The BC Wills Notice Search, Explained (and Why It's Mandatory)

What it is: BC keeps a central Wills Registry (through Vital Statistics) where people can file a notice of where their will is stored. Before issuing any grant, the court requires a certified wills notice search result confirming whether such a notice exists — it's how BC guards against probating the wrong (or an outdated) will.

Important nuance: the registry holds notices, not the wills themselves. A search tells you a will's stated location, not its contents — and many valid wills were never registered at all (registration is optional).

How to actually do it:

1. Order the search from BC Vital Statistics (online or by mail) with the deceased's full name, birth date, and death details; a fee applies.
2. Wait for the certified result — order this early; it's a common bottleneck.
3. If a notice exists, retrieve the will from the stated location; if the location is stale, document your search efforts.
4. Include the certified search result in your probate application package.

Common mistakes: ordering late and stalling the application, searching only one name variation (search known aliases/maiden names), and assuming "no notice" means "no will."

Where to order: BC Vital Statistics; background via the BC government's wills & estates pages: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/death/wills-estates

Foxglove is a guide, not a law firm. General information, not legal advice; forms and rules change — confirm current requirements with the Supreme Court of BC, the official BC government forms page, or a qualified BC professional. Find vetted BC help →