over | $400 | |
| Nova Scotia | $0 to $10,000 | $74.76 |
| $10,001 to $25,000 | $187.97 | |
| $25,001 to $50,000 | $312.92 | |
| $50,001 to $100,000 | $875.76 | |
| $100,001 & over | $875.76 + $14.79 per $1,000 over $100,000 | |
| Nunavut | $0 to $10,000 | $25 |
| $10,001 to $25,000 | $100 | |
| $25,001 to $125,000 | $200 | |
| $125,001 to $250,000 | $300 | |
| $250,001 & over | $400 | |
| Ontario | $0 to $50,000 | $5 per $1,000 |
| $50,001 & over | $250 + $15 per $1,000 over $50,000 | |
| PEI | $0 to $10,000 | $50 |
| $10,001 to $25,000 | $100 | |
| $25,001 to $50,000 | $200 | |
| $50,001 to $100,000 | $400 | |
| $100,001 & over | $400 + $4 per $1,000 over $100,000 | |
| Quebec | Non-notarial | $95 |
| wills Notarial wills | $0 | |
| Saskatchewan | All estates | $7 per $1,000 |
| Yukon | $0 to $24,999 | $0 |
| $25,000 & over | $140 |
