Has Probate Been Granted? How to Check in the UK

Someone has died. You think probate may have been granted — or you need to know whether it has before you can deal with the estate. The answer is one free search away, and you can do it right now without a solicitor, a court visit, or a phone call that puts you on hold for twenty minutes.

To check if probate has been granted in England and Wales, go to probatesearch.service.gov.uk, enter the deceased's name and year of death, and search. The service is free. If a grant has been issued, the result will show the date it was granted, the executors named, and give you the option to download a copy of the grant and will for £1.50 each.

Photo by KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA / Pexels

What does it mean when probate is granted?

A grant of probate is the legal document confirming that the will is valid and authorising the executor to administer the estate. Without it, banks, the Land Registry, and financial institutions will not release or transfer assets to the estate. It is the key that unlocks everything.

When there is no will, the court issues letters of administration instead — the functional equivalent, but for an intestate estate. The search service covers both.

For more on the different types of grant, see our guide to the grant of representation.

How to check if probate has been granted — step by step

1. Go to probatesearch.service.gov.uk
2. Click "Find a will or probate record"
3. Enter the deceased's full name — try variations if the first search returns nothing
4. Enter the year of death, or a range if you are unsure
5. If a grant exists, the result shows the date, type of grant, and executor details
6. Order copies of the grant and will at £1.50 per document — delivered by email

Records typically appear online within 14 days of the grant being issued. If the death was very recent, check again in a fortnight. If it was more than a year ago and nothing appears, probate may genuinely not have been applied for.

What information does the search return?

A successful probate search result includes:

• The deceased's full name and date of death
• The date the grant was issued
• Whether it is a grant of probate (will exists) or letters of administration (no will)
• The names and addresses of the executors or administrators
• The gross value of the estate (declared for probate purposes)

The estate value shown is the gross figure declared to HMRC for inheritance tax — it may not reflect the net amount available after debts. But it gives a useful indication of the estate's scale.

Photo by www.kaboompics.com / Pexels

What if probate has not been granted yet?

If the search returns no results, the most likely explanation is that probate has not yet been applied for. This is common: the average time from death to grant is six months to a year, and complex estates can take much longer.

In that case, you can set a standing search. This costs £3 and stays active for six months. If a grant of probate or letters of administration is issued during that period, the Probate Registry will notify you automatically. You can renew it for another six months if needed.

To set a standing search, download Form PA1S from GOV.UK, complete it, and post it to the Principal Probate Registry in London with the £3 fee. For a full breakdown of the search process and what each type of grant contains, see our guide to how to find a grant of probate in the UK.

While you wait, it is also worth confirming whether a will was ever registered. Our Will Search Concierge searches the Probate Registry and The Gazette for £29 and returns a written report within 5 working days — useful when you need a clear answer before deciding how to proceed.

Checking by post

If you prefer not to use the online service, you can request a postal search using Form PA1S, available from GOV.UK. Send the completed form with a cheque for £1.50 to the Principal Probate Registry. Allow up to four weeks for a response. The online service is faster and cheaper for most purposes.

Why does it matter whether probate has been granted?

Knowing the probate status of an estate is relevant in several situations:

• Beneficiaries need to know whether they can expect a distribution and when
• Creditors have six months from the grant to make a claim against the estate
• Potential claimants under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 must act within six months of the grant
• Buyers of probate property need to confirm the seller has authority to sell
• Genealogists use probate records to understand estate distributions and identify living relatives

What if nobody applies for probate?

If no executor comes forward and no one applies for letters of administration, the estate sits in legal limbo. Eventually — typically after the Treasury Solicitor or Duchy of Lancaster has investigated — it passes to the Crown as bona vacantia.

This happens more often than you might expect. Distant relatives who never knew they were next of kin, estranged families, and estates where the deceased had no known living relatives all contribute to a growing list of unclaimed estates. The government publishes this list publicly, and distant relatives can still make an inheritance claim even after the estate has been declared unclaimed.

Photo by khezez / Pexels

Frequently asked questions

Is the probate search service free?

The search itself is free. Downloading a copy of the grant or will costs £1.50 per document. A standing search (notification when probate is granted) costs £3.

How long after death does probate take?

Straightforward estates typically take six months to a year from death to grant. Contested wills, complex assets, or inheritance tax disputes can extend this significantly. The probate search service will not show a result until the grant has actually been issued.

Can I check probate for a Scottish estate?

No. The Probate Registry search covers England and Wales only. In Scotland, the equivalent document is called a confirmation. Search for Scottish confirmations via the National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk). Northern Ireland uses the Probate Registry at the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast.

What if the executor will not tell me if probate has been granted?

You do not need the executor's permission. Once granted, probate is a public record. Search probatesearch.service.gov.uk yourself — the executor has no ability to keep it private.

How far back do probate records go online?

The Probate Registry online service covers grants from 1858 onwards. Pre-1858 records were held by ecclesiastical courts and are available through the National Archives.