Grant of Probate

A Grant of Probate is the court order that confirms an executor has legal authority to administer an estate where the deceased left a valid will. It's issued in England and Wales by the Probate Registry (part of HM Courts & Tribunals Service) once the application has been processed and any inheritance tax obligations cleared.

For an estate without a will, the equivalent document is Letters of Administration, which appoints an administrator under intestacy rules instead.

The application is made online or on paper using Form PA1P (with a will) or Form PA1A (no will). Where the estate is not an excepted estate, an IHT400 return must be filed with HMRC before the grant can be issued. [source: gov-uk/applying-for-probate-2026-04-29.html]

The application fee is £300 for estates over £5,000. There is no fee for estates of £5,000 or less. [source: gov-uk/probate-fees-2026-04-29.html]

Once issued, the grant is the document banks, building societies, the Land Registry, and other asset holders ask to see before transferring or releasing assets to the executor. → How to apply for probate

AfterLoss

See how AfterLoss handles information and documents for where to store and share the Grant when issued.

Use the PDF and ZIP export when handing the case to a solicitor or another family member during probate.

Last verified: 29 April 2026 against gov.uk/applying-for-probate.