Applying for probate
The probate process, step by step
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.
The probate process in England and Wales runs: register the death, find the will and check whether probate is needed, value the estate and report to HMRC (form IHT400 unless it is an excepted estate), apply online or on form PA1P or PA1A with the £526 fee, wait for the grant (a mean of 5 weeks from application in January to March 2026), then collect the assets, pay debts and tax, and distribute. The record becomes public about 14 days after the grant. Checked 15 September 2026.
Register the death and tell organisations
GOV.UK's step-by-step starts with registering the death and using Tell Us Once for government departments. Banks, pension providers and utilities must be told separately.
Find the original will and check whether probate is needed
The original will is needed for the application; a photocopy will not do. Then ask each asset holder whether it needs a grant: GOV.UK says every organisation has its own rules. Our checker holds 16 banks' published limits. Check the probate index too, in case someone has already applied.
Value the estate and report to HMRC
Estimate everything the person owned and owed. If the estate is excepted you can apply for probate straight away; otherwise send form IHT400 within 12 months of the death, start paying any tax, and wait for HMRC's unique code before applying.
Apply for probate
Online (93% of applications in January to March 2026) or by post on PA1P or PA1A to HMCTS Probate, PO Box 12625, Harlow, CM20 9QF. The fee is £526 for estates over £5,000; order extra copies at £2 each now rather than £16 later. Full list on the fees page.
Wait for the grant
HMCTS: a mean of 5 weeks from submission to grant in January to March 2026, about 2 weeks for online applications not stopped and 14 weeks if stopped. GOV.UK says to allow up to 12 weeks. The estimator gives the figure for your route.
Collect the assets and pay debts and tax
Send sealed copies of the grant to each asset holder. GOV.UK: pay any debts or taxes owed by the person who died before distributing. Property can now be sold; GOV.UK says not to market it before the grant.
Distribute and keep accounts
Distribute under the will, or under the intestacy rules if there is none, and keep estate accounts for the beneficiaries.
Three clocks, not one
Court time (application to grant) is measured by HMCTS and was 5 weeks on average in January to March 2026. Preparation time (death to application) depends on the estate and on HMRC where IHT400 is needed. Administration time (grant to final distribution) depends on selling property and collecting assets. Pages that say "probate takes six months" are usually adding all three together without saying so.
Who does what
With a will, the executor named in it applies and receives a grant of probate. Without a will, the closest living relative applies (spouse or civil partner first, then children over 18) and receives letters of administration. Where a will exists but no executor can act, the grant is letters of administration with the will annexed. The three are compared on the grant of representation page. An executor who does not want to act can hold power reserved or renounce on form PA15.
After the grant
GOV.UK: "Once you have the grant of probate (or letters of administration) you can start dealing with the estate. Send copies of the probate document to organisations that hold the assets of the person who died, for example their bank." The will becomes a public record and the grant appears in the online index about 14 days later, which is how anyone, including a beneficiary who has not heard from the executor, can confirm that probate has been granted and order the documents for £16.
Not the applicant, just waiting for the grant?
A standing search (£4) delivers the grant and will to you automatically when they are issued. Our £29 managed search lodges and monitors it and explains what the documents mean.
Let us do the whole search, £29 all in
We search every name variation across the correct index years, obtain the grant and the will, lodge a standing search if no grant exists yet, and explain it all in plain English. Government fees included.
Start with a free checkFrequently asked questions
What are the stages of probate?+
Register the death; find the will and check probate is needed; value the estate and report to HMRC (IHT400 unless excepted); apply online or on PA1P or PA1A; receive the grant; collect assets and pay debts and tax; distribute the estate.
How long does the whole probate process take?+
The court's part was a mean of 5 weeks from application to grant in January to March 2026 (HMCTS). Add the time to value the estate and deal with HMRC beforehand, and the time to collect assets and sell any property afterwards, neither of which has an official figure.
Can I do probate myself?+
Yes. GOV.UK says you can apply yourself online or by post and that this can be cheaper than paying a probate practitioner. Complex estates, disputes and inheritance tax questions are where a solicitor earns the fee.
Do I need a solicitor for probate?+
No, there is no requirement. GOV.UK points to MoneyHelper for guidance on when a practitioner is worth using.
When can the estate be distributed?+
GOV.UK's final step is to pay any debts or taxes owed by the person who died and then distribute the estate as set out in the will or the law. Executors commonly wait until creditors and HMRC are settled before paying beneficiaries.
What happens after probate is granted?+
You send sealed copies of the grant to each asset holder, collect the assets, pay debts and tax, and distribute. The grant and will become public and appear in the online index about 14 days after issue.
Sources checked for this guide
- GOV.UK, Applying for probate: what is probate (read 15 September 2026)
- GOV.UK, Applying for probate: before you apply (read 15 September 2026)
- GOV.UK, Applying for probate: apply for probate (read 15 September 2026)
- GOV.UK, Applying for probate: after you've applied (read 15 September 2026)
- GOV.UK, Applying for probate: if there's a will (read 15 September 2026)
- GOV.UK, Applying for probate: if there is not a will (read 15 September 2026)
- Ministry of Justice, Family Court Statistics Quarterly: January to March 2026, section 17 Probate Service (published 25 June 2026) (read 15 September 2026)
- GOV.UK, Applying for probate: fees (read 15 September 2026)
- GOV.UK, Search probate records for documents and wills (England and Wales) (read 15 September 2026)
- Find a Court or Tribunal, Probate Service Centre (HMCTS Probate postal address and helpline) (read 15 September 2026)