Letters of administration: what they are and how to apply
This guide explains what letters of administration are, when you need them, who can apply and in what order, how to apply, what it costs, how long it takes, and how they differ from a grant of probate.
What are letters of administration?
Letters of administration are a legal document issued by the Probate Registry in England and Wales. The document names one or more administrators and gives them the legal authority to collect the deceased's assets, pay debts and inheritance tax, and distribute what remains of the estate.
Letters of administration are the equivalent of a grant of probate, which applies when there is a valid will with a named executor. Banks, insurers, pension providers and other organisations will not release assets or act on instructions until they have seen the grant. Without letters of administration, an administrator has no legal standing, and most financial institutions will refuse to engage until the grant is produced.
You may also see the singular form, letter of administration. It refers to the same document.
When do you need letters of administration?
You need letters of administration in three main situations:
The deceased died without leaving a valid will (known as dying intestate)
The deceased left a will, but the will has been found invalid or names no executor
The deceased left a will and named an executor, but every named executor has died, lost mental capacity, or formally renounced the role
In each case, the Probate Registry cannot issue a grant of probate because there is no named executor able to act. Instead, the Probate Registry issues letters of administration to an eligible relative or other beneficiary, appointing them as administrator of the estate.
The most common situation is dying without a will. Where there is no will, the intestacy rules determine both who inherits and who has the right to apply for the grant. For how inheritance works without a will, see our guide to the intestacy rules UK.
If the deceased left a valid will and the named executor can act, the document you need is a grant of probate instead, and our guide on how to apply for probate covers that route.
What are letters of administration with will annexed?
Letters of administration with will annexed are issued when the deceased left a valid will but the named executor cannot act. The will is still followed for distribution. The administrator is appointed in place of the executor.
This typically happens when the executor died before the person who made the will, has lost mental capacity, or has formally renounced the role. Applications in this situation use form PA1P rather than PA1A.
Who can apply for letters of administration?
The right to apply follows a fixed order of priority set out in the Non-Contentious Probate Rules 1987 and the rules of intestacy. The order is:
The surviving spouse or civil partner
The children of the deceased (or their children, if a child died before the deceased)
The parents of the deceased
Siblings of the whole blood (or their children)
Siblings of the half blood (or their children)
Grandparents
Aunts and uncles of the whole blood (or their children)
Aunts and uncles of the half blood (or their children)
The person with the highest priority applies first. If that person does not wish to apply, they can formally renounce their right, which allows the next person in line to apply instead.
Up to four people can apply together, and all applicants become joint administrators who share responsibility for the estate. Where anyone under 18 is inheriting, at least two administrators must apply, because the law requires two trustees to act for minor beneficiaries.
An unmarried partner has no right to apply under this order, regardless of how long the relationship lasted. A friend or a more distant relative cannot apply ahead of someone with higher priority, even if they were closer to the deceased in practice. A cohabitant in this position should take legal advice about alternative routes.
If nobody in any of these categories exists, or nobody is willing to apply, the estate may eventually pass to the Crown under the bona vacantia rules.
How to apply for letters of administration
You apply for letters of administration online at GOV.UK, or by post using form PA1A (no will) or form PA1P (a will but no acting executor). The application has four steps.
Step 1: value the estate. Add up everything the deceased owned at the date of death (property, bank accounts, savings, investments, pensions, insurance policies, valuables) and subtract everything they owed, including debts and outstanding bills. The net figure determines whether inheritance tax is due. Our guide on how to value an estate for probate covers this step in detail.
Step 2: deal with inheritance tax. If the estate exceeds the £325,000 standard nil rate band, inheritance tax must be reported to HMRC, though various reliefs may apply. For deaths on or after 1 January 2022, simpler estates report inheritance tax information as part of the probate application, while larger or more complex estates need form IHT400 and supporting schedules. If inheritance tax is due, at least some of the tax must be paid, or instalment arrangements made, before letters of administration will be issued. This creates a practical problem because assets are often locked until the grant arrives, so some banks will release funds directly to HMRC to cover the liability before the grant is obtained. For current thresholds and reliefs, see the inheritance tax threshold UK 2026 guide.
Step 3: submit the application. The application goes to His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). You will need the original death certificate or an official copy, details of the estate's assets and liabilities, the inheritance tax reference where one is needed, proof of your relationship to the deceased, and payment of the application fee. You will also be asked to sign a legal statement declaring that the information is accurate and that you are entitled to apply.
Step 4: receive the grant. Once the Probate Registry is satisfied with the application, it issues the letters of administration. You receive sealed official copies to send to banks, insurers and other organisations as proof of your authority.
How much do letters of administration cost?
The application fee for letters of administration is £526 for estates valued at more than £5,000, from 13 July 2026 (GOV.UK). There is no fee for estates valued at £5,000 or less.
Application fee, estate over £5,000: £526
Application fee, estate of £5,000 or less: no fee
Extra sealed copy of the grant, ordered with the application: £2 each
Extra sealed copy of the grant, ordered after submission: £16 each
Fixed-fee solicitor, straightforward intestate estate: varies by firm; ask for a written quote
Solicitor charging a percentage of the estate: percentage varies by firm; ask for a written quote
Most administrators order between five and ten sealed copies at the start, because each financial institution, pension provider and investment platform will want to see one, and most retain the copy you send them.
Solicitors' fees vary with the complexity of the estate and whether they are advising on the wider administration. Ask for a written estimate before instructing anyone.
How long do letters of administration take?
HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) currently states that grants usually issue within 12 weeks of a complete application (GOV.UK). It can take longer if the Probate Registry needs extra information, or if there are backlogs at HMCTS.
The process takes longer if there are complications such as disputes about who should apply, errors in the application, inheritance tax queries, or missing documentation. Applying online tends to be faster than applying by post. Using a solicitor does not speed up the Probate Registry's processing, but it can reduce the errors that cause delays.
For a fuller breakdown of timings across the whole process, see how long does probate take.
Letters of administration vs grant of probate
Letters of administration and a grant of probate carry the same legal authority; the difference is who applies and whether there is a will.
When issued: a grant of probate is issued when a valid will names an executor who can act; letters of administration are issued when there is no will, no valid will, or no executor able to act
Who applies: the executor named in the will applies for a grant of probate; the eligible person under the order of priority applies for letters of administration
Application form (paper): PA1P for a grant of probate; PA1A (no will) or PA1P (will annexed) for letters of administration
Estate distributed by: the will under a grant of probate; the intestacy rules (or the will, if one exists) under letters of administration
The distinction is procedural, not practical. When a bank or other organisation asks to see "the grant", it means whichever document applies to the estate.
What happens after letters of administration are issued?
Once the grant is issued, the administrator is legally responsible for the estate and has the same authority as an executor. The duties are the same too, and our guide on what does an executor of a will do covers them in detail. The main ones are:
Collecting in all assets, including sending sealed copies to each financial institution to release funds
Selling or transferring property and collecting investment proceeds (a sale during administration can trigger capital gains tax on inherited property)
Paying all debts and liabilities, including any outstanding inheritance tax
Distributing the estate in accordance with the intestacy rules (or the will, if one exists)
Keeping accurate estate accounts throughout
The administrator should advertise for unknown creditors under Section 27 of the Trustee Act 1925 before distributing the residue. Administrators can be held personally liable if they distribute the estate incorrectly or pay creditors in the wrong order, so professional advice is sensible for complicated estates with multiple assets, unclear ownership or potential creditors.
Intestate estates carry specific complications. Tracing the right person to apply takes time in families that are spread out or out of contact, and disputes between relatives with equal priority can hold the application up for months. The other common blockage is identifying every asset. Without a will there is no document listing what the deceased owned or where they banked, and most adults hold accounts across six to eight providers, some forgotten, rebranded or dormant. The free tracing service covered in our My Lost Account UK guide can help find lost bank, building society and NS&I accounts.
Do letters of administration apply across the UK?
Letters of administration are issued in England and Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland run separate systems. In Scotland, the equivalent document is called confirmation, applied for through the local Sheriff Court, and the rules on who inherits and who can act differ in important ways. In Northern Ireland, the process is broadly similar to England and Wales but is administered through the Probate Office in Belfast. If the deceased lived in Scotland or Northern Ireland, take advice from a local solicitor.
Frequently asked questions
A grant of letters of administration is the formal name for the document the Probate Registry issues to an administrator when there is no will or no acting executor. It carries the same legal authority as a grant of probate, and organisations treat both documents in the same way when releasing assets.
Yes, a letter of administration and letters of administration are the same document. The plural is the formal legal name used by the Probate Registry, and the singular is simply the common way many people refer to it. Both describe the grant that appoints an administrator to deal with an intestate estate.
No, an unmarried partner cannot apply for letters of administration, regardless of how long the relationship lasted. The order of priority in the Non-Contentious Probate Rules 1987 covers spouses, civil partners and blood relatives only. A cohabiting partner should take legal advice about making a claim against the estate instead.
Up to four people can apply for letters of administration together, and all become joint administrators with shared responsibility for the estate. Where a beneficiary is under 18, at least two administrators must apply, because the law requires two trustees to act when minors are inheriting.
No, you do not need a solicitor to apply for letters of administration. Straightforward intestate estates with one beneficiary, no property and modest accounts can often be handled without one. Estates with property, multiple beneficiaries or disputes about who should apply usually benefit from solicitor involvement, because the administrator carries personal liability for mistakes.
If no eligible relative exists or nobody is willing to apply, the estate may eventually pass to the Crown under the bona vacantia rules. Before that point, the right to apply simply moves down the order of priority, so a lower-ranked relative can apply once those above them have died or renounced.
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Individual circumstances vary. If you are dealing with an estate, consider taking advice from a solicitor who specialises in probate. For other guidance specific to your circumstances, speak to a funeral director, Citizens Advice, or a regulated financial adviser.