How long does each stage of probate take?
- Weeks 1–4 — immediate tasks: register the death, Tell Us Once, secure property, find the will. See what to do when someone dies.
- Weeks 2–8 — valuation: write to every bank, pension provider and insurer; get property valued. This stage depends on how fast institutions reply, not on you.
- Weeks 4–10 — inheritance tax forms: IHT205 for excepted estates, the full IHT400 (plus schedules) if taxable. HMRC must process IHT400 submissions before you can apply for the grant — allow at least 20 working days.
- Weeks 6–18 — the grant: straightforward digital applications currently run about 4–12 weeks from submission. Paper forms and queried applications take longer.
- Months 4–12 — administration: collect assets, sell property if needed, place creditor notices, settle debts and taxes, then distribute with estate accounts.
What causes probate delays?
- Application errors — every registry query pauses the clock; triple-check names, dates and the will itself.
- Inheritance tax — IHT400 estates wait on HMRC as well as the registry.
- Property sales — the grant can arrive long before a sale completes.
- Will problems — lost originals, homemade amendments, doubtful witnessing. (A properly signed will avoids this: see how to sign a will.)
- Disputes — caveats and Inheritance Act claims can freeze everything.
- Foreign assets — each jurisdiction adds its own process.
What can you do while waiting for probate?
The grant wait is dead time only if you let it be. Use it to finalise valuations, gather utility and mortgage statements, agree the property strategy with beneficiaries, and prepare draft estate accounts. The working order of every task is in the executor checklist, and costs to budget for are in probate costs.