How to find a deceased person's will in New Zealand

Written by Henry Smith · Reviewed by Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931) · Updated 2026-10-20 · Reviewed annually, or sooner if the rules it describes change.

To find a will in New Zealand, start with the person's own papers and the people who helped with their affairs, then ask their lawyer, law firm or trust company, and then the High Court if probate or administration has been applied for. The Ministry of Justice names three places a will may be held (the High Court, a lawyer or trust company, and Archives New Zealand for older records) and its guide does not mention a single national will register (Ministry of Justice: How to find and get a copy of a will).

This is general information. If you are caring for someone who has just died, take the steps below at your own pace: a funeral does not have to wait for the will to be found, and the search does not need to be finished before you ring the funeral director.

What should you have in hand first?

The Ministry of Justice says it helps to know the person's full name, the date they died and where they lived when they died. Any other names they used, such as a maiden name, also help. Gather these before you ring or email anyone; every office you contact will ask.

The steps, in order

Search the person's papers. Look through files, drawers, a safe, a bank deposit box and email. Look for letters or invoices from a lawyer, accountant or trust company, which are the usual clue to where the will is kept.
Ask family, friends and advisers. govt.nz says "the person who died may have already told some people where their will is." The Ministry of Justice suggests also asking their lawyer, accountant or anyone else who helped manage their personal affairs, since wills are often held by law firms for safekeeping.
Contact their lawyer, law firm or trust company. Before probate is filed, a will is usually held by the person's lawyer. Trust companies named in the Ministry's guide are Public Trust, Perpetual Guardian and Trustees Executors. A lawyer may be unable to give you a copy, or to confirm who the executors or beneficiaries are, because of client confidentiality. That is not a refusal to help; it is a reason to ask the executor, if you can identify one, or to get advice.
Trace a lawyer you cannot name. If the person owned property, a Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) title search may show the lawyer who acted. The New Zealand Law Society's register of practising lawyers and its Find a Lawyer tool give contact details. If the lawyer has retired or closed, the Law Society's regional branches may know which firm took over the files.
Ask the High Court. Once someone applies for probate or letters of administration, the court file becomes a public record and anyone can request copies of its documents, including the will. The search fee is $41 and the Ministry says the court usually replies within 2 weeks of payment. Our probate records search guide covers what the fee includes and how to make the request.
Try Archives New Zealand for older records. The High Court keeps probate records for up to 25 years and then usually transfers them. Archives has an online search catalogue and files stored offsite must be ordered in advance, so allow more time.
Advertise for the lawyer. If you cannot identify a lawyer, you can place a notice asking whether any lawyer holds the will, in a Law Society regional newsletter or in Law Talk, the Society's national magazine. Notices are usually placed by lawyers, but private individuals can place them, and fees may apply. Contact the Law Society for details.

Which court holds the file?

It depends on when the application was filed: since 4 June 2013 every application goes through the Wellington High Court, and older ones were usually filed at the High Court nearest to where the person lived (Ministry of Justice, read 20 October 2026). The routing table, the Probate Unit's contact details and the online search for newer records are on the probate records search guide, so they are not repeated here.

Is there a reading of the will in New Zealand?

None of the official guidance we read describes a formal reading of the will, and no rule we found requires one. What the sources describe is a route to a copy: a lawyer or trust company holding the will, the executor named in it, or, once probate is applied for, the public court file. For who may ask for a copy before then, see who is entitled to a copy of a will.

How long until you know what the will says?

It depends on whether probate is needed. govt.nz says it "usually takes 6 to 8 weeks to get probate or a letter of administration, during busy times, it may take longer." The Ministry of Justice's guide for simple applications says "a typical timeframe is 15 working days, unless more information is required." We would not rely on either as a promise. If the will is held by a lawyer and the executor is not applying for probate, nothing in these sources sets a deadline for sharing it.

Does the search hold up the funeral or paying bills?

Not necessarily. The funeral can go ahead, and govt.nz says banks can release funds for funeral costs without the person arranging it being the executor or waiting for probate. Community Law points out that whatever the will says about burial or cremation, the executor has the final say. For debts and what the estate owes, see debts when someone dies.

What if no will can be found?

If you have made all reasonable efforts and still cannot find one, the Ministry of Justice says the estate will usually be treated as if there is no will, called intestate. Then the law decides who inherits (see dying without a will) and someone applies to the High Court for letters of administration (see letters of administration). The Ministry suggests legal advice if you think you are a beneficiary but cannot get information, if there is a dispute, if you are unsure whether probate or administration has been filed, or if you are responsible for administering the estate.

Other things you may find while looking

Papers often turn up a life or funeral insurance policy, KiwiSaver or bank statements and forgotten accounts. Who a life insurer pays depends on policy ownership and the insurer's terms; see our guide to who gets a life insurance payout if you have found a policy. Money that organisations could not return to the person can end up with Inland Revenue; our unclaimed money guide explains how to search for it (Inland Revenue: Unclaimed money).

Nothing above needs a policy. For anyone who later wants cover of their own, the buttons on this page lead to Momentum Life's online quotes. Quick Life (ages 18 to 65, no health questions) excludes pre-existing conditions and suicide in its first 2 years. Funeral Insurance (ages 40 to 75) pays only for accidental death in its first 24 months, and total premiums can end up larger than the benefit. Momentum Life Limited is rated B (Fair) by A.M. Best (Momentum Life: Financial strength). Our funeral insurance guide and how much life insurance costs set out the options, and the Quick Life page has the plan details.

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Adviser's view

Start with the papers and the people who helped the person with their affairs, then their lawyer or trust company, and only then the court. The High Court only holds a will once someone has applied for probate, so for a recent death the lawyer is usually where it is. If every reasonable search fails, the estate is generally treated as having no will.

Henry Smith, Financial Adviser (FSP1010699). General information, not personalised financial advice.

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Cite this page QuoteHub NZ (2026). How to Find a Will NZ: Where to Look First. www.quotehub.co.nz/guides/estate/how-to-find-a-will-nz. Updated 2026-10-20.