Waiting for Probate: How to Check Its Progress

The executor posted the probate application on a Monday morning.

The tracking record showed that the package had been delivered. The filing fee had left the estate account. Copies of every document were safely stored.

Then nothing happened.

After one week, the executor checked their email every few hours. After two weeks, beneficiaries began asking whether probate had been granted. By the third week, the silence felt like evidence that something had gone wrong.

In reality, silence during probate often means only that the application is waiting to be reviewed or is moving through the court’s internal process. New Zealand probate applications are administered centrally, and a straightforward application may be completed without a hearing or regular progress notifications.

That does not mean an executor should wait indefinitely. The key is knowing when to check, how to contact the court effectively and how to recognise the difference between an ordinary processing delay and a problem requiring action.

## Start Tracking Before the Application Is Filed

The best time to prepare for a status enquiry is before sending the application.

Create a complete filing record containing:

– The date the application was submitted
– The filing method used
– Delivery or electronic submission confirmation
– Proof that the filing fee was paid
– A full copy of every document
– Details of the original will and codicils submitted
– The executor’s contact details used in the forms
– The return address
– Any court reference or confirmation number
– The name and contact details of any lawyer acting

This information becomes essential if the court cannot immediately identify the file.

Never send the original will without retaining a complete scanned or photocopied version. The copy should show every page, signature, marking and codicil, although it does not replace the original for probate purposes.

Where physical documents are sent, use a secure, trackable delivery method. Keep the tracking confirmation after delivery rather than deleting it once the package arrives.

## Understand Where the Application Is Processed

New probate applications from across New Zealand are centrally administered through the Wellington High Court probate system. Registrars based in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch may process applications as part of the national workload. citeturn447830search1turn447830search15

This means the executor’s location does not usually determine which regional queue handles the file.

An executor living in Dunedin should not assume that a local registry is processing the application. Similarly, an Auckland estate does not necessarily remain with an Auckland registrar throughout the process.

When checking the application’s status, use the central probate contact details associated with the filing process unless the court has directed correspondence elsewhere.

## What the Court Is Doing During the Waiting Period

A probate application is not approved automatically when it arrives.

The registrar must be satisfied that the court can issue the requested grant. The review may include checking:

– Whether probate is the correct type of application
– Whether the applicant is an executor named in the will
– Whether the original will has been provided
– Whether all codicils are included
– Whether names and dates are consistent
– Whether every named executor has been addressed
– Whether the affidavit was sworn or affirmed correctly
– Whether exhibits are complete
– Whether the proposed grant matches the application
– Whether unusual markings or alterations require explanation
– Whether a caveat or other obstacle affects the application

The court may also need to process the filing fee, create the court record, allocate the application and prepare the formal grant.

A period without communication therefore does not necessarily mean the file has been forgotten.

## How Long Should Probate Take?

The court administration has reported an internal standard of completing 75 percent of probate applications within 15 working days. In June 2025, 89 percent were reportedly completed within that period. citeturn447830search15

This is a processing target, not a legal guarantee.

It does not mean probate must be issued exactly 15 working days after:

– The death
– The application was posted
– The affidavit was signed
– The executor began preparing the forms

The relevant processing period would ordinarily begin after the application has been received and accepted for filing.

Working days also exclude weekends and public holidays. An application received near Christmas, Easter or another court-closure period may take longer in ordinary calendar days.

Some applications will exceed the target because of court workload or the complexity of the documents. The executor should therefore treat 15 working days as a useful reference point rather than a promised completion date.

## When Should You Follow Up?

Following up the day after delivery rarely helps.

The application may not yet have been entered into the system, allocated or reviewed. Repeated early calls can consume court staff time without producing useful information.

A sensible approach is to confirm that the application was delivered and then allow the published processing period to pass.

If no grant, requisition or acknowledgement has arrived after approximately 15 to 20 working days, a polite status enquiry is reasonable. General court contact guidance also uses 20 working days as a point at which an update may appropriately be requested in relevant administrative contexts. citeturn447830search34

Follow up sooner where:

– The court asks for urgent information
– Delivery tracking shows a problem
– The filing fee was rejected
– The original will may have been sent to the wrong address
– A court deadline applies
– A property settlement or other transaction creates genuine urgency
– The executor receives notice of a caveat or dispute
– The court previously promised a response by a particular date

Urgency should be explained with facts rather than general frustration.

“The beneficiaries are impatient” is unlikely to justify priority. “An unconditional property agreement settles on a specified date and the executor cannot complete the transmission without the grant” is more relevant, although the court is not required to accelerate the application.

## How to Make a Useful Status Enquiry

A useful enquiry gives court staff enough information to locate the application quickly.

Include:

– The deceased’s full legal name
– Any alternative or former name used in the will
– The date of death
– The executor’s full name
– The date the application was filed or delivered
– The filing method
– The court reference, if available
– Proof of delivery or electronic submission
– Confirmation that the fee was paid
– The sender’s contact details

Keep the request brief.

### Probate status enquiry template

> I am seeking an update regarding the probate application for the estate of [deceased’s full name], who died on [date].
>
> The application was submitted on [date] and was delivered or electronically accepted on [date]. The applicant executor is [full name]. The court reference is [reference], if allocated.
>
> Please confirm whether the application has been received and whether any further documents or action are currently required from the executor.

Do not attach the entire application again unless the court asks for it. Duplicate sets of documents can create confusion, particularly when an original will is involved.

## Telephone, Email or Written Enquiry?

Use the contact method provided by the probate unit or shown in the court’s correspondence.

Email is often useful because it creates a written record and allows identifying details to be stated accurately. A telephone call may be appropriate when:

– Delivery cannot be confirmed
– A requisition is unclear
– The matter is genuinely urgent
– An email has remained unanswered for a reasonable period
– The court has invited telephone contact

After an important telephone call, create a file note containing:

– The date and time
– The number called
– The name of the person spoken to
– What information was provided
– What the executor was asked to do
– Any expected response date

Court staff can explain administrative procedure and whether a document has been received. They cannot provide personal legal advice, draft the executor’s evidence or guarantee that a registrar will grant the application.

## What Status Information Might You Receive?

The response may indicate that the application is:

### Received but not yet reviewed

The package has arrived and entered the system but is waiting for assessment.

No action may be required unless the waiting period becomes excessive.

### Under consideration

A registrar or court officer is reviewing the documents.

The executor should generally wait unless asked to provide something.

### Requisitioned

The court has identified a matter requiring correction, clarification or further evidence.

A requisition may already have been sent by email or post. Check spam folders and confirm that the court has the correct contact information.

### Awaiting payment

The documents may have arrived, but the fee has not been matched, processed or successfully paid.

Provide the payment reference when requested.

### Granted

Probate has been approved, but the formal grant may still be undergoing preparation, sealing, dispatch or electronic release.

### Unable to be located

The court cannot identify the application from the information supplied.

Provide delivery records, the date filed, the deceased’s exact name and any filing confirmation. Do not assume the original will is lost merely because the first search did not locate the file.

## What Is a Probate Requisition?

A requisition is a request from the court for an error to be corrected or additional information to be supplied.

It is not necessarily a refusal of probate.

Common reasons include:

– A name differs between documents
– A date is incorrect
– The affidavit was witnessed improperly
– An exhibit is missing
– A codicil was omitted
– A named executor has not been addressed
– The proposed grant contains an error
– The will has unexplained damage or alterations
– A page appears detached
– Additional evidence is needed about execution

A requisition changes the application’s status from passive waiting to required action.

Read every part carefully. If the court asks three questions, answering only the easiest one will not move the application forward.

## How Quickly Should a Requisition Be Answered?

Respond as soon as the required information can be prepared accurately.

Speed matters, but a rushed, incomplete response can lead to a second requisition.

The response may require:

– A corrected application
– A replacement proposed grant
– A new affidavit
– A supplementary affidavit
– An additional exhibit
– Evidence from a witness
– An explanation from the person who stored the will
– Documents concerning a non-applying executor

A sworn affidavit cannot normally be corrected by sending an informal email or replacing a page silently. If further affidavit evidence is required, it must be prepared and sworn or affirmed properly.

When uncertain about what the requisition requires, seek clarification before submitting an improvised response.

## When Does the Processing Clock Restart?

There is no simple public rule guaranteeing that a requisition response will be processed within a fixed number of days.

Once additional material is filed, it must be matched to the application and reviewed. A registrar may need to consider whether the new evidence fully resolves the original concern.

Record:

– The date the requisition arrived
– The response deadline, if one is stated
– What was requested
– The date each response document was completed
– The date the response was filed
– Proof of delivery
– The next follow-up date

If no response arrives after a reasonable period following delivery of the corrected material, make another focused enquiry.

Do not repeatedly chase the original application without mentioning that a requisition response has since been filed.

## What If the Application Was Filed by a Lawyer?

Where a lawyer filed the application, court communication will generally be directed to that lawyer or legal practice.

The executor should ask the lawyer for:

– The filing date
– Confirmation that the application was accepted
– The court reference
– Notice of any requisition
– The date a requisition response was filed
– Confirmation when probate is granted

The executor should not normally run a separate stream of status enquiries directly with the court while the lawyer is acting. Duplicate communication can cause confusion.

A useful update request might say:

> Please confirm the date the probate application was filed, whether the court has issued any requisition and when the application will next be followed up if no response is received.

That asks for measurable information without demanding a guaranteed grant date.

## What Beneficiaries Should Be Told

Beneficiaries often interpret “probate pending” as an excuse rather than a real stage of administration.

Give them a factual update:

> The probate application was filed on [date]. The court has a published internal processing target for many applications, but the timeframe is not guaranteed. No requisition has been received at this stage. The application will be followed up if no response has arrived by [date].

Where a requisition has been issued, explain the effect without sharing unnecessary legal detail:

> The court has requested additional evidence before probate can be granted. The required documents are being prepared, so the original estimated timeframe no longer applies.

Do not tell beneficiaries that the court “lost the application” unless that has been confirmed.

## Delays That May Be Outside the Court’s Control

What appears to be a court delay may actually arise before or after filing.

Examples include:

– Waiting for the death certificate
– Locating the original will
– Arranging signatures from several executors
– Correcting the affidavit
– Obtaining a renunciation
– Delivering the original document
– Matching the fee to the application
– Responding to a requisition
– Resolving a caveat
– Investigating a missing codicil

Keep these stages separate in the timeline.

Saying “probate has taken three months” may be misleading if the application was filed only two weeks ago after ten weeks of preparation.

## When a Delay May Require Legal Advice

Professional help may be appropriate where:

– The court issues repeated requisitions
– The original will cannot be located
– A caveat prevents the grant
– Someone disputes the will’s validity
– Witnessing appears defective
– An executor cannot or will not act
– The court requires evidence the executor cannot identify
– The application has remained unresolved despite reasonable enquiries
– An urgent transaction may expose the estate to loss

Legal advice does not guarantee faster court processing. It can help ensure that the next document directly addresses the legal obstacle.

## Build a Probate Tracking Timeline

A simple status table can prevent uncertainty:

| Stage | Date | Evidence | Next Action |
|—|—|—|—|
| Application submitted | [Date] | Filing receipt | Confirm delivery |
| Original will delivered | [Date] | Tracking record | Retain proof |
| Fee paid | [Date] | Payment receipt | Match reference |
| First follow-up due | [Date] | Calendar entry | Contact probate unit |
| Requisition received | [Date] | Court notice | Prepare response |
| Response filed | [Date] | Delivery record | Review after reasonable period |
| Probate granted | [Date] | Grant | Begin collecting assets |

Tracking gives the executor something more useful than repeatedly refreshing an inbox.

It also creates a reliable history for beneficiaries, co-executors and advisers.

Waiting for probate can feel passive, but effective tracking is active administration. The executor records what has happened, allows the court a reasonable processing period, follows up with precise information and responds promptly when action is required.

The objective is not to contact the court most often. It is to make every contact useful.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### 1. Can I track a probate application online?

There is not necessarily a public live-tracking page showing each stage of an ordinary probate application. The executor should retain filing confirmation and contact the probate unit when a reasonable processing period has passed.

### 2. How long should I wait before contacting the court?

If delivery and payment have been confirmed, allowing approximately 15 to 20 working days before requesting an update is generally reasonable. Follow up sooner if the court contacts you, delivery fails or a genuine urgent issue arises.

### 3. What information is needed for a status enquiry?

Provide the deceased’s full name, date of death, executor’s name, filing date, court reference if available, payment details and proof of delivery or electronic submission.

### 4. Does no communication mean the application has been rejected?

No. The application may be waiting for review or progressing without an update. A rejection, requisition or request for further information would ordinarily be communicated to the applicant or their lawyer.

### 5. What is a probate requisition?

It is a request from the court for a correction, clarification or additional evidence before the grant can be issued. It does not automatically mean the will is invalid or probate will be refused.

### 6. How soon should I answer a requisition?

Respond promptly, but only after preparing a complete and accurate response. A rushed partial answer may result in another requisition and a longer delay.

### 7. Can the court tell me exactly when probate will be granted?

Court staff may explain the application’s administrative status, but they cannot usually guarantee a grant date. Approval depends on review of the documents, current workload and whether further evidence is required.

### 8. Should beneficiaries receive probate status updates?

Yes. Beneficiaries should receive measured updates stating when the application was filed, whether a requisition has arisen and when the next follow-up will occur. An update should not promise a fixed grant or distribution date.