Do I need a grant of probate?

Usually yes, if the person owned property or held significant savings or investments in their sole name, because banks, pension providers and the Land Registry generally require the grant before releasing or transferring assets. Some small, simple estates do not.

Probate applications · England & Wales

Get the grant of probate — without the hourly solicitor bills.

Q: What is the difference between grant only and full estate administration?

Grant only means we obtain the grant of probate and you deal with the estate yourself from there. Full administration means a firm runs the entire estate, usually for a percentage of its value. Most people only need the grant.

We prepare and submit your probate application through the official HM Courts & Tribunals (MyHMCTS) system, handled by a solicitor, for one fixed fee. You get the grant; you skip the jargon, the paperwork and the open-ended bills.

Start your application See how it works

✔ Prepared by a solicitor ✔ One fixed fee, agreed up front ✔ Submitted via official MyHMCTS ✔ England & Wales

What is a grant of probate? It's the official document that gives you the legal authority to deal with someone's estate after they die — to close accounts, sell property and distribute what they left. Banks and the Land Registry usually won't release assets without it. We handle the application that gets you that grant.

Grant-only probate

We get you the grant — you stay in control of the estate

Most estates don't need a solicitor to run the whole thing and charge a percentage. They just need the grant obtained properly. That's exactly what we do.

📋

We prepare the application

We complete the probate application and the required statement of truth accurately, based on the estate details you give us — no wrestling with government forms yourself.

🏛️

We submit via MyHMCTS

Your application goes in through the official professional probate portal and we deal with the Probate Registry, including any questions they raise.

📜

You receive the grant

The sealed grant of probate is issued to you, so you can get on with administering the estate yourself — with the hard part done.

💷

One fixed fee

Agreed with you before we start. No hourly billing and no percentage of the estate — you know where you stand from the outset.

⚖️

Handled by a solicitor

Your application is prepared by a practising solicitor, not an unregulated form-filling service — proper professional care, minus the traditional cost.

💬

Not sure where to start?

Tell us what's happened and roughly what the estate involves. We'll tell you whether probate is needed and exactly what the next step is.

Simple & remote

How it works

The whole process is handled remotely — by phone, email and secure online forms — wherever you are in England & Wales.

Tell us about the estate

A few details about the person who died and what they left. We confirm whether a grant is needed.

We prepare your application

We draft the probate application and statement of truth and send it to you to check and approve.

We submit to the Probate Registry

We file it through MyHMCTS and handle any queries the registry raises along the way.

You receive your grant

The sealed grant of probate arrives, and you're free to deal with the estate.

Why use us

Professional probate, without the traditional price tag

✔ A practising solicitor prepares your application — not an unregulated online form.
✔ One fixed fee agreed up front — never a percentage of the estate, never open-ended hourly bills.
✔ Grant-only: you keep control of the estate and save the cost of full administration you may not need.
✔ Filed through the official MyHMCTS professional portal.
✔ Fully remote across England & Wales.

Get started

Tell us what's happened

Share a few details about the estate and we'll confirm whether probate is needed and what the fixed fee to obtain it would be.

Start your application

Questions

Grant of probate — FAQs

Do I actually need a grant of probate?

Usually yes, if the person owned property or held significant savings or investments in their sole name. Banks, pension providers and the Land Registry generally require the grant before they'll release or transfer assets. Smaller, simpler estates sometimes don't — tell us the details and we'll confirm.

What's the difference between "grant only" and full estate administration?

Grant only means we obtain the grant of probate for you, and you deal with the estate yourself from there. Full administration means a firm runs the entire estate — collecting assets, paying debts and distributing — usually for a percentage of its value. Most people only need the grant.

How long does probate take?

Once a complete application is submitted, the Probate Registry typically issues the grant within a few weeks, though timescales vary. We prepare the application carefully to avoid the errors that cause the most common delays.

Who will handle my application?

A practising solicitor, working through the official professional probate portal (MyHMCTS) — not an unregulated form-filling website.

What will it cost?

It's a single fixed fee, agreed with you before anything goes ahead — never a percentage of the estate. Tell us about the estate and you'll have the exact figure up front.

Ready to get the grant?

Tell us a little about the estate and we'll confirm whether probate is needed and set out the fixed fee to obtain it.

Call 020 7499 2605

Prefer email? ey@notarypubliclondon.co.uk