Search probate records for documents and wills (England and Wales)
Find a probate record, also known as a 鈥榞rant of representation鈥�, for someone who died after 1857.
Probate gives someone the legal right to deal with a deceased person鈥檚 property, money and possessions (their 鈥榚state鈥�).
A new probate record will be online approximately 14 days after probate has been issued.
There鈥檚 a different process in and .
You can use this service to:
- search for a probate record in England and Wales
- check if probate has been issued
- check the type of probate issued
- order a copy of a probate record (including a will, if there is one)
Each copy of a probate record ordered online costs 拢1.50.
Before you start
Wills and probate records from 1858 to 1996
If you cannot find the record you鈥檙e looking for, check the years after the person died. These records are stored under the year the grant was issued, rather than the year of death.
To find the will of someone who died in the early 1990s, you may need to check the records that cover 1996 onwards.
Probate records that include a will
Not all probate records contain a will. Check the type of grant of representation when you search.
The grant types that contain a will include:
- 鈥楶robate鈥� or 鈥楪rant and Will鈥�
- 鈥楢dmon with Will鈥� or 鈥楪rant and Will鈥�
鈥楢dministration (Admon) or Grant鈥� does not contain a will.
Search for a probate record by post
Download and fill in form PA1S to search for a probate record by post. Send it to the address on the form.
It costs 拢1.50 for a search by post. This includes a copy of the probate record and will (if there is one).
You should get a response within 4 weeks.
If the person died in the last 6 months
Probate may not have been granted yet. You can use form PA1S to ask to be sent a copy of a probate if it鈥檚 granted in the next 6 months. This is called a 鈥榮tanding search鈥�. It costs 拢3.
You can extend the standing search after 6 months.