How Long Does Probate Take In Alberta?

EDIT: As of June 15, 2021, it is currently taking approximately 16 to 20 weeks for the Court to issue Grants of Probate in Judicial Centres of Edmonton and Calgary. The processing times may be somewhat faster in smaller Judicial Centres.

Which Judicial Centre Do You Submit Your Grant of Probate Application To?

Generally speaking, the application for probate must be filed with the surrogate section of the Court of Queen’s Bench which is:

closest by road to the place where the deceased lived before their death; or, if the deceased lived outside of Alberta, closest by road to the deceased’s property in Alberta

Depending on the Judicial Centre handling your application, from the time the application is submitted, it may take 4 to 5 months for the court to issue the grant, assuming that there are no defects with the application. This is particularly the case in larger Judicial Centres such as Edmonton or Calgary, and particularly so as the Courts continue to deal with the inevitable delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

For a free consultation on whether you need to apply for a Grant of Probate, you can contact me at 587-773-7181 or by email at [email protected]