If you've started reading about probate in British Columbia, you've probably hit a wall of form numbers — P1, P2, P3, P9, P10 — with almost no explanation of what they are or which ones apply to you. It's one of the most common places executors get stuck.
Here's the reassuring part: there's a defined set of forms, you won't need all of them, and they follow a logical order. This page walks through the ones a typical estate needs, in the sequence you'll use them, and tells you — for each one — who fills it out, what gets attached, and where it goes.
This is a guide, not a law firm, and it isn't legal advice. Court forms and fees change, so confirm the current versions on the BC government's probate forms page before you file. If your estate is large, contested, or unusual, a probate lawyer is worth the cost — we list BC probate lawyers in our directory.
The rule that trips everyone up: the 21-day notice
Start here, because this is the step people skip: in BC you cannot file your probate application the day you're ready. The law requires you to give 21 days' notice first.
- Before you file anything at the court, you must mail or hand-deliver a Form P1 — Notice of Proposed Application to everyone with a legal interest: the beneficiaries named in the will, the spouse, anyone who would inherit if there were no will, and (in some cases) the Public Guardian and Trustee.
- You include a copy of the will with the notices where required.
- Then you wait 21 days. That window lets a recipient object by filing a Notice of Dispute (Form P20). If no one disputes, you move ahead.
- Keep a record of how and when you sent each notice (date, address, method). You'll swear to it later in Form P9.
How to actually do it: download Form P1 from the BC government probate forms page, fill in the deceased's details and your details as the person applying, list every party being notified, and send it by a method you can prove (registered mail, or in person with a note of the date). Do not file at the registry until day 22 or later.
Which forms you need
Your exact package depends on whether there's a will. Two common cases:
If there IS a will (you're the executor applying for a grant of probate):
- Form P1 — Notice of Proposed Application (sent first; you wait 21 days)
- Form P2 — Submission for Estate Grant (the cover application)
- Form P3 — Affidavit of Applicant, short form (for straightforward estates) — OR Form P4, the long-form version, if the estate is more complex
- Form P9 — Affidavit of Delivery (proves you sent the P1 notices)
- Form P10 — Affidavit of Assets and Liabilities (if the deceased lived in BC) — OR Form P11 (if they lived outside BC but owned BC assets)
- The original will
If there is NO will (you're applying for a grant of administration):
- Form P1 — Notice of Proposed Application
- Form P2 — Submission for Estate Grant
- Form P5 — Affidavit of Applicant for administration without will annexed (this replaces P3/P4) — see applying without a will in BC
- Form P9 — Affidavit of Delivery
- Form P10 (or P11) — Affidavit of Assets and Liabilities
A few situational forms you may also meet:
- Form P8 — Affidavit in support, sworn by a second applicant when there's more than one executor and only one swears the main affidavit.
- Form P17 — Notice of Renunciation, if a named executor is stepping aside (more in our executor questions).
- Form P14 — filed later to correct or add to the assets you reported on the P10.
- Forms P22 / P23 — to reseal a grant first issued in another province or country.
Form by form: what each one does
Form P1 — Notice of Proposed Application in Relation to Estate
What it is: your formal heads-up to everyone with an interest that you intend to apply. Who fills it: you (the applicant). What's attached: a copy of the will, where required. Where it goes: mailed/delivered to the parties — NOT filed at court yet. Then wait 21 days. Full P1 walkthrough →
Form P2 — Submission for Estate Grant
What it is: the cover sheet of the whole application — it tells the registry what grant you're asking for, who the parties are, and what supporting documents you're filing. Who fills it: you. Heads-up: this is the long one, and it's where most people slow down — take it section by section. Where it goes: filed at the probate registry with the rest of the package. Full P2 walkthrough →
Form P3 / P4 — Affidavit of Applicant (with a will)
What it is: your sworn statement that you're the right person to administer the estate and that the will is the last valid one. Use P3 for a routine estate; use P4 when there are wrinkles (a copy instead of the original will, alterations, staple marks, signing irregularities). Who fills it: you, sworn before a lawyer, notary, or commissioner for oaths. Where it goes: filed with the P2. Full P3/P4 walkthrough →
Form P5 — Affidavit of Applicant (no will)
What it is: the equivalent sworn statement when there's no will and you're applying to administer the estate. Who fills it: the person entitled to apply (usually the closest next of kin), sworn before a commissioner. Where it goes: filed with the P2 instead of a P3/P4.
Form P9 — Affidavit of Delivery
What it is: your sworn proof that you sent the P1 notices to everyone required, and when. Who fills it: you. What's attached: a copy of the P1 notice you sent, marked as an exhibit ("Exhibit A"). Where it goes: filed with the P2. Full P9 walkthrough →
Form P10 / P11 — Affidavit of Assets and Liabilities
What it is: the itemized list of what the deceased owned and owed. The registry uses it to calculate the probate fee, so accuracy matters. Use P10 if the deceased was living in BC; use P11 if they lived elsewhere but had assets here. Who fills it: you, sworn before a commissioner. Where it goes: filed with the P2. If you find more assets later, you report them on a Form P14. Full P10 walkthrough →
A note on numbering: when you assemble the package, the affidavits are numbered in the order they're sworn. For example, the P3 might be your 1st affidavit, the P9 your 2nd, and the P10 your 3rd. The registry expects that sequence.
Where and how to file, and what it costs
Where you file: the application goes to a probate registry of the Supreme Court of British Columbia. You can file at any probate registry in the province — many people use the one nearest them. (You don't go before a judge; a registry clerk reviews the paperwork.)
What happens next: the clerk checks your package. If something's off — a missing exhibit, an arithmetic slip on the P10 — they'll send it back with a note. If it's in order and the fee is paid, the court issues your grant (the "representation grant"), which is the official document proving you have authority to deal with the estate's banks, land, and investments.
What it costs (confirm current figures before you rely on these): BC charges a probate fee based on the gross value of the estate, calculated from your P10/P11:
- No probate fee if the estate is $25,000 or less.
- $6 for every $1,000 of value between $25,000 and $50,000 (so at most $150 for this band).
- $14 for every $1,000 of value above $50,000.
- Plus a one-time $200 application fee if the estate is over $25,000.
A quick example: a $1,000,000 estate pays $150 on the $25,000–$50,000 band, then $14 per $1,000 on the $950,000 above that ($13,300) — $13,450 in probate fees, plus the $200 application fee: about $13,650 all-in. Estimate yours in seconds with the BC probate fee calculator.
The court also charges a small fee for each certified copy of the grant — order a few, since banks and the land title office each want one. These amounts are set by the Probate Fee Act and can change; verify the current schedule on the BC government site before filing.
Common snags, and when to get help
- The 21-day notice. You can't shortcut it. File on day 22 or later, not before.
- Form P2 length. It's detailed. Work through it in one sitting with the will and the death certificate in front of you.
- P3 vs P4. If anything about the will is irregular (it's a copy, it's altered, the signing looks off), you likely need the long-form P4 — and probably a lawyer's eye.
- P10 accuracy. Under- or over-stating assets causes delays and can mean paying additional fees later. Get account balances as at the date of death.
- Domicile. Use P10 if the person lived in BC, P11 if they lived elsewhere but owned BC property. Mixing these up is a common bounce-back.
When a lawyer is worth it: if the estate is large, the will is being challenged, beneficiaries are in conflict, there's a business or foreign assets, or you simply don't want to carry the risk alone — a probate lawyer will save you time and worry. You can find BC probate lawyers in the Foxglove directory.
New to all of this? Start with what to do after a death or browse executor questions, answered plainly.