Probate Forms (NS)

Updated Apr 17, 2024

There are a number of province-specific forms you may need when going through the probate process.

This page lists common NS forms and offers help in locating others – while you are welcome to browse these forms, note that if you are using EstateExec, the estate's Tasks Tab will guide you through the use of relevant forms at the appropriate times.

General NS Forms

In Nova Scotia, the local Probate Court handles probate and estate administration (see courthouse locations).

Below you will find links that allow you to download and use some of the more common NS probate forms (you may want to check with your local court for form preferences):

Application for Grant of Probate (Form 8) - Get the probate process started
Affidavit of Execution of Will (Form 2) - Include with probate application
Application for Grant of Administration (Form 9) - Get the probate process started if there is no will
Renunciation of Right to Probate (Form 12) - Include from anyone with equal or higher priority to serve as executor
Renunciation of Right to Administer (Form 13) - Include from anyone with equal or higher priority to serve as administrator
Land Registry Form 24 - Include if estate has real property
Land Registry Form 44 - Include if estate has real property not yet registered in current system
Personal Bond and Affidavit of Justification (Form 19) - Tell the court you obtained any required bond
Grant of Probate (Form 20) - Notify residuary beneficiaries of the probate
Grant of Administration (Form 21) - Notify residuary beneficiaries of the probate
Notice to Residuary Beneficiaries (Form 24) - Notify residuary beneficiaries of the probate
Notice to Non-Residuary Beneficiaries (Form 25) - Notify bequest beneficiaries of the probate
Notice to Heirs (Form 26) - Notify potential heirs of an intestate administration
Notice of Possible Statutory Rights (Form 27) - Notify people with potential family entitlements
Affidavit of Service: Notice of Grant (Form 28) - Tell the court you made the required notices
Inventory (Form 29) - List estate assets (consider attaching EstateExec Inventory Report)
Request for Creditor Notice (Form 31) - Advertise for creditors to contact you
Consent - Accounting Not Required (Form 38) - Get permission from beneficiaries to skip final accounting
Affidavit - Accounting Not Required (Form 37) - Tell the court that final accounts are not required and you are done
Application to Pass Accounts Without a Hearing (Form 40) - Request approval of final accounts

See NS Probate Forms for a more complete list of forms that may be required in certain situations.

Small NS Estate Forms

Small estates sometimes need only 1 specialized form or affidavit: see Small NS Estates.

Resealing

If the estate needs to probate real estate in another province, you may be able to reseal the original grant of probate rather than start from scratch in the secondary province: see Ancillary Probate & Resealing.

Using NS Probate Forms

If you are using a licensed EstateExec estate, information about finding your court will appear here.

As mentioned above, if you are using EstateExec, the tasks on the estate's Tasks Tab will list a series of steps that help you understand which form to use when. You may also want to see How to Become Executor for a NS Estate, and Overall Probate Process in NS.