Letters of Administration

Letters of Administration is the court order that gives an administrator legal authority to deal with the estate of someone who died without a valid will. It's the no-will equivalent of a Grant of Probate and is issued in England and Wales by the Probate Registry.

The application is made on Form PA1A. Who applies is determined by intestacy rules; in broad terms, the surviving spouse or civil partner has first claim, followed by adult children, then parents, then siblings. Where the estate is not an excepted estate, an IHT400 return must be filed with HMRC before the grant is issued. [source: gov-uk/applying-for-probate-2026-04-29.html]

The same fee applies as for a Grant of Probate: £300 for estates over £5,000, no fee for estates of £5,000 or less. [source: gov-uk/probate-fees-2026-04-29.html]

Once issued, Letters of Administration are accepted by banks, the Land Registry, and other institutions on the same basis as a Grant of Probate; the document differs in name and origin, not in legal effect. → How to apply for probate

Last verified: 29 April 2026 against gov.uk/applying-for-probate.

AfterLoss

Our intestacy rules guide explains who can apply for letters of administration and the priority order set by the rules. An AfterLoss case helps the administrator track the application, the asset list, and the contact details of every entitled beneficiary, so the estate is distributed in the right order and proportions.