Make a personal application for probate
Submit your information to Revenue

Check if you need a solicitor

(Step 1 of 4)

Check if you need a solicitor

You can apply for probate on your own in some cases but you must use a solicitor if any of the below apply:

• 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 (living permanently) outside the Republic of Ireland
• 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 deems it necessary to have a solicitor help you make the application.

Complete the personal application form

(Step 3 of 4)

To submit a personal application form to either the Probate Office or the relevant District Probate Registry, you must complete the Notice of Application for Personal Applicants and include the following:

1. Notice of Acknowledgement (Probate) form - you will have received this from Revenue
2. Original death certificate (or a Coroner's interim certificate if the death certificate has not been issued yet)
3. A photocopy of the will and any codicils. Do not send the original - we will get this from you later in the process.

If the person who died was living outside of Ireland, you may require the following from the Probate Office in the country of residency:

1. A sealed and certified copy of the grant of representation issued in the deceased's country of domicile at the date of death
2. A sealed and certified copy of the will (if any)

The probate official dealing with your application in Ireland will let you know if this is needed.

For detailed guidance on completing the personal application form, refer to the guidance note for completing the personal application form

Submitting your application

You should send your completed application form and accompanying documents by post to the relevant office.

Go to your probate appointment

(Step 4 of 4)

Once all requirements of the application are met, we will schedule an appointment for you with an official in the Probate Office or District Probate Registry.

We will let you know the location, date and time of the appointment in advance.

What you need to bring with you

To ensure your appointment runs smoothly and to avoid the need for a second visit, you must bring the following items (where applicable) to your appointment:

• The original will and codicil (if any): Ensure you bring the original will and not a copy. During your appointment the probate official needs to see the original document for verification, even though a photocopy was submitted with your application. This helps to avoid the risk of losing or damaging the original will in the post. You may need to contact the solicitor who prepared the will to obtain the original.
• Photo Identification: Acceptable forms of ID include a driver’s license or passport.
• Payment method: Please bring a credit or debit card for the fee payment. If applying to a District Probate Registry, please check in advance with the relevant office regarding accepted payment methods.
• Additional documentation: Bring any other documentation the Probate Office has requested.

If you do not bring photo ID or the original will, we will not be able to proceed with the appointment as planned, and you will need to schedule another appointment.

Attending your appointment

Your appointment with a probate official

At the appointment you can expect the following to take place:

• Review of documentation: All relevant documentation will be reviewed.
• Providing additional information: The probate official may have questions about your application or ask you for additional information during your appointment.
• Swearing or affirming an oath: You will be presented with an oath to be sworn or affirmed before the probate official.
• Payment of probate fee: The probate fee will be calculated based on the net value of the Irish estate.

Ordering copies of documents

During your appointment, if necessary, you may order extra copies of the grant, will, or other documents. You will need to pay the relevant fee for these copies by debit or credit card or an official fee card from a Courts Service Stamp Office.

You can order copies from the General Office Section after the grant of representation has been issued. After your appointment, the grant of representation, along with any additional copies that you ordered and documents that we need to return to you, will be posted to you, usually within 3 weeks.