The probate registry: address, helpline and which offices are still open

Which probate registries still exist

Probate applications have been processed centrally since the HMCTS reforms, and most district registries have closed to the public. Find a Court or Tribunal, GOV.UK's official directory, returned eight probate locations on 15 September 2026: the Probate Service Centre plus the seven registries below. Every open registry carries the same notice: "If challenging a probate application ('entering a caveat') you must email if you want to request an in-person appointment. Do not call the registry as they will be unable to make an appointment over the phone."

Source: Find a Court or Tribunal, search "probate" and each registry's own page, read 15 September 2026. Registries close and move; check the directory before travelling.

What you can and cannot do in person

• Enter a caveat by appointment. GOV.UK lists visiting a registry as one of three ways to enter a caveat (with online and post). The appointment must be requested by email to contactprobate@justice.gov.uk; the registries say they cannot book one by phone. Fee £4. See our caveat guide.
• Request an urgent probate search by appointment. GOV.UK's form PA1S page says you can "request an urgent probate search by booking an appointment to visit a registry in person". A routine search is free online and a copy costs £16.
• Apply for probate: no counter service. Applications are made online or posted to Harlow. The Probate Service Centre states that it does not provide an in-person service, and the open registries handle appointments, not walk-in applications.
• Swearing an oath: no longer required. Applicants sign a statement of truth online or on the form instead, which is why the old reason for visiting a registry has gone.

Applying: online or by post, and the fee

93% of the 65,254 applications received in January to March 2026 were made online, and HMCTS reports that digital applications not stopped took about 2 weeks to grant against a mean of 5 weeks overall. GOV.UK's advice is to apply online if you can because paper takes longer. Paper applications use form PA1P (will) or PA1A (no will) and go to the Harlow address above. The application fee is £526 for estates over £5,000 and nothing below that, from 13 July 2026; extra copies are £2 each with the application and £16 afterwards. The fees page has the full dated table and a calculator, and how long probate takes has the timing estimator.

Search the probate registry records

The records are a single national index covering every grant issued in England and Wales since 1858, whichever registry issued it. Enter a name and year of death; searching is free and a copy of the grant and will costs £16.

Registry pages

Each page shows whether that office is open, its address, and a sample of the grants it issued, drawn from the public index.

Frequently asked questions