What Probate Really Costs in New Zealand

The executor received three very different answers to one apparently simple question.

“How much will probate cost?”

One person said it should cost only the court filing fee. Another expected a lawyer’s bill of several thousand dollars. A third had seen a low fixed-price offer online and assumed it included everything needed to wind up the estate.

All three answers could be correct, but they were describing different services.

A do-it-yourself executor may prepare and file the probate application personally. A fixed-fee provider may prepare the court documents but leave filing, asset collection and estate administration to the executor. A lawyer offering broader support may handle the application, court correspondence, bank requirements, property work and other parts of the estate.

The headline price means very little until the executor knows what it includes.

As of July 2026, the High Court filing fee for probate or letters of administration is $275. That fee is payable regardless of whether the application is prepared personally or professionally, unless the executor qualifies for a waiver, postponement or refund. citeturn481772search5

The professional cost sits on top of that fee, and the final amount depends on the chosen service and the condition of the estate.

## Probate Costs Are Not Estate Administration Costs

The first important distinction is between obtaining probate and administering the entire estate.

### Obtaining probate

This is the court process that confirms the validity of the will and the authority of the executor.

It commonly involves:

– Reviewing the original will
– Preparing the application
– Preparing the executor’s affidavit
– Preparing the proposed grant
– Arranging signing and witnessing
– Filing the documents
– Responding to any court requisition
– Receiving the grant

### Administering the estate

This begins before probate and continues after the grant.

It may involve:

– Securing property
– Notifying institutions
– Collecting accounts and investments
– Selling land
– Paying debts
– Completing tax returns
– Managing claims
– Preparing estate accounts
– Distributing inheritances

A quote of $900 for a probate application does not usually mean the provider will sell the house, close every account, complete tax work and distribute the estate for the same price.

Many cost disputes begin because the executor purchases one service while assuming they purchased both.

## The Court Fee: The One Predictable Cost

The prescribed High Court filing fee is currently $275 for a probate or letters of administration application. An application can be made for relief from the fee where the relevant financial or hardship criteria are satisfied. citeturn481772search5turn481772search13

The filing fee ordinarily remains separate from:

– Professional preparation fees
– Tax
– Courier charges
– Certified copies
– Affidavit witnessing
– Additional evidence
– Property work
– Estate administration

Before accepting a quote, ask whether the $275 is included or must be paid separately.

Some advertised prices include the filing fee. Others display only the professional fee in large text and mention the court fee later.

## Option One: Applying for Probate Yourself

The lowest direct-cost option is usually a genuine do-it-yourself application.

For a straightforward application, the executor may pay:

– High Court filing fee: $275
– Printing and copying: approximately $10 to $50
– Tracked delivery or courier: approximately $15 to $60
– Witnessing or certification: anywhere from no charge to approximately $100 or more
– Extra certified documents: variable

A realistic direct-cost range for a clean DIY application may therefore be approximately **$295 to $500**, depending on how documents are signed, copied and delivered.

This estimate assumes:

– There is a clear original will
– The executor appointment is straightforward
– Names and dates are consistent
– No executor must renounce
– No codicil is missing
– The will is undamaged
– The affidavit is completed correctly
– The court raises no complicated requisition
– The estate is uncontested

The Ministry of Justice provides the prescribed forms and explains that probate applications are governed by the Administration Act, the Wills Act and relevant parts of the High Court Rules. citeturn544536search11

The forms being publicly available does not make the application risk-free.

## The Hidden Cost of DIY Probate

DIY probate has one major hidden expense: the executor’s time.

The executor must:

– Identify the correct forms
– Understand each statement in the affidavit
– Review the will’s physical condition
– Account for all named executors
– Arrange valid witnessing
– File the original will safely
– Monitor court correspondence
– Respond correctly if a requisition is issued

A careful application may take several hours. An unusual one can take much longer.

That time is not necessarily recoverable as an executor fee. A family executor cannot automatically charge the estate an hourly rate merely because they chose to prepare the application personally.

A mistake may also create repeat costs. If a new affidavit is required, the executor may pay again for printing, witnessing, certification and delivery.

The court filing fee is not generally multiplied simply because a minor correction is requested, but substantial problems may require additional applications or professional intervention.

DIY is financially attractive when the application is genuinely ordinary and the executor is comfortable working with formal legal documents. It becomes less attractive when the executor is guessing.

## When DIY Probate Is Most Realistic

A personal application is more likely to be manageable where:

– The latest original will is available
– It was signed and witnessed conventionally
– There are no handwritten changes
– One executor is applying
– Every name is consistent
– The executor lives in New Zealand
– No caveat or dispute exists
– The deceased was ordinarily resident in New Zealand
– No special evidence appears necessary

DIY becomes more difficult where:

– The original will is missing
– The will is damaged
– Staples have been removed
– A witness signature is unclear
– An executor has died or renounced
– Several executors take different positions
– The executor lives overseas
– The deceased used different legal names
– A codicil exists
– The will may have been altered
– A beneficiary is challenging validity

In those circumstances, the lowest advertised option may not be the lowest final cost.

## Option Two: Fixed-Fee Probate Preparation

A fixed-fee service usually charges one stated amount to prepare a standard probate application.

A review of publicly advertised New Zealand prices in 2026 shows a wide market range. Lower-cost standard application services are advertised around **$500 to $800**, while other fixed-fee legal offerings commonly sit around **$1,200 to $2,500**, with GST and the filing fee included in some quotes and excluded from others. citeturn481772search22turn544536search1turn544536search6turn544536search9turn544536search13turn481772search14

For a straightforward application, a realistic total budget might therefore be:

– Professional fixed fee: approximately $500 to $2,500
– GST if not already included: 15 percent
– High Court filing fee: $275
– Courier, witnessing and document charges: approximately $20 to $200

The total may range from roughly **$775 at the lower end to more than $3,000** for a higher-priced fixed service once GST and extras are included.

The important issue is not whether the quote is called “fixed.” It is what circumstances cause the fixed fee to stop being fixed.

## What a Fixed Fee May Include

A standard package may include:

– Initial instructions
– Review of an ordinary will
– Preparation of prescribed probate forms
– Preparation of the affidavit
– Signing instructions
– Lawyer review
– Filing assistance
– Routine court correspondence
– Delivery of the grant

Some services prepare the documents but require the executor to:

– Arrange witnessing
– Send the documents to court
– Pay the filing fee directly
– Respond to institutions afterward
– Administer the estate personally

Others handle the filing and communicate with the court.

Two services with the same price may therefore offer very different levels of support.

## Common Fixed-Fee Exclusions

A standard fixed price may not cover:

– Multiple codicils
– Renunciation by an executor
– An executor who has died
– Overseas signing
– A lost or damaged will
– Additional affidavits
– Unusual staple marks or alterations
– Name discrepancies
– A court requisition requiring substantial work
– Urgent filing
– Caveats
– Contested probate
– Letters of administration
– Resealing a foreign grant
– Full estate administration

One current advertised fixed-fee example expressly states that the standard price applies only where the will was executed and stored correctly and no issue such as renunciation or suspected tampering requires extra evidence. citeturn481772search14

That kind of limitation is normal. It should be identified before the executor commits.

## Option Three: Using a Lawyer on an Hourly or Broader-Service Basis

A lawyer may charge:

– A fixed fee
– An hourly rate
– An estimate
– A staged fee
– A combination of fixed and hourly charges

Current published market material places straightforward professional probate preparation across a broad range, with some providers quoting approximately $1,200 to $2,500 and broader hourly services commonly estimating several thousand dollars. Complicated applications can exceed $5,000 before full estate administration begins. citeturn544536search1turn544536search2turn481772search14turn544536search16

A realistic working range for a standard lawyer-managed application might be approximately:

– **$1,500 to $4,000**, including or excluding GST depending on the quote
– Plus the $275 court fee where not included
– Plus disbursements

A complicated application may cost **$5,000 to $10,000 or more**, particularly if it involves substantial evidence, a damaged will, conflicting executors or contested proceedings.

These are not official fee scales. They are broad consumer-planning ranges based on publicly displayed pricing and should not replace a written quote for the actual estate.

## Why a Lawyer May Cost More

A broader legal service may include more than form preparation.

The lawyer may:

– Analyse the will
– Advise who is entitled to apply
– Address renunciation or substituted executors
– Prepare additional evidence
– Arrange overseas execution
– Communicate with the court
– Answer requisitions
– Advise on personal liability
– Coordinate property and banking work
– Identify claim risks
– Continue into full administration

The executor may also receive advice tailored to the estate rather than a standardised document process.

That extra work can be valuable where one error could delay a property sale, create a second international signing appointment or expose the executor to a later claim.

The question is not simply whether a lawyer costs more. It is whether the estate needs the additional legal analysis and support being purchased.

## Fixed Fee Does Not Always Mean Cheaper

Suppose one provider quotes $900 plus GST and another quotes $1,700 including GST and the court fee.

The first quote may initially appear cheaper.

After adding:

– GST
– $275 filing fee
– Courier
– Certified copies
– A charge for answering a requisition

the difference may become small.

Conversely, a carefully limited $700 preparation service may provide excellent value for a completely ordinary estate where the executor is willing to perform the filing and administration.

Compare total expected cost rather than the first number displayed.

## Ask Whether GST Is Included

This is one of the most common pricing traps.

A quote of $1,500 plus GST becomes $1,725.

If the $275 filing fee and $60 of disbursements are added, the total reaches $2,060.

A quote should state clearly:

– Whether GST is included
– Whether the court fee is included
– Whether disbursements are included
– What work is covered
– What circumstances create extra charges

Do not assume that a consumer-facing price automatically includes every tax and expense unless the wording confirms it.

## The Cost of a Court Requisition

A requisition is a request for correction, clarification or further evidence.

A fixed-price package may include routine correction of a provider’s own drafting error. It may not include a requisition caused by:

– Unexpected damage to the will
– Missing execution details
– A name discrepancy
– A deceased executor
– A new factual issue
– Additional witness evidence
– Information omitted by the executor

Ask how requisitions are charged.

Possible pricing methods include:

– Included in the fixed fee
– A further fixed charge
– Hourly work
– A new quote after the requisition is reviewed

The cheapest initial provider can become expensive if the application falls outside its standard pathway.

## Probate Versus Letters of Administration

Letters of administration usually involve more work than ordinary probate.

They may be required where:

– There is no valid will
– The will appoints no executor
– The executor has died
– The executor renounces
– No named executor can act

The applicant’s priority and the position of other relatives may need to be established. Additional consents, notices, affidavits or security questions may arise.

Published fixed prices commonly place letters of administration above ordinary probate. Examples include approximately $1,500 to $2,500 for a standard application, before considering unusual complications. citeturn544536search6turn544536search9turn544536search13

An executor should not compare the cost of a simple probate application with a quote for administration on intestacy as though the services are identical.

## Full Estate Administration Can Cost Much More

Probate is only one stage.

Full professional administration may include:

– Finding assets
– Closing accounts
– Managing a house
– Selling land
– Paying creditors
– Completing tax
– Handling a business
– Preparing accounts
– Managing beneficiary disputes
– Making distributions

The cost can range from several thousand dollars for a simple cash estate to tens of thousands for an estate involving land, businesses, trusts, litigation or overseas assets.

One recent New Zealand industry estimate placed average full administration with a will around $10,000 to $12,000, while noting that individual cases vary significantly. That figure is a market estimate, not an official tariff. citeturn481772search8

Always ask whether the quote covers:

– Probate only
– Probate plus selected administration
– Complete administration until final distribution

## Property Work Is Usually Separate

If the estate owns land, extra legal work may be required for:

– Transmission to executors
– Sale
– Mortgage discharge
– Transfer to a beneficiary
– Rates and settlement adjustments

Current advertised conveyancing prices show that a residential estate sale can add approximately $1,900 to $2,300 or more, depending on the mortgage, title and property complications. citeturn481772search4turn544536search9

That amount is separate from the probate fee unless expressly included.

Other property expenses may include:

– Valuation
– Sale commission
– Repairs
– Cleaning
– Insurance
– Rates
– Compliance work

Those costs are estate expenses, but they are not probate-application costs.

## Tax Work Is Usually Separate

The executor may need:

– The deceased’s final tax return
– An estate tax number
– Estate income tax returns
– Rental accounts
– Business returns
– Foreign-income calculations

Accounting and tax costs commonly fall outside a probate-only fixed fee.

The price depends on:

– Quality of the deceased’s records
– Number of income sources
– Length of administration
– Rental or business activity
– Overseas investments
– Outstanding returns

A low probate quote should not be criticised for excluding tax work if that exclusion was made clear. The problem arises when the executor assumes that “handling the estate” includes services the provider never agreed to perform.

## Other Hidden or Overlooked Costs

The complete probate budget may also need to include:

– Death certificates
– Certified copies
– Notarial services
– Overseas courier fees
– Apostilles
– Translations
– Property valuations
– Business valuations
– Storage
– Insurance
– Locksmiths
– Estate-account fees
– Beneficiary tracing
– Mediation
– Court directions
– Additional grants
– Executor travel
– Foreign legal assistance

These are not necessarily provider mark-ups. Many are third-party expenses created by the estate’s facts.

## Comparing the Three Main Options

| Option | Likely Probate-Stage Cost | Best Suited To |
|—|—:|—|
| DIY | Approximately $295 to $500 | Clear original will, uncomplicated executor appointment, confident applicant |
| Lower-cost fixed preparation | Approximately $775 to $1,500 total | Standard uncontested application, executor handles some steps |
| Broader fixed legal service | Approximately $1,500 to $3,500 total | Executor wants filing and routine support included |
| Hourly or complex legal service | Approximately $2,000 to $5,000 or more | Unusual evidence, executor issues, overseas elements or higher risk |
| Contested or highly irregular application | Potentially $5,000 to $10,000 or substantially more | Missing will, validity dispute, caveat, litigation or complex court evidence |

These ranges are indicative as at July 2026. The actual quote depends on inclusions, GST, the filing fee and the estate’s complexity.

## Questions to Ask Before Accepting a Quote

Ask every provider:

1. Is this price for probate only or full estate administration?
2. Is GST included?
3. Is the $275 court fee included?
4. Are courier and certification charges included?
5. Who files the application?
6. Are routine court requisitions included?
7. What circumstances move the matter outside the fixed fee?
8. Are additional affidavits charged separately?
9. Does the fee cover multiple executors or codicils?
10. What happens if an executor lives overseas?
11. Will I receive a new quote before extra work begins?
12. Does the provider continue helping after probate is granted?

Obtain the answers in writing.

## Choosing by Risk, Not Just Price

DIY may be the sensible choice for an executor with a clean will, simple facts and confidence using legal forms.

A limited fixed-fee service may be ideal where the executor wants professionally prepared documents but intends to manage the rest personally.

Broader lawyer involvement may be worth the extra cost where:

– A mistake could threaten a property transaction
– The executor has personal liability concerns
– The will is physically unusual
– Several executors disagree
– The estate contains overseas property
– A beneficiary is threatening a claim
– The original will is missing
– The deceased owned a business
– The correct applicant is uncertain

The goal is not to buy the most expensive service. It is to avoid paying for unnecessary work while also avoiding a false economy.

The cheapest successful application is inexpensive. The cheapest unsuccessful approach can become very costly once documents must be redone, deadlines shift and urgent legal help is required.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### 1. What is the current probate filing fee in New Zealand?

As of July 2026, the High Court filing fee for probate or letters of administration is $275. Fee relief may be available where the relevant criteria are met.

### 2. How much does DIY probate usually cost?

A straightforward DIY application may cost approximately $295 to $500, including the filing fee and ordinary copying, delivery and witnessing expenses. Complications can increase the total.

### 3. What does fixed-fee probate cost?

Current advertised professional fees range broadly from about $500 to $2,500 for a standard application. GST, the $275 filing fee and disbursements may be additional, depending on the quote.

### 4. How much might a lawyer charge for probate?

A standard lawyer-managed application may cost approximately $1,500 to $4,000. Complex applications can exceed $5,000 and contested proceedings may cost substantially more.

### 5. Does a probate quote include administering the whole estate?

Usually not unless the agreement expressly says so. Probate preparation is separate from collecting assets, selling property, completing tax work, paying debts and distributing beneficiaries.

### 6. What hidden fees should an executor check for?

Common extras include GST, the court fee, courier costs, certified copies, witnessing, requisition responses, extra affidavits, executor renunciation, property work, tax services and overseas document requirements.

### 7. Is a fixed fee always cheaper than an hourly lawyer?

No. A fixed fee provides certainty within its stated scope, but exclusions may generate extra charges. An hourly service may be more economical for a small unusual issue or more expensive if extensive work is required.

### 8. When is DIY probate a poor choice?

DIY is higher risk where the will is missing, damaged or altered, an executor has died or renounced, overseas signing is required, names differ, a caveat exists or beneficiaries dispute the will.