How does the probate search service work?
Last reviewed October 2026
The GOV.UK probate search lets anyone look up grants of probate and letters of administration issued in England and Wales, and order copies of the grant and the will. You search by surname and year of death. It only shows estates where a grant has been issued, so a recent death or an estate that did not need probate will not appear. It does not show the value of every asset or who inherited. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate records.
What you can find
The name of the person, date of death, the type of grant, and copies of the grant and any will.
Why someone might not appear
No grant has been issued yet, the estate did not need one, or the grant was issued in Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Frequently asked questions
How soon does a grant appear in the search?
Usually a few weeks after it is issued, though timings vary.
Can I find out if probate has been applied for?
The public search shows issued grants, not pending applications. To stop a grant being issued while you raise a concern, a caveat can be entered.
Continue in chat
Alenity walks you through this in plain English and gets you to the right next step.
Work out the next step