Where Should You Store Your Will?

Drafting and signing your Will is a major milestone, but where you keep the original document is just as important as writing it. Every year, hundreds of UK estates face delays, extra costs, or severe family disputes simply because a Will goes missing or gets damaged.

Knowing how to properly store your Will—and who to inform about its location—ensures your final wishes are honoured without unnecessary stress for your loved ones.

Quick Summary: Where Is the Best Place to Store a Will?

Key Takeaway: Original Wills should be stored in a safe, fireproof location accessible to your executors after death. The safest options include storing it with a solicitor/Will writer, lodging it with HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), or registering its location on the National Will Register.

Why Is Original Will Storage So Important?

For a Will to be legally valid during probate, the original physical document must usually be presented. If the original cannot be found, the law may assume you revoked it, causing your estate to be distributed according to default intestacy rules rather than your personal wishes.

Improper storage leads to:

• Severe Probate Delays: Administrators must conduct extensive searches across banks and law firms.

• Higher Legal Costs: Extra solicitors’ fees paid out of the estate to locate missing papers.

• Risk of Invalidation: Physical damage, such as tears, water stains, or missing pages, can render a Will invalid in court.

The 4 Main Options for Storing Your Will

When deciding where to keep your original Will, evaluate safety, cost, and ease of access for your executors.

1. Store with Your Solicitor or Professional Will Writer

• How it works: Most professional Will writers and solicitors offer secure storage facilities upon execution of your Will. You receive a legal copy and a official receipt for your records.

• Pros: Highly secure, professional oversight, and protection against physical damage.

• What if the firm closes? Law firms are strictly regulated. If a practice closes or merges, all stored Wills are transferred safely to a successor firm or held safely under Law Society oversight, and you will be notified.

2. Store with HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS)

• How it works: You can officially lodge your Will with HMCTS for a small, one-off fee (currently £22). You submit the document alongside an official deposit form.

• Pros: Official government storage that provides an official Certificate of Deposit to keep with your home papers.

• Cons: Retrieving the Will during your lifetime requires a formal legal process.

3. Keep It at Home (With Caution)

• How it works: You keep the original document in a safe or file cabinet alongside other important personal documents.

• Pros: Free and immediately accessible.

• Cons: High risk of fire, flood, loss, or unauthorized tampering. If you choose this option, keep it in a waterproof and fireproof safe, and ensure it is not stapled, clipped, or altered in any way.

4. Store It at Your Bank

• How it works: Some high street banks offer document storage services for customer papers.

• CRITICAL WARNING: Never put an original Will in a bank safety deposit box. When you pass away, your executors cannot open a safety deposit box without a Grant of Probate.  More importantly, they cannot get a Grant of Probate without presenting the original Will. This creates a legal dead end.

Will Storage Options Compared

Storage Option	Security Level	Access for Executors	Cost
Solicitor / Will Writer	Very High	Easy (With Death Certificate)	Varies (Often Low/Free)
HMCTS (Government)	Very High	Straightforward via Probate	£22 One-Off Fee
Home Storage	Low to Medium	Immediate (If Location Known)	Free
Bank Deposit Box	High	Extremely Difficult (Avoid)	Varies

Who Should You Tell About Your Will?

Storing your Will safely is only half the battle—your executors must know where to find it.

1. Inform Your Executors Directly: Tell your named executors exactly where the original document is stored and provide them with reference numbers or deposit receipts.

2. Register with the National Will Register: You can formally register your Will’s location with the Certainty National Will Register (which holds details on over 10 million Wills in the UK). They do not store the document itself, but they record where it is kept so solicitors and executors can locate it easily after your death.

3. Keep a Written Record: Place a clear note alongside your daily household paperwork stating where the official Will is stored.

How Do Solicitors Find a Missing Will?

If a deceased person’s Will cannot be located immediately at home, probate solicitors conduct a formal search process, which includes:

• Searching through personal papers and home records.

• Writing to local banks, historic solicitors, and former law practices.

• Checking Law Society archives for closed or merged firms.

• Searching official government records via HMCTS.

• Conducting a formal search request through the National Will Register.

 

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