To find a lost will in England and Wales, work outward from the deceased's own papers, to any solicitor who drafted or stored it, then to the National Will Register and the GOV.UK probate search. Most wills surface in the first two steps. This guide sets out each route, its cost, and what the law assumes if the original never turns up.
Where should you look first?
Start with the deceased's own home and papers, because most wills are kept there or leave a clear trail to where they are stored. You are looking for the will itself, or for a clue such as a solicitor's covering letter or a safe deposit receipt.
- Search filing cabinets, desk drawers, a home safe, and folders of important papers. Many people store a will alongside property deeds, insurance policies and bank paperwork.
- Read recent correspondence for the name of a solicitor, will writer or bank. A covering letter or invoice often points straight to where the original is stored.
- Ask close family, executors named in earlier papers, and the deceased's accountant or financial adviser, who may know where the will is kept.
- Contact the deceased's bank about any safe deposit box or stored documents. You will usually need the death certificate and proof of entitlement before anything is released.
How do you find the solicitor or will writer who held it?
If a solicitor or will writer drafted the will, they very often keep the signed original in storage, so tracing that firm is frequently the fastest route to it. Firms keep detailed records and can confirm whether they hold it.
If the firm has closed or merged, the will is not lost with it. The Solicitors Regulation Authority can tell you which firm took over a closed practice's files (sra.org.uk, as at August 2026, subject to change).
Can you search a register or the probate records?
Two national services help, and they do different jobs. The National Will Register is searched before probate to locate an original; the GOV.UK probate search provides a copy once probate is granted and the will is public. The table shows which to use and what each costs.
| Route | What it does | Fee | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Will Register (Certainty) | Checks registered wills and can run a geographical search of solicitors and will writers to trace an unregistered original | A search fee applies, usually reclaimable from the estate as a disbursement | Used before probate, while you are still looking for the original |
| GOV.UK probate search, copy of a will | Orders a copy of a will that has already been through probate and become public | £16 per copy | A record appears about 14 days after probate is granted |
| GOV.UK standing search | Registers your interest so you are told if a grant is issued in the next six months | £4 | Covers six months, renewable |
| Postal search (form PA1S) | Postal alternative to the online search, including the will where one exists | £16 | Reply usually within four weeks |
Source: gov.uk/search-will-probate and nationalwillregister.co.uk, as at August 2026, subject to change. The GOV.UK search covers grants issued in England and Wales since 1858; Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate systems.
One point catches people out: not every probate record contains a will. Records marked "Probate" or "Grant and Will" include one; a record marked "Administration" does not.
What does the law assume if the original will is missing?
This is the step most guides skip, and it changes what you do next. If a will was last known to be in the deceased's possession and cannot be found after death, the law of England and Wales presumes the deceased destroyed it, intending to revoke it. A copy alone does not automatically stand in its place.
That presumption can be rebutted, so a lost original does not always mean an intestacy. If you hold a copy, a signed draft, or the drafting solicitor's file and attendance notes, you may be able to apply to the Probate Registry to admit a copy of the will. The application sets out its terms, explains why the original is missing, and shows the deceased did not intend to revoke it. It is a specialist step, and a clear point at which to take advice.
The lesson runs the other way too. If you are making a will, tell your executors where the original is held and consider registering it, so your family never faces this presumption. Our guide on how to write a will covers safe storage.
What happens if no will is ever found?
If no valid will can be found or proved, the estate is dealt with as an intestacy, and a fixed legal order decides who inherits rather than the deceased's wishes. A close relative applies for letters of administration. Under the intestacy rules, an unmarried partner receives nothing, and a spouse or civil partner may not inherit everything if there are children (gov.uk, as at August 2026, subject to change).
Because that can differ sharply from what the person intended, exhaust the searches above, and take advice on a copy will, before treating an estate as intestate. Our guide to what probate is explains the steps that follow and how any inheritance tax is worked out.
Frequently asked questions
Are wills public records in the UK?
A will becomes public only after probate is granted; before that it is private. Once a grant is issued in England and Wales, anyone can order a copy through the GOV.UK probate search for £16 (gov.uk, as at August 2026, subject to change).
How much does it cost to search for a will?
A copy of a will after probate costs £16 through the GOV.UK probate search, and a standing search costs £4 for six months. A National Will Register search carries its own fee, usually reclaimable from the estate as a disbursement (as at August 2026, subject to change).
Can you find a will online for free?
You can search the GOV.UK probate index for free to see whether a grant exists, but the copy of the will itself costs £16 per record. There is no free way to obtain a will's full contents, and before probate it is not published at all.
How long after death is a will available on the probate register?
A record generally becomes available about 14 days after probate is granted, and the grant itself can take several weeks or months after death. A GOV.UK standing search registers your interest, so you are told when a grant is issued (gov.uk, as at August 2026, subject to change).
What happens if you find only a copy and not the original will?
If the original was last held by the deceased and cannot be found, the law presumes it was destroyed to revoke it. That presumption can be rebutted: you may apply to the Probate Registry to admit a copy, supported by drafts, attendance notes and evidence of intent. Many people take advice on this application.