Step 1 of 5: Before you start your probate application
Before you begin, it is important to understand whether probate is needed, who should apply and when the law requires you to use a solicitor.
Who this guide is for
- Solicitors applying for probate or other grants on behalf of a client.
- Personal applicants who are allowed to apply without a solicitor in straightforward cases.
Most applications for probate are made by solicitors. In more complex situations, or where the law requires it, you must use a solicitor.
When you must use a solicitor to apply for probate
In some situations, the law requires you to use a solicitor when applying for probate. You must use a solicitor to apply for probate if:
- The person applying is under 18 years of age.
- The original will is lost.
- There are issues concerning the validity of the will.
- There are disputes among the next of kin about the estate.
- The person entitled to apply is a Ward of Court or lacks the capacity to make their own decisions.
- The person who died was domiciled (the country where someone lives with the intention of living there permanently) outside the Republic of Ireland and left a will in a foreign language.
- The person who died was domiciled outside the Republic of Ireland and left assets in Ireland but did not leave a will and there has not been any grant of representation issued in their country of domicile.
- The person who died was domiciled outside the Republic of Ireland and left a will but there has not been any grant of representation issued in their country of domicile and someone other than the executor intends to apply for a grant in Ireland.
- The person who died was domiciled outside the Republic of Ireland and left assets in Ireland but did not leave a will and a grant of representation issued in their country of domicile to a person other than the proposed applicant.
- The person who died was domiciled outside the Republic of Ireland and left a will and a grant of representation issued in their country of domicile to a person other than the executor(s) named in the will.
- The person intending to apply does not live in the Republic of Ireland, and there are beneficiaries, other than the spouse of the deceased, who will inherit €20,000 or more of the estate.
There may be other circumstances where the Probate Officer decides that you must have a solicitor to help you make the application.
If you are applying yourself (personal application)
You may be able to make a personal application in straightforward cases if none of the situations above apply. You must be prepared to gather information, complete forms accurately and attend an appointment with a probate official.
Once you are satisfied that you can proceed, the next step is to give details of the estate to Revenue.
Step 2 of 5: Give details of the estate to Revenue
Before you can apply for probate, you must provide information about the estate to Revenue. This is usually done using the Statement of Affairs Form (SA.2), but the correct form depends on the date of death and the year in which the death occurred.
Which Revenue form to use
- For deaths on or after 5 December 2001 use the Statement of Affairs Form SA.2.
- For deaths before 5 December 2001 use the Inland Revenue Affidavit.
For dates of death on or after 5 December 2001 (SA.2)
If the person who died passed away on or after 5 December 2001, you must complete the Statement of Affairs Form (SA.2). This form is accessed through Revenue.ie under “myAccount” or “ROS”.
- If the person who died left a will, you must upload a copy to Revenue as part of your online Statement of Affairs submission.
- When you submit the form, you will receive a Notice of Acknowledgement from Revenue, which must be printed and included with your probate application:
- Make sure the notice contains the name, address and relationship to the deceased of all applicants and that each person signs the notice.
- The contact person entered on ROS must be one of the personal applicants. Their name, address and telephone number must be entered in this section. An email address for a person authorised by the applicant can be inserted.
For older deaths and pre-5 December 2001 cases
For dates of death before 5 December 2001 you will usually need to complete an Inland Revenue Affidavit.
- Contact the Revenue Commissioners directly to obtain the relevant Inland Revenue Affidavit.
- Complete and swear the Inland Revenue Affidavit in the presence of a practising solicitor or Commissioner for Oaths.
- File the Inland Revenue Affidavit with Revenue for approval. Once Revenue approve your form, a stamped version of the affidavit along with a High Court Certificate will be sent to you.
- Submit the stamped Inland Revenue Affidavit, together with the original High Court Certificate issued by Revenue, with your probate application to the Probate Office or relevant District Probate Registry.
For older deaths (for example estates from the 1970s to the 1990s), Revenue may require older Inland Revenue forms such as Form AX or Form D1 instead of Form CA24. These forms must be requested directly from Revenue. If you are unsure which form applies for the year of death, contact Revenue’s CAT (Capital Acquisitions Tax) Section for guidance.
Important: The responsibility for the accuracy of the information you give to Revenue lies with you as the applicant. It is advisable to seek legal and tax advice where necessary. Incorrect information can lead to penalties. The Probate Office does not provide guidance on filling out Revenue forms.
Once you have your Notice of Acknowledgement, you can prepare your probate application.
Step 3 of 5: Prepare your probate application
At this step you prepare all the documents that must be sent to the Probate Office or District Probate Registry. What you must do is different for solicitors and for personal applicants.
For solicitors
As a solicitor, you must compile a complete application package before submitting it. Incomplete applications will not be accepted and will be returned.
At a minimum, you should:
- Make sure you have completed the correct Revenue process and have the Notice of Acknowledgement.
- Gather the original will and any codicils (if applicable).
- Obtain the original death certificate (or Coroner’s interim certificate if a death certificate has not yet issued).
- Prepare all required affidavits, oaths and exhibits in line with the type of grant you are applying for.
Use the appropriate solicitor’s checklist for a detailed list of documents to include and points to check before submitting your application:
- Grant of probate
- Grant of administration intestate
- Grant of administration with will annexed
- De bonis non grants
- Foreign domicile applications
- Ad litem grant applications
- Corrective affidavits
- Trust corporations
If you are applying yourself (personal application)
To submit a personal application to the Probate Office or a District Probate Registry, you must complete the personal application form and include:
- Notice of Acknowledgement (Probate) — issued to you by Revenue.
- Original death certificate (or a Coroner’s interim certificate if a death certificate has not yet issued).
- A photocopy of the will and any codicils. Do not send the originals — we will request them later in the process.
If the person who died lived outside Ireland
You may be asked for documents from the probate authority in the person’s country of domicile (the country they regard as their permanent home):
- A sealed and certified copy of the grant of representation issued there.
- A sealed and certified copy of the will (if any).
The probate official dealing with your application will confirm if these are needed.
Tips for completing the personal application form
For detailed guidance, see the guidance note for completing the personal application form .
- Complete all sections (A–D) in every case.
- Use the full name of the person who died on all documents and note any name variations.
- State the person’s domicile (their permanent home country).
- List the names of all applicants on the form.
- Send only a photocopy of the will and any codicils. Do not attach anything to the originals or remove staples, pins or binding when photocopying.
- Include the original death certificate.
- Make sure the Notice of Acknowledgement lists the same applicants as Section C of the personal application form, and that each applicant signs both documents.
- Provide the last residential address of the person who died and, if different, the address shown in the will. In Section D, include any other relevant former addresses.
When your documents are ready, you can submit your application.
Step 4 of 5: Submit your application
You must send your completed application and supporting documents to the correct Probate Office or District Probate Registry and pay the required fee.
Where to send applications
- If the person who died lived in Dublin, Kildare, Meath or Wicklow: send the application to the Dublin Probate Office.
- If the person who died lived in any other county in the Republic of Ireland: send the application to the Dublin Probate Office or to the District Probate Registry for the county where they lived.
- If the person who died lived outside the Republic of Ireland: send the application to the Dublin Probate Office. You may need a solicitor. See Step 1 — Before you start.
You can find contact details for all offices and the counties each office covers in our Probate Office and District Probate Registry information.
For solicitors
Solicitor applications can be hand-delivered to the Probate Office or sent by Tracked DX or Registered Post. The required fee and the Notice of Acknowledgement from Revenue must be included in all applications.
Important: Fees must be stamped on the Notice of Application. The Probate Office cannot accept payment by fee sheet.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Where the net value of the estate does not exceed €100,000 | €100 |
| Where the net value of the estate does not exceed €250,000 | €200 |
| Where the net value of the estate does not exceed €500,000 | €350 |
| Where the net value of the estate does not exceed €750,000 | €500 |
| Where the net value of the estate does not exceed €1,000,000 | €650 |
| Where the net value of the estate exceeds €1,000,000 – for the first €1,000,000 | €650 |
| For every €500,000, or part of it, beyond €1,000,000 in value | €400 |
| Double, cessate, unadministered or duplicate grant of representation | €150 |
| De bonis non applications | €150 |
If you are applying yourself (personal application)
Personal applicants usually submit their completed form and documents by post to the relevant office. The Probate Office will calculate your fee based on the net value of the Irish estate. You can find the current fees at personal applicant probate fees.
Your personal application appointment
Appointment dates are usually issued 10–12 weeks from the date your application is lodged.
At your appointment with a probate official, you can expect:
- Review of your documents: the probate official will check all the documents you have submitted.
- Additional questions: you may be asked for clarification or for extra information if something is missing or unclear.
- Swearing or affirming an oath: you will be asked to swear or affirm an oath before the probate official.
- Payment of your probate fee: your fee will be confirmed and you must pay it at or before the appointment.
Ordering copies of documents
During your appointment, you may order extra copies of the grant, will or other documents if needed. You can pay for these copies by debit or credit card, or with an official fee card from a Courts Service Stamp Office.
You can also order additional copies from the General Office Section after the grant has issued.
Step 5 of 5: Application processing and grant
Once your application has been lodged with the Probate Office or District Probate Registry, it will be processed. The steps are broadly the same whether you are a solicitor or a personal applicant.
How your application is processed
- Application assessment: your papers are checked to make sure they are complete and correct. If queries need to be raised on the application, these will be sent by post or email.
- Drafting the grant: if no queries need to be raised, the draft grant is prepared and sent to the Probate Officer for approval.
- Re-checking queried applications: if queries are raised, your papers are re-checked once you have dealt with the queries and re-submitted the documents. If all is in order, the grant is drafted as above.
- Final check and approval: the Probate Officer carries out a final check and approves the grant.
- Preparing the grant: the grant is prepared for issue.
- Final impediments check: a final check is carried out on the day of issue for any impediments (for example caveats or rival applications).
- Signing the grant: the original grant of representation is signed by the Probate Officer.
- Updating ROS: the application details on ROS are updated with the date of issue of the grant.
- Posting the grant: the original grant is posted to the solicitor or personal applicant.
Issuing of the grant
Once an application has gone through all assessments and checks, the Probate Office or District Probate Registry will issue the grant of representation, provided there are no impediments to issuing it.
The original grant of representation will be sent by post:
- to the solicitor’s office, for solicitor applications, or
- to you directly, for personal applications.
For personal applicants, the grant of representation, along with any additional copies that you ordered and any documents that need to be returned to you, will usually be posted within about three weeks after your appointment, if everything is in order.
You can request additional copies of the grant or will if needed after the grant has issued.
