The Probate Registry Explained: How It Works (England & Wales)

At a glance

• What it is: the Probate Registry is part of HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS); it issues grants of representation for estates in England and Wales.
• Two outcomes: a grant of probate (there is a valid will with willing executors) or letters of administration (no will, or no executor able to act).
• Two application forms: PA1P if there is a will; PA1A if there is not. The online service asks the same questions in digital form, and can include up to 4 named executors.
• Apply online where you can: GOV.UK is explicit that paper applications take longer to process than online ones.
• Where paper documents go: the centralised HMCTS Probate postal address published on GOV.UK — always confirm it before posting, since it has changed before.
• Typical timescale: GOV.UK's current guidance is that you'll usually get a grant within 12 weeks of submitting a complete application; longer if anything needs to be queried or HMRC has not yet cleared the tax position.
• Fees (as at July 2026): £526 where the estate is over £5,000, no fee at £5,000 or under; extra grant copies £2 each ordered with the application or £16 each afterwards; a second application costs £22. Fees changed on 13 July 2026 — always check the current figures on GOV.UK.
• Searching records: online records cover deaths from 1858 onwards, usually appearing around 14 days after the grant is issued; a copy costs £16 online or by post (form PA1S).
• Disputes: a caveat (£4 to enter online) can stop a grant being issued for 6 months, extendable for a further 6 months (£4, form PA8B) while a concern is resolved.

What the Probate Registry actually does

The Probate Registry is the part of the court system responsible for issuing the legal paperwork needed to administer a deceased person's estate. It operates within HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), an agency of the Ministry of Justice that supports the administration of justice across courts and tribunals in England and Wales.

In practice, the registry reviews applications from executors named in a will, or from the closest relative where there is no will, checks that the paperwork and evidence are in order, and then issues either a grant of probate or letters of administration. Both documents are collectively known as a "grant of representation" — the formal legal authority a bank, pension provider, share registrar or the Land Registry will ask to see before releasing or transferring anything belonging to the estate.

The registry does not administer the estate itself, does not decide how assets should be distributed, and does not give guidance on the practical decisions an executor or administrator has to make. Its role is limited to confirming who has legal authority to act, maintaining the public record of grants issued, and referring a matter to a judge where a genuine dispute or irregularity needs resolving.

This is legal information, not legal advice. It explains the general position for estates in England and Wales and does not take account of your specific circumstances. Reading it does not create a solicitor–client relationship. LegalDocuments.co.uk is not a law firm. For advice on your own situation, speak to our telephone legal advice service or consult a regulated solicitor.

Applying online or by post

GOV.UK's guidance is straightforward on this point: you can apply for probate online or by post, but it takes longer to process paper applications than online applications — so apply online if you can.

The online service

The online probate service is available to most personal applicants — an executor named in the will (or in a codicil updating it), or the person entitled to apply where there is no will — and to certain solicitors using the separate MyHMCTS professional channel. Where more than one executor is named, up to 4 can be included on an application, and all named executors must agree on who is applying.

The online journey asks the same underlying questions as the paper forms, in digital form, and lets you upload the death certificate and other evidence rather than posting them — though the original will still has to be sent by post if there is one, since the registry needs the physical document.

Paper applications: PA1P and PA1A

Paper applications remain available and are still required for certain situations the online service does not fully cover, such as some multiple-executor arrangements or applications supported by additional evidence forms (for example, PA13 where the original will has been lost). Two main forms exist:

• Form PA1P — use this where the person who died left a valid will.
• Form PA1A — use this where the person who died did not leave a will (died intestate), or the will does not appoint anyone able or willing to act.

The full current set of paper forms and accompanying guidance is maintained in GOV.UK's probate forms collection. Sending the wrong form, an out-of-date version, or an incomplete supporting form is one of the most common causes of a paper application being sent back or delayed.

Where to send documents

Paper probate applications and their supporting documents — the completed main form, the original will and any codicils, the death certificate, and the application fee — are sent to the centralised HMCTS Probate postal address currently published on GOV.UK. HMCTS has changed this address before, so always confirm the current address on GOV.UK immediately before posting rather than relying on an address you have seen quoted elsewhere.

Because the package usually contains an original will and an original death certificate — neither of which is easily replaced — sending by tracked or signed-for post is sensible, and keeping full copies of everything before it goes in the post is worth the extra few minutes. Our companion guide, PA4SOT: where do I send probate application forms, sets out the current address and a full checklist of what to include.

Note that the original will is not returned to you. GOV.UK confirms the registry keeps the original will, which becomes a public record once probate has been granted — this is what makes it possible to search probate records later (see below). A death certificate you send in, by contrast, is returned to you.

Probate fees

There is a court fee to apply for a grant, with an exemption where the estate's value falls below a set threshold. As at July 2026, GOV.UK confirms the position is:

• Over £5,000: the application fee is £526.
• £5,000 or less: there is no fee.
• Extra sealed copies of the grant: £2 each if ordered alongside your application, or £16 each if ordered after you've submitted it. It is worth ordering several at the time you apply, since most banks, pension providers and share registrars will each want to see their own copy rather than share one.
• A second application on the same estate (for example, applying as an executor after previously holding "power reserved" on the first application) costs £22, even where the estate is £5,000 or less.

These figures took effect from 13 July 2026 as part of a wider update to court and tribunal fees. Because fees are reviewed periodically, always check the current amounts on GOV.UK's probate fees page before you apply, rather than relying on a figure quoted in an older article, including this one. If you are on a low income or receive certain benefits, you may be able to apply for help with the application fee — online or using form EX160 — though help with fees does not extend to the charge for extra copies.

How long it takes

GOV.UK's current published guidance is that you'll usually receive the grant within 12 weeks of submitting a complete application — but this depends on the registry not needing to query anything, and on any inheritance tax position with HMRC already being resolved where tax is due. Online applications are generally processed faster than paper ones, and an incomplete or inconsistent application will always take longer, since the registry will write back and wait for a response before proceeding.

Build realistic time into your planning, especially where:

• the estate owes inheritance tax and HMRC has not yet confirmed the position (the registry will not normally issue a grant until this is resolved);
• the original will is missing, unclear, or needs supporting evidence (form PA13 and similar);
• more than one executor is involved and there is any disagreement about who should apply; or
• a caveat has been entered against the estate (see below).

Searching probate records

Once a grant has been issued, it becomes a matter of public record. GOV.UK provides an online search service covering probate records for deaths in or after 1858 in England and Wales. A new grant typically appears in the online search around 14 days after it is issued.

Records are filed under the year the grant was issued, not the year of death, so if you cannot find an older record straight away it is worth checking the years that follow the date of death as well. Not every record includes a copy of the will itself — some grants (letters of administration, for example) will not — so check the type of grant shown when you search. An online copy of a probate record costs £16.

If you cannot find what you need online, a postal search is available using form PA1S, which also costs £16 and usually gets a response within 4 weeks. If the person died within the last 6 months and probate has not yet been granted, the same form can be used to request a "standing search" for £4, which alerts you if a grant is issued in the following 6 months and can be extended if needed.

Stopping a grant: caveats

Anyone with a genuine interest in an estate can ask the Probate Registry to stop a grant being issued by entering a caveat. GOV.UK's guidance explains that a caveat stops all applications for a grant on that estate for an initial period of 6 months, which can be extended for a further 6 months if the underlying issue is not resolved.

As at July 2026, entering a caveat online costs £4. The stop takes effect one working day after the application is received — if a probate application is approved on the same day a caveat is submitted, that particular application will not be stopped, though any later application on the estate will be. To extend a caveat for a further 6 months, you must apply in the last month before it expires, using form PA8B, for a further £4. Caveat correspondence — including withdrawing, responding to a warning, or extending a caveat — is currently handled by the Leeds District Probate Registry. Always check the current fees on GOV.UK, as these are reviewed periodically.

Typical reasons to consider a caveat include concerns that:

• the person who made the will lacked the mental capacity to do so, or was unduly influenced by someone else;
• the will may have been interfered with or forged; or
• the person applying is not entitled to, or not suitable to, act.

Entering a caveat can lead to legal costs and, in some cases, court proceedings, so GOV.UK recommends trying to resolve the disagreement directly with the other party first. Our dedicated guide on caveats in probate covers the process, time limits and what happens next in more detail.

The Probate Registry and HMRC are not the same body

It is easy to conflate the two, but they are separate. The Probate Registry, within HMCTS, deals with the legal authority to administer an estate. HMRC deals with inheritance tax. The two processes interact — HMRC is notified of the estate's value and any tax due, and the registry will not usually issue a grant until the position with HMRC has been dealt with where tax applies — but an executor or administrator is dealing with two different organisations with different roles, different forms, and different contact points.

What to do next

1. Confirm whether you need a grant at all. Some banks and institutions release smaller balances without one under their own internal thresholds — check with each institution early.
2. Value the estate and deal with any inheritance tax position with HMRC first, since the registry will not usually issue a grant until this is resolved where tax is due. See our guide on estate valuation for probate.
3. Choose PA1P or PA1A, or start the online application if you are eligible — apply online where you can, since it is processed faster.
4. Send your paper application to the correct current address if you are applying by post, using tracked post for original documents, and keep copies of everything.
5. Check the current fee on GOV.UK before you pay, and order enough sealed copies of the grant for every institution you will need to deal with — ordering copies with your application is cheaper than ordering them later.
6. Track timescales realistically — budget for 12 weeks as a starting point, longer if HMRC clearance, missing documents, or a dispute are involved.
7. Take advice early if you are dealing with a missing will, a disagreement between executors, or a caveat — these are the situations most likely to need professional input.

This guide provides general information about how the Probate Registry works in England and Wales. It is not legal advice and is not a substitute for advice tailored to your specific circumstances. The law and figures described were accurate as at July 2026 and are subject to change — always check GOV.UK and legislation.gov.uk for the current position.

Last reviewed: July 2026 by a non-practising solicitor · Next review due: July 2027 or on legislative change.