Probate, a succession certificate and a legal heir certificate answer three different questions. Probate answers “is this the deceased’s valid last will?” and is granted by a court to the executor. A succession certificate answers “who may collect this bank money and these shares?” and is granted by the district court. A legal heir certificate answers “who are the surviving family members?” and is issued by the revenue authorities. Which one you need depends on what the deceased owned, on whether there is a will, and on what the institution holding the asset asks for.
The three documents side by side
| Probate (or letters of administration) | Succession certificate | Legal heir certificate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A court grant establishing a will | A court order to collect specified debts and securities | An administrative record of surviving family members |
| Law | Indian Succession Act, 1925, Part IX | Indian Succession Act, 1925, Part X | Delhi government revenue procedure |
| Issued by, in Delhi | District Judge, or the Delhi High Court (concurrent jurisdiction) | District court where the deceased lived | SDM’s office, as a Surviving Member Certificate |
| Will needed? | Probate: yes, with a named executor. Letters of administration: with or without a will | Usually used where there is no will | No |
| Covers | The whole estate under the will | Only the debts and securities listed in it | Not a grant over any asset |
| Decides title? | Establishes the will, binding on everyone; title disputes may still need a suit | No, the decision is summary and does not bar a suit | No |
| Public notice | Yes, citation and publication | Yes, notice and publication | Verification by the Tehsildar |
| Typical time if uncontested | A few months to around a year | A few months to around a year | Commonly a few weeks |
Timelines are ranges, not promises. A contest in either court route can add years.
Probate and letters of administration
Probate is granted only to an executor named in the will. Where the will names no executor, or the executor will not act, the court grants letters of administration with the will annexed. Where there is no will, it grants plain letters of administration. The petition is filed before the District Judge or, under Section 300 of the Act, on the original side of the Delhi High Court.
Is probate compulsory in Delhi? For wills by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists, Section 213 makes probate compulsory only for wills within clauses (a) and (b) of Section 57, which concern certain former presidency towns and territories and immovable property there. Delhi is not among them, and Section 213 does not apply to wills by Muslims or Indian Christians. Equally, Section 212(2) means letters of administration are not compulsory when a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Indian Christian or Parsi dies without a will.
When probate is still worth it. Because probate binds everyone, it is useful where a challenge to the will is likely, where several institutions hold large assets, or where a buyer of the property wants certainty. Once a person objects, the probate case is tried as a regular suit, which is where our guide on how to challenge a will in Delhi becomes relevant.
Succession certificate
A succession certificate under Part X of the Indian Succession Act lets the holder collect specified debts and securities: bank deposits, shares, debentures and money owed to the deceased. Section 381 makes it conclusive against the debtors, so a bank or company that pays the holder in good faith is protected.
It has clear limits. It does not cover immovable property, it cannot be granted for assets that need probate or letters of administration, and Section 387 says its summary decision does not bar a later suit on the same question. The holder collects the money but must account for it to whoever is lawfully entitled. Our step-by-step guide to a succession certificate in Delhi covers the petition, notice, objections and bond.
Legal heir certificate
In Delhi, the certificate commonly called a legal heir certificate is issued by the Revenue Department as a Surviving Member Certificate, through the office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate. You apply online through the e-District portal with the death certificate, identity and address proof of the applicant and family members, and a self-declaration, and the facts are verified through the Tehsildar.
It is a record of who the family members are, not a court decision on who inherits what. It is widely used for family pensions, government dues, mutation of property records and smaller claims.
What banks, registrars and societies usually ask for
Practice varies between institutions and changes over time, so always ask the institution for its current list. In general:
- Banks. Where there is a nominee or a surviving joint holder, the bank usually pays them under its claim procedure. Otherwise, many banks settle smaller claims on a legal heir certificate with indemnity and no-objection papers from the heirs, and ask for a succession certificate, probate or letters of administration for larger amounts or where heirs disagree. A nominee generally receives the money as the person the bank may pay; the heirs’ rights under the will or succession law are a separate question.
- Share registrars and depositories. Transmission follows SEBI’s rules, which allow simplified documents for holdings below value thresholds that SEBI has revised more than once. Above the threshold, or where the claim is contested, registrars commonly ask for probate, letters of administration or a succession certificate.
- Housing societies and land-owning agencies. Each follows its own rules for transferring membership or recording heirs. Many act on a legal heir certificate with no-objection affidavits from the other heirs, or on a registered relinquishment deed, and ask for probate where the claim rests on a will that others may dispute. For the property records themselves, see our guide to mutation after the owner’s death.
How to choose: a short checklist
- List the assets and who holds each one: banks, companies, societies, the property tax or land records.
- Check for a will and whether it names an executor.
- Check nominations and joint holdings, which may let an asset pass without a court document.
- Ask each institution what it needs for the amount involved.
- Assess the family. If every heir agrees, a legal heir certificate with consents, or a family settlement, may be enough. If anyone disagrees, a court route is usually unavoidable.
- Choose the court route that covers the most. Where there is a will and a likely challenge, probate covers the whole estate in one proceeding. Where there is no will, a single succession certificate can list every debt and security together.
When the family disagrees
None of these documents settles a dispute over a house or plot. That is decided by a suit for declaration or, where the heirs hold shares, by partition. Our guide to how a partition suit works in Delhi explains the stages.
Our succession lawyers in Delhi can read the will and the asset list and tell you which document each asset needs. Call 99115 44811 or write to manujalawyers@gmail.com. This post is general information, not advice on your case, and no lawyer can promise a particular result.