Public Trust wills in New Zealand: costs and options
Public Trust, which describes itself as an Autonomous Crown Entity, charges $69 for a Basic online will, $99 for Standard and $159 for Comprehensive, with a mirror will for a partner from $66 extra and a free update each year (Public Trust: Online wills, prices as at 2 October 2025). If it is named executor, it charges separately to administer the estate: fixed fees plus hourly rates, with some services capped at 5% of the estate's assets and income.
Compared: Public Trust, a law firm (PK Law), a DIY template and QuoteHub's free will, on cost, drafting help and executor service, as at 20 October 2026, from published price pages. Not every New Zealand provider is included. This is one adviser's reading, not a score. For the general legal rules of making any will, see making a will in NZ.
What Public Trust's will service costs
| Service | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic online will | from $69 | Simple needs; individual only |
| Standard online will | $99 | Mirror will for a partner from $66 extra |
| Comprehensive online will | $159 | For more complex estates; the page does not give a couple price |
| Signing appointment | $68 per will | Witnessing by a Public Trust representative |
| In-centre drafted will | $750 | From a QuoteHub check of its price list on 9 September 2026, not reconfirmed on 20 October; the pricing page now shows only the $68 signing fee |
Public Trust says a Basic will can take as little as 30 minutes and that most wills are rarely longer than 60 to 90 minutes, and that "every new will with Public Trust includes a free update every year" (Public Trust: Making a will). Signing costs are in its will pricing page, which lists $68 per will and no other dollar figure.
Signing and witnessing
The signing rules are the same whoever drafts the will: in writing, signed by you, and signed in front of at least two witnesses present together (Wills Act 2007, s11). Some older guides say witnesses must not be beneficiaries or related to one. The Act says something narrower: a gift to a witness, or to a witness's spouse or partner, is void unless an exception applies (section 13). The simplest route is to pick two people who gain nothing, or to book the $68 signing appointment.
Updating and changing the will
You can make a new will or a formal change at any time while you have capacity, and Public Trust holding your document does not limit that. A marriage or civil union revokes an earlier will unless it was made in contemplation of it (section 18), so a yearly update does not replace a review after a life event. See the table of life events in making a will in NZ.
If Public Trust is named executor
Public Trust can act as executor and trustee instead of a family member, which some people prefer for a complex estate, a blended family or when there is no suitable person to ask. Naming it is a separate choice from using its drafting service: you can have Public Trust draft the will and name a family member, friend or lawyer as executor.
How it charges. Public Trust says "our fees are based on the work we do, not the value of the estate". It charges a combination of fixed fees for standard work and hourly rates for additional work, and it gives an estimate of time and cost at the start (Public Trust: Estate administration). Its fees and charges for some services cannot exceed 5% of the estate's total assets and the income it receives from the estate. Special fees sit outside the cap: obtaining a grant of probate, managing property, carrying on a business and legal services (Public Trust: Fees and charges, current as of 6 July 2026). The page does not list the estate hourly rates; its family trust price list shows hourly rates from $313.95 for an Associate Trustee to $548.55 for a Senior Solicitor, and your quote will say which rates apply.
Some guides describe Public Trust as taking a percentage commission on the estate. We could not find that on its published pages, so we do not repeat it. What the pages do show is a cap and a list of uncapped special fees, which is why asking for the written estimate matters.
Timing. Public Trust says most estates are settled in 9 to 12 months. The government's wills and estates page says simple estates take up to 6 months after the grant. Probate, where needed, adds the court's wait; see how long probate takes. The court fee is $275 (Ministry of Justice).
Changing executor. While you are alive, you can make a new will naming someone else. After a death we have not found a published Public Trust process for replacing it as executor, so ask a lawyer.
Public Trust compared with the alternatives
| Option | What it costs (published) | Suits | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Trust online | $69 to $159 (mirror will for a partner from $66 extra) | Simple estates; people comfortable online | Ongoing estate fees if you name it executor |
| Public Trust in-centre | $750 (9 September 2026 check) | Those who want to sit down with an expert | Not reconfirmed on 20 October |
| Law firm (PK Law, excluding GST) | $750 single to $2,500+ by complexity | Blended families, businesses, trusts | Fees vary by firm |
| DIY template | Varies; see will templates | Very simple estates | Errors in wording or signing |
| QuoteHub free will | No cost | A no-cost starting point | See free will for what it covers |
PK Law prices a probate application at $2,500 plus the court's filing fee for a simple estate, and a letter of administration at $3,300 plus disbursements (PK Law pricing, retrieved 20 October 2026). That is a useful yardstick against Public Trust's estimate. Our probate lawyer fees guide goes through the comparison.
Who may suit which option?
A single person with a simple estate often gets what they need from a Basic or Standard online will. A couple can use mirror wills. A testamentary trust, a business or a family trust usually points to the Comprehensive tier, the in-centre service or a lawyer; see testamentary trusts and family trusts. If nobody is suitable as executor, a trustee company is an option; our executor versus trustee guide explains the roles. Public Trust also prepares enduring powers of attorney; see power of attorney in NZ for costs across providers.
Where to get advice
A will and insurance do different jobs. A life insurance payout generally follows the policy's ownership and beneficiary terms, not the will; see who gets your life insurance payout. The buttons on this page lead to two Momentum Life products that ask no health questions. Quick Life (ages 18 to 65) excludes pre-existing conditions and suicide for the first 2 years. Funeral Insurance (New Zealanders aged 40 to 75) pays only for accidental death in the first 24 months. Total funeral premiums can exceed the benefit, and the benefit may not cover a whole funeral. Neither product accepts new applicants over 75. Momentum Life Limited is rated B (Fair) by A.M. Best; see its financial strength page. QuoteHub is a Momentum Life partner and Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver may receive a commission if you buy a Momentum policy; see how we are paid.
Advice is provided by Craig Smith Business Services Limited, trading as Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931). QuoteHub is a trading name.
Adviser's view
Public Trust suits two kinds of people: someone who wants professionally structured will wording without a lawyer's hourly rate, and someone with no obvious executor who wants an organisation that will still exist in 30 years. The will is cheap. The bigger cost, if you name it as executor, is the estate administration, so compare that fee, not just the $69.
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Cite this page QuoteHub NZ (2026). Public Trust Wills NZ: Fees, Review and Alternatives. www.quotehub.co.nz/guides/estate/public-trust-wills-nz. Updated 2026-10-20.
References
- Wills Act 2007
- Public Trust: Online wills
- Public Trust: Making a will
- Public Trust: Making a will pricing
- Public Trust: Estate administration
- Public Trust: Fees and charges
- Public Trust: About us
- PK Law: Pricing
- Ministry of Justice: Probate information and guidance
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