Probate business in Northern Ireland is assigned to the Chancery Office within the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice. About 6,000 probate applications each year are processed through two registry locations –

• the Principal Registry in Belfast - which can deal with probate of the estate of any deceased person; and
• the District Registry in Londonderry - which can deal with probate of the estates of deceased people who lived in County Fermanagh, Londonderry or Tyrone.

Introduction

• The Probate process - an overview by HM Revenue & Customs
• Inheritance Tax - by HM Revenue & Customs

Probate Business Categories

• Applications for Grant (HTML)
• Applications to Master (PDF)
• Caveats, Warnings, Appearances, Citations (PDF)
• Contentious Probate (Writs) (PDF)

Important Changes

• IHT205 Return of Estate Information - required for an excepted estate when death is on or after 6 April 2004
• Civil Partnership Act 2004 (HTML) - in respect of deaths on or after 5 December 2005
• IHT205(2006) Return of Estate Information - new version of form to be used for deaths on or after 1 September 2006
• Probate fees changed (PDF) - with effect from 24 September 2007
• IHT400 Inheritance Tax account (PDF) replaces IHT200 - from 17 November 2008
• Probate business transferred (HTML) – change of probate document headings - with effect from 16 January 2009

Non-Contentious Probate Rules - Order 97

• Refer to Order 97 in "Rules of the Supreme Court (Northern Ireland) 1980''(PDF)
• Rule 18 - Order of priority for a grant where the deceased left a will (PDF)
• Rule 20 - Order of priority for a grant in a case of intestacy (PDF)
• Oath for Administrator Intestate - examples of entitlement wording(PDF)

Contentious Probate Rules - Order 76

• Refer to Order 76 in "Rules of the Supreme Court (Northern Ireland) 1980''(PDF)

Practice Directions and Practice Guidance Notes

• Points in Practice (HTML) (Practice Note 4/2007)
• Preparation of Affidavits and Exhibits (HTML) (Practice Direction 5/2005)
• Engrossments of Wills and Codicils (HTML) (Practice Note 4/2006)
• Oaths for Grants and Inheritance Tax Accounts (HTML) (Practice Note 3/2006)
• Unique Solicitor's Reference (HTML) (Practice Direction 9/2006)
• Civil Partnership Act 2004 (HTML) (Practice Note 1/2007)
• Transfer of Probate Business to Chancery Division (HTML) (Practice Direction 1/2009)
• Applications for Grants: Lodgment of Copy Wills (HTML) (Practice Direction 4/2009)

Probate Textbooks

• “Probate Practice Notes” by Margaret Aiken - published 1981(out of print)
• “Succession Law in Northern Ireland” by Sheena Grattan - published 1996
• “Tristram & Coote’s Probate Practice” by J Winegarten, R D’Costa & T Synak - 30th edition published 2008

Probate Fees

• Non-Contentious Probate Fees Order 2007 (PDF)
• One-page reference sheet for probate fees 
• Supreme Court Fees Amendment Order 2007 (PDF)
• All fees should be made payable to "Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service"

Personal Applications

• Dealing with a deceased person's estate" - an information booklet for personal applicants
• Tax form information
• Appointment Request Form (PDF)
• Executor's Rights Reservation Form (PDF)

HM Revenue and Customs IHT Forms

• Tax form IHT205 for an excepted estate
• Tax form IHT205(2006) for an excepted estate - with on-screen preparation facility
• Tax form IHT400 - Inheritance Tax account - (additional Schedules in the IHT400 series may be needed)
• Tax form IHT421 - Probate Summary
• List of IHT400 Series forms, worksheets, schedules and notes

Probate and IHT Helpline - 0845 30 20 900

Probate and IHT Webpage - www.hmrc.gov.uk/inheritancetax/
HMRC IHT Postal Address - HMRC IHT, Ferrers House, PO Box 38, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham NG2 1BB

HMRC IHT DX Address - DX 701201 Nottingham 4

Probate Searches

• Probate search options
• ICOS On-line Searching Modules
• Other search resources at PRONI

Useful Forms

• Caveat Form 4 
• Warning to Caveator Form 5 (PDF)
• Appearance to Warning Form 6 (PDF)
• Document Requisition Form
• Probate Search Form

Probate in other Jurisdictions

• England and Wales - HM Courts Service
  Probate Registries in England and Wales
• Scotland (Confirmation) – Scottish Courts
• Republic of Ireland – Courts Service

Court of Judicature Daily Law List

Court of Judicature Daily Law List is updated on weekdays around 4:30 pm and gives the details of the listings in the Royal Courts of Justice for the next day. This link will take you to the Court of Judicature Listings page.

Probate Registry Locations

Belfast (Principal Registry)

Probate Office, 2nd Floor, Royal Courts of Justice, Chichester Street, Belfast
For further information & map of the Royal Courts of Justice please use this link

Londonderry (District Registry)

The Courthouse, Bishop Street, Londonderry
For further information & map of Londonderry Courthouse please use this link

How to Contact the Probate Office

Tel: Belfast - 028 9072 4678  Londonderry - 028 7126 1832
Fax: Belfast - 028 9023 5186
Email: probate@courtsni.gov.uk
DX: Probate Office, DX 456 NR, Belfast