Canada Probate Fee Calculator
Pick your province and enter the estate value to estimate the probate fee (called the Estate Administration Tax in Ontario). Covers all nine provinces, from Ontario's 1.5% to Alberta's $525 cap and Manitoba's $0. Free, instant, and calculated entirely in your browser; no sign-up.
Estimated probate fee, Ontario
$6,750.00
about 1.35% of the estate
Ontario Estate Administration Tax. Estates of $150,000 or less can use the simplified Small Estate Certificate. An Estate Information Return is due within 180 days.
This tool estimates the court probate fee (called the Estate Administration Tax in Ontario) from each province's published fee schedule. Probate fees are court and administration fees, not an inheritance tax; Canada has no inheritance or estate tax. Your actual fee depends on which assets pass through probate and the current fee schedule, which changes over time. This is general information, not legal or tax advice, and RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm or a government body. Confirm the figure with the court in your province and consult an estate lawyer or notary.
How Probate Fees Work in Canada
A probate fee is a court fee charged when an executor applies to confirm a will and their authority to administer an estate. It is not an inheritance or estate tax: Canada has no inheritance tax, and the fee is based on the value of the assets that pass through probate, not on what any beneficiary receives. Assets held in joint tenancy or with a named beneficiary, such as an RRSP, TFSA, or life insurance policy, usually pass outside the estate and are not counted. For a full explanation, see probate in Canada.
Each province sets its own fee. Ontario charges 1.5% on the value over $50,000; British Columbia uses a tiered per-$1,000 rate plus a $200 filing fee; Alberta charges a flat fee capped at $525; Saskatchewan charges 0.7% plus $200; and Manitoba abolished its probate fee entirely in 2020. Quebec charges no value-based fee at all, and a notarial will there needs no probate. See the province pages for Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta.
Which Province Charges the Most?
On a $500,000 estate, the difference is large: Nova Scotia charges roughly $7,783 (the highest marginal rate in Canada), Ontario about $6,750, British Columbia about $6,650, Saskatchewan $3,700, Prince Edward Island $2,000, while Alberta charges just $525 and Manitoba charges nothing. That is why estate planning to reduce the probatable estate matters far more in some provinces than others. A court or notary sets the binding amount; this tool estimates it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a probate fee the same as an inheritance tax?
No. Canada has no inheritance or estate tax. A probate fee is a court fee based on the value of the estate that passes through probate, paid by the estate when the executor applies for a grant. It is not a tax on what a beneficiary inherits.
Which assets count toward the probate fee?
Generally only assets that pass through the estate. Property held in joint tenancy with right of survivorship, and assets with a named beneficiary such as an RRSP, TFSA, or life insurance policy, usually pass outside probate and are not included in the fee calculation.
Which province has the cheapest probate fees?
Manitoba abolished probate fees in 2020, so it charges $0, and Quebec charges no value-based fee (a notarial will needs no probate). Among provinces that do charge, Alberta is the cheapest for larger estates because its fee is capped at $525 no matter how large the estate is.
Does Ontario really call its probate fee a tax?
Yes. Ontario’s fee is officially the Estate Administration Tax, but it functions as a probate fee: $0 on the first $50,000 and $15 per $1,000 (1.5%) on the value above $50,000. An Estate Information Return must also be filed within 180 days.
Does this calculator store what I enter?
No. All of the math runs in your browser. Nothing you enter is saved, transmitted, or used to contact you.
This calculator estimates the court probate fee from each province's published schedule and is general information, not legal or tax advice. Fee schedules change; confirm the current figure with the court in your province. RecordingLaw.com is not affiliated with any government body.
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