How to Track a Probate Application in the UK

You can track a probate application in the UK online via the MyHMCTS portal, by phone on 0300 303 0648, or by email. If you applied online, log back in and your case status is right there. If you applied by post, create an account using your case reference number and you can check in the same way.

That is the short answer. The longer one — why it takes as long as it does, what “being processed” actually means, and what to do if weeks have passed in silence — is below.

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How to track a probate application online

The fastest route is the MyHMCTS portalat hmcts-service.justice.gov.uk. Create an account if you do not have one, select “Probate”, and link your case using the reference number from your confirmation email. The status updates in real time as HMCTS processes your application.

Status descriptions you may see:

• Awaiting documents — HMCTS is waiting for your original will or death certificate by post
• Being processed — your application is under review; nothing is wrong
• Grant issued — the grant of probate has been sent by post

Track by phone, email, or text

Prefer a person over a portal? The HM Courts and Tribunals Service Centre handles all probate tracking queries:

• Phone: 0300 303 0648, Monday to Friday, 8am–6pm
• Email: contactprobate@justice.gov.uk
• Post: HMCTS Probate, PO Box 12625, Harlow, CM20 9QE

You can also request text updates so you get a notification whenever your case status changes. Worth ticking.

How long does probate take in 2026?

HMCTS currently processes most applications within 12 to 16 weeksof receiving a complete set of documents. Straightforward cases — a clear will, no inheritance tax to pay, all assets in England and Wales — can move faster. Complex ones take longer.

There is no fast-track option for personal applicants. The best way to avoid delays is to submit a complete, accurate application first time. One missing document means a letter, a wait, and another cycle through the queue. Even probate bureaucracy respects the back of the line.

What causes probate delays?

• Incomplete applications — missing death certificates, unsigned forms, or incorrect IHT returns are the most common cause
• Contested wills — a caveat lodged at the Registry pauses the application until the dispute resolves
• Inheritance tax — HMRC must confirm the IHT position before the grant is issued
• Registry backlogs — volumes fluctuate; summer tends to be busier

If nothing has moved after 16 weeks, contact HMCTS directly. Do not assume silence means a problem — but do not assume it means everything is fine either.

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What happens when probate is granted?

HMCTS sends the grant of probate — or letters of administrationif the deceased left no will — by post to the applicant. Order multiple certified copies upfront at £1.50 each. Banks, HMRC, and pension providers each want their own original copy, and returning for more means paying again and waiting again.

With the grant in hand you can collect and close accounts, sell or transfer property, settle debts, and distribute what remains to beneficiaries. The grant is also a public document— once issued it appears on the Probate Registry's public search, and formal notices are published in the London Gazette.

What if probate is never applied for?

Not every estate reaches probate. If someone dies without a will — intestate— and no family member comes forward to apply for letters of administration, the estate does not simply sit there indefinitely.

After a period, it passes to the Crown as bona vacantiaand is listed publicly on the UK's official unclaimed estates register. Qualifying relatives have up to 30 years from the date of death to come forward and claim their share. Around 6,000 estates are currently on the list — some dating back to the 1970s.

“No known relatives” is not the same as “no relatives.” Families lose touch. Surnames change across generations. Records get misspelled. Plenty of people have a distant relative on the list and have no idea.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I find out if probate has been granted on a relative's estate?

Grants of probate are public once issued. Search the Probate Registry's public index at gov.uk to check whether an application exists. If you suspect the estate may never have been applied for — and could be sitting unclaimed — search the FindMyLegacy bona vacantia database to see if it has been listed. Phonetic matching means spelling differences in old records are not a barrier.

What does “being processed” mean on MyHMCTS?

It means HMCTS has received and is reviewing your application but has not yet issued the grant. It does not mean anything is wrong. Most applications sit at this status for several weeks before a decision is made. Checking daily will not make it faster — but do contact HMCTS if it has been over 16 weeks.

Can I speed up a grant of probate?

Not directly. HMCTS does not offer a fast-track service for personal applicants. The closest you can get is submitting a complete application first time — every missing document adds weeks. A probate solicitor can handle the administrative side and may have more direct lines of communication with the Registry for complex cases.

How many certified copies of the grant do I need?

Order at least four to six at the time of application. Each bank, pension provider, and HMRC will want their own original certified copy. At £1.50 each, additional copies ordered upfront are far cheaper than requesting them separately later — and requesting them later means waiting again.