BC Probate Forms: Every Form You Need and When to Use It

The BC Supreme Court probate forms are not complicated once you understand why each one exists. The problem is that most executors encounter them in isolation — downloading individual PDFs without knowing the sequence, dependencies, and common errors that trigger rejection. The registry will send your application back with minimal explanation, adding months to a process that already has built-in waiting periods.

Here is a plain-English guide to every form in the standard BC probate application.

Form P1 — Notice of Proposed Application

What it does: This is the mandatory notice you send to all interested parties before you can even file with the court.

Who must receive it: Every beneficiary named in the will, every person who would have inherited under intestacy rules (even if they are excluded by the will), and the Public Guardian and Trustee (PGT) if any minor or mentally incapable adult is involved.

Critical timing rule: You must wait a full 21 days after delivering Form P1 before filing your probate application with the court. Filing before the 21 days are up will result in immediate rejection. Count carefully — the 21-day period begins the day after delivery, not the day of.

Delivery method matters: You can deliver by mail, in person, or electronically if the recipient consents. Keep proof of every delivery — you will need it for Form P9.

Form P2 — Submission for Estate Grant

What it does: This is the cover sheet for the entire probate application. It identifies the estate, the applicant, the type of grant being requested, and the number of certified copies you need.

Order enough certified copies here. Financial institutions, the LTSA, and ICBC will each demand a certified copy of the Grant of Probate before releasing assets or transferring property. Each copy costs $40. Order at least five to eight in Form P2 — changing this number after the fact requires additional filings.

Form P3 — Affidavit of Applicant for Grant of Probate (Standard)

What it does: This is the sworn statement where the executor confirms the facts of the estate — that the deceased is dead, that the will is valid, and that the executor is the right person to administer the estate.

When to use P3 vs. P4: Form P3 is for standard applications where the original will is intact. If the will has been altered in any way — staples removed, pages replaced, anything that raises a question about tampering — you must use Form P4 instead.

The staple problem. The registry is specifically watching for wills where the original staple has been removed and replaced. If a family member photocopied the will by unstapling it, even briefly, this can trigger a tampered document flag. With Form P4, you must submit additional sworn affidavits explaining exactly who removed the staple, when, where, and why.

Form P4 — Affidavit of Applicant for Grant of Probate (Long Form)

What it does: The extended version of Form P3, used for non-standard situations.

Required when: The original will is lost and only a copy exists, the will has been altered or shows signs of physical modification, or the will is damaged.

If you are using P4 because the original will is lost, you must submit sworn evidence proving the copy is authentic and that the deceased did not intentionally destroy the original will to revoke it — this is legally important because deliberate destruction revokes a will in BC.

Form P5 — Affidavit of Applicant for Grant of Administration

What it does: Used when the deceased died without a will (intestate). This form is the equivalent of P3/P4 but for administrators rather than executors.

Who applies as administrator: The court follows a priority order — the surviving spouse or adult children typically have first right to apply. The Public Guardian and Trustee can apply if no one else is willing or able.

Note: if you are using Form P5, you do not use Form P2. The Submission for Estate Grant applies only to grant of probate applications. Check the specific court registry filing instructions for the intestate package.

Form P9 — Affidavit of Delivery

What it does: This is your proof that you actually delivered Form P1 to everyone required.

What it must contain: For each recipient, you need to document the method of delivery, the date, and sufficient detail that a court could verify it happened. If you mailed P1, attach proof of postage or tracking. If you delivered in person, note the date, time, and location.

Why people get rejected here: Leaving recipients off the P1 list — particularly family members who would inherit under intestacy but are not beneficiaries under the will. The registry checks this carefully. If the deceased had children from a previous relationship, those children must be notified even if they receive nothing under the will.

Form P10 — Affidavit of Assets and Liabilities

What it does: This is the comprehensive inventory of everything in the estate. The court uses it to calculate the probate fee you owe.

The gross value rule: Report gross values, not net values. Real estate is listed at fair market value, minus any registered mortgage (registered mortgages are the one debt that can be deducted). Credit cards, personal loans, and other unsecured debts cannot reduce the gross asset value for fee calculation purposes.

Non-estate assets are excluded: Do not include jointly held assets (right of survivorship), RRSPs with named beneficiaries, life insurance with named beneficiaries, or TFSAs. These pass outside the estate and are not subject to probate fees.

Get valuations before you file. Estimating real estate value is a common error. The registry can question values that appear unreasonably low. If the estate includes real property, use a professional appraisal or recent comparable sales.

Filing Options: In Person vs. Court Services Online (CSO)

You can file your probate package in person at any Supreme Court of BC probate registry, or electronically through Court Services Online (CSO) if you have a registered CSO account.

E-filing via CSO incurs a non-statutory package fee (verify the current amount on the CSO website — historically around $7). E-filing requires all documents submitted as properly formatted PDFs. In-person filings allow you to get registry staff to flag obvious errors on the spot, though they cannot provide legal advice.

Allow 8 to 16 weeks for processing after a complete application is filed. The wait varies by registry location and the complexity of the estate.

If you find the form sequence confusing, the BC Estate Settlement Guide includes a step-by-step filing checklist that walks you through completing each form in the correct order, what to attach to each one, and the most common rejection reasons to avoid.

Common Rejection Reasons to Avoid

• Filing before the 21-day P1 notice period has elapsed
• Missing beneficiaries or intestate heirs from the P1 notice list
• Not including the Wills Notice Search certificate with the application
• Using Form P3 when the will shows signs of physical alteration
• Leaving mandatory fields blank instead of writing "nil"
• Typos in the deceased's legal name that differ from the death certificate
• Requesting too few certified copies of the grant in Form P2

Each of these results in a rejection letter and weeks of additional delay. Check every field, double-check the notice recipients, and confirm the Wills Notice Search certificate is ready before you file.

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