The days after a death
What will probate cost?
Probate cost is set by each province, and the structures differ: a percentage, a flat schedule, a fixed tax, or nothing at all. Below are the full brackets for all ten provinces, then the small-estate thresholds that can let you skip a full grant. This is general information, not legal advice.
Probate cost by province
| Province | Probate cost | Grant name |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Estate Administration Tax: nothing on the first $50,000, then $15 per $1,000 (or part) of the value above $50,000. There is no separate court filing fee for a standard application. | Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee |
| British Columbia | No probate fee where the estate does not exceed $25,000; $6 per $1,000 on the portion between $25,000 and $50,000; $14 per $1,000 on the portion over $50,000. A separate court commencement fee of $200 applies, waived where the estate does not exceed $25,000. | Grant of probate; grant of administration; grant of administration without will annexed |
| Alberta | A flat surrogate fee that is both the probate fee and the filing fee: $35 up to $10,000; $135 over $10,000 to $25,000; $275 over $25,000 to $125,000; $400 over $125,000 to $250,000; $525 over $250,000. A separate $300 fee applies where a document requires opening a court file (this is additive). | Grant of Probate; Grant of Administration |
| Saskatchewan | A probate fee of $7 per $1,000 of value passing through the estate, plus a separate $200 flat filing fee (and $25 for a Certificate of No Infants where requested). | Letters Probate; Letters of Administration |
| Manitoba | Probate fees were abolished, effective November 6, 2020. There is no fee for a grant application; only ancillary items remain (passing accounts $150, caveat $30, searches $20 and $40). | Letters probate; letters of administration |
| Quebec | Quebec has no ad valorem probate tax. A notarial will requires no verification at all. A holograph will or a will made before witnesses must be verified (vérification du testament) by a notary or the Superior Court. The court cost to present the motion is $106, or $119 where the applicant is a legal person. Verification by a notary instead incurs the notary's own professional fee, which is not government-published. | No grant is issued; a liquidateur administers the succession |
| Nova Scotia | Probate tax (fixed statutory amounts): $85.60 up to $10,000; $215.20 to $25,000; $358.15 to $50,000; $1,002.65 to $100,000; over $100,000, $1,002.65 plus $16.95 per $1,000 or fraction over $100,000. Separate administrative fees apply on top (a dedimus $33.30, a citation $19.95, a compared copy of letters $13.26). | Grant of Probate; Grant of Administration; Grant of Administration with Will Annexed |
| New Brunswick | Estate tax: $200 up to $20,000; $200 plus $5 per $1,000 over $20,000, up to $100,000; over $100,000, $600 plus $15 per $1,000 over $100,000. Separate Probate Court fees apply alongside (a search $10, a clerk's certificate $10, passing of accounts up to $20,000 $40, a caveat $25). | Letters Probate; Letters of Administration; Letters of Administration, CTA |
| Prince Edward Island | $50 up to $10,000; $100 to $25,000; $200 to $50,000; $400 to $100,000; over $100,000, $400 plus $4 per $1,000 or fraction over $100,000. These fees are all-inclusive of filing. | Letters Probate (Form 65U); Letters of Administration |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $60 flat where the estate value is $1,000 or less; above that, $60 plus $0.60 for each additional $100, which works out to $6 per $1,000. Separate small flat fees apply for auxiliary services (an order of the court $60, an exemplification $50, second or subsequent letters $50). | Grant of Probate; Letters of Administration; Letters of Administration, CTA; Letters of Administration, DBN |
Figures are the published amounts. Confirm the current cost with the court or registry linked on each province.
Small-estate thresholds
A small-estate process can be cheaper and faster, but a threshold does not mean the same thing in every province. The last column says what each one actually does.
| Where | Threshold | What it actually does |
|---|---|---|
| ON | $150,000 | Small Estate Certificate, forms 74.1A to 74.1E. |
| SK | $25,000 (no SK real property) | A judge may order personal property released to a named representative with no letters issued, Form 16-36. |
| SK | $15,000 | The local registrar prepares the application papers. This is not an exemption. |
| MB | $10,000 | An administration order without a grant, Surrogate Practice Act s.47(1). |
| YT | $25,000 | No court appointment order is needed, Estate Administration Act s.20. |
| NB | $3,000 | The Public Trustee may act without a court order. A rise to $25,000 under Bill 30 is not yet in force. |
| NL | $10,000 | The Public Trustee may distribute without full compliance. |
| QC | None | The analogue is liquidation by agreement where the succession is manifestly solvent (art. 779). |
| BC | None | A Small Estate Administration Division is cross-referenced in WESA but is not in the consolidated text, so it is not available. |
| AB, NS, PE | None | No small-estate procedure (verified negatives). |
Common questions
Which province has the highest probate cost?
It depends on the estate value, because the provinces use different structures. Nova Scotia's probate tax reaches $1,002.65 at $100,000 and adds $16.95 per $1,000 above that. Ontario charges $15 per $1,000 above a $50,000 exemption. Manitoba abolished probate fees entirely in 2020. Use the table for your province.
Is there a way to avoid a full probate application?
Several provinces publish a small-estate process with a value threshold, from $10,000 in Manitoba to $150,000 in Ontario. Others publish none. The small-estate table shows what each threshold actually does, which is not the same in every province.
How does Quebec work?
Quebec has no ad valorem probate tax. A notarial will needs no verification at all; a holograph or witnessed will must be verified by a notary or the Superior Court, and the court cost to present that motion is $106, or $119 for a legal person.
Where to go from here
General information only, not legal advice. Guidepost is not a law firm. Fees are set by each province and can change; confirm with the court or registry. Full disclaimer. Last updated: July 2026.