Process · 6 min read
How long does probate take?
For a straightforward estate, expect somewhere between six and twelve months from death to final distribution. The grant itself is only one stage, and rarely the longest.
Stage by stage
| Stage | Typical duration |
|---|---|
| Register the death, obtain certificates | Within 5 days of death |
| Locate the will, notify institutions | 1–3 weeks |
| Gather date-of-death valuations | 4–10 weeks |
| Complete the tax position and pay any IHT due | 2–8 weeks |
| HMCTS process the application and issue the grant | Several weeks; check the published service standard |
| Collect assets, sell property, settle debts | 1–6 months, dominated by any property sale |
| Statutory notice period before safe distribution | 2 months from publication |
| Prepare estate accounts and distribute | 2–4 weeks |
What actually causes delay
- Waiting on date-of-death valuations from pension providers and share registrars — start these on day one
- Inheritance Tax: HMRC must be dealt with before the grant can be issued where tax is payable
- Selling a property, which sets its own pace regardless of the probate timetable
- Errors on the application, which send it back to the start of the queue
- Missing or damaged original wills
- Beneficiaries who cannot be traced
- A caveat entered by someone challenging the estate, which stops the application entirely
The single biggest time saver
Request every date-of-death valuation in the first week, in writing, in parallel. Executors who work through institutions one at a time routinely add two months to the timeline for no reason.The two-month notice period
Placing statutory notices in The Gazette and a local newspaper starts a two-month clock. Once it expires, you can distribute without personal liability for creditors who come forward later. Run this period in parallel with collecting the assets, not after.
Should you distribute early?
Interim distributions are common and sensible once the debts are known and a reserve is retained. Holding back a reasonable reserve until the tax position is final protects you personally. Distributing everything before the statutory notice period ends is the classic executor mistake.
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All guidesGeneral information only, not legal or tax advice. Last checked 2026-08-13.