Help guide for Scottish Probate

Learn how long probate takes in Scotland, the factors that influence the timeline, common delays, and tips for being proactive that can speed up the process.

Your guide to navigating probate with confidence

There are some important reasons to go through the process of preparing for death. Not only will it make things easier on the people you leave behind, but lots of money could be saved in terms of solicitors' fees.

Find out what to do when someone dies in Scotland.

When applying for probate/confirmation, you’ll need to include a list of all the assets in the estate and the total of any outstanding debts. Valuing the estate will also help you to determine which probate forms you’ll need to use.

Use this handy checklist to make sure you've considered all the common aspects of finalising an estate in Scotland. Find out how to tie up your responsibilities as the executor.

Find out all the 'need to knows' about probate in Scotland, including what it is and how to get it. Primarily a list of FAQs, we've added some things you may not know about.

We recommend using our fixed fee Scottish Probate Support Service, but if you have to pay for a probate solicitor’s time, here we share some ways that you can keep costs down.

While the Sheriff Court probate process is open to the public, we explain when you can apply yourself, when you might need to use a lawyer, and how we can help.