HOW TO HIRE · BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL

How to hire a wills & probate in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

A wills & probate in Ireland costs €150–€1,500 per service, typically around €400. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a wills & probate in five steps

  1. Are you on the Roll of Solicitors, and what is your number?A number you can look up yourself before you agree a price — trust Creation — creating trusts to manage assets during a person's lifetime and after death can provide financial security.
  2. How does complexity of the estate change the price?It is the difference between a quick visit and a long one. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  3. How does number of beneficiaries change the price?The count is the first question you will be asked. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  4. How does any potential disputes change the price?A small difference here makes a large difference to the total. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  5. What is not included?Estate Administration — this service involves managing the deceased's estate according to the will or intestacy laws — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a wills & probate job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

the Roll of Solicitors

A person must be on the Roll AND hold a current practising certificate. Being qualified is not the same as being entitled to practise. Restricted to solicitor holding a current practising certificate: acting as a solicitor; conveyancing and the drawing of certain documents for reward; describing oneself as a solicitor.

Search the Roll of Solicitors for the name or the registration number before you agree a price. lawsociety.ie →

Costs in writing

A legal practitioner must provide a written statement of costs (a section 150 notice) as soon as practicable after taking instructions. If no written costs notice arrives, ask for it before anything else happens. It is the document every later argument about fees depends on.

Ask for the notice before you instruct anyone, and keep it: it is the document any later dispute about the bill is read against.

Insurance

Expect professional indemnity insurance is compulsory for solicitors in practice. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.

Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.

Trader or private seller

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.

Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.

VAT

VAT at 23%, the standard rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.

Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →

“Are you on the Roll of Solicitors, and what is your number?”

A good answer: A number you can look up yourself before you agree a price — trust Creation — creating trusts to manage assets during a person's lifetime and after death can provide financial security.

“How does complexity of the estate change the price?”

A good answer: It is the difference between a quick visit and a long one. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“How does number of beneficiaries change the price?”

A good answer: The count is the first question you will be asked. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“How does any potential disputes change the price?”

A good answer: A small difference here makes a large difference to the total. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“What is not included?”

A good answer: Estate Administration — this service involves managing the deceased's estate according to the will or intestacy laws — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a wills & probate job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.

“Who insures you, and what is the policy number?”

A good answer: Expect professional indemnity insurance is compulsory for solicitors in practice — drafting Wills — this includes creating legally binding documents that outline how a person's assets and affairs will be handled after their death.

“What do I get in writing, and when?”

A good answer: A written scope and a price before the wills & probate starts, and an itemised invoice after — inheritance Tax Advice — this service offers advice on how to minimise inheritance tax liabilities for estates and beneficiaries.

Getting the quote right

  • Complexity of the estate — it is the difference between a quick visit and a long one.
  • Number of beneficiaries — the count is the first question you will be asked.
  • Any potential disputes — a small difference here makes a large difference to the total.
  • Need for legal representation or specific tax advice — a simple finish is quick; a refined one is not.
  • In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
  • What is NOT included, named
  • Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
  • The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register

Walk away if

  • They are not on the Roll of Solicitors, or the number does not resolve to the name on the quote
  • They will not talk about it: complexity of the estate — it is the difference between a quick visit and a long one
  • They will not talk about it: number of beneficiaries — the count is the first question you will be asked
  • They will not talk about it: any potential disputes — a small difference here makes a large difference to the total
  • A price for the wills & probate before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
  • Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
LOW
€150
TYPICAL
€400
HIGH
€1,500

What a wills & probate costs: €150–€1,500 per service

The figures are for the job, per service, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Will writing and Probate application each carry their own band. Wills & Probate price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Wills & probates near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. Look firstComplexity of the estate — it is the difference between a quick visit and a long one — that is what the wills & probate is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
  2. Agree what is being doneNumber of beneficiaries — the count is the first question you will be asked — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
  3. The work itselfAny potential disputes — a small difference here makes a large difference to the total — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
  4. Check it togetherNeed for legal representation or specific tax advice — a simple finish is quick; a refined one is not — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the wills & probate is still there.
  5. What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, understand the potential complexities of the estate, including debts and tax implications.

Drafting Wills
This includes creating legally binding documents that outline how a person's assets and affairs will be handled after their death.
Estate Administration
This service involves managing the deceased's estate according to the will or intestacy laws.
Trust Creation
Creating trusts to manage assets during a person's lifetime and after death can provide financial security.
Will Writing
This involves drafting a legally binding document that specifies how a person's assets should be distributed after their death.
Probate Application
This service includes filing the necessary paperwork with the court to initiate the probate process for a deceased person's estate.
Estate Planning
Estate planning services help individuals arrange the management and disposal of their assets during their lifetime and after death.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the invoice and the paperworkAn itemised invoice with the trader's name, the work and the total — trust Creation — creating trusts to manage assets during a person's lifetime and after death can provide financial security, because it is what a buyer's solicitor, an insurer or a lender asks for long after the wills & probate has gone.
Test what was doneEstate Administration — this service involves managing the deceased's estate according to the will or intestacy laws — and something that does not work on the day is theirs to put right there and then.
Ask what the guarantee isOn the workmanship and on the parts, and for how long each one runs — they are usually different. drafting Wills — this includes creating legally binding documents that outline how a person's assets and affairs will be handled after their death — under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 what was agreed is what can be relied on.
Leave the reviewOnly a booked job can be reviewed on Locufy, which is why the score on a wills & probate's card means something — inheritance Tax Advice — this service offers advice on how to minimise inheritance tax liabilities for estates and beneficiaries.

STEP 1Say it in writing, firstSay what is wrong and what you want done. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and defective work put right.
STEP 2Use the make-it-right step on LocufyUnder four stars you are asked whether to send it to the provider first; we follow it through. Then review.
STEP 3Escalate to the body that regulates itReport it to the Roll of Solicitors.
STEP 4Small claimsSmall claims covers €2,000, once you have asked in writing and given them a chance to put it right.

Hiring a wills & probate: questions people ask

The cost can vary based on the complexity of the estate, the number of beneficiaries, and whether the will is contested. Additional factors include the geographical location and the professional's experience level.

Yes, it's advisable to consult a qualified solicitor or specialist in Wills & Probate, especially for complex estates or contested wills, as they are familiar with legal requirements and can navigate the process effectively. Familiarise yourself with local laws and regulations regarding wills and probate.

Emergency services may be available for urgent situations, such as preparing a will for someone facing imminent health issues. Availability will depend on the service provider and their current workload.

Yes, many professionals offer packages that include drafting a will, setting up trusts, and managing probate, which can often be more cost-effective than booking each service separately. Wills and probate services are essential for managing a person's estate after they have passed away.

Services that are usually out of scope include financial planning unrelated to estate management, disputes between beneficiaries, and any legal representation in court unless specifically agreed upon. Drafting the will or probate application based on the provided details.

Search the name or the registration number. If the number does not resolve to the name on the quote, stop there.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in business & professional

How to hire: AccountantHow to hire: BookkeeperHow to hire: Payroll ServiceHow to hire: Tax AdvisorHow to hire: VAT ReturnsHow to hire: Self-Assessment HelpHow to hire: AuditorHow to hire: Financial AdvisorAll 701 hiring guides →

Wills & probates near you

Wills & probates in DublinWills & probates in CorkWills & probates in GalwayWills & probates in LimerickAll wills & probates on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Law Society of Ireland — find a solicitor
  2. Legal Services Regulatory Authority
  3. Legal Services Regulation Act 2015
  4. Consumer Rights Act 2022
  5. Revenue — LAWYERS/SOLICITORS SERVICES (LEGAL SERVICES) — Standard rate
  6. Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
  7. Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only