If someone has asked you to “apply to the probate registry” or you’ve seen the phrase on a bank’s bereavement form, you might be wondering what it is, where it is, and what you’re supposed to do with it. This guide explains what the probate registry does, where applications go in 2026, and how to apply – whether you’re an executor named in a will or the closest relative of someone who died without one.
The probate registry is the part of HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) that handles applications for grants of probate and letters of administration in England and Wales. If you need court authority to deal with someone’s estate – their bank accounts, property, pensions, investments – this is where you get it.
What the probate registry is
The probate registry is part of HMCTS, the government agency that runs the courts and tribunals of England and Wales. It issues two main documents:
- A grant of probate – issued to executors named in a valid will
- Letters of administration – issued to the closest eligible relative when there is no will, or when the named executors can’t or won’t act
Both documents give the same legal authority: the right to collect in the deceased’s assets, pay their debts, and distribute what’s left according to the will or the intestacy rules. Banks, building societies, the Land Registry, share registrars, and most pension providers won’t release significant sums without seeing a sealed copy of one of these grants.
If you’re still working out whether you need to go through probate at all, start with our guide on whether probate is needed. Small estates held in simple bank accounts sometimes don’t need a grant.
In Scotland the equivalent document is called a grant of confirmation, issued by the Sheriff Court. Northern Ireland has its own probate office within the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service. This guide covers the position in England and Wales only.
Where the probate registry is located
The probate service has been heavily centralised over the last few years. There is no longer a network of walk-in offices where you can take a paper application and get it processed on the spot. Most of the work now goes through a small number of central processing hubs.
The main addresses in 2026
For personal applicants applying by post (if there’s a will, form PA1P; if there isn’t, form PA1A):
HMCTS Probate PO Box 12625 Harlow CM20 9QE
This is the address printed on the current gov.uk guidance for paper applications by individuals (gov.uk – How to apply for probate by post). The same address is used when you need to send in supporting documents (the original will, death certificate, IHT forms) after submitting an online application.
For solicitors and probate practitioners using the MyHMCTS service, applications are routed through the Newcastle District Probate Registry. Personal applicants don’t use that address.
District probate registries
There are still a handful of district probate registries as named HMCTS offices – including Leeds, Newcastle, Birmingham, Manchester, Oxford, Winchester and Cardiff – but they no longer accept walk-in applications from personal applicants. Their role is now mainly internal processing and the handling of specialist or complex matters. You can see the full list of HMCTS offices on the Find a Court or Tribunal service.
If you were expecting to take your forms to a local court building, that option no longer exists for routine probate applications. Everything goes to the Harlow PO Box or through the online service.
Who can apply
Only certain people have the right to apply, and which document you get depends on the circumstances.
| Situation | Grant issued | Who applies |
|---|---|---|
| Valid will naming executors | Grant of probate | The executor(s) named in the will |
| No will | Letters of administration | The closest living relative, following the order of priority in the Administration of Estates Act 1925 |
| Will exists but named executors can’t or won’t act | Letters of administration with will annexed | The next eligible person – often the main beneficiary |
Up to four people can be named as applicants on a single grant. Where there’s no will, the right to apply follows a fixed order: spouse or civil partner first, then children aged 18 or over, then parents, then siblings, and so on (gov.uk – Applying for probate). For a full walk-through of the intestate process, see our guide to letters of administration.
How to apply through the probate registry
There are two routes: online through the gov.uk probate service, or by post to the Harlow address. Both produce the same grant; the online route is faster and has lower rejection rates.
Option 1: online (MyHMCTS for professionals, Apply for Probate for citizens)
Personal applicants use the Apply for Probate service. You’ll need an email address, and if there are multiple executors one person acts as lead applicant while the others verify their identity by email or text (gov.uk – Applying for probate).
The service walks you through the application step by step – the estate’s gross and net values, whether inheritance tax is due, the executors’ details, and a statement of truth confirming the information is accurate. After you submit online, you post the original will and any supporting documents to the Harlow address.
Solicitors and probate practitioners use a separate service called MyHMCTS, which is designed for firms handling multiple applications at once. Personal applicants don’t need a MyHMCTS account.
Option 2: by post
If you prefer paper, or can’t use the online service:
- Form PA1P – if the deceased left a valid will
- Form PA1A – if there is no will
Both forms are free to download from gov.uk. You post the completed form, the original will (not a copy), the death certificate, any inheritance tax forms, and a cheque for the fee to HMCTS Probate at the Harlow address above.
Paper applications take noticeably longer than online ones and are more prone to rejection over small errors. If you’re comfortable online, the digital service is usually the better choice. Our step-by-step guide to applying for probate covers the full process in detail.
Help if you can’t go online
If you don’t have internet access, the We Are Group helpline (0330 016 0051, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) can help you complete the application (gov.uk – Applying for probate).
Current fees
As of 2026, the probate application fees set by the Non-Contentious Probate Fees Order are:
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Application for a grant (estate over £5,000) | £300 |
| Application for a grant (estate £5,000 or less) | Free |
| Extra sealed copies of the grant | £16 each |
| Second grant (for example, after power reserved is called in) | £20 |
Fees verified against gov.uk – Applying for probate, April 2026. HMCTS fees are reviewed periodically and do change – always check the gov.uk page before applying.
If you’re on a low income or receive certain means-tested benefits, you may qualify for fee remission through the Help with Fees service. Apply online or by completing form EX160 before submitting the probate application.
For a broader view of all the costs involved in administering an estate – solicitor fees, valuations, inheritance tax – see our guide to probate costs.
How many sealed copies to order
When the registry issues your grant, you get one original document. You can buy additional sealed copies at £16 each. It’s usually worth ordering several.
A “sealed copy” is a certified duplicate with HMCTS’s embossed seal – institutions treat it as the equivalent of the original. Most banks, pension providers, and registrars insist on sight of a sealed copy (not a photocopy) before releasing funds or transferring assets.
A reasonable rule of thumb is to order five to ten copies. You’ll typically need one for each of:
- Every bank or building society the deceased held accounts with
- Every pension provider (workplace, personal, annuity providers)
- The Land Registry, if property is being sold or transferred
- NS&I, if there are Premium Bonds or savings certificates
- Share registrars (Computershare, Equiniti, Link Group), if there are shareholdings
- Investment platforms and fund managers
- Life insurance companies where the policy pays into the estate
Having several copies means you can send them to multiple institutions at once rather than posting a single copy back and forth. At £16 each, the extra cost is small compared with weeks of waiting. If you run out later, you can order further copies after the grant has been issued, but it’s cheaper to order them at the point of application.
What happens after you apply
Once the registry has your application, the file is reviewed by a caseworker. They check the will for validity (where one exists), confirm the applicant’s identity and right to apply, and make sure the inheritance tax reporting is complete.
Processing times
Current HMCTS guidance is that grants are usually issued within 16 weeks of submission, though in practice online applications for straightforward estates are often processed in 4 to 8 weeks (gov.uk – Applying for probate). Paper applications take longer than online ones. Complex estates – particularly those involving inheritance tax, foreign assets, or multiple executors – can take longer still.
If the caseworker needs more information, they’ll write to the applicant. Typical queries concern missing signatures, discrepancies between the will and the IHT forms, or questions about the order of eligible applicants in an intestate estate. For a full breakdown of how long each stage takes from start to finish, see our guide to probate timelines.
What the grant looks like
Once issued, the grant is a single A4 document on HMCTS letterhead, bearing the embossed seal of the court. It names the deceased, the date of death, the gross and net value of the estate, and the person or people authorised to administer it. Each sealed copy you ordered is included in the envelope with the original.
The grant is also a public record. Once issued, anyone can request a copy of any grant of probate through the gov.uk probate search service for £1.50 per record. This is how family historians and researchers find copies of wills, and it’s why probate applications occasionally appear in press reports.
Checking the status of your application
You can check the progress of an online application by signing back into the probate service. For paper applications, contact the Courts and Tribunals Service Centre on 0300 303 0648 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm) with the deceased’s name, date of death, and your reference number.
Contacting HMCTS Probate
The registry no longer runs walk-in counters for personal applicants. All contact goes through central channels.
| Method | Details |
|---|---|
| Telephone | 0300 303 0648 (Mon-Fri, 9am to 1pm) |
| contactprobate@justice.gov.uk | |
| Postal address | HMCTS Probate, PO Box 12625, Harlow, CM20 9QE |
| Webchat | Available through the online probate service |
The phone line is busiest on Mondays and around Bank Holidays. If your question is straightforward – a reference number, a processing update – the webchat is usually quicker.
What the registry can and can’t help with
The probate registry is an administrative body, not an advice service. The caseworkers can tell you whether your application has been received, whether any documents are missing, and roughly when you should expect a decision. They can’t give legal advice, help you decide whether probate is needed, interpret a will, or tell you how to handle a dispute between beneficiaries.
If you need advice on any of those things, the options are:
- Citizens Advice – free, general guidance on probate and bereavement at citizensadvice.org.uk
- A solicitor specialising in probate – necessary if the estate is disputed, includes a business or foreign assets, or is subject to inheritance tax
- The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) – maintains a directory of qualified practitioners at step.org
- The Probate Service helpline – for procedural questions only, on the number above
For most straightforward estates, no legal advice is needed. Around nine in ten probate applications are now made without a solicitor, and the online service is designed for personal applicants. See our full guide to applying for probate for a step-by-step walk-through.
Common reasons applications are rejected
Registry caseworkers reject applications where something essential is missing or wrong. The most frequent causes, based on HMCTS guidance notes:
- Original will not included – photocopies are not accepted; the original must be sent in
- Missing or mismatched inheritance tax reference – if you needed to submit an IHT400 to HMRC, you must wait for the unique code before applying
- Signature issues on the will – wills that appear to have been tampered with, have marks suggesting a document was attached, or are missing witness details will be queried
- Wrong form used – PA1P is for wills; PA1A is for intestacy. Using the wrong one delays processing
- Executor has not taken an oath where required – since 2018 a statement of truth replaces the oath for most cases, but a small number of applications still require sworn affidavits
- Fee not paid or incorrect – the £300 fee is payable at the point of application; paper cheques must be made payable to “HMCTS”
If your application is queried, you’ll get a letter asking for the missing information. Respond promptly – the clock restarts once you reply, and a slow response adds weeks to the overall timeline.
Key points to remember
- The probate registry is part of HMCTS and issues grants of probate and letters of administration in England and Wales.
- All personal postal applications now go to HMCTS Probate, PO Box 12625, Harlow, CM20 9QE. There are no walk-in offices for routine cases.
- The application fee is £300 for estates over £5,000 and free below that threshold. Extra sealed copies are £16 each.
- Online applications through apply-for-probate.service.gov.uk are usually faster than paper; grants are issued within 16 weeks (sometimes as little as 4 to 8 for straightforward estates).
- Order five to ten sealed copies – you’ll need one for each bank, pension provider, and registrar.
- For procedural questions, call 0300 303 0648 or email contactprobate@justice.gov.uk. For legal advice, speak to a solicitor or Citizens Advice.
Fees, addresses and processing times verified against gov.uk – Applying for probate and gov.uk – How to apply for probate by post, April 2026.