Applying for probate yourself is a legitimate option for straightforward estates. This guide walks you through every step — from completing the SA.2 for Revenue to attending your appointment at the Probate Office. For a broader look at whether a personal application suits your situation, see our guide to DIY probate versus hiring a solicitor. Getting the forms right first time matters: before revised forms became mandatory in October 2024, 45% of probate applications contained errors serious enough to cause rejection. The new forms brought that down to 16% — but one in six applications is still returned.
How to complete the probate application
Follow these five steps in order. Each builds on the previous one.
Check whether you can apply as a personal applicant
Before completing any forms, confirm that the Probate Office will accept a personal application for your estate. You must instruct a solicitor if any of the following apply:
- There are disputes among the beneficiaries or next of kin
- The original will is lost or its validity is being questioned
- The applicant is under 18 or lacks decision-making capacity
- The deceased was domiciled outside the Republic of Ireland
- The applicant does not live in the Republic and there are beneficiaries (other than the spouse) who will inherit €20,000 or more
The Probate Officer may also require a solicitor in other circumstances. If you are unsure, check with the Probate Office before investing time in a personal application. For a full comparison of doing it yourself versus hiring a solicitor, see our guide to DIY probate in Ireland.
Complete the Statement of Affairs (SA.2) on Revenue's myAccount or ROS
The SA.2 is Revenue's electronic form that replaced the older Inland Revenue Affidavit (Form CA24) for deaths on or after 5 December 2001. You must complete it before submitting your Personal Application Form because you need the Notice of Acknowledgement it generates.
How to file: sign in to myAccount or Revenue Online Service (ROS). Select “Statement of Affairs (Probate) Form SA.2” on the Gift and Inheritance tile, then “Submit an application.”
Information you will need:
- Applicant details and the deceased person's Personal Public Service Number (PPSN)
- Details of all assets held solely, jointly, and by nomination at the date of death
- Details of all liabilities at the date of death
- Beneficiary details, including their PPSNs and the value of benefits each will receive
Once submitted, print the Notice of Acknowledgement (Probate). You will need this for the next step.
Complete and submit the Personal Application Form
Download the Personal Application Form from courts.ie. The form has four sections, and all sections (A through D) must be completed in every case, even if some fields seem irrelevant to your situation.
Key information required:
- The full name of the deceased, noting any variations (maiden name, middle name, abbreviations)
- The deceased's domicile— the country they regarded as their permanent home
- All applicants' names (these must match the Notice of Acknowledgement from Revenue exactly)
- The last residential address of the deceased and, if different, the address shown in the will
- Any other relevant former addresses (Section D)
Submit the following together:
- The completed Personal Application Form
- The printed Notice of Acknowledgement from Revenue (signed by all applicants)
- The original death certificate(or Coroner's interim certificate)
- A photocopyof the will and any codicils (amendments to the will) — do not send the original
Submit to the correct Probate Office
Where you submit depends on where the deceased lived at the time of death:
- Dublin, Kildare, Meath, or Wicklow: Dublin Probate Office, 1st Floor, Phoenix House, 15/24 Phoenix Street North, Smithfield, Dublin 7, D07 X028
- Any other county in Ireland: the Dublin Probate Office or the District Probate Registry for the county where the deceased lived
- Outside the Republic of Ireland: the Dublin Probate Office (a solicitor may be required)
There are 14 District Probate Registries across Ireland, from Cork to Letterkenny. A full list with addresses and contact details is available on courts.ie.
Attend your appointment and swear the oath
After lodging your application, the Probate Office will issue you an appointment date. In Dublin, this is currently 10 to 12 weeks from the date your application is lodged. District Probate Registries have their own timelines.
At the appointment, a probate official will:
- Review your documents and may ask for clarification or additional information
- Ask you to swear or affirm an oath before the probate official
- Calculate and collect your Probate Office fees, based on the net value of the Irish estate
Once approved, the Grant of Probate — the court's permission to manage the estate — is typically posted to you within three weeks of the appointment.
Probate Office fees for personal applicants
Fees are calculated based on the net value of the Irish estate and are paid at your appointment. Personal applicants pay approximately double the fee charged for solicitor applications at every tier.
Up to €100,000
€200
€100
Up to €250,000
€400
€200
Up to €500,000
€700
€350
Up to €750,000
€1,000
€500
Up to €1,000,000
€1,300
€650
Over €1,000,000
€1,300 + €800 per additional €500,000
€650 + €400 per additional €500,000
Probate Office application fees: personal applicant versus solicitor (courts.ie, April 2026).
| Net estate value | Personal applicant fee | Solicitor application fee |
|---|---|---|
| Up to €100,000 | €200 | €100 |
| Up to €250,000 | €400 | €200 |
| Up to €500,000 | €700 | €350 |
| Up to €750,000 | €1,000 | €500 |
| Up to €1,000,000 | €1,300 | €650 |
| Over €1,000,000 | €1,300 + €800 per additional €500,000 | €650 + €400 per additional €500,000 |
For a full breakdown of all probate costs, including solicitor fees, valuations, and tax advisor charges, see our guide to probate costs and fees in Ireland.
Common mistakes that cause rejections
The Probate Office returns applications that do not meet its requirements. Applications with multiple unresolved queries may be returned in their entirety and treated as new files when resubmitted — which means rejoining the processing queue from the beginning. The table below lists the most common mistakes.
Name inconsistencies across documents
The deceased's name must match exactly on the will, death certificate, SA.2, and Personal Application Form. Any variation — a maiden name, a middle name, an abbreviation — must be noted on the form.
Incorrectly executed oath or affirmation
The oath or affirmation sworn at the Probate Office appointment must follow precise legal requirements. This is one of the most common reasons applications are rejected.
Applicant details differ between SA.2 and the Personal Application Form
The applicants listed on the Revenue Notice of Acknowledgement must exactly match the applicants listed in Section C of the Personal Application Form. Each applicant must sign both documents.
Sending the original will instead of a photocopy
Send a photocopy of the will and any codicils (amendments to the will). Do not send the original. Do not attach anything to the originals or remove staples, pins, or binding when photocopying.
Incomplete sections on the Personal Application Form
All sections (A through D) must be completed in every case, even if some fields seem irrelevant to your situation.
Undervaluing or omitting assets on the SA.2
Revenue requires the full value of all assets held solely, jointly, and by nomination at the date of death. Omissions or undervaluations trigger Revenue queries that delay the entire application.
Not accounting for prior gifts in CAT calculations
Capital Acquisitions Tax thresholds are lifetime cumulative. Any previous gifts or inheritances from the same group count toward the total. Missing these means incorrect beneficiary benefit values on the SA.2.
The most common mistakes that cause probate applications to be rejected in Ireland.
| Mistake | Why it causes a rejection |
|---|---|
| Name inconsistencies across documents | The deceased's name must match exactly on the will, death certificate, SA.2, and Personal Application Form. Any variation — a maiden name, a middle name, an abbreviation — must be noted on the form. |
| Incorrectly executed oath or affirmation | The oath or affirmation sworn at the Probate Office appointment must follow precise legal requirements. This is one of the most common reasons applications are rejected. |
| Applicant details differ between SA.2 and the Personal Application Form | The applicants listed on the Revenue Notice of Acknowledgement must exactly match the applicants listed in Section C of the Personal Application Form. Each applicant must sign both documents. |
| Sending the original will instead of a photocopy | Send a photocopy of the will and any codicils (amendments to the will). Do not send the original. Do not attach anything to the originals or remove staples, pins, or binding when photocopying. |
| Incomplete sections on the Personal Application Form | All sections (A through D) must be completed in every case, even if some fields seem irrelevant to your situation. |
| Undervaluing or omitting assets on the SA.2 | Revenue requires the full value of all assets held solely, jointly, and by nomination at the date of death. Omissions or undervaluations trigger Revenue queries that delay the entire application. |
| Not accounting for prior gifts in CAT calculations | Capital Acquisitions Tax thresholds are lifetime cumulative. Any previous gifts or inheritances from the same group count toward the total. Missing these means incorrect beneficiary benefit values on the SA.2. |
For a deeper look at rejection reasons and how to respond if your application is returned, see our guide to common reasons probate applications are rejected.
Tips for getting your application right first time
Check every name carefully.The deceased's name must be consistent across the will, death certificate, SA.2, and Personal Application Form. If the deceased used different versions of their name — a maiden name, a middle name, or an abbreviation — note every variation on the form.
Get accurate valuations before filing the SA.2. Property should be valued by a qualified valuer at the date of death. Bank and investment values should come directly from the institutions. Estimated figures invite Revenue queries. In the estates we coordinate, incomplete SA.2 forms are the single most common cause of delays — even small omissions can trigger queries that push an application back weeks.
Account for prior gifts.Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT) thresholds are lifetime cumulative — €400,000 (Group A), €40,000 (Group B), €20,000 (Group C), taxed at 33% above the threshold. Previous gifts or inheritances within the same group reduce the available threshold, and missing these leads to incorrect beneficiary benefit values on the SA.2.
Read the guidance note and double-check signatures. The Courts Service publishes a detailed guidance note for completing the Personal Application Form on courts.ie. Read it before starting the form. Ensure the applicants named on the Revenue Notice of Acknowledgement match Section C of the Personal Application Form exactly, and that each applicant signs both documents.