What is a grant of probate?
A grant of probate is a formal order from the NSW Supreme Court confirming that a will is valid and that the executor named in it has legal authority to administer the estate. Once the grant is issued, you can deal with banks, share registries, the NSW Land Registry and all other institutions holding estate assets.
Most banks require a grant before releasing or transferring assets where the estate exceeds their internal threshold, commonly $50,000 or more at any single institution. Real property in NSW almost always requires a grant regardless of value.
Probate services across NSW
- Grant of Probate — where the deceased left a valid will and an executor is named
- Letters of Administration — where there is no will, or the named executor cannot act
- Estate Administration — collecting assets, paying debts and distributing the estate
- Contested Estates — family provision claims, will disputes and executor conflicts
Filed within 24 hours of receiving instructions
Once we have all necessary documents and instructions, we prepare and lodge the application within 24 hours. The NSW Supreme Court currently processes most probate applications within 4 to 8 weeks of lodgement. We handle all correspondence with the Court on your behalf.
No charge until estate administration is underway
We do not charge our fees until estate administration is underway, so the executor is not out of pocket while waiting for the grant. We provide a clear written fee estimate before any work begins.
We handle all of NSW
All NSW probate applications are filed with the NSW Supreme Court in Sydney, regardless of where in NSW the deceased lived. We handle everything by phone, email and post. You do not need to visit our East Maitland office, though you are always welcome to come and see us in person.