Applying for probate
Probate caveat: fee, form PA8A and how it is challenged
Written and reviewed by our experienced team. Checked against GOV.UK and the sources listed at the end on 15 September 2026. ProbateCheck is an independent service, not a law firm.
A caveat stops a grant of probate or letters of administration being issued while a dispute is sorted out. It costs £4 (form PA8A, online or by post; the fee rose from £3 on 13 July 2026), lasts six months, and can be extended for another six months for £4 with form PA8B. Anyone with an interest in the estate can challenge it by issuing a "warning"; the caveator then has 14 days to enter an "appearance", after which the caveat stays in force until a probate claim begins. Checked 15 September 2026.
What a caveat does
GOV.UK: "You can challenge someone else's probate application ('enter a caveat') if there's a dispute, for example about who can apply for probate or whether there's a will." While the caveat is in force the registry will not issue a grant on that estate. GOV.UK also warns that "Entering a caveat can lead to legal action and legal costs. You should try to come to an agreement with the person applying for probate first." It is a tool for a genuine dispute about the will or who should administer the estate, not a way to hold up an estate over an unrelated grievance.
How to enter a caveat
Choose the route
GOV.UK: apply online or by post, or "make an appointment to visit a probate registry". Find a Court or Tribunal says that for an in-person caveat appointment you must email contactprobate@justice.gov.uk; the registries cannot book one by phone.
Complete form PA8A
The current form (version 07.26, updated 6 August 2026) says "The application fee is £4.00". Give the full name, address and date of death of the person, and your own details.
Pay the £4 fee
Online payment, or with the form. Help with fees (EX160) can be claimed on the form if you qualify.
Send it to the Probate Service Centre
Post to HMCTS Probate, PO Box 12625, Harlow, CM20 9QF. Under rule 44 the registry acknowledges entry and keeps an index of caveats that is searched whenever an application arrives.
Warning and appearance: how a caveat is challenged
The procedure is in rule 44 of the Non-Contentious Probate Rules 1987. A person claiming an interest in the estate can issue a warning against the caveat, stating their interest and requiring the caveator to say what contrary interest they have. The warning is served on the caveator, who then has 14 days (counting the day of service) to enter an appearance in the nominated registry if they claim a contrary interest, or to issue a summons for directions if they do not. If the caveator does nothing within the 14 days, the person warning files a witness statement of service and the caveat ceases to have effect. If an appearance is entered, the caveat remains in force until a probate claim is started, unless a judge or registrar orders otherwise.
Extending or withdrawing
A caveat is effective for six months from entry. To extend it, apply in the last month of that period on form PA8B (fee £4); rule 44 allows further extensions on the same terms. A caveator who has not entered an appearance can withdraw the caveat at any time by giving notice to the registry, and must then tell the person who warned it. Once a caveat has lapsed after a warning, no further caveat can be entered by the same person without the court's permission.
Fee history, because most pages have it wrong
Until 12 July 2026 the fee for entering or extending a caveat was £3. SI 2026/642 substituted £4 from 13 July 2026, and GOV.UK updated form PA8A on 6 August 2026. Any page still quoting £3 (or the much older £20) has not been updated.
Checking whether a grant has already been issued
A caveat only works before the grant. If you think one may already exist, search the probate index first; a grant appears there about 14 days after issue. If no grant exists and you simply want to know when one is issued, without stopping it, a standing search for £4 is the right tool instead.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a caveat cost?+
£4, from 13 July 2026. It was £3 before. Extending it for a further six months on form PA8B also costs £4. Sources: form PA8A version 07.26 and SI 2026/642, checked 15 September 2026.
How long does a caveat last?+
Six months from the date of entry (GOV.UK and rule 44). It can be extended for another six months, and again after that, by applying in the last month of each period.
Can I enter a caveat online?+
Yes. GOV.UK says you can apply online or by post (form PA8A to HMCTS Probate, PO Box 12625, Harlow, CM20 9QF), or make an appointment at a probate registry, which must be requested by email.
What is a warning to a caveat?+
A formal notice issued by someone with an interest in the estate requiring the caveator to state their contrary interest. The caveator has 14 days from service to enter an appearance or issue a summons for directions; otherwise the caveat lapses once a witness statement of service is filed (rule 44).
What happens after an appearance is entered?+
The caveat stays in force until a probate claim is started in court, unless a district judge or registrar orders otherwise. In practice this is the point at which both sides need legal advice.
Can I find out if a caveat has been entered?+
The registry keeps an index of caveats and searches it when an application is made, but it is not part of the public online probate search, which only shows grants that have been issued. Ask the Probate Service Centre or take advice.
Is a caveat the same as a standing search?+
No. A caveat stops a grant being issued and costs £4. A standing search does not stop anything; it asks the registry to send you the grant and will when one is issued, for £4.
Sources checked for this guide
- GOV.UK, Stop a probate application (enter a caveat) (read 15 September 2026)
- GOV.UK, Apply to stop a grant of probate by post: Form PA8A (version 07.26, last updated 6 August 2026) (read 15 September 2026)
- GOV.UK, Apply to extend a caveat on a grant of representation: Form PA8B (read 15 September 2026)
- The Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2026, SI 2026/642, article 3 (Non-Contentious Probate Fees Order 2004 amendments) (read 15 September 2026)
- SI 2026/665, which moved the start date of the 2026 fees order to 13 July 2026 (read 15 September 2026)
- Non-Contentious Probate Rules 1987, rule 44 (caveats, warnings and appearances) (read 15 September 2026)
- Find a Court or Tribunal, Probate Service Centre (HMCTS Probate postal address and helpline) (read 15 September 2026)
- Find a Court or Tribunal, search results for 'probate' (8 locations listed) (read 15 September 2026)