Probate and the legal side

How long does probate take?

By the Sortwell team · Updated 9 November 2026 · 4 min read

A wooden wall clock softly out of focus above a hall table with a small stack of plain envelopes.

Short answer: Probate grants in England and Wales took about 5 weeks on average from application to issue in April to June 2026. GOV.UK says to allow up to 12 weeks. Letters of administration without a will took about 10 weeks, and those with a will about 22. Before you can apply, you also need time to value the estate, which can take several months.

On this page

The latest court figures
Why some applications take longer
How long the whole process takes
Inheritance Tax and timing
What you can do while you wait
If your application seems stuck
Common questions

The figure people usually quote measures only the wait for the grant. Before that you have to get ready to apply, and afterwards you still have to finish the estate.

The latest court figures

The Ministry of Justice publishes probate waiting times every quarter. These are the figures for April to June 2026:

Type of grant	Average time from application
Probate grants, overall	About 5 weeks
Probate grants that weren't stopped	2 weeks
Probate grants that were stopped	14 weeks
Letters of administration without a will	About 10 weeks
Letters of administration with a will	About 22 weeks

These are averages. Your application may take less or more, and GOV.UK says you'll usually get the grant within 12 weeks, or longer if extra information is needed. Plan around the 12 weeks and treat anything quicker as a bonus.

The same statistics show 47,003 probate cases open at the end of June 2026, up 19% on a year earlier, so waiting times are worth checking again when you apply.

Why some applications take longer

The biggest difference in the table is between cases that were stopped and those that weren't. An application is "stopped" when there's a dispute about who can apply, a problem with the will, or an error that means the Probate Service has to ask for more information.

You can reduce the risk of a stop by checking these before you apply:

The name on the application matches the name on the will and the death certificate. If the person was known by another name, say so.
You've sent the original will and every codicil, undamaged. Staple marks or torn pages can raise questions.
Every executor is accounted for, because if only one is applying they need to show they tried to contact the others.
The estate value and any Inheritance Tax figures are consistent with what you sent HMRC.

How long the whole process takes

The grant is usually the shortest part. A rough picture of a straightforward estate looks like this:

Stage	How long it can take
Finding out what the person owned and owed	Weeks to months
Valuing the estate	Several months, or longer if complicated
Waiting for HMRC, if Inheritance Tax is due	Usually within 20 working days of them receiving the form or payment
Waiting for the grant	About 5 weeks on average, allow up to 12
Collecting the money and paying debts	Weeks to months
Sharing out what's left	Often at least 6 months after the grant

That last wait is deliberate. Certain claims against an estate can normally be made within 6 months of the grant, so many executors hold back until then. Our guide to what an executor does explains why.

Inheritance Tax and timing

If tax is due, you must report the estate's value within one year on form IHT400, and you can't apply for probate until you've done that. Payment is due by the end of the sixth month after the death, after which interest starts to run.

HMRC will then send you a code or a stamped form confirming what you've paid, usually within 20 working days of receiving your form or payment, whichever is later. Only then can you apply.

What you can do while you wait

In the meantime, you can secure the home, list what's in it, and work out who should have what. Our guide to clearing a house before probate sets out where the limits are.

Bills may need attention too. Council Tax isn't payable until after you get probate as long as the property stays empty, and you may get up to another 6 months' exemption after that.

If your application seems stuck

If you applied online, you can sign in to the service to track your application. If you applied by post, you should hear within 12 weeks. If you don't, contact the Courts and Tribunals Service Centre on 0300 303 0648, Monday to Friday from 9am to 1pm.

Have the name of the person who died and your reference number ready. Ask whether the case has been stopped and, if so, exactly what's needed. Stopped cases often move again as soon as the missing information arrives.

Common questions

How long does probate take with a will?

Probate grants with a will took about 5 weeks on average in April to June 2026, and 2 weeks if the case wasn't stopped. GOV.UK says to allow up to 12 weeks.

How long does probate take without a will?

Letters of administration without a will took about 10 weeks on average in April to June 2026. That's the time from application, and it doesn't include valuing the estate first.

How long does it take to settle an estate after probate?

Often several months. Collecting the money and paying debts takes time, and many executors wait at least 6 months from the grant before sharing out the estate, because certain claims can normally be made during that period.

Can you speed up probate?

There's no official fast track for most applications. Your best course is to apply online and get the paperwork right first time, since stopped cases took 14 weeks on average compared with 2 weeks for the rest.

Sources

This guide is general information for people in England and Wales. The rules in Scotland and Northern Ireland can differ. It isn't legal, tax or financial advice, and Sortwell isn't a law firm or a valuer. If an estate is complicated or there's a disagreement, talk to a solicitor. Figures were checked on the date above.