How long does probate take in England and Wales in 2026?

How long does full estate administration take, not just the Grant?

The Grant of Probate is only one stage. Once it’s issued, there’s still the property sale (if there is one), settling debts, and distributing the estate to beneficiaries. Taken together, full estate administration realistically takes 6-9 months at minimum, and 9-18 months is common. Executors are generally given a 12-month “executor’s year”, an informal allowance before beneficiaries can reasonably expect the estate to be fully wound up, which gives a sense of how long this is expected to take even in straightforward cases.

What can you actually do to keep your case towards the shorter end?

You can’t speed up HMRC or HMCTS directly, but you can avoid adding time on top of their processing. That means getting the estate’s paperwork and valuations together promptly so the IHT400 isn’t delayed by missing information on your end, submitting a complete probate application first time to avoid queries being raised, and, critically, starting the property sale process in parallel rather than waiting for the Grant before instructing an agent or getting a cash offer.

For the full breakdown of how the probate timeline and the sale timeline interact, see our guide, How long does it take to sell a house in probate?

Does an estate’s size or complexity change the timeline?

Larger or more complex estates, multiple properties, business assets, trusts, or disputes between beneficiaries, generally take longer, both because the IHT400 is more involved and because HMCTS may raise more queries on the application. A single residential property with a straightforward will and no Inheritance Tax complications is closer to the shorter end of the 14-20 week range; anything with additional complexity should be planned for towards the longer end, or beyond.

What happens if HMCTS raises a query on your application?

If information is missing or inconsistent, HMCTS will pause the application and write to the executor or their solicitor to ask for it, rather than rejecting the application outright. Each round of queries adds further weeks, on top of the 14-20 week range already common in 2026, because the file effectively goes back into the queue once a response is received. This is another reason a solicitor experienced in probate applications is worth using for anything beyond the most straightforward estate: they know what HMCTS typically asks for, and can head off the most common queries before the application is even submitted.

What is HMCTS’s target for processing a probate application?

HMCTS’s stated target is 8 weeks for a complete, straightforward online application.

How long is probate actually taking in 2026?

Many executors are waiting 14 to 20 weeks for the Grant of Probate to be issued, largely due to delays earlier in the process with HMRC.

Why is HMRC part of the probate timeline?

Before the probate application can be submitted, the estate’s Inheritance Tax position generally has to be resolved with HMRC, including an IHT400 return where the estate isn’t “excepted.” HMRC is currently taking 8-12+ weeks to process these returns.

How long does the entire estate administration take, start to finish?

Realistically 6-9 months at minimum, and 9-18 months is common, covering the probate application, any property sale, and final distribution to beneficiaries (Willsafe, 9 June 2026).

What is the “executor’s year”?

It’s a generally accepted 12-month allowance for executors to fully administer and distribute an estate, used as an informal benchmark rather than a strict legal deadline.

Can I do anything to speed up my own case?

You can’t speed up HMRC or HMCTS, but you can avoid adding delay on top of their processing, by submitting complete paperwork first time, and by starting the property sale in parallel with the probate application rather than afterwards.