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How to store your will safely in the UK

In short. Store the signed original with your solicitor (usually free if they drafted it), deposit with HMCTS (£20 one-off), or register its location with the National Will Register (£25), and tell your executors where it is.

A will that nobody can find at death is treated as revoked. Once signed and witnessed, the original must be stored somewhere safe and known to your executors. Photocopies are not enough — probate normally needs the original.

Last reviewed:

·Estimated time: 1 day·Cost: £0–£25 one-off (solicitor strong-room free / HMCTS £20 / National Will Register £25)

What you'll need

  • Signed and witnessed original will
  • Contact details for your executors

The steps

  1. 01

    Decide who needs to know where it is

    Tell at least your appointed executors and ideally one other trusted person. Don't tell beneficiaries the contents — but do tell them where the will is held, in case the executor predeceases you or can't act.

  2. 02

    Choose a storage location

    Options: (a) your solicitor's strong-room (usually free if they drafted it); (b) HMCTS Probate Service personal deposit for £20; (c) home safe (fireproof, waterproof); (d) bank safe deposit if you have one. Avoid loose drawers, lofts and damp garages.

    Official link →

  3. 03

    Register the location

    The National Will Register (Certainty) is the main UK private register at £25. Once registered, executors can run a 'Certainty Will Search' after death to locate the original. Many solicitors register clients' wills as standard.

    Official link →

  4. 04

    Keep a memo with your important papers

    Leave a 'where to find my paperwork' note at home with: the storage location of the will, your solicitor's contact details, pension and insurance providers, and any digital-asset access plan. Don't include passwords directly.

  5. 05

    Review every 3–5 years and after major life events

    Check the will after marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, a major change in wealth, or a move abroad. Marriage automatically revokes the will in England and Wales unless made in contemplation of it.

Common pitfalls

  • Telling no one where the will is — Probate may proceed as if intestate if the original can't be produced
  • Stapling, paper-clipping or attaching anything to the original — the registry will ask for an affidavit if pin marks suggest a missing document
  • Storing with title deeds in a damp loft — water damage can render the will unreadable
  • Sending the will abroad with no plan for executors to retrieve it

FAQ

Is a photocopy good enough?
Normally no. Probate registries require the original signed will. A photocopy is admitted only by court order, typically with sworn evidence that the original was not deliberately destroyed.
What about depositing with HMCTS?
The Probate Service offers a personal deposit service for £20 one-off. The will is held centrally and released to your executors after death on production of the death certificate. It's a cheap, secure option if you're not using a solicitor.
Should I keep the will at home?
Only if you have a fireproof safe and your executors know exactly where it is. Home storage is the most common reason wills are lost or damaged.
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