Probate proceedings aren't free, but it's not a huge sum that would catch heirs off guard either — as long as you know what to expect in advance.
Although people still ask about "inheritance tax," it was abolished in the Czech Republic back on 1 January 2014. Inherited property is now also exempt from income tax. The only thing you actually pay during probate proceedings is the notary's fee.
In probate proceedings, the notary acts as a court commissioner appointed by the court, and is entitled to a fee under Decree No. 196/2001 Sb. It's calculated from the usual value of the deceased's entire estate — that is, the gross value, without deducting debts — according to a declining rate:
| Estate value | Rate |
|---|---|
| up to 500,000 CZK | 2% |
| 500,000 – 1,000,000 CZK | 0.9% of the excess |
| 1,000,000 – 3,000,000 CZK | 0.5% of the excess |
| 3,000,000 – 30,000,000 CZK | 0.1% of the excess |
| 30,000,000 – 100,000,000 CZK | 0.05% of the excess |
The minimum fee is 2,000 CZK excluding VAT. For example, for an estate worth 1.5 million CZK, the base fee comes out to roughly 17,000 CZK excluding VAT. 21% VAT is added to the amount, along with so-called out-of-pocket expenses — postage, certified copies, or an expert appraisal if needed.
Most often, a joint declaration by the heirs about the value is enough, or an estimate from a real estate agency — many of which offer this for free. A formal expert appraisal is only required if the heirs disagree or the estimated value is clearly unreasonable.
The notary's fee is paid out of the estate only after the proceedings conclude, not in advance. The Czech Notarial Chamber explicitly warns that notaries never demand advance payment via SMS, WhatsApp, or similar channels — if someone contacts you that way claiming to be a notary, it's a scam.
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