To contact the probate registry in England and Wales, call the national probate helpline on 0300 303 0648 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm), email contactprobate@justice.gov.uk, or use the webchat at gov.uk (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm). Completed postal applications go to HMCTS Probate, PO Box 12625, Harlow, CM20 9QE (gov.uk, contact probate, as at August 2026, subject to change).
"Probate registry" is what many people still call the office that issues a grant, but the way you reach it has changed. Details are current as at August 2026 and subject to change. If you are at the start of the process, our guide to applying for probate step by step sets out the wider sequence.
Who runs the probate registry now?
Contact for probate is now centralised. The old network of local district probate registries, such as Oxford, Newcastle and Liverpool, no longer takes public phone calls or walk-in enquiries. One national office, the Courts and Tribunals Service Centre, handles enquiries for the whole of England and Wales (gov.uk, probate service centre, as at August 2026, subject to change).
You may still find individual registry pages online, but whichever registry your case is linked to, you use the same central helpline, email and webchat. There is no local number to ring and no counter to visit.
How to contact the probate registry: every channel
You can reach the probate service by phone, email, webchat or post, each with its own hours and best use. The phone line covers the mornings, webchat runs later into the day, and email suits anything that needs a written record. The table below sets out each channel as at August 2026 (gov.uk, contact probate, as at August 2026, subject to change).
| Channel | Contact detail | Hours | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone | 0300 303 0648 | Mon to Fri, 9am to 1pm | Quick questions and progress chasing |
| contactprobate@justice.gov.uk | Any time (replies in working hours) | Written queries and case references | |
| Webchat | Via the apply-for-probate service at gov.uk | Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm | Help while completing the online form |
| Post (applications) | HMCTS Probate, PO Box 12625, Harlow, CM20 9QE | n/a | Sending the original will and forms |
Phone and webchat are closed on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays, and a Welsh language option is offered through the gov.uk contact page (gov.uk, as at August 2026, subject to change). Keep your case reference to hand, as the helpline asks for it before discussing an application.
Which service should you actually contact?
Not every probate question goes to the same place. The Courts and Tribunals Service Centre deals with the application and the grant, HMRC deals with inheritance tax, and finding an existing will is a separate service again. Contacting the right one first avoids being passed between lines, the point most guides skip.
| Your question is about | Contact | Number / detail |
|---|---|---|
| Applying for the grant, forms, progress | Courts and Tribunals Service Centre | 0300 303 0648 |
| Inheritance tax, IHT400, references | HMRC inheritance tax helpline | 0300 123 1072 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm) |
| Finding a will or a past grant | Find a will service, form PA1S | Order a copy at gov.uk |
HMRC number and hours from gov.uk, probate enquiries, as at August 2026, subject to change. Our inheritance tax guide explains when tax is due.
What people get wrong when contacting probate
Most wasted calls come from three avoidable mistakes. The first is ringing a local district registry number found in an old letter or web page: those lines are no longer staffed, so the call goes nowhere. Always use the central 0300 303 0648 number instead (gov.uk, as at August 2026, subject to change).
The second is expecting the helpline to speed up a grant. Staff can confirm what stage an application has reached, but they cannot prioritise it or lift a stop placed on it by a caseworker. Gov.uk asks you to wait 16 weeks from submitting a complete application before chasing, so calling earlier rarely changes the timing, although many straightforward online applications now issue sooner (gov.uk, applying for probate, as at August 2026, subject to change).
The third is asking the helpline for legal advice. It can explain the process and the forms, but it cannot tell you whether you are entitled to apply, who inherits, or how to value the estate. Those are questions for a solicitor or a qualified estate planner.
How to check the progress of your application
To chase a probate application, contact the same central service with your reference number to hand; there is no local office to write to. Work through the steps below before you call, as the helpline will ask for the same details (gov.uk, contact probate, as at August 2026, subject to change).
- Find your reference. Locate the case or application reference from your online account or the acknowledgement you were sent when you applied.
- Check the online account first. If you applied online, sign in at gov.uk to see the current status before you call, as many updates show there without needing the helpline.
- Allow the standard time. Wait 16 weeks from submitting a complete application before chasing, as that is the service window gov.uk asks you to allow (gov.uk, as at August 2026, subject to change).
- Then contact the service. Call 0300 303 0648 in the morning window, use webchat during the day, or email contactprobate@justice.gov.uk with your reference for a written reply.
If a query is holding the file up, such as a mismatch of names or a mark on the original will, the caseworker usually contacts you. Our note on tracking a probate application covers what the different statuses mean.