The short version: BC probate fees are charged on a sliding scale based on the estate's total gross value — nothing on the first $25,000, 0.6% on the next $25,000, and 1.4% on everything above $50,000, plus a flat $200 court filing fee. There's no cap, and the home's full value is included in the calculation.
The fee structure
| Estate value | Fee rate |
| First $25,000 | No fee |
| $25,001 – $50,000 | 0.6% |
| Above $50,000 | 1.4% |
Plus a flat $200 court filing fee on top. For example, a $500,000 estate (a realistic figure once a Kelowna-area home is included) would work out to roughly: $0 on the first $25,000, $150 on the next $25,000, and $6,300 on the remaining $450,000 — about $6,450, plus the $200 filing fee.
The house is included in full
Probate fees are calculated on the gross value of everything the will governs — meaning the home's full assessed or market value counts, with no deduction for an outstanding mortgage or other debt against the property. This surprises some executors who assume the fee is based on the estate's net worth; it isn't.
Who actually pays
The estate itself pays the probate fee, typically before assets are distributed to beneficiaries. In practice, this usually means the fee is settled using estate funds — sometimes including, or specifically timed around, the proceeds from selling the home — rather than coming out of the executor's own pocket.
Mark Jontz factors probate fees into the bigger financial picture when helping executors plan a sale — since the home's value directly affects the fee calculation, understanding roughly what's owed helps set realistic expectations for what the estate will actually net once everything is settled.
Can this be reduced?
Some assets bypass probate (and its fees) entirely — property held in joint tenancy passes directly to the surviving owner without going through the estate at all. For larger or more complex estates, some people use a multiple wills strategy to keep certain non-real-estate assets out of the probate calculation. These are planning decisions, though — not something that can typically be restructured after someone has already passed away.
This page provides general information about BC probate fees and is not legal or financial advice. Fee rates can change — please confirm current figures with a lawyer or the BC probate registry for any specific estate.