- The standard fee is a Local Registrar fee of $200 plus a levy of $7.00 per $1,000 (or portion thereof) of Total Part 1 Assets on the Statement of Property.
- Assets that pass outside the estate, such as joint survivorship property and named-beneficiary insurance or RRSPs/RRIFs, are excluded.
- You declare the value of the estate on the Statement of Property (Form 16-14) and pay the fee at the court house when you apply.
If you are the executor, one of the first practical questions is how much the court will charge to issue the grant. The answer depends on the value of what you list in your application, so it helps to understand which assets count and which do not.
This article walks through the Saskatchewan fee rules, how the estate value is declared, and what is still worth confirming with a lawyer or accountant before you file.
This article covers the law of Saskatchewan.
The two parts of the fee
On a standard probate application, the cost has two pieces: a Local Registrar fee of $200, set by Table 1 of The Administration of Estates Regulations 2020, plus a levy of $7.00 per $1,000 (or portion thereof) of Total Part 1 Assets shown on the Statement of Property. The levy comes from section 51 of The Administration of Estates Act.
The province gives one illustration: a Part 1 estate of $500,000 produces a levy of $3,500 at $7 per $1,000, plus the $200 Local Registrar fee.
Fees can change over time, so check the current amount with the court before you file.
Which assets count toward the fee
Only the assets that need to go through the estate are counted. Assets passing outside the estate are excluded, including joint survivorship property, insurance with a named beneficiary, and RRSPs or RRIFs with a named beneficiary.
- Counted: land held solely in the deceased's name, which is a Part I asset on the Statement of Property.
- Counted: personal property such as vehicles, jewellery and household items, which are listed as Part I assets.
- Counted: accounts held solely in the deceased's name, as in the province's own example of house equity plus sole accounts.
- Not counted: land in joint tenancy with survivorship and bank accounts with survivorship.
- Not counted: life insurance, RRSPs and RRIFs with a named beneficiary.
For real estate, the court says only the equity counts toward the fee. How debts secured against a property are stated on the form can matter, so confirm this with the court or a lawyer before you fill in the numbers.
How you declare the value
The estate is declared on the Statement of Property (Form 16-14), which is filed with the Application for Grant of Probate, the Affidavit of Applicant and the proof of the will's execution.
For land, you can value it using a land appraiser or agrologist report, a real estate agent market evaluation, or a municipal property assessment.
Be careful and consistent with your figures, because the levy is based on the total you declare.
Smaller estates and special cases
| Situation | What the rules say |
|---|---|
| Estate of $15,000 or less administered by the applicant | Court staff help prepare the application, and the Local Registrar fee is $300 plus the $7.00 per $1,000 levy. |
| Estate of $25,000 or less with no real property | Letters may not be required at all, so ask the institution holding the asset. |
| Estate includes real estate | Letters are required for any land transaction with Information Services Corporation (ISC). |
Do not mix up the small-estate figures. They apply to different things: whether Letters are needed, and whether court staff prepare the papers.
What to do next
- List every asset and mark whether it passes through the estate or outside it.
- Get a value for each Part I asset, using the valuation options for land.
- Complete the Statement of Property (Form 16-14).
- Ask each bank or credit union whether it needs Letters, since the institution decides.
- Bring payment of the fee to the court house when you apply.
- Have a lawyer or accountant review the numbers if debts, joint ownership or out-of-province assets make the picture unclear.
Frequently asked questions
Is the probate fee a percentage of the estate?
It is a flat Local Registrar fee of $200 plus a levy of $7.00 per $1,000 (or portion thereof) of Total Part 1 Assets. In practice this works out as a rate applied to the declared value.
Do I pay the fee on assets that go to a joint owner or named beneficiary?
No. Assets passing outside the estate, such as joint survivorship property and named-beneficiary insurance, RRSPs and RRIFs, are excluded.
When do I pay the probate fee?
The fee is paid at the court house when you apply.
Is probate always required in Saskatchewan?
No. The only asset the court says absolutely requires probate is an interest in land registered solely in the deceased's name, and for other assets the institution decides whether it needs Letters.
Sources
- Court of King's Bench – Probating an Estate — sasklawcourts.ca
- Government of Saskatchewan – Real Property (administering an estate) — saskatchewan.ca
- Government of Saskatchewan – When the deceased has a last will and testament — saskatchewan.ca
- Government of Saskatchewan – Estates not exceeding $15,000 — saskatchewan.ca
- Government of Saskatchewan – Personal property (administering an estate) — saskatchewan.ca
Links go to official government, court and regulator pages. The law changes — confirm you are reading the current version.
This is a wills & estates question
A single will with us is from $720.39, tax included. Third-party fees are extra.