Once your C1 form is complete and you’re ready to apply, you’ll need to send it to the correct Sheriff Court, along with the necessary supporting documents.
If you're using our support service, we’ll provide personalised instructions at this stage, including a ready-to-print covering letter, which doubles as a checklist of what to include. Our goal is to remove the guesswork from a process that can otherwise feel vague and inconsistent.
How to submit your Confirmation application
The application for Confirmation must be submitted either by post or in person to the relevant Sheriff Court. There is no online option.
If you're using our support service, the covering letter we provide sets out exactly what to include and provides clear instructions to the Court based on your situation.
Which Sheriff Court to use
You must apply to the Sheriff Court local to where the usual address of the person who died. This is usually the address listed on their Death Certificate.
You can find the correct court using the Scottish Courts locator.
If you’re using our service, we’ll confirm the correct Court for you and include its address in your personalised cover letter.
Submitting by post
You can post your application to the Court. We’d recommend using Royal Mail Special Delivery or another recorded service so you can confirm when it has arrived, although you’re not obliged to. Do not include a stamped addressed envelope.
Submitting in person
You can normally hand in your application at the Court’s public counter. This can be quicker than the post, and you can take your ID back on the same day.
Your ID will be checked at the counter. The rest of your application will go into the standard queue. The Court will respond by post.
You do not need an appointment, but make sure you check their opening hours - these vary by Court, and the smaller Courts often close for lunch.
What to include in your Confirmation application
What you need to send to the Court depends on whether the person who died left a Will.
You must send the original documents
All the documentation you send must be the original version. The Court will not accept copies, even if they’re certified. If you send copies, your application will be rejected and sent back to you to resubmit.
You will get these original documents posted back to you.
| Estates with a Will | No-Will estates |
Completed C1 form | ✅ | ✅ |
Original Will and any amendments (‘codicils’) | ✅ | Not applicable |
The original Death Certificate | ✅ | ✅ |
Proof of ID for the lead Executor | ✅ | ✅ |
Bond of Caution paperwork | Not applicable | If applicable, see Bonds of Caution and when they're needed
|
You might need to include other documents depending on the circumstances, for example if you needed to submit an IHT400 form.
You don’t need to include any supporting documentation for assets or debts.
If you're using our service, we'll confirm exactly what you need to send. This includes information on what you’ll need to write on the Will (the ‘docquet’).
Our confirmation specialists can help for a flat fee.
ID requirements
Only the lead Executor - the person signing the application - needs to provide ID to the court.
Photographic ID
All applications need to include one form of government-issued photographic ID - normally a passport or driving licence.
Make sure you send the originals, and not a copy, even if it’s certified. The Court will normally return it within a week if you ask them to. If you need to keep hold of your ID documents, we recommend dropping off the application in person.
Proof of address
You also need to send proof of your address.
If you post your application, you need to send two documents proving your address
If you hand deliver it, you only need one document proving your address.
Accepted documents for proof of address include:
bank statements
utility bills
council tax statements
Problems around ID
If you’re not able to either post original ID documents or go in person to the Court, there might be ways round this.
If you don’t have photographic ID: Some courts might accept alternative documents.
If you’re in Scotland, but too far from the Court: You can sometimes attend a different Sheriff Court in person to verify your ID before posting your application elsewhere.
If you’re outside Scotland: The Court may accept notarised or certified copies of ID.
In these scenarios, you’d need to contact the Court you’re applying to so you can discuss your options.
After you submit your application
You will not receive a formal receipt from the Court. If you’ve posted the application using a tracked service, you can use that to confirm delivery.
If your application is rejected the Court will usually return the whole application, and you will go to the back of the queue when reapplying. Applications can be rejected for the smallest infringement, and the Court rarely gives a reason.
If your application is complete and accepted, the ‘Grant of Confirmation’ is normally issued within 2 to 4 weeks, although this can often take longer in bigger Courts like Edinburgh and Glasgow.
If you're using our service, we continue supporting you at this stage and help you respond to any requests the Court might make, completely free of charge. When you get Confirmation, we’ll send you a guide, with a detailed checklist, on how to finalise the estate and tie up any loose ends.
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