The checklist at a glance
Probate paperwork splits into two piles: what you send, and what you keep. Most of the work is in the second pile.
What you send (online application, England and Wales)
- The original will and any codicils, if there is one
- A death certificate only if the death happened outside England or Wales, or you have the coroner's interim certificate
- The £526 fee, paid by card when you apply (no fee if the estate is £5,000 or less)
What you need to have worked out
- Five estate values (see below)
- The inheritance tax position, and HMRC's code if the estate needed an IHT400
1. The original will (and any codicils)
The probate registry needs the original signed will, not a copy.
- The registry keeps it. GOV.UK says the will and any codicils are kept by the probate registry and become a public record. Photocopy it for yourself before posting it, and send it by tracked post.
- Where to find it: the person's home and papers, their solicitor, their bank, or a will register. Our guide to finding the will covers each route.
- Codicils: these are amendments to the will. The originals go in with it.
- Damaged wills: if the will is torn, marked or has had staples removed, tell the registry. It may ask for an affidavit explaining the will's condition.
- More than one will: the latest valid will normally counts. Keep every version you find, because which one is valid can depend on the others.
- Only a copy: a copy can sometimes be admitted, but that needs a separate application with evidence rather than the ordinary route.
What if there's no will?
The estate passes under the intestacy rules and you apply for letters of administration, using form PA1A if you apply on paper.
2. The death certificate — often not needed
GOV.UK says you need a copy of the death certificate to apply only if:
- the death happened outside England or Wales, or
- you have an interim death certificate from the coroner
If you do send one, it is returned to you. You will still want certified copies for the banks, insurers and pension providers — see how many death certificates you need.
Coroner cases: if an inquest is open, ask the coroner for an interim death certificate. GOV.UK says you can use it to apply for probate.
3. The five estate values
The application asks for five figures. For an excepted estate, GOV.UK's inheritance tax checker gives you the first three:
- Gross estate value for inheritance tax — everything the person owned when they died
- Net estate value for inheritance tax — minus debts, costs and allowable expenses
- Net qualifying estate value — minus any exemptions for a spouse, civil partner or charity
You work out the other two from these:
- Gross value for probate — the gross inheritance tax value, minus joint assets passing to the surviving owner, gifts made in the 7 years before death, assets abroad and assets in a trust
- Net value for probate — the gross value for probate, minus the person's own debts and the funeral cost (not jointly owed debts, such as a mortgage on a joint home)
Our guide to valuing an estate goes into each kind of asset.
The paperwork behind the figures (keep it, don't send it)
- Bank and building society accounts: a letter from each showing the balance at the date of death. Ask the bereavement team; recent statements help you spot accounts, subscriptions and debts in the meantime.
- Property: a market valuation at the date of death, the Land Registry title showing how it was owned, and the mortgage balance. A RICS surveyor's valuation is worth considering where inheritance tax may be due.
- Investments, shares and NS&I: a date-of-death valuation from each platform, registrar or fund manager, and details of Premium Bonds.
- Pensions and life insurance: a statement from each provider. Many pensions and policies written in trust pay out outside the estate, so check each one.
- Possessions: a realistic second-hand value for the car and household contents, with professional valuations for anything genuinely valuable. See valuing house contents.
- Debts: balances at the date of death, and the funeral invoice.
4. Inheritance tax first
The old short form, IHT205, no longer exists for deaths on or after 1 January 2022.
- Excepted estates: you report the values within the probate application itself and can apply straight away. Most estates are excepted.
- Estates that are not excepted: fill in form IHT400 and send it to HMRC within 12 months of the death and before applying. Start paying any inheritance tax due, then wait for HMRC to send you a unique code — you need it to apply.
If you're not sure which applies, start with the PA1 and small estates guide and our inheritance tax guide for 2026-27.
5. Extra documents in some situations
Claiming a late spouse's or civil partner's unused allowance
- The marriage or civil partnership certificate, and the first spouse's death certificate
- Papers from the first estate (their will and grant, if there was one). See transferring the nil-rate band
Jointly owned assets
- Evidence of how they were held. Joint-tenant assets usually pass to the survivor; a tenant-in-common share goes through the estate. See joint tenants vs tenants in common.
Gifts in the last 7 years
- Records of significant gifts, with dates and amounts. They matter for inheritance tax.
Assets abroad
- Statements and valuations converted to sterling at the date of death. A UK grant may not be enough on its own in another country. See probate from abroad.
What you don't need
- Beneficiaries' documents. No ID, birth certificates or bank details from the people inheriting.
- Your own bank statements. Your finances as executor aren't part of the application.
- The underlying valuation letters. The application wants the figures. Keep the file in case HMRC asks.
How executors' identity is checked depends on the route, so follow the instructions in the application rather than gathering certified ID in advance. If more than one executor is applying online, each signs the legal declaration through a link sent to their email and phone.
What the application produces
- The grant of probate, or letters of administration where there is no will. GOV.UK says you'll usually get it within 12 weeks of applying.
- Official copies of the grant, which you send to banks and other organisations. They cost £2 each when ordered with the application and £16 each afterwards, so order one per organisation you'll deal with.
If something is missing
- No will found: search thoroughly first. If there's none, the estate passes under intestacy — see what happens when the will is missing.
- Need a death certificate: order from the General Register Office on GOV.UK. Copies are sent 4 days after you apply if you have the GRO index reference, or 15 working days without it.
- Unknown accounts: check statements for clues, and use MyLostAccount for bank and savings accounts and the Pension Tracing Service for pensions.
Frequently asked questions
What documents do I need to send for probate?
For most online applications in England and Wales, just the original will and any codicils. You add a death certificate only if the death happened outside England or Wales, or you have an interim certificate from the coroner. Everything else — valuations, statements, letters — you keep on file.
Do I need to send the death certificate for probate?
Usually not. GOV.UK says you need one only if the death happened outside England or Wales, or you have the coroner's interim certificate. If you do send it, it is returned.
Do I need the original will for probate, or will a copy do?
You need the original. The registry keeps it and it becomes a public record, so photocopy it first. A copy can sometimes be admitted, but that needs a separate application with evidence.
What figures do I need to apply for probate?
Five: the gross, net and net qualifying values for inheritance tax, and the gross and net values for probate. GOV.UK's inheritance tax checker gives you the first three for an excepted estate.
What is form PA1A?
It's the paper application form for when there is no will (letters of administration). PA1P is the form when there is a will. GOV.UK says paper applications take longer than online ones.
Do beneficiaries need to provide documents for probate?
No. The application doesn't ask for anything from the people inheriting. Their details only matter later, when you pay them.
How much does a probate application cost?
£526 if the estate is over £5,000, and nothing if it is £5,000 or less. Extra official copies of the grant cost £2 each with the application, or £16 each afterwards.