Guides
Finding a will & searching probate records
Clear, plain-English guides, each checked against GOV.UK and dated so you know it is current. When you are ready, check the records for free or let us run the whole search for £29.
Costs
Searching records
Search probate records online (free)Search the England & Wales probate records for free. Enter a name and year to check the public index instantly, then order the will or grant, or let us run the whole search for £29.Why did my probate search find nothing?An empty probate search is usually a false negative, not proof there is no will. The four real reasons a GOV.UK Find a Will search returns nothing, and how to fix each.The grant-year trapProbate records are filed under the year the grant was issued, not the year of death. Because probate takes months, this is the number one reason a search wrongly finds nothing.How to check if probate has been grantedTo check if probate has been granted, search the public probate records by name and year. If a grant has been issued it appears in the index. How to check, and what to do if not.How to search probate records by nameSearch the probate records by name for free. Enter the surname and year, check name variations and the grant year, and order a copy for £16. Step-by-step for England & Wales.
When you can't find a will
Can't find a will? Here is what to do nextCannot find a will in the probate records? Here is exactly what to do next: check the grant year, search name variations, lodge a standing search, or have it done for you for £29.Standing search explainedA standing search costs £4 and lasts six months. If a grant of probate is issued for the person in that time, the documents are sent to you automatically. When and how to use one.Named as executor: how to find the willNamed as executor? Your first job is to locate the original will. Where to look, what to do if you can't find it, and how to check if probate has already been granted.How to trace a missing willTo trace a missing will, check the home, the solicitor, the bank and the National Will Register. If probate has been granted, order a copy for £16; if not, lodge a standing search.
How to find a will
How to find out if someone left a willTo find out if someone left a will, search the probate records once a grant is issued. Free to search, £16 for a copy. Step-by-step, plus what to do if probate is not granted yet.Is a will a public document?In England & Wales a will is private until a grant of probate is issued, after which it becomes a public document anyone can order for £16. When and how wills become public.National Will Register vs GOV.UK vs a managed searchWhich do you need to find a will: the free GOV.UK probate search, a commercial will-search register, or a managed search? An honest comparison of what each one actually does.Getting a copy of a will by post (form PA1S)You can order a copy of a will by post using form PA1S, or online, for £16 either way. How the postal route works, how long it takes, and when online is better.
Understanding a grant
Grant of probate vs letters of administrationA grant of probate is issued when there is a will; letters of administration when there is not. The difference explained, plus 'letters of administration with will annexed'.How long does probate take?HMCTS says you usually get the grant of probate within 12 weeks of applying. In practice the whole process takes longer. Timelines explained, and why records lag behind.Letters of administration explainedLetters of administration are issued when someone dies without a will or without an executor able to act. What they are, who can apply, and how they appear in the probate records.Do all wills go to probate?Not every will goes to probate. Small estates, jointly owned property and accounts below bank thresholds often pass without it, so no public record is created. When probate is needed.
Am I a beneficiary?
How to find out if you're a beneficiary of a willYou can find out if you are a beneficiary once probate is granted and the will becomes public. Search the records, order a copy of the will for £16, and read who inherits.Someone died without a will: what happens?If someone dies without a will, their estate passes under the rules of intestacy and letters of administration are issued. Who inherits, in what order, and how to check the records.Can I see my parent's will after death?You can see your parent's will once probate is granted, when it becomes public and can be ordered for £16. Before probate it is private. What to do, and what happens with no will.