Cost at the Notary Public Office (公証役場) to create a Notary Deed Will (公正証書遺言)
This information is about the fees at the Notary Public Office. Please note this is SEPARATE from the attorney (lawyer) fee. Due to potential changes in notary office rules, the amount may vary. This information is provided for reference only. The final amount will be indicated by the notary office at the time of will preparation.
| Value of the Assets | Basic Notary Fee (there will also be additional fee 13,000 JPY for wills below 100 million JPY.) |
|---|---|
| 500,000 JPY or less | 3,000 JPY |
| 500,001 JPY – 1,000,000 JPY | 5,000 JPY |
| 1,000,001 JPY – 2,000,000 JPY | 7,000 JPY |
| 2,000,001 JPY – 5,000,000 JPY | 13,000 JPY |
| 5,000,000 JPY – 10,000,000 JPY | 20,000 JPY |
| 10,000,000 JPY – 30,000,000 JPY | 26,000 JPY |
| 30,000,000 JPY – 50,000,000 JPY | 33,000 JPY |
| 50,000,000 JPY – 100,000,000 JPY | 49,000 JPY |
| 100,000,000 JPY – 300,000,000 JPY | 49,000 JPY plus 15,000 JPY for each additional 50 million JPY |
| 300,000,000 JPY – 1,000,000,000 JPY | 109,000 JPY plus 13,000 JPY for each additional 50 million JPY |
| More than 1,000,000,000 JPY | 291,000 JPY plus 9,000 JPY for each additional 50 million JPY |
They calculate the value of the property for each person who inherits or bequeaths the property, apply the value to the standard table above, find the amount of the fee corresponding to the value of the property, and then add these fee amounts to calculate the fee for the entire will in question.
If the total value of the will is less than 100 million JPY, 11,000 JPY is added to the amount of the fee calculated according to the table above.
Normally, an original, an authenticated copy, and a certified copy of a will are made, and the original is kept at the Notary Public Office and the authenticated copy and the certified copy are delivered to the testator. Generally, the notary office charges around 3,000 JPY to 5,000 JPY for creating the certified copies.
Two witnesses are required to prepare a notarized will. The notary office can also introduce witnesses. The cost (gratuity) in such cases ranges from 5,000 yen to 10,000 yen per witness (depending on the notary office).
If the testator cannot visit a notary public due to illness or old age, etc., and the notary is requested to visit a hospital, home, or nursing home to make a notarized document, additional 50% will be added to the fee mentioned in the above table, and the notary will also charge the notary’s per diem and transportation costs to the place of notarization.
Please confirm the actual fees directly at the notary public office.
See this page for general information about creating a will in Japan.
Leaving a Will (Testament) in Japan