How Much Does DIY Probate Cost in 2026? Full Breakdown

How much does DIY probate cost in 2026?

1The England & Wales probate application fee is £300 today, with a planned rise to £526 from 13 July 2026 (subject to parliamentary approval). Estates of £5,000 or less pay no fee.
2Doing it yourself, most people spend roughly £300–£800 in cash: the application fee plus copies, valuations, creditor notices and postage.
3A high-street solicitor typically charges £1,500–£10,000+ — often 1–5% of the estate — but does most of the work for you.
4Almost every cost here is an estate expense: it comes out of the estate, not your own pocket, and is reimbursed to whoever pays upfront.
5DIY is the cheapest in cash, but it costs your time and carries personal-liability risk if something is missed.

If you deal with probate yourself, expect to pay somewhere around £300–£800 in real costs: a £300 application fee (rising to £526 from 13 July 2026, subject to parliamentary approval), a few extra copies of the grant, any valuations you need, creditor notices, and postage. A solicitor doing the same work full-service usually costs £1,500 or more. Whichever route you choose, these are estate expenses — so the real question is not “what will I pay?” but “how much of the estate stays with the family?”

Below is an honest, itemised breakdown of what DIY probate costs in 2026, followed by how the do-it-yourself, guided and full-solicitor routes compare. Use the calculator to get a rough figure for your own estate.

Estimated estate value

A rough total is fine — property, savings, investments and other assets, less any debts.

Does the estate include a property?

A house or flat adds valuation and paperwork a solicitor would charge for

Are the assets spread across several banks or providers?

More institutions means more letters, forms and chasing

What DIY probate actually costs

Most of the cost of doing probate yourself is a handful of unavoidable fees. Here is what each one is and roughly what to budget.

Cost	Typical amount	What it is
Probate application fee	£300 (£526 from 13 Jul 2026*)	The fee to apply for the grant. Nothing to pay for estates of £5,000 or less.
Extra copies of the grant	£1.50 each	One copy per bank or institution you need to send it to speeds things up.
Property & asset valuations	£0–£500	An estate agent's appraisal is often free; a formal RICS valuation costs more.
Death certificate copies	£11 each	Extra certified copies to send to organisations in parallel.
Creditor (statutory) notices	£200–£300	Notices in The Gazette and a local paper protect you from unknown debts. Optional, but wise.
Postage, printing, travel	£20–£60	Recorded delivery, forms, sundries.
Typical DIY total	£300–£800	Plus your time — see below.

*The £526 fee is planned for 13 July 2026 and is subject to parliamentary approval. Until then the fee is £300.

The cost that isn't money: your time

The cash cost of DIY is low, but it is not free. For a straightforward estate, most executors spend somewhere between 20 and 40 hours over three to six months — gathering valuations, completing the inheritance tax forms, applying for the grant, then collecting and distributing the assets. If inheritance tax is due, or the paperwork goes wrong, that figure climbs. You also carry personal liability as executor, so a missed debt or a valuation error can land on you rather than the estate.

DIY, guided or solicitor?

There is a real middle ground between doing everything alone and handing the whole job to a solicitor:

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Pure DIY — you pay only the fees above (roughly £300–£800) and do all the work. Cheapest in cash, heaviest on your time.
Guided, do-it-yourself (like Farra) — you stay in control and remain the executor, but you follow a step-by-step plan and pre-filled forms for one fixed fee. A middle option in both cost and effort.
High-street solicitor — they do most of the work. Expect £1,500–£10,000+, often charged as 1–5% of the estate or a fixed fee. On a £400,000 estate, 2% is £8,000.

For a fuller side-by-side, see our DIY probate vs solicitor costs comparison and whether you need a solicitor at all.

Most of this comes out of the estate

This is the part people most often miss. The probate fee, valuations, certificates and creditor notices are all estate expenses. They are paid out of the deceased's money — and if you pay them upfront from your own account, you are entitled to reimburse yourself from the estate before anything is distributed to beneficiaries. The same is true of a solicitor's fee or a guided service's fixed fee.

So the honest way to frame the decision is not “what does probate cost me?” but “how much of the estate stays with the family at the end?” A cheaper route leaves more in the estate; a more expensive route buys you time and protection. Neither is right for everyone. This is general guidance, not legal advice — if the estate is complex, taxable, or disputed, it is worth getting a professional view.

Which route is right for you?

If the estate is simple, solvent, has a clear will and no inheritance tax to pay, DIY or a guided route usually makes sense. If tax is due, there are business or foreign assets, there is no will, or beneficiaries are in dispute, paying for professional help is often the better value once you weigh up the risk.

Not sure whether you even need a grant? Try the do I need probate checker, or use the probate cost calculator to see what each route would cost for your estate.