How Long Does Probate Take?

Q: How long does probate take in the UK?

Getting the grant of probate itself takes around 16 weeks after you submit the application, per HMCTS. Fully administering the estate, from the date of death to distributing everything to the beneficiaries, typically takes 6 to 12 months for a straightforward estate. Estates with property to sell, Inheritance Tax to pay, missing beneficiaries, or a dispute can take considerably longer, sometimes over two years.

Q: Why does probate take so long?

The main causes of delay are: waiting for the Probate Registry to issue the grant (around 16 weeks, longer if the application needs corrections), Inheritance Tax, which must be reported to HMRC and largely paid before probate is granted, selling a property in the estate, tracing or paying all beneficiaries, and any dispute over the will. Much of the timeline is spent waiting on third parties (HMRC, HMCTS, banks, and buyers) rather than on the legal work itself.

Q: Can you speed up probate?

You can avoid the common delays: gather the full list of assets and debts early, value the estate accurately the first time (Probate Registry rejections over valuation errors add weeks), submit the Inheritance Tax forms promptly, and respond to any HMCTS request for information the day it arrives. You cannot speed up the Probate Registry's own processing time, so applying promptly with a correct application is the main lever.

Q: Do you have to wait for probate to sell the house?

You can market the property and even agree a sale before probate is granted, but you cannot complete the sale until the grant is issued, because you need it to prove your legal authority to transfer ownership. Many executors put the property on the market while the grant application is being processed so the two run in parallel rather than one after the other.

Updated July 2026. The grant of probate takes around 16 weeks once you apply. Fully administering a straightforward estate takes 6 to 12 months. Here is the whole timeline, stage by stage, and what pushes it past a year.

Grant of probate

~16 wks

After you apply (HMCTS average)

Simple estate, in full

6-12 mths

Death to distributing everything

With property or IHT

9-18 mths

Sale + tax add months

The short answer

Two clocks run. First, the grant of probate: HMCTS takes around 16 weeks to issue it after you apply. Second, the full estate administration: valuing assets and dealing with tax before the grant, then collecting, paying, and distributing after it, which brings a straightforward estate to 6 to 12 months in total. Property to sell or Inheritance Tax to settle pushes it toward 12 to 18 months.

The probate timeline, stage by stage

Stage	Typical duration	What happens
Register the death and get certificates	1 to 2 weeks	Register within 5 days, order several certified copies of the death certificate (banks and asset holders each want one), and locate the will.
Value the estate	4 to 8 weeks	Write to every bank, pension provider, insurer, and the Land Registry to confirm balances and values at the date of death, and total up debts. Property needs a valuation. This is the most variable stage.
Report and pay Inheritance Tax	runs before the grant	If the estate owes Inheritance Tax you must report its value to HMRC using form IHT400 and start paying before you can apply for probate. HMRC needs time to process this first.
Apply for the grant of probate	around 16 weeks (HMCTS)	Submit the application and the £526 fee. HMCTS's stated average to issue the grant is about 16 weeks, and longer if the application needs corrections.
Collect assets and pay debts	4 to 12 weeks	With the grant, close accounts, cash in investments, and settle debts and any remaining tax. Selling a property adds the full conveyancing timeline on top.
Distribute the estate	2 to 8 weeks	Pay the beneficiaries and prepare estate accounts. Many executors wait until the six-month claim period under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act has passed before distributing, to guard against late claims.

Grant timescale and the £526 application fee: gov.uk applying for probate. Some stages overlap, so the total is less than the sum of the rows.

Inheritance Tax comes before the grant, not after

A point that surprises many executors: if the estate owes Inheritance Tax, you must report the estate value to HMRC and start paying the tax before you can apply for probate. IHT is normally due by the end of the sixth month after death, and interest runs after that. On larger estates this tax-first sequence is often what stretches the timeline, because funds can be tied up in property that has not yet been sold. See our probate cost guide for the fees and tax thresholds.

What makes probate take longer

Delay	Time added	Why
A property to sell	2 to 6 months	The estate cannot be closed until the house sells and completes, which adds the full conveyancing timeline.
Inheritance Tax due	1 to 4 months	HMRC must process the IHT account before the grant issues, and tax often has to be paid from tied-up assets first.
Application errors	4 to 12 weeks	The Probate Registry returns applications with valuation or wording mistakes, sending you to the back of the queue.
Missing or overseas assets	1 to 6 months	Tracing pensions, foreign property, or shareholdings, and getting date-of-death valuations, takes time.
A will dispute or claim	6 months to 2 years+	A contested will or a claim under the 1975 Act can freeze distribution until it is resolved.
Many or hard-to-find beneficiaries	1 to 6 months	Executors must identify and locate everyone entitled before distributing, sometimes using tracing agents.

The executor's year

Beneficiaries often expect their money faster than it can be paid. The law gives executors a reasonable period, known as the executor's year, to administer the estate before they can be pressed to distribute. It is not a deadline to finish within twelve months, but a recognition that a proper administration, valuing assets, settling tax, selling property, and guarding against late claims, commonly takes that long. Do you even need probate at all? Many small or jointly-owned estates do not: see do I need probate, and the full probate cost breakdown.

Probate timeline FAQs

How long does probate take in the UK?

The grant of probate takes around 16 weeks after you apply, per HMCTS. Fully administering a straightforward estate, from death to distribution, typically takes 6 to 12 months. Estates with property to sell, Inheritance Tax to pay, missing beneficiaries, or a dispute can take considerably longer, sometimes over two years.

Why does probate take so long?

The main causes are waiting for the Probate Registry to issue the grant (around 16 weeks), Inheritance Tax that must be reported and largely paid before the grant, selling a property, tracing and paying all beneficiaries, and any dispute. Much of the time is spent waiting on HMRC, HMCTS, banks, and buyers rather than on the legal work itself.

Can you speed up probate?

Gather the full list of assets and debts early, value the estate accurately first time (rejections over valuation errors add weeks), submit the Inheritance Tax forms promptly, and respond to any HMCTS request the day it arrives. You cannot speed up the Registry's own processing, so a prompt, correct application is the main lever.

Do you have to wait for probate to sell the house?

You can market the property and agree a sale before the grant, but you cannot complete until it is issued, because you need it to prove authority to transfer ownership. Many executors market the property while the grant is being processed so the two run in parallel.

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