How do I search the BC Wills Registry for a deceased person's will in British Columbia?
This answer covers the law of British Columbia.
You can search the BC Wills Registry by sending Vital Statistics an Application for Search of Wills Notice (VSA 532) with a photocopy of the death certificate. If the person who made the will has died, anyone who provides the documentation and payment can apply. You can submit it by mail or in person at a Service BC counter, though not at the Vancouver, Burnaby or Surrey locations.
The fee is $20 per search plus $5 per additional name the person may have used by mail, and courier adds $33. The result is not the will itself. It shows the date the will was signed, where the will was located at that time, and the date Vital Statistics received the notice. While the person is alive, only the person or a lawyer can request a search.
If you later apply for probate, a wills search result must be included even if you believe you have the original last will. Fees can change, so confirm the amount before you pay. If the will may be in a safety deposit box, an inventory must be prepared before anything is removed.
Key takeaways
- After the person has died, anyone who provides the documentation and payment can apply, using form VSA 532 with a photocopy of the death certificate.
- You can apply by mail or in person at a Service BC counter, but not at the Vancouver, Burnaby or Surrey locations.
- The result shows the date the will was signed, where it was located then, and when Vital Statistics received the notice, not the will itself.
- A wills search result must be included with a probate application, even if you believe you have the original last will.