When someone you love has died, finding their will is one of the first practical tasks that matters. Without it, nobody can be sure how the deceased wanted their estate handled — and in its absence, the law steps in with its own rules, which may not reflect those wishes at all.
Most wills are found relatively quickly: at home, with a solicitor, or in a bank’s safe custody. If those places draw a blank, there are formal routes — the Probate Registry, the National Will Register, and targeted solicitor searches — that can help track down a document even when the deceased left no obvious trail.
This guide works through each step in order, from the most likely places first to the formal search services last.
Quick reference — where to search
| Where to search | When to use it | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Home (filing cabinet, safe, personal papers) | Always start here | Free |
| Their solicitor or bank | If they used a solicitor or held a bank safe-custody account | Free |
| National Will Register (register search) | If professional drafting is likely but solicitor unknown | £65 |
| National Will Register (combined search) | Comprehensive — includes nationwide REACH search of solicitors | £140 |
| Probate Registry standing search (form PA1S) | If probate hasn't been applied for yet — receive notification if it is | £3 |
| Probate records search (already granted) | If you believe probate was already granted — order a copy of the will | £16 per document |
| Law Society Find a Solicitor — local firms | Contacting firms in areas where the deceased lived | Free |
Where wills are commonly kept
Start with the most likely places before turning to formal searches. The majority of wills are found at home or with a professional.
At home
Many people keep their will at home — in a filing cabinet, a desk drawer, a fire-resistant safe, or a folder with other important documents. Look alongside other legal and financial papers: deeds, insurance policies, pension documents, and bank statements. If the deceased had a home office or bureau, search it thoroughly.
Also look for a solicitor’s storage receipt or a will registration certificate. These are common when the will was professionally drafted and stored externally, and they tell you exactly where to look next.
With a solicitor
Most professionally drafted wills are held by the firm that wrote them. If you know which solicitor the deceased used, contact them directly. They will ask for a copy of the death certificate before releasing any information or documents.
If you don’t know which firm was involved, look through the deceased’s papers for letters from solicitors, receipts for legal services, or contact details in their address book or email. Banks and financial advisers sometimes hold this information too.
With a bank
Some banks and building societies offer will storage as part of their account services. Contact the deceased’s banks and ask whether they hold a will on their records. Most institutions are cooperative when you provide a death certificate.
Digital storage
A small number of wills are stored digitally. If the deceased mentioned an online service, check their email for confirmation messages from will storage providers. A valid will in England and Wales must be a physical document, signed and witnessed — a digital copy may help you locate the original, but it cannot substitute for it.
Check with their solicitor
If the will was professionally drafted, there is a good chance the drafting firm still holds the original. Solicitors routinely offer will storage for clients — sometimes free, sometimes for a modest annual fee. Even if the original was handed to the client, the firm will hold a copy on its file.
When writing or calling a solicitor, explain that the person has died and ask whether the firm holds their will. Provide the deceased’s full name, date of birth, and date of death. Most firms will check their records and respond promptly.
If you don’t know which firm to contact, the Law Society’s Find a Solicitor tool lets you search by location and filter by wills and probate specialism. Bear in mind that people sometimes use a solicitor near where they used to live rather than their most recent address — if the deceased moved house, it is worth searching in previous towns too.
Keep a log of every firm you contact and the response. If a firm confirms they hold a will, they will typically release it once you provide proof of death and confirm your identity as a named executor or beneficiary.
The National Will Register
The National Will Register (nationalwillregister.co.uk) is the UK’s main will registration and search service. It holds records of over 10.5 million wills and can conduct targeted searches of solicitors and professional will writers across the country.
What it is
The register is a private service — will registration is not compulsory in the UK, so not every will is included. Solicitors and will writers who subscribe voluntarily register their clients’ wills. Many do; many do not.
Search options
Will Register Search — £65 (inc VAT) Searches the database of 10.5 million registered wills. Suitable if you believe the will was professionally registered. Results within 48 hours.
Will Search Combined — £140 (inc VAT) The most comprehensive consumer option. Searches the register, then conducts a nationwide REACH search of law firms and professional will writers who have not registered their wills, and places a notice on the Missing Will Noticeboard. Takes up to 28 days.
Before disclosing a will’s location, the searcher must provide proof of identity and a copy of the death certificate.
Limitations
A negative result does not mean no will exists — it means no will has been registered with this service. If the deceased used a small local firm that did not use the National Will Register, their will may still be held safely elsewhere.
Search probate records
If a grant of probate has already been issued, the will becomes a public document. Anyone can search the Probate Registry’s records and order a copy — you do not need to be a beneficiary or family member.
Search online at probatesearch.service.gov.uk. Copies of wills from grants already made can be ordered for £16 per document. Records are generally available around two weeks after the grant is issued.
What is a standing search?
If probate has not yet been applied for, a standing search lets you register an interest so you are automatically notified if it is.
A standing search is a formal request to HMCTS asking to be told if a grant of probate is issued in a given person’s name. If a probate application is made within six months of your request, you automatically receive a copy of the grant and the will.
You apply using form PA1S, available from GOV.UK. It costs £3 per name and remains active for six months — renewable for the same fee if needed.
What to do if you can’t find the will
If a thorough search — at home, through the Probate Registry, the National Will Register, and local solicitors — does not turn up a will, the estate will most likely be treated as if the person died intestate (without a will).
In that case, the estate is distributed according to the intestacy rules set out in the Administration of Estates Act 1925. The order of priority runs: spouse or civil partner first, then children, then other relatives in a defined sequence. If no relatives can be identified, the estate passes to the Crown.
Read our guide to intestacy rules for a full explanation of who inherits and how much.
The Bona Vacantia list
Where someone dies intestate with no known relatives, the estate is referred to the Crown as bona vacantia (literally, ownerless goods). The Bona Vacantia Division of the Government Legal Department administers these estates in England and Wales. They publish a list of unclaimed estates on the GOV.UK bona vacantia page.
Relatives have up to 12 years from the completion of estate administration to claim (with interest on money held), or up to 30 years (without interest). Claims typically require a professionally prepared family tree with supporting documentary evidence.
Keep looking
Even after exhausting the obvious options, maintaining a standing search at the Probate Registry is worthwhile. Wills occasionally surface months later — found in a loft clear-out, or returned from a now-retired solicitor. The £3 search fee buys six months of automatic notification if anything is filed.
How long do you have to search?
There is no legal deadline for finding a will. Unlike some estate administration steps — such as a claim under the Inheritance Act 1975, which must normally be brought within six months of the grant of letters of administration — searching for a will has no fixed time limit.
In practice, most estates cannot be administered properly until the question of whether a will exists has been resolved. Creditors, beneficiaries, and financial institutions will all need to know who has authority to deal with the estate. If a will turns up late — after an intestate administration has already begun — it can create significant legal complications.
For practical purposes: carry out a thorough search as early as possible, place a standing search with the Probate Registry, and if nothing has been found after a few months, take legal advice before proceeding on an intestacy basis.
What to do once you find the will
Finding the will is the beginning of the administration process, not the end.
Check it is the most recent version
A person can make multiple wills during their lifetime. The most recent valid will takes precedence. Check the date on the document and look for any other wills or codicils (formal written amendments to a will) among the deceased’s papers. If you find multiple wills, the most recently signed and witnessed document governs — but if there is any ambiguity, take legal advice. If you believe a will may be invalid or does not reflect the deceased’s true wishes, see our guide on contesting a will.
Check for codicils
A codicil is a separate document that amends or adds to an existing will without replacing it. Codicils must meet the same signing and witnessing requirements as a will. If you find one alongside the will, they should be read together.
Store it safely
The original will must be kept safe — probate cannot be granted on a photocopy alone (though in exceptional circumstances, courts can consider it). Keep it in a secure place until you are ready to apply for probate.
Apply for probate if required
If the deceased’s estate includes property, or significant assets held in their name alone, you will almost certainly need a grant of probate to deal with those assets. See our guides on whether you need probate and how to apply for probate for the next steps. For a full overview of the role, see our guide to executor of a will — duties and responsibilities.
Keeping your own will safe
People reading this guide who have not yet stored their own will safely should act on what they have learned here. The best-drafted will is only useful if the people who need it can find it.
Practical steps:
- Tell your executor where your will is stored. This sounds obvious; a surprising number of people keep it secret.
- Consider registering it with the National Will Register (nationalwillregister.co.uk) — your solicitor can often arrange this when drafting the will.
- Store the original in a fire-resistant safe or with your solicitor. Keep a photocopy at home alongside a note of where the original is held.
- Review the will’s location if you change solicitor, move house, or if the person named as executor is no longer the right choice.
If you haven’t made a will yet, our guide on how to write a will walks through the full process.
Common questions
Can anyone see a will once probate is granted?
Yes. Once a grant of probate has been issued, the will becomes a public document. Anyone can search the probate records and order a copy for £16. Before probate is granted, the will is private and held only by its custodian.
What if there are multiple wills?
The most recently dated will that is validly signed and witnessed is generally the operative one. However, it is not always straightforward — an earlier will might contain provisions that a later one did not explicitly revoke. If you find conflicting documents, take legal advice from a solicitor specialising in wills and probate before proceeding.
How long should I keep searching?
There is no set time limit. In practice, if a comprehensive search across the Probate Registry, the National Will Register, and local solicitors has found nothing, most estates proceed on an intestacy basis after a reasonable period — typically a few months. Maintaining a standing search costs £3 and provides a safety net during that window.
Does being named as executor give me special rights to find the will?
Being named as executor gives you authority to administer the estate, but it does not create a legal right to demand documents from third parties before probate is granted. In practice, solicitors and other custodians will usually cooperate with a named executor — but you may need to show the death certificate and, in some cases, wait until probate is underway.
Useful links
- Form PA1S — apply for a standing search (GOV.UK)
- Search probate records online (HMCTS)
- The National Will Register
- Find a solicitor — Law Society
- Bona Vacantia unclaimed estates (GOV.UK)
- Intestacy rules — who inherits without a will
- Do I need probate?
- How to apply for probate
- Executor of a will — duties and responsibilities
- Executor duties and responsibilities
- How to write a will