What a probate application consists of
A probate application is a formal request to the Probate Registry, made up of four things: proof of who died, proof of your entitlement to act, a complete valuation of the estate with its Inheritance Tax position, and a signed statement of truth confirming all of it.
Jurisdiction: England & Wales. Last reviewed 13 August 2026.
The four components
| Component | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Proof of death | Death certificate, or the coroner's interim certificate where an inquest is open |
| Entitlement | The original will naming you as executor, or your position in the intestacy order of priority |
| The estate | Every asset and liability at the date of death, with a supporting document behind each figure |
| The declaration | A statement of truth signed by every applicant |
The documents the registry keeps
The original will and any codicils are retained by the registry permanently and become a public record once the grant issues. Never staple, pin, unpin, or attach anything to the will — marks suggesting a removed document trigger questions about whether a codicil once existed.
Why applications get delayed
- The original will was not sent, or arrived damaged or marked
- Names differ between the will, the death certificate and the application
- The Inheritance Tax position does not match what HMRC holds
- An executor named in the will is neither applying nor formally standing aside
- Asset values are estimates the applicant cannot evidence
- The applicant's entitlement under intestacy has been misread
Requisitions are the real cost of a rushed application
A requisition is the registry writing back for something missing. Each one typically adds weeks, and they arrive at the point where the family is often already waiting on money.Getting the figures right first
The single most useful thing you can do before applying is build a complete inventory: each asset, its date-of-death value, and the document that proves it. Our workspace does exactly that, then produces a printable summary containing every answer the application asks for, so the official form becomes transcription rather than research.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a requisition?
- A written request from the Probate Registry for information or documents missing from your application. The application does not progress until you answer it.
- Do all executors have to sign?
- Every executor who is applying must sign the statement of truth. An executor who does not want to act now can have power reserved, or can renounce entirely.
- Can I change the application after submitting?
- You cannot simply edit it. You would have to contact the registry, which is slower than getting it right first time.
Dealing with a straightforward estate yourself?
Our free probate checker helps you work out whether this estate appears suitable for a self-help route. It asks about jurisdiction, disputes and complexity, takes a few minutes, and needs no account.
£349 one-off service fee if you go ahead. Court fee and any Inheritance Tax are paid separately.
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Continue your probate journey
Apply For Probate Online is an independent self-help service and is not part of HM Courts & Tribunals Service or GOV.UK.