Wills & Succession · Ireland
Find wills lawyers in Ireland who understand Irish succession law
Whether you are writing a will, updating one after marriage or a property purchase, or administering an estate as executor, Irish succession law follows its own logic. Tell us what you need and we match you with a solicitor who handles wills in Ireland — free of charge and with no obligation.
- Wills, probate and estate planning
- Solicitors regulated by the Law Society of Ireland
- Free matching, usually within 24–48 hours
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Wills in Ireland
Wills lawyers in Ireland: what the work actually involves
Making a will in Ireland is straightforward in principle, but Irish succession law has features that surprise clients from other European countries: a surviving spouse or civil partner has a legal right share that a will cannot remove, children have no automatic fixed share, and gifts and inheritances can attract Capital Acquisitions Tax at 33%. Whether you are writing your first will, updating one after a marriage or a purchase of property, or dealing with an estate as an executor, the practical questions are the same — who inherits, in what proportion, and what tax follows. That is why working with wills lawyers in Ireland matters. Tell us briefly what you need, and we match you free of charge with an Irish solicitor who handles wills, probate and estate planning.
Irish succession law in practice
Wills and succession in Ireland: what is genuinely different
Ireland is a common-law country with a written Constitution, a split legal profession and a succession regime built on broad freedom of testation rather than forced heirship. These four features shape almost every will, estate and inheritance question that clients bring to an Irish solicitor.
A common-law system, not a civil code
Ireland is a common-law jurisdiction, so wills and succession are shaped by case law and judicial precedent as well as by statute — there is no civil code. The principal written sources are the Constitution of 1937 (Bunreacht na hÉireann), Acts of the Oireachtas, retained pre-1922 legislation and EU law, and the superior courts may review legislation for constitutional compliance.
Freedom of testation and the legal right share
Irish law gives you broad freedom to decide who receives your property, and children have no automatic fixed share of the estate. The main limitation is the legal right share of a surviving spouse or civil partner under the Succession Act 1965: one-half of the estate where there are no children, one-third where there are children. This can produce very different outcomes from continental forced-heirship regimes.
Capital Acquisitions Tax at 33%
Gifts and inheritances in Ireland are charged to Capital Acquisitions Tax at 33% on the taxable value above a tax-free threshold. The threshold depends on the relationship between the person giving and the person receiving (Group A, B or C), and transfers between spouses or civil partners are exempt. Beneficiaries self-assess and file Form IT38 where a benefit exceeds 80% of the relevant threshold.
Land and property: Tailte Éireann registration
Ownership of land in Ireland is recorded either under the older Registry of Deeds or under the Land Registry’s title-registration system, administered by Tailte Éireann. Since 1 June 2011, first registration of unregistered property purchased in Ireland has been compulsory, and title registration is being extended across the country. Registered ownership carries a State-backed guarantee of title.
Solicitors and barristers: who you actually instruct
The Irish profession is split into two branches. Solicitors are regulated by the Law Society of Ireland, must be on the Roll of Solicitors and hold an annual practising certificate, and they are normally your first point of contact. Barristers belong to The Bar of Ireland, train at King’s Inns and specialise in advocacy and specialist opinions; they are usually briefed through a solicitor.
Court thresholds, costs and legal aid
Civil jurisdiction in Ireland follows fixed monetary limits: the District Court hears claims up to €15,000 and the Circuit Court up to €75,000 (€60,000 for personal-injury actions), with the High Court above that. Lawyers’ fees are agreed between lawyer and client rather than set by tariff, and the losing party ordinarily pays the winner’s costs. Civil legal aid is means-tested and mainly covers family law.
All country data on this page is taken from official Irish and EU sources — the Courts Service, the Law Society of Ireland, the Legal Aid Board, Revenue, Tailte Éireann, the Irish Statute Book and the European e-Justice Portal — reviewed in 2025.
- European e-Justice Portal — National justice systems: Ireland
- Law Society of Ireland — Practising certificate
- Government of Ireland — Succession rights in Ireland
- Revenue — Gift and Inheritance Tax (CAT)
- Tailte Éireann — Compulsory land registration
- Legal Aid Board — Financial eligibility and merits test
- Courts Service — What the courts do
- Irish Statute Book — Statute of Limitations, section 11
Common situations
What clients bring to a wills solicitor in Ireland
Most people do not arrive with a legal question neatly framed. They arrive with a family situation, a piece of paper and a deadline they did not know existed.
You are not sure what a will can and cannot do
You have been told that your spouse or your children are automatically protected, or the opposite. Without clear advice on the legal right share, you may plan around a rule that does not exist in Ireland, or overlook one that does.
The estate is already open and questions are piling up
An executor has asked you to sign something, a property is still in the deceased’s name, or a bank has frozen an account. Each step seems to need a different document and a different answer.
Tax and cross-border complications
Part of the family lives abroad, the property sits in Ireland, or the inheritance may exceed a threshold. Capital Acquisitions Tax and differing succession rules turn a simple estate into a technical exercise.
Why use the platform
How we match you with a wills lawyer in Ireland
One short request, a clear picture of your situation, and introductions to Irish solicitors who already work on wills and estates.
Wills, probate and estate planning
We match you with solicitors whose practice covers drafting and updating wills, executor duties, estate administration and planning around the legal right share of a spouse or civil partner.
Fee information before you commit
Irish lawyers’ fees are agreed between lawyer and client rather than fixed by tariff, and since the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 practitioners must give clients certain information about costs in advance. Ask for it in writing.
Cross-border and tax awareness
If family members, assets or a second will sit outside Ireland, you need advice that accounts for Capital Acquisitions Tax and for how Irish freedom of testation interacts with another country’s succession rules.
Regulated solicitors only
Every lawyer we introduce is a solicitor on the Roll of Solicitors who holds a current practising certificate from the Law Society of Ireland. You always know who is acting for you and under what regulation.
Cross-border estates
Where our clients’ matters often connect
Estates frequently stretch across borders. We work with lawyers in Ireland and in the following European countries, so a request involving more than one jurisdiction can be handled coherently.
Questions and answers
Wills lawyers in Ireland: frequently asked questions
How much does a wills lawyer in Ireland cost?
Lawyers’ fees in Ireland are agreed between the lawyer and the client, and there are no binding statutory tariffs for solicitors’ or barristers’ fees. Since the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, legal practitioners must provide clients with certain information about costs in advance, so ask for a written estimate before you instruct anyone.
Do my children automatically inherit my estate in Ireland?
No. Irish succession law allows broad freedom of testation and children have no automatic fixed share of an estate. The main limitation is the legal right share of a surviving spouse or civil partner under the Succession Act 1965: one-half of the estate where the deceased left no children, and one-third where there are children.
What tax applies to an inheritance in Ireland?
Gifts and inheritances are subject to Capital Acquisitions Tax at 33% on the taxable value above a tax-free threshold. The threshold depends on the relationship between the person giving and the person receiving (Group A, B or C), and transfers between spouses or civil partners are exempt. Beneficiaries self-assess and file Form IT38 where the benefit exceeds 80% of the relevant threshold.
Should I instruct a solicitor or a barrister for an Irish will?
Ordinarily a solicitor. The Irish profession is divided: solicitors are regulated by the Law Society of Ireland, must be admitted to the Roll of Solicitors and hold an annual practising certificate, and they deal with clients directly. Barristers belong to The Bar of Ireland and are normally briefed through a solicitor for advocacy and specialist opinions.
How is property left in a will recorded in Ireland?
Land ownership in Ireland is recorded either under the older Registry of Deeds or under the Land Registry’s title-registration system, administered by Tailte Éireann. Since 1 June 2011, first registration of unregistered property purchased in Ireland has been compulsory, and title registration is being progressively extended nationwide. Registered title carries a State-backed guarantee.
Can I get civil legal aid for a wills or succession matter in Ireland?
Civil legal aid is administered by the Legal Aid Board and is available to persons of modest means who pass a financial (means) test and, for legal aid in litigation, a merits test; a financial contribution may be required. It covers a range of civil matters, principally family law, so wills, probate and estate planning are usually paid for privately.
Next step
Describe your situation and we will find the right Irish solicitor
One short form is enough. Tell us whether you are making a will, updating one, acting as an executor or dealing with an estate, and we will introduce you to wills lawyers in Ireland whose practice fits your matter. The matching service is free and there is no obligation to instruct anyone.