Probate processing has improved, but an incomplete or inconsistent application can still add weeks to the timetable. The June 2026 HMCTS update reported by ICAEW put average waiting time at about 4.3 weeks and paper applications at around 16 weeks. Official figures for January to March 2026 also showed that straightforward, unstopped digital probate applications averaged about two weeks from submission to grant, while stopped applications averaged 14 weeks.
These are service averages, not guarantees. Public guidance advises allowing up to 12 weeks, and complex estates may take longer. The grant is also only one part of estate administration, which can continue for many months while assets are collected, tax is finalised and beneficiaries are paid. Our probate solicitors in London can prepare the application and manage the wider administration.
How long probate takes in 2026
Around 93% of applications for grants of probate were submitted digitally in the first quarter of 2026. Online applications are generally faster, but the correct route depends on the estate and the type of grant required. Applications for letters of administration under the intestacy rules can also be made online in many cases, although some circumstances still require a paper application.
Why applications get stopped
A “stop” means HMCTS needs information, evidence or clarification before it can issue the grant.
| Why applications get stopped | How to reduce the risk |
|---|---|
| Supporting documents are missing or the original will raises questions | Send every requested document together and preserve the will in its existing condition |
| Inheritance Tax information is missing or figures do not agree | Use the HMRC probate code and ensure the gross and net values match the tax information |
| An executor or applicant has not been properly accounted for | Record who is applying, renouncing, reserving power or unable to act |
| A caveat has been entered | Obtain advice and address the dispute before expecting the grant to proceed |
The Inheritance Tax trap
Where a full IHT400 account is required, send it to HMRC and wait for the unique probate code before applying. HMRC normally issues the code within 20 working days. If it has not arrived after that period, contact HMRC rather than submitting without it. An excepted estate can usually proceed without this step.
Check that the probate values agree with the figures provided to HMRC. Our guide to the inheritance tax changes explains why current valuations and reliefs matter. Any Inheritance Tax due is generally payable by the end of the sixth month after the month of death, after which interest can accrue.
Missing or damaged wills
Send the original will and any codicils. Do not remove staples or paperclips, add notes or alter the document. Existing tears, marks, staple holes or other damage may prompt questions, so explain anything unusual rather than trying to repair it.
Where capacity or validity is questioned, the registry may require additional evidence. Our guides to testamentary capacity and protecting a will when capacity is in doubt explain the issues that may arise.
Caveats and disputes
A caveat prevents a grant from being issued while a dispute about the will or entitlement to apply remains unresolved. It lasts for six months initially and can be renewed.
An applicant can challenge it by requesting a formal warning through the Leeds District Probate Registry. The caveator then has 14 days, including weekends and bank holidays, to respond. Our guide to executor disputes when the family disagrees over an estate outlines the options, while our civil litigation solicitors can advise on contested proceedings.
What you can do
Apply online where the estate and application type are eligible. Submit all documents promptly, preserve the original will, use the HMRC probate code where required and check every name and value before submission. Do not chase HMCTS until the published period has passed unless there is genuine urgency.
If the estate is owed money, our debt recovery service can advise on preserving the claim while authority to act is confirmed. You can also make your own affairs easier to administer through mirror wills or by writing a will with clear executor provisions.
Get probate right first time
Not every stop is avoidable, particularly where a will is disputed or the estate is complex. Careful preparation can nevertheless reduce preventable delays. Our solicitors in North London can review the documents, prepare the application and guide executors through the next stages of the estate.