Form PA17 UK: Probate Firm Renouncing All Executor Rights

At a glance

• What PA17 is for: a probate practitioner firm giving up its collective executor rights where the firm — not its individual partners — is appointed in the will.
• Two conditions must both be met: (1) partners are not named individually in the will; (2) every partner wants to give up their rights. If either condition fails, use Form PA15 instead.
• Who qualifies within the firm: profit-sharing partners; salaried partners (only if the will appoints salaried partners specifically); members; shareholders; directors.
• PA17 vs PA15: PA17 is a firm-level form for collective renunciation. PA15 is used where partners are individually named, or only some partners want to step back.
• PA17 vs power reserved: power reserved is temporary and flexible; PA17 is a renunciation — governed by Rule 37 of the Non-Contentious Probate Rules 1987 and, in practice, a lasting step once acted on.
• After signing: the completed form is given to the executor who is making the probate application; it accompanies form PA1P when submitted to the Probate Registry.
• Probate application fee (from 13 July 2026): £526 for estates over £5,000; no fee for estates of £5,000 or less. This applies to professional practitioners and lay applicants alike — check GOV.UK for the current figure before submitting.
• Applies to: England and Wales only.

This page provides general information, not legal advice. It reflects the law and HMCTS guidance as at August 2026.

What Form PA17 is and what it does

Form PA17 is the official HMCTS form through which a probate practitioner firm formally gives up the executor rights that arise because of the firm's collective appointment in a will. It is published and maintained by HM Courts and Tribunals Service and is available on GOV.UK.

When a testator appoints their solicitors as executors — naming the firm rather than individual partners — the right to apply for a grant of probate vests in the partners of that firm collectively. If all of those partners want to step back from the executor role, PA17 provides the mechanism to record that decision in a form acceptable to the Probate Registry.

The form is specific to England and Wales. It sits within the broader suite of probate application forms — alongside PA1P (probate application where there is a will), PA15 (individual executor renunciation), and PA11 (power of attorney for executors) — and is submitted as a supporting document with the main probate application rather than as a standalone filing.

The two conditions that determine whether PA17 is the right form

GOV.UK is explicit that you must only complete Form PA17 if both of the following apply:

1. The partners are not named individually in the will. The will appoints the firm by its name or by reference to a role within it — for example, "my solicitors at [Firm Name]" — rather than listing each partner by name.
2. Each and every partner wants to give up their probate executor rights. The form is a collective renunciation. If even one partner wishes to continue, or to reserve power to act later, PA17 is not the right vehicle.

If the partners are named individually in the will, or if only some partners want to step back, each partner who wishes to renounce must complete Form PA15 individually. GOV.UK makes this clear in its guidance on PA17. Practitioners regularly encounter cases where the distinction matters — a will drawn up many years ago may name individual partners, even if the current instruction is to appoint the firm's successor practice.

GOV.UK also states plainly that "this form may not be suitable for all cases" and that the firm may need to produce its own legal document instead — for example, where the succession from the originally named firm is contested or cannot be clearly evidenced.

Who in the firm can use PA17

Not every person at a firm qualifies. GOV.UK sets out five eligible categories:

• Profit-sharing partner — a full equity partner in the partnership
• Salaried partner — but only if the will specifically appoints salaried partners; if the will is silent on this, a salaried partner at the firm is not included
• Member — of an LLP
• Shareholder — of a corporate vehicle
• Director — of a company acting as the firm

A fee earner or employee who holds none of these positions cannot use PA17. Where the firm's structure has changed since the will was drafted — for example through incorporation or conversion to an LLP — it is important to confirm that the person signing falls within one of these categories under the firm's current constitution.

PA17, PA15, renunciation, and power reserved: getting the distinctions right

These four concepts cluster together but mean different things, and the consequences of getting the wrong form are practical. Here is how they relate:

PA17 — firm-level collective giving up of rights

Used where the firm is appointed collectively and all partners want to step back. A single form covers the whole firm. Not suitable if any partner is individually named or wishes to continue. See above for both conditions.

PA15 — individual executor renunciation

Used by any individual executor — lay or professional — who wants to give up their right to apply for probate. Also used by probate practitioners where the will names partners individually, or where only some partners want to renounce. Each renouncing individual completes their own PA15. The GOV.UK page on PA15 sets out the process.

Renunciation

Both PA17 and PA15 are forms of renunciation. Under Rule 37 of the Non-Contentious Probate Rules 1987, a person who has renounced cannot apply for a grant unless a district judge or registrar gives leave to do so — and that leave is only given in exceptional circumstances, becoming progressively harder to obtain once a grant has already been issued to another person entitled in a lower degree. In practice, renunciation should be treated by the firm as a lasting, practically irreversible step once the completed form is handed over and acted on.

Power reserved — temporary and flexible

An executor who does not want to apply for probate now, but who has not renounced, may instead hold power reserved. This means the other executors proceed with the grant, and the power-reserved executor retains the right to apply later if circumstances change — for example, if a co-executor dies or is unwilling to act. Power reserved is not a form: the executor simply does not apply, and the applying executor notifies the Probate Registry of the position.

If there is any real prospect that the firm may need to act in future — for example, because the will's other executors are elderly or the estate is complex — power reserved is worth considering before executing PA17.

A practical decision tree

• Firm appointed collectively in will + all partners stepping back → PA17
• Firm appointed collectively + only some partners stepping back → each renouncing partner uses PA15 individually
• Partners named individually in will + stepping back → PA15 for each renouncing partner
• Firm not applying now but not renouncing → power reserved (no form needed; notify the applying executor)

Worked example: a merged firm

A will drawn up in 2014 appoints "the partners of Hartley & Chen Solicitors" as executors, without naming individuals. By the time of death in 2026, Hartley & Chen has merged into a larger LLP, and none of the four current members want to act as executor. Because the will appoints the firm collectively — not named individuals — and every current member wants to step back, PA17 is the correct form. Section 2 of the form must set out both the firm's name as it appears in the will and its current name, and the practitioners completing it should be ready to show the line of succession (for example, the merger documentation) if the Probate Registry queries it.

Contrast this with a will that instead names "John Hartley and Priya Chen, partners of Hartley & Chen Solicitors" individually. Even if both want to step back and the firm has since merged, PA17 cannot be used — each of them must complete their own PA15, because the condition that partners are not named individually is not met.

What the form asks for

While the current version of PA17 should always be downloaded directly from GOV.UK rather than completed from memory, the form's sections follow a consistent pattern:

Section 1 — The deceased. Full name, last address, and date of death. You will need a copy of the will to check the exact description of the executor appointment and to confirm that the firm-level appointment (rather than individual-partner appointment) condition is met.

Section 2 — The firm. The name of the firm as it appears in the will; the firm's current name; and confirmation that the present firm carried on the practice of the named firm as at the date of death. Where there has been a merger, rebrand, or structural change, this section needs care: the link must be traceable and capable of being evidenced if the Probate Registry asks. A firm that cannot establish a clear line of succession may need to consider producing its own legal document rather than relying on PA17.

Section 3 — The renouncing practitioners. Name, address, and role within the firm (from the five eligible categories above) for each person renouncing. GOV.UK requires each person to hand sign and date the form.

Witness section. A witness must also hand sign and date the completed form. The form does not specify that the witness must be independent of the firm, but standard probate practice suggests using an independent witness where possible to avoid any procedural objection.

How and where to submit

Once completed and witnessed, the form is given to the executor who is applying for probate — it is not sent directly to the Probate Registry by the renouncing firm. The applying executor includes it with their probate application.

For professional practitioners applying on paper, the application form is PA1P (where there is a will). Paper applications should be sent to:

Newcastle Probate Registry Kings Court Earl Grey Way North Shields NE29 6AR

GOV.UK recommends using a signed-for or tracked postal service. Most professional practitioners apply through MyHMCTS rather than on paper; supporting documents for an online MyHMCTS application are sent separately by tracked post. GOV.UK lists specific case types that must still use the paper route — including applications for a second grant for the same estate, foreign wills, and cases involving joinder of an administrator.

After the renunciation takes effect

Once the renunciation is accepted, the practitioners who signed PA17 no longer have the right or duty to apply for a grant of probate in respect of this estate. However, two points are worth noting:

Effect on administration rights. Under Rule 37 of the Non-Contentious Probate Rules 1987, renunciation of probate does not automatically extinguish any right the firm may have to a grant of administration in another capacity — for example, as a creditor or residuary legatee — unless the form expressly renounces that right. Practitioners who want a clean break should ensure the wording in PA17 covers this point.

What happens to the estate. The remaining executors named in the will, if any, can proceed with the probate application. If no executors are willing or able to act — because all have renounced or are otherwise unable — the estate will need letters of administration with will annexed. The people entitled to apply in that situation are set out in the Non-Contentious Probate Rules 1987 and depend on the terms of the will and who the beneficiaries are.

Probate fees from 13 July 2026

PA17 does not carry its own fee. The Ministry of Justice increased court and tribunal fees, including the probate application fee, with effect from 13 July 2026. The current cost attached to the probate application itself is:

• £526 if the estate is valued at over £5,000 (this replaced the previous £300 fee, and applies equally to professional practitioners and lay applicants)
• No fee if the estate is £5,000 or less

Extra copies of the grant cost £16 each when ordered separately; GOV.UK confirms a reduced £2 fee applies to copies requested at the same time as the probate application itself.

Fee remission through the Help with Fees scheme remains available for applicants on low incomes — check current eligibility and the application route on GOV.UK. Always verify the current fee on GOV.UK before submitting, as probate fees have changed more than once in recent years and a further consultation or adjustment cannot be ruled out.

How to complete Form PA17: step by step

1. Download the current version of PA17 from GOV.UK. Do not use an old saved copy — HMCTS updates its forms, and an out-of-date version may be rejected.
2. Confirm both conditions are met before filling anything in. Check the will: are the partners named individually, or is the firm appointed collectively? Is every partner stepping back, or only some? If either condition fails, switch to PA15.
3. Gather the estate and will details. You need the deceased's full name, last address, date of death, date of the will, and any codicil dates. Have the will to hand so you can match the executor appointment wording precisely.
4. Establish and record the firm's succession history. Confirm the firm's name as it appears in the will and the current name. If there has been a merger, rebrand, or change of structure, document the line of succession so Section 2 can be completed accurately.
5. Complete the practitioner details. For each person renouncing, record their full name, address, and their specific role within the firm. Check that each person falls within one of the five GOV.UK-listed categories.
6. Hand sign and date — and arrange a witness. GOV.UK requires both a hand signature and date from the renouncing practitioner, and a hand signature and date from a witness. This cannot be done electronically.
7. Confirm the current probate application fee before the applying executor submits. Since 13 July 2026 the fee is £526 for estates over £5,000; check GOV.UK for the current figure at the time of submission.
8. Hand the completed form to the applying executor. The applying executor includes it with their PA1P application to the Probate Registry.

If you need help at any stage, the HMCTS Probate helpline is available on 0300 303 0648, Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm.

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