BC probate fees: $6 per $1,000 to $50,000, then $14 per $1,000

How much probate fee does each BC estate size pay?

The Probate Fee Act charges nothing on an estate worth $25,000 or less. Above that, the fee is $6 for every $1,000 or part of $1,000 between $25,000 and $50,000, plus $14 for every $1,000 or part of $1,000 above $50,000 bclaws.gov.bc.ca. Each rate applies only to its own band, so every estate over $50,000 pays $150 on the middle band and 1.4% on the rest. The bands are unchanged as of October 2026, in the Act consolidated to October 6, 2026.

The court charges a separate $200 fee to file for the grant, and that fee is waived when the estate does not exceed $25,000 bclaws.gov.bc.ca. The Ontario column uses Ontario's $15 per $1,000 above $50,000 ontario.ca, covered on the Ontario probate fees page.

The "part of $1,000" wording rounds every band up. An estate of $25,001 pays $6, and one of $500,001 pays $150 plus 451 x $14, or $6,464, not $6,450.

Which assets count toward the value, and do debts come off?

The value of the estate is the gross value, sworn in the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Distribution, of property that passes to the personal representative at death. For a deceased who was ordinarily resident in BC, that's real and tangible personal property in BC plus intangible property wherever it is. For anyone else, only real and tangible personal property situated in BC counts bclaws.gov.bc.ca. The statement is filed with Form P10 (domiciled) or Form P11 (non domiciled) www2.gov.bc.ca.

Debts don't reduce the number. The Act charges on gross value, and unlike Ontario, which lets a mortgage on real estate come off ontario.ca, BC has no deduction for a mortgage, a line of credit, funeral costs or legal fees. A $1,200,000 Vancouver house with a $700,000 mortgage goes in at $1,200,000.

What does an estate with a mortgaged condo, a RRIF and a joint account owe?

Your client lived in Vancouver and died in 2026. She owned a condo worth $900,000 with a $300,000 mortgage, $60,500 in BC bank accounts, a $140,000 nonregistered investment account, a $10,000 account at an Alberta branch, an $18,000 car, a $400,000 RRIF naming her spouse, a $95,000 TFSA naming her daughter and a $25,000 chequing account held in joint tenancy with her spouse.

If the RRIF had named the estate, the value becomes $1,528,500 and the probate fee $20,856, so the missing designation costs $5,600 (400 x $14). Under Ontario rules the mortgage would have come off the condo; in BC it saves nothing.

Keeping the RRIF out of probate doesn't keep it off the final return. Its fair market value just before death is income on the deceased's return unless a rollover applies, such as a direct transfer to the surviving spouse's plan canada.ca. The rules are on the RRSP at death page.

How do designations, joint ownership and alter ego trusts lower the fee?

Beneficiary designations. Under the Wills, Estates and Succession Act, a benefit payable to a designated beneficiary under a benefit plan is not part of the estate and isn't subject to the participant's creditors (s. 95) bclaws.gov.bc.ca. A benefit plan includes an RRSP, a RRIF, a TFSA and an FHSA (s. 1), and a designation can also be made or revoked in a will (ss. 85, 97). For a TFSA, compare a successor holder with a beneficiary on the TFSA designation page.

Joint ownership. An asset held in joint tenancy that goes to the surviving owner never passes to the personal representative, so it's outside the value bclaws.gov.bc.ca. Adding an adult child to a parent's investment account just to skip probate has a federal filing side: the child usually holds as the parent's agent, which is a bare trust. Bare trusts file nothing for 2024 and 2025, but reportable bare trusts file for years ending on or after December 31, 2026 canada.ca. The tests are on the bare trust filing requirements page.

Alter ego trusts. Property a client aged 65 or older transfers to an alter ego trust during life rolls in at cost (ITA 73(1.01), (1.02)) laws-lois.justice.gc.ca, and the trust owns it at death, so it doesn't pass to the personal representative. The trust then has its own deemed disposition at fair market value on the day the client dies, under 104(4)(a)(iv) laws-lois.justice.gc.ca. Weigh the 1.4% saved against that tax cost on the alter ego trust page.

When is the fee paid, and what if more assets turn up later?

The personal representative pays the fee to the government before the grant or resealing is issued, but only in their representative capacity, so it comes out of the estate, not their own pocket bclaws.gov.bc.ca. The application goes to any BC Supreme Court registry on Form P2, and a lawyer isn't required www2.gov.bc.ca.

If the representative later finds an asset that wasn't disclosed, or learns one was undervalued, they must disclose it to the court and pay the difference between the fee paid and the higher fee now owing (s. 2(4)). A grant de bonis non, a cessate grant and a double probate pay no fee (s. 2(2)) bclaws.gov.bc.ca.

Probate isn't always needed. Banks and other institutions set their own limits for releasing assets without a grant, and each has its own policy, so ask before filing www2.gov.bc.ca. Hold back enough for the final return and the clearance certificate before distributing.