How long is probate taking in 2026?
Last reviewed:
In short: HMCTS quotes 16 weeks from a complete application to the grant being issued (England and Wales). Stopped or incomplete applications take significantly longer. Full estate administration typically runs 9–12 months from death.
The Probate Service publishes monthly performance data. Average grant times have improved since the 2023–24 backlog but remain longer than the pre-2022 norm of 4–8 weeks. Online applications are usually faster than paper.
Things that delay probate: a missing IHT400 reference, unsigned forms, missing original will, executor renunciations, or the registry needing to verify witnesses. Once 'stopped', cases routinely sit for many additional weeks.
After the grant, administering the estate (selling property, paying tax, distributing) usually takes another 6–9 months. Many solicitors hold back a small reserve for at least 6 months past distribution because a creditor can still file a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.
Primary source: gov.uk/government/publications/family-court-statistics-quarterly