Estimating Probate Fees in Canada (With a Calculator)
A $500,000 estate pays roughly $6,750 in probate fees in Ontario, about $6,450 in British Columbia, and a flat $525 in Alberta. Same estate, three very different numbers — and that spread is exactly why it pays to estimate before you plan. The good news for most families is that probate fees are modest next to the US-style "death taxes" people fear. The useful news is that a few minutes with the right figures tells you whether any planning is worth doing at all.
This guide explains what counts toward the fee, how the provinces differ, the gross-versus-net wrinkle, and how to use a calculator to get a planning estimate. It is general information for the common-law provinces and territories, not legal or tax advice.
What probate fees are based on
Probate fees — Estate Administration Tax in Ontario, probate fees elsewhere — are charged on the value of the estate that passes through probate. That generally means the assets the executor needs a grant to deal with: solely owned bank and investment accounts, real estate in the deceased's sole name, and other property without a designated beneficiary or surviving joint owner. The starting point for any estimate is therefore not "everything the person owned," but "everything that has to go through the probated estate."
The provincial differences
Rates vary widely, which is why a national estimate is meaningless and a provincial one is essential:
- Ontario — nothing on the first $50,000, then about 1.5% ($15 per $1,000) on the value above it.[1]
- British Columbia — roughly 1.4% on value over $50,000, with a lower rate between $25,000 and $50,000, plus a filing fee.[2]
- Alberta — a flat, graduated fee starting around $35 and capped at $525 regardless of estate size.[3]
Other provinces sit between these, and at least one has eliminated the fee. The Alberta cap, in particular, means percentage-based planning that makes sense in Ontario or BC offers little benefit there.
Gross versus net — the wrinkle that changes the number
A detail that materially affects the estimate: some provinces calculate the fee on the gross value of the probated assets, while others let certain debts reduce it — most importantly a mortgage on real estate, which can be deducted in some jurisdictions. Because a mortgage can be a large fraction of a home's value, whether it is deducted can swing the fee considerably. Confirm your province's gross-versus-net rule before relying on a figure.
What to exclude from your estimate
The assets to leave out of the calculation are the ones that pass outside the probated estate:
- Life insurance and registered accounts (RRSP, RRIF, TFSA) with a valid named beneficiary.
- Real estate and accounts held in joint tenancy with right of survivorship.
- Assets validly governed by a non-probated secondary will, such as private-company shares — the strategy endorsed in Granovsky Estate v. Ontario.
Excluding these is the foundation of most legitimate probate planning, covered in our probate avoidance checklist.
Using a calculator
Our probate fee calculator applies your province's rate to an estate value so you can get a planning estimate in seconds. Enter the value of the assets that will pass through probate — not the gross of everything owned — and use the result as a planning number rather than an exact bill. The precise fee depends on the final probated value, the gross-versus-net rule, and what ends up passing outside the estate, so confirm the exact amount with the court or a professional when you actually apply. For the full provincial picture, see probate fees across Canada.
Why bother estimating
The estimate is a decision tool. If your likely fee is small — as it is for many estates, and almost always in Alberta — that tells you not to over-engineer your plan around avoiding it. If it is large, it tells you which simple, low-risk steps (current beneficiary designations, appropriate joint ownership) are worth taking, and whether a more involved strategy is justified. Either way, you are deciding with a number instead of a fear.
What we focus on at It's Simple Will
The Will Creator helps you put a clear will in place and keep the simple things — like beneficiary designations — current, which is where most of the safe probate saving actually lives. For the strategy side, see our probate avoidance checklist.
Related guides
Citations & sources
- [1]Estate Administration Tax (Ontario) — Government of Ontario
- [2]Probate Fee Act, SBC 1999, c 4 (British Columbia) — BC Laws, Government of British Columbia
- [3]Court fees (Alberta probate fee schedule) — Government of Alberta
Frequently asked questions
What value are probate fees based on?
The value of the estate that passes through probate — generally the assets the executor needs a grant to deal with. Assets that pass outside probate, such as registered accounts with a named beneficiary, jointly held property with survivorship, and assets governed by a valid secondary will, are generally excluded from the calculation.
How do the provinces differ?
A lot. Ontario charges about 1.5% on value above $50,000 (nothing on the first $50,000); British Columbia about 1.4% above $50,000; and Alberta a flat, graduated fee capped at $525 regardless of estate size. Some provinces charge very little. The same estate can owe thousands in one province and a few hundred in another.
Is the fee on the gross or net value of the estate?
It varies. Some provinces calculate on the gross value of the probated assets, while others allow certain debts — notably a mortgage on real estate — to reduce the value. Because this materially changes the number, confirm your province's rule before relying on an estimate.
What is excluded from the probate fee?
Generally, assets that do not pass through the probated will — life insurance and registered accounts with a named beneficiary, property held in joint tenancy, and assets validly placed in a non-probated secondary will (for example, private-company shares). Excluding these is the basis of most legitimate probate planning.
How accurate is a probate fee calculator?
It gives a solid estimate for planning, but the precise fee depends on the final probated value, your province's gross-versus-net rule, and what ultimately passes outside the estate. Treat the calculator's figure as a planning number, and confirm the exact amount with the court or a professional when you apply.
Why estimate probate fees at all?
To plan. Knowing the likely fee tells you whether simple steps — keeping beneficiary designations current, holding property jointly where appropriate — are worth taking, and whether more involved strategies make sense. For most estates the fee is modest, which is itself useful to know before over-engineering a plan.