In this guide
In short
Use this guide for what documents do I need for probate. Treat the work as an administration job as well as a legal step: keep a list of tasks, dates, documents, money movements, decisions, and beneficiary updates as you go.
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EstateManager can help organise this work
Use it to track tasks, documents, estate finances, deadlines, and beneficiary updates while the guide explains what each step means.
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Before applying for a grant, identify the application route, establish the estate values and gather the supporting records that route requires. This guide provides a practical order for collecting them. Official guidance on gov.uk
England and Wales only: This guide covers probate in England and Wales. Scotland uses a different system (Confirmation) and Northern Ireland has its own Probate Office. The general principles are similar but the specific forms and processes differ.
Death certificates
Organisations use different ways to confirm a death. List the banks, pension providers, insurers and public bodies you need to contact, then check what evidence each one accepts.
Estimate how many certified copies you need
Certified death-certificate copies for England and Wales currently cost £12.50 each. Ask whether each organisation needs a certified copy, accepts a digital upload or will return the certificate before ordering extras.
Requirements depend on the organisation and the application route. Keep a record of what you sent, where and when, and whether it is due to be returned.
Will and codicils
An ordinary probate application based on a will normally requires the original signed will and any codicils. If the original is missing, follow the separate evidence route described in the FAQ below rather than assuming a copy is enough.
Original signed will
Normally required for a will-based application. If it is missing, check likely storage providers and follow the lost-will evidence route.
Any codicils
Signed amendments to the will. These must be submitted alongside the original will.
Where the original will is available, submit it as the current application instructions require; it will not be returned. Make a copy for your records first. Once probate is granted, the will becomes a public document. If the original is missing, use the separate PA13 or practitioner evidence route described in the FAQ.
Identity documents
HMCTS and asset holders may verify your identity and authority in different ways. The online probate service uses its own identity process; postal applicants should follow the current PA1 form instructions, while banks and other providers set their own evidence requirements.
Do not rely on a generic document-age rule. Confirm the provider's current requirements before sending originals or paying for certified copies.
Property documents
If the deceased owned property, you will need to establish the value and ownership structure. This affects both the IHT calculation and the probate application.
The residence nil-rate band (RNRB), transferred RNRB and downsizing allowance must not be used to decide whether an estate is excepted. An estate can owe no tax after those allowances yet still require IHT400 and the relevant supporting information or claims. Check the reporting route separately from the final tax calculation. HMRC August 2026 clarification
| Document | Purpose | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Land Registry title register | Shows the registered legal proprietors and registered charges | Search property information at GOV.UK |
| Property valuation | Market value at date of death for IHT purposes | RICS surveyor or estate agent valuation letter |
| Mortgage statement | Date-of-death balance; IHT deductibility depends on the liability and applicable rules | Mortgage lender |
| Leasehold documents | Lease length and service charge obligations | Solicitor's file or Land Registry |
The register records legal ownership, not conclusively who owns the beneficial interest. A Form A restriction can indicate a trust and often tenants-in-common ownership, but its presence or absence is not conclusive in every case. Check the transfer, any trust declaration or deed, and obtain conveyancing advice if the position is unclear. The legal title and the deceased's beneficial share can follow different routes after death.
Financial documents
You need to establish the value of the financial assets and liabilities at the date of death. Contact each institution for a date-of-death valuation and ask what evidence of death and authority it requires.
Pension death benefits are often handled under scheme rules rather than through the grant, but the payment route depends on the scheme. Enacted inheritance-tax changes apply to relevant deaths from 6 April 2027, subject to the detailed rules and exceptions, so check current GOV.UK guidance for the death date and benefit involved.
Bank and building society accounts
Investments and shares
Pensions
Life insurance
Debts and liabilities
Inheritance Tax forms
Before applying for probate, check whether full details on IHT400 are required. Qualifying excepted estates normally report their values through the probate application; other estates report to HMRC, even if no tax is ultimately due. HMRC guidance on gov.uk
| Form | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Excepted-estate information / historic IHT205 | For deaths from 1 January 2022, qualifying excepted estates normally report values through the probate application. No tax due alone does not establish eligibility; check all current conditions. |
| IHT400 | Full IHT account — required when IHT is due, or when the estate does not qualify as excepted. Accompanied by the supplementary schedules relevant to the estate and claims. |
| HMRC probate code / IHT421 | For England and Wales, HMRC normally sends a unique probate code after processing the IHT400 and any required payment. IHT421 may still appear in older guidance, professional paperwork, or other UK confirmation routes. |
Note: For deaths from January 2022, a qualifying excepted estate normally does not need a paper IHT205. Applicants provide the required values through the applicable probate route. Check the current conditions before completing any forms.
Probate application forms
The probate application itself is made using one of two forms, depending on whether there is a will:
PA1P — with a will
The postal form used for an application where there is a will. Follow the current form instructions for the original will, death evidence and any HMRC information or code required.
PA1A — without a will
The postal form used where there is no will and the applicant seeks letters of administration. Follow the current form instructions for supporting evidence.
PA1P and PA1A are postal forms. Eligible personal applicants can instead use the separate online service at gov.uk/applying-for-probate . The application fee is £526 for an estate worth more than £5,000. Estates worth £5,000 or less pay no application fee.
If there is no will (intestacy)
If the deceased died without a will, the estate is distributed according to the intestacy rules. The entitled applicant seeks letters of administration. Depending on the family and application, HMCTS may ask for evidence such as:
Common questions
How many death certificates do I need?
There is no fixed number. List the organisations you need to notify, then ask whether each one needs a certified copy, accepts a digital upload or will return the certificate. Order enough for those requirements, with extras only if useful.
I cannot find the original will. What should I do?
Check the deceased's papers and ask any solicitor, will-storage provider or bank that may hold it. An executor can also ask whether the national probate registry holds the will. If the original remains lost but a copy exists, a person representing themselves may be able to use form PA13 to support an application; a practitioner follows the applicable evidence and statement-of-truth route. The Probate Registry may require further evidence, so seek legal advice.
Do I need a solicitor to apply for probate?
No — you can apply for probate yourself (known as a 'personal application'). HMCTS provides guidance and a separate online application service for eligible applicants. Consider professional advice where the estate has complex assets, a disputed will or entitlement, or difficult tax issues.
What is the difference between PA1P and PA1A?
PA1P is the postal probate application form used when there is a will. PA1A is the postal form used when there is no will and you are applying for letters of administration. GOV.UK also provides a separate online application service for eligible applicants.
Do I need to value every item in the house?
For IHT purposes, use a reasonable open-market estimate of the household contents and personal possessions at the date of death. A documented room-by-room inventory can support the figure. Consider a professional valuation for valuable or difficult-to-value items such as antiques, jewellery or art, and keep the evidence used.
What if the deceased had debts? Do I need to document those too?
Record and evidence the deceased's liabilities, including mortgages, credit cards, loans and outstanding bills. Only liabilities allowable under the IHT rules are deducted when calculating the taxable estate, so keep statements and correspondence and check any uncertain item.
How long does it take to get a Grant of Probate?
GOV.UK currently says you will usually get probate within 12 weeks of submitting your application. It can take longer if HMCTS asks for more information, the estate is complex, there is a dispute, or IHT clearance is needed.
Do I need to submit the original will to the Probate Registry?
For an application based on a will, send the original will and any codicils as the current application instructions require. They will not be returned, so make copies first. Once probate is granted, the will becomes a public document that can be ordered from the probate-record service.
What to read next
How to Find All Accounts and Assets After a Death
Trace bank accounts, pensions, NS&I savings, investments, and policies before valuing the estate.
How to Apply for Probate: Step-by-Step
The complete application process, forms, fees, and typical timeframes.
Do I Need Probate?
When probate is required and when you can deal with the estate without it.
How to Value an Estate for Probate
The valuation evidence you need before completing probate and IHT forms.
How to Complete the IHT400 Step by Step
Where estate values, debts, reliefs and gifts feed into the tax account.
EstateManager
Store documents, record values and keep executor tasks organised.
IHT Calculator
Calculate whether inheritance tax is due and estimate the amount.
Legal disclaimer: This guide is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws and procedures can change, and individual circumstances vary. If you need advice specific to your situation, please consult a qualified solicitor or legal professional.
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