Applying for Probate Yourself: The Personal Applicant Guide
You do not need a solicitor to apply for probate. Personal applicants can apply online via myhmcts or by post, lodge the original will and IHT forms, and pay the £300 court fee. This guide covers every step.
6 Steps to Applying for Probate Yourself
Establish whether you need probate
Probate is only required for assets held in the deceased's sole name above the threshold of the relevant financial institution (typically £25,000–£50,000 for bank accounts). Jointly owned assets and assets with named beneficiaries (pensions, life insurance in trust) pass outside the estate without probate.
Complete the IHT forms
For excepted estates (total value under £325,000, or below £1m where the entire estate passes to a surviving spouse or civil partner): complete HMRC form IHT205 or the online IHT205 equivalent. For larger estates: complete IHT400 and the relevant schedules, pay any IHT due to HMRC (within 6 months of death), and obtain a receipt before applying for probate.
Complete the probate application form
If there is a will: complete form PA1P (Grant of Probate application). If there is no will: complete form PA1A (Letters of Administration application). These forms are available on GOV.UK and via the myhmcts online probate service. The forms ask about the deceased, the estate, the applicant(s), and details of the will.
Lodge the application with HMCTS
Submit to HMCTS Probate Service (Leeds District Probate Registry handles all personal applications): the completed PA1P or PA1A; the original will (if any) and any codicils; the original death certificate or a certified copy; the IHT205/IHT400 confirmation; and the probate fee. Online applications: via myhmcts.justice.gov.uk. Postal applications to HMCTS Probate, PO Box 12625, Harlow, CM20 9QE.
Swearing the oath
A personal applicant will be asked to swear or affirm the statement of truth in the application. HMCTS may require attendance at a local probate registry for a personal interview, or the statement can be signed in the presence of a solicitor (who will charge a small fee) or in some cases completed as a statement of truth online.
Receive the grant and administer the estate
HMCTS issues the sealed grant of probate (or letters of administration). Order multiple sealed copies (at £1.50 each) — financial institutions typically require one each. Use the grant to notify banks, HMRC, the Land Registry, and other asset holders, collect assets, pay debts, and distribute the estate to beneficiaries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an executor apply for probate without a solicitor?
Yes — there is no legal requirement to use a solicitor or probate practitioner for a personal application. Executors and (in intestacy) administrators can apply for a grant of probate or letters of administration personally. HMCTS operates an online probate service at myhmcts.justice.gov.uk specifically for personal applicants. The process requires completing HMRC Inheritance Tax forms, lodging the application with HMCTS, and paying the £300 probate fee (estates over £5,000; free for smaller estates as at 2026). Personal applications are most suitable for straightforward estates — single executor, no disputes, no complex assets, UK-domiciled deceased.
What probate fee is payable in 2026?
As at 2026, the court fee for a grant of probate or letters of administration is £300 for estates worth more than £5,000. No fee is payable for estates worth £5,000 or less. Additional sealed copies of the grant cost £1.50 each. Executors typically order 6–10 copies at grant stage to send to banks, HMRC, the Land Registry, investment companies, and other asset holders. Fees are set by HMCTS and may change — check current fees on GOV.UK before applying.
What is the difference between PA1P and PA1A?
Form PA1P is the probate application form used when the deceased left a valid will — 'P' for probate. Form PA1A is used when the deceased died intestate (without a will) and the applicant is applying for letters of administration — 'A' for administration. PA1P requires details of the will, any codicils, and the executors named. PA1A requires details of the relationship between the applicant and the deceased (since the order of priority for administrators under NCPR 1987 depends on the applicant's relationship to the deceased). Both forms are available on GOV.UK and through the myhmcts online service.
Do I need to send the original will with the probate application?
Yes — the original will (and any original codicils) must be lodged with the probate application. HMCTS retains the original will permanently; it becomes a public document when the grant is issued. This is why it is important to store the original will safely during the testator's lifetime — at a bank vault, a solicitor's storage, or with a will storage service. If the original will cannot be found and only a copy exists, an application for probate based on a copy will requires evidence that the original was not deliberately destroyed (which would constitute revocation), and the court will need to be satisfied that the copy accurately reflects the will.
When should a personal applicant use a solicitor instead?
A personal application is practical for simple estates. Consider using a solicitor where: the estate is large or complex (multiple properties, foreign assets, business interests); there are inheritance tax complexities (large gifts in the seven years before death, complex reliefs); there is more than one executor and they disagree; any beneficiary is disputing the will; the estate is insolvent; the deceased had no fixed abode or domicile in another jurisdiction; the will is homemade and may be invalid; or the estate includes trust assets. Solicitor fees for probate are typically charged as a percentage of estate value (0.5%–2%) or at an hourly rate — get two or three quotes before instructing.
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