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Probate tax depends almost entirely on where the person lived and what they owned. On a $600,000 estate, Ontario charges $8,250, British Columbia $8,050, Nova Scotia about $9,478, Alberta $525, Quebec $241 and Manitoba nothing. Nova Scotia is the dearest of the six and Manitoba the cheapest.
Strictly speaking, “probate tax” is a loose label. Some provinces charge a real tax on the value of the estate. Others charge a court fee that happens to rise with value, and a few cap it so low you barely notice. The estimate for your province takes a minute in the probate fee and estate administration tax calculator.
How much probate tax does each province charge?
These figures come from our calculator, run on a $600,000 estate that goes through probate. They cover the fee itself, plus the court filing fee where the province adds one.
| Province | How the fee works | On $600,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Nothing on the first $50,000, then $15 per $1,000 | $8,250 |
| British Columbia | $6 per $1,000 from $25,000 to $50,000, then $14 per $1,000, plus $200 filing | $8,050 |
| Nova Scotia | Step fees to $100,000, then $16.95 per $1,000 | $9,477.65 |
| Alberta | Fixed steps, topping out at $525 | $525 |
| Quebec | Flat court fee of $241, only for wills that need verification | $241 |
| Manitoba | No probate charge on the estate value | $0 |
New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and the territories each have their own schedule too. Some of those are less certain than the six above. The Yukon schedule, for one, comes from a court rules appendix with no recent date, so check the territory’s court fee page before you rely on it.
Why do Ontario and Alberta feel like different countries?
Ontario calls its charge the Estate Administration Tax, and it is $15 for every $1,000 (or part of $1,000) above $50,000. Alberta’s court fee stops growing at $525 once the estate passes $250,000. So a $2 million estate costs an Ontario family $29,250 and an Alberta family the same $525.
That gap is big enough that people ask whether they can shrink the bill. The honest answer is in the mistakes section below.
A worked example, step by step
Take an Ontario estate with a $500,000 house (mortgage-free), $70,000 in a bank account and a $30,000 investment account, all in the deceased’s name alone. The total is $600,000. Take off the first $50,000 and you’re taxing $550,000, which at $15 per $1,000 gives $8,250.
Now change one thing. The investment account has a named beneficiary. It skips the estate, the taxable value falls to $570,000 and the tax drops to $7,800. Naming a beneficiary saved $450 here, and on a bigger account it would save more.
Ontario also lets the estate deduct a mortgage from the value of real property. Give that same house a $200,000 mortgage and the taxable total falls to $400,000, so after the $50,000 exemption you’re taxing $350,000 and the bill is $5,250.
In BC the same $600,000 costs $8,050, and the basis there is gross value. Whether a mortgage reduces that value in BC is worth asking the court registry or an estate lawyer, so don’t assume it does.
What counts toward the value, and what doesn’t?
Only assets that pass through the estate count. In Ontario that means real estate (less mortgages), bank accounts and investments in the deceased’s own name, and registered plans or insurance with no named beneficiary. Jointly owned assets that pass straight to the other owner, real estate outside the province and accounts with a named beneficiary stay out.
The tax is paid by the estate, not by the estate representative.
Estate Administration Tax, Ontario.ca, ontario.ca
Do you need probate at all? Not always. Jointly held assets pass to the survivor without one. There’s no single dollar threshold we can point to on an official page, so ask the bank or investment firm holding each asset what it will release without a grant.
Who pays, and when is it due?
The executor applies for the grant, and the fee is normally paid up front out of estate money. In Ontario it goes in as a deposit when the application for an estate certificate is made, and it becomes the tax once the certificate is issued. If no certificate is issued, the deposit comes back.
That timing catches families short. The bank account may be frozen until the grant arrives, so ask the executor how the deposit will be funded before anyone assumes the money is there.
Mistakes that cost families money
The obvious one is lowballing the estate to cut the fee. Ontario requires an Estate Information Return within 180 days of the certificate, so the values get reported a second time. If the Ministry of Finance later finds an understated value, it can reassess, and false statements on the return can bring fines and worse.
Another is moving the family home into joint names with a child just to dodge the fee. We haven’t found an official page that blesses that, and it changes who owns the house today. An estate lawyer should look at it before anyone signs.
And a third: mixing up probate with income tax. Probate fees are one bill. The final tax return is another, and it can be much bigger. Our capital gains tax calculator shows how large a gain on a cottage or rental can get. If the heirs plan to sell, the home sale proceeds calculator shows what lands in their pockets. The land transfer tax calculator is the tool for the buyer’s side of the same house.
Where these fees come from
Fee schedules come from each province’s own legislation and court fee pages: the Ontario estate administration tax page (updated June 2026), the BC Probate Fee Act, Quebec’s 2026 court tariff and the other provincial schedules, read in September 2026. Fees get amended, so confirm the current amount with the court or registry before you pay. This is an independent guide and has no link to any government.
Frequently asked questions
Does every province charge probate tax?
No. Manitoba has no probate charge on the value of an estate, and Quebec charges a flat court fee of $241 only for wills that need verification. Others charge by value or by fixed steps.
Do I pay probate tax on a house held jointly?
Generally not, because jointly owned property passes to the survivor outside the estate. Check how the title is actually registered.
Is there a federal estate tax in Canada?
No. The tax on death is income tax on the final return, not a separate estate tax.
When is Ontario's estate administration tax due?
When the estate certificate is issued. The Estate Information Return follows within 180 days.
Does a named beneficiary avoid probate tax?
On registered plans and insurance it usually does, because the money goes straight to the person named and never forms part of the estate.
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