Copy fees for Probate Grants and Wills increase by 967%
As of 17 November 2025, the copy fees for Probate Grants and Wills have increased from £1.50 to £16 per document. This increase has been implemented by the Court and Public Guardian Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2025. The aim is to bring these fees in line with the true cost of the service.
HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) provides a service enabling individuals to search probate records. They can also order copies of documents where a grant has already been issued, or request additional copies of a grant that has recently been applied for. Before 17 November, personal representatives (PRs) could obtain copies from the HMCTS Find a Will service for £1.50 per document. However, from 17 November, a significant change has been introduced to the price of probate grant and will copies. This is something that PRs should take careful note of.
Why have the copy fees for Probate Grants and Wills increased?
The change, introduced by the Court and Public Guardian Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2025, sees the cost of Probate Grant and Will copies rise to £16. This equates to an increase of more than 900 percent. To put this into context, what would once cost an executor £15 for 10 probate grant copies now costs £160. This is a substantial rise.
The increase applies to all copy requests, whether ordered at the time of the initial probate application or requested later, once the grant has been issued. Importantly, the new charges will take effect based on the date of receipt by the Probate Registry. This means that paper applications received on or after 17 November will be subject to the new fee.
A 967 percent increase: necessary or excessive?
In the Explanatory Memorandum to the Order, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) states that the increase is necessary to ensure that HMCTS can continue to deliver its services effectively:
“The estimated cost to HMCTS of providing single copies of documents under the Find a Will service equates to £16 per copy. The £1.50 fee therefore significantly under-recovers its cost, despite fees being set with the intention of full cost recovery. This statutory instrument will therefore increase the fee for users to obtain copies of documents… which includes the Find a Will service and individual users requesting extra copies of probate grants from £1.50 to £16, to align more closely with its costs and ensure that HMCTS can continue to deliver its services effectively.” - Explanatory Memorandum to The Court and Public Guardian Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2025
Recent years have already seen several adjustments to probate copy fees. In 2017, the fee increased from £5 to £10 following the closure of many local probate registries. Then in July 2019, the government reduced the charge to £1.50 per copy. This was part of a wider restructuring of probate fees, designed to simplify the system and make access to records more affordable. Since then, HMCTS has continued to review the cost of delivering its services. The MoJ stated that the latest increase reflects operational costs.
What does this mean for the administration of estates?
Although the MoJ says the change is necessary, a fee increase of more than 900 percent will have a noticeable impact on PRs administering estates. Estate administration costs will be noticeably higher. What was once a relatively minor administrative cost will now represent a more significant expense. In particular, in larger estates where several probate grant copies are typically required.
The increase will place an additional financial burden on executors and influence the way probate solicitors advise clients. For those managing estates, preparing early and adapting to these changes will be important. Careful planning at the outset of the administration and being selective about when and how many copies are ordered will contribute to a well-managed process and help prevent unnecessary costs.
Contact us
At Crane and Staples Solicitors, our Wills, Trusts and Probate team advises on all aspects of estate administration. If you are applying for probate or dealing with an estate administration and would like to discuss how these changes may affect your circumstances, please get in touch. We would be happy to assist.