Form PA1S¶
[source: gov-uk/search-will-probate-2026-08-08.html]
Form PA1S is the postal alternative to the Find a Will online service. It is used to search the Probate Registry for grants and wills, or to lodge a standing search that automatically supplies the will when probate is granted within the search period. [source: gov-uk/search-will-probate-2026-08-08.html]
A postal search costs £16 for the search and a copy of the probate record (and any attached will). The same form is used to apply for a standing search, which costs £4 and lasts for 6 months, after which it can be extended. The standing search is the right tool if you believe probate is about to be applied for and want a copy delivered automatically. [source: gov-uk/search-will-probate-2026-08-08.html]
Postal searches typically receive a response within 4 weeks. The form is downloaded from gov.uk and posted to the address listed on the form itself. [source: gov-uk/search-will-probate-2026-08-08.html]
Last verified: 2 November 2026 against gov.uk/search-will-probate.
AfterLoss¶
Our how to apply for probate guide explains where Form PA1S fits: it is the postal form for searching for a will or grant, or for lodging a standing search, not part of the probate application itself. Information and Documents keeps the will, codicils and probate paperwork together, so the copy that comes back from a search sits alongside everything else.