How long does probate take is the question every executor asks within days of a bereavement, and the honest answer in 2026 is longer than most families expect. A straightforward estate currently takes between six and twelve months from death to final distribution. More complex estates take eighteen months or longer. The variation is driven by the size of the estate, the inheritance tax position, the Probate Registry’s current backlog and how quickly third parties such as banks and pension providers respond. Here we explain exactly what you need to know about the realistic timeline.
Plain-English guide written by Simon Jenkins — covering every stage of the probate process.
The stages and how long each one takes
Probate is not a single event but a sequence of stages. The first four to six weeks are usually spent gathering information — locating the will, ordering the death certificate, contacting financial institutions and obtaining date-of-death valuations. Property valuations may take longer if a formal red book valuation is required for inheritance tax purposes.
The next stage is preparing the tax forms and the probate application. For estates below the inheritance tax threshold this is the short form IHT205. For taxable estates it is the much fuller IHT400 with its various schedules. Allow two to four weeks for the forms once you have all the figures.
Once submitted to HMRC and the Probate Registry, the wait for the grant is currently around sixteen weeks on a straight application and longer if HMRC raises queries. After the grant arrives, the work of collecting in assets, paying debts and distributing the estate typically takes a further three to six months.
Why probate is taking longer than it used to
The Probate Registry was reorganised into a single centralised service in 2019 and has struggled with backlogs ever since. The move to online applications has helped but staffing pressures, the volume of estates being processed and HMRC clearance delays mean that the published target of sixteen weeks is often optimistic.
You can check the current published GOV.UK probate timescales at any time. Our experience in 2026 is that simple online applications come back in eight to twelve weeks and paper applications or those with queries take twenty weeks or more.
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What you can and cannot do before the grant arrives
Before the grant of probate is issued, executors have limited powers. You cannot sell property, close most bank accounts or transfer investments without the grant. However, you can pay funeral expenses from the deceased’s bank account — most banks will release funds directly to the funeral director on production of an invoice. You can also obtain valuations, secure the property, redirect post and notify creditors.
Inheritance tax must be paid within six months of the end of the month of death even though the grant has not yet been issued. The Inheritance Tax Act 1984 sets that deadline strictly. HMRC’s direct payment scheme allows tax to be paid directly from the deceased’s bank accounts before the grant.
Inheritance tax timing in 2026
The 2026 inheritance tax thresholds remain £325,000 nil-rate band plus up to £175,000 residence nil-rate band, with the 40% rate applying above that. For estates with significant property assets, raising the cash to pay the tax bill before probate is issued is often the bottleneck. Our guide to probate costs explains how to plan for this.
Practical steps to keep probate moving
The most common reason estates drag on is slow gathering of information. Write to every institution within the first two weeks. Use the Tell Us Once service to notify government departments. Keep a single spreadsheet of assets and liabilities and update it weekly. If a third party is slow to respond, escalate to a complaint after twenty-eight days — providers respond faster to formal complaints than to polite follow-ups.
You can read more about how we manage the timeline on our probate process page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does probate take in 2026 on average?
A typical estate takes six to twelve months from death to final distribution. The grant of probate itself is currently issued within sixteen weeks of application, though simple online applications often come back faster.
Why is probate taking so long at the moment?
The Probate Registry backlog combined with HMRC clearance times means that taxable estates in particular face delays. Online applications without tax issues are processed fastest.
How long does probate take when there is no will?
Intestate estates usually take a few weeks longer than testate estates because the entitlement of the administrator must be established under the intestacy rules before letters of administration can be issued.
Can probate be done faster if the family agrees?
Family agreement helps with later distribution but does not speed up the Probate Registry or HMRC. The fastest gains are in early information gathering and careful, accurate tax forms that do not trigger HMRC queries.
How long does probate take if there is a house to sell?
Add three to six months on top of the grant timeline to allow for marketing, sale and completion. The property cannot usually be sold until the grant has been issued, though it can be marketed before then.
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Written by Simon Jenkins, solicitor and director of Curtis Legal Limited (SRA 167489)
