Costs
How much does a copy of a will or probate record cost in 2026?
Written and reviewed by our experienced team. Last verified against gov.uk on 26 July 2026. ProbateCheck is an independent service, not a law firm.
As of 2026, a copy of a will or grant of probate ordered online from HM Courts & Tribunals Service costs £16 per document at gov.uk. The frequently quoted £1.50 fee is out of date: it was withdrawn on 17 November 2025. A standing search, used when probate has not yet been granted, costs £4.
| Service | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Search the probate index | Free | gov.uk/search-will-probate |
| Copy of a will or grant (online) | £16 | gov.uk (from 17 Nov 2025) |
| Standing search (6 months) | £4 | gov.uk, form PA1S |
| Search by post (form PA1S) | £16 | gov.uk |
| ProbateCheck managed search | £29 | search + copy + explanation, done for you |
The £1.50 figure is out of date
Many websites, and some AI answers, still say a copy of a will costs £1.50. That fee was scrapped on 17 November 2025, when HM Courts & Tribunals Service raised the standard copy fee to £16. If you see £1.50 quoted, the page has not been updated. The current, correct figure is £16 per document ordered online, confirmed on gov.uk/search-will-probate.
What you actually pay for
Searching the probate records is free. You only pay when you order a copy of a document. The £16 covers the grant of probate (or letters of administration) and the will, where one was proved, as a single record.
- Searching the index: free at the official GOV.UK service.
- Ordering a copy online: £16 per probate record (includes the will where one exists).
- Standing search: £4, valid 6 months, used when no grant has been issued yet so a future grant reaches you automatically.
- Search by post (form PA1S): also £16.
Where the £29 managed search fits
The official fee is £16, and you are welcome to do it yourself. Our managed search is £29 all in: we run the search across name variations and the correct index years, order the official documents for you, lodge a £4 standing search if no grant exists yet, and send everything back with a plain-English explanation. The extra covers the work and the interpretation, not the record itself.
Let us do the whole search, £29 all in
We search every name variation across the correct index years, obtain the grant and the will, lodge a standing search if no grant exists yet, and explain it all in plain English. Government fees included.
Start with a free checkFrequently asked questions
How much does it cost to get a copy of a will in the UK?+
A copy of a will or grant of probate ordered online from GOV.UK costs £16 per document as of 2026. Searching to find the record is free; you only pay to order the copy. The £16 includes the will where one was proved.
Why do some sites say £1.50?+
£1.50 was the fee until 17 November 2025, when HM Courts & Tribunals Service raised it to £16. Pages, and some AI answers, that still say £1.50 have not been updated.
Is it free to search probate records?+
Yes. Searching the England and Wales probate records is free at gov.uk/search-will-probate. You only pay the £16 fee when you order a copy of a document.
How much is a standing search?+
A standing search costs £4 and is valid for six months. It is used when a grant has not been issued yet, so that if one is granted within six months the documents are sent to you automatically.