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Enter a 13-digit South African ID number below to search our live database of Section 29 Government Gazette notices, probate records, and appointed executors.
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The central statutory portal for attorneys, executors, and bereaved families reporting a deceased estate under the Administration of Estates Act 66 of 1965. Access step-by-step guides for the Master's DEORS Online System, download unedited blank Department of Justice J-Forms (PDF), generate your custom Estate Lodgment Checklist, and audit mandatory estate assets before submitting on dojonline.justice.gov.za.
Under Section 7 of the Administration of Estates Act 66 of 1965, every deceased estate where the deceased left property or any document purporting to be a Will must be formally reported to the Master of the High Court within 14 days from date of death. Reporting is lodged via Form J294 (Death Notice) accompanied by the Home Affairs Death Certificate and preliminary asset declarations.
Upon notification of death, commercial banks in South Africa are legally required to freeze all accounts in the deceased's name. No one may withdraw funds or transact on estate assets until formal Letters of Executorship or Letters of Authority are issued by the Master.
The estate must be reported to the Master's Office in whose territorial jurisdiction the deceased ordinarily resided for the 12 months prior to death. If the deceased resided outside South Africa but left assets within the Republic, the estate may be lodged at any single Master's Office, supported by a formal non-duplication affidavit.
DEORS requires declaring gross asset values, insurance policies, pension surpluses, and liabilities to pre-populate Form J243 (Preliminary Inventory) and determine whether the estate falls under or over R250,000.
Run an instant forensic sweep across 30+ SA insurers and credit registries right here before logging into DEORS.
Log into https://dojonline.justice.gov.za as an Individual or LPC-Verified Legal Practitioner. Capture the deceased's 13-digit SA ID, applicant details, next-of-kin, and nominated executor credentials.
Upload scanned digital copies of the Death Certificate, Deceased's ID, Applicant/Executor IDs, Marriage Certificate, and Will.
DEORS generates a Unique Reference Number (URN) with SMS/email milestones. If an examiner flags missing documents, rework is submitted directly online.
Once assigned, search your permanent estate file number across 14 Master's Offices on the ICMS Web Portal (or our live 13-digit ID Gazette search).
Estates involving foreign passport holders without a 13-digit SA ID, legacy non-digital identity numbers, jurisdiction waiver applications, or active Will disputes / contested appointments cannot be registered exclusively online and must be lodged directly at the relevant Master's Office.
South African law draws a strict procedural line at R250,000 gross estate asset value. Review the side-by-side statutory requirements below:
| Statutory Requirement |
Estates Under R250,000 (Section 18(3))
Summary Appointment • Master's Representative
|
Estates Exceeding R250,000 (Full Executorship)
Formal Statutory Winding Up • Full Supervision
|
|---|---|---|
| Governing Appointment | Letters of Authority Issued in terms of Section 18(3) of the Administration of Estates Act 66 of 1965. | Letters of Executorship Issued under the full supervised statutory procedure of the Administration of Estates Act. |
| Appointee Title & Powers |
Master's Representative Statutorily exempt from publishing Section 29 creditor advertisements, Section 35 inspection notices, or drafting a formal L&D account (unless specifically ordered by the Master). |
Executor Testamentary (nominated in Will) or Executor Dative (nominated by heirs if intestate). Fully empowered to open Section 28 estate bank accounts and liquidate assets. |
| Where to Report & Jurisdiction |
Online via DEORS, at the Provincial Master's Office, or at a local Magistrates' Court Service Point. Note: Magistrates' Courts only retain jurisdiction if there is NO Will and the gross value is under R125,000 where PEAS is inactive. If a minor heir is involved under R250k, Legal Aid SA can assist. |
Directly via DEORS Online or at the Provincial Master of the High Court in the deceased's residence jurisdiction. All estates with a Will or gross value exceeding R125,000 must be transferred to the provincial Master's Office. |
| Mandatory Master's Reporting Forms |
• Form J294 (Official Death Notice)
• Death Certificate & IDs (Certified)
• Original Will or Form J192 (Next-of-Kin Affidavit)
• Form J243 (Preliminary Inventory with proof of values)
• Form J155 (Undertaking & Acceptance of Directions)
• Heir Nominations (Deed / Letter of Nomination)
• Declaration of Subsisting Marriages
|
• Form J294 (Official Death Notice)
• Death Certificate & IDs (Certified)
• Original Will / Codicils or Form J192
• Form J243 (Preliminary Inventory of all assets)
• Form J190 (Acceptance of Trust as Executor in duplicate)
• Form J262 (Bond of Security — unless exempted)
• Form J193 (Section 29 Notice) & Form J187 (Section 35 L&D Notice)
|
| How Estate Portal SA Assists |
Verify if hidden policies push the estate over R250,000!
Order a Tier 1 Policy Search (R495) or Tier 2 Liability Audit (R795) to attach verified insurer confirmation letters to your Form J243 and Creditors List. |
Complete Mandatory Forensic Discovery:
Order our Tier 3 360° Asset, Policy & Liability Dossier (R1,250) to uncover all Life Policies, Retirement Annuities, Deeds Office Properties, eNaTIS Vehicles, and Credit Life Debts for your Form J243 and Section 35 L&D Account. |
Authoritative legal clarity on the most critical questions faced by South African families reporting a death:
Anyone aged 16 and older can execute a valid Will. If someone passes away without a Will, their estate is distributed in strict accordance with the Intestate Succession Act in order of statutory preference:
Following the landmark Constitutional Court ruling in Bhe v Magistrate, Khayelitsha and the Reform of Customary Law of Succession Act 11 of 2009, all customary estates are supervised uniformly by the Master, guaranteeing equal inheritance for women, multiple wives, and all children without discrimination.
Sworn Master's Appraisers (Section 6): Where estate properties require formal appraisal, a Minister-appointed Sworn Appraiser must inspect the property and issue an official valuation certificate in terms of statutory tariffs.
dojonline.justice.gov.zaDojDEOnlineSupport@justice.gov.zaicmsweb.justice.gov.za/mastersinformation012 406 4805 / chiefmaster@justice.gov.zaDownload the official Department of Justice PDF forms required to report and administer a deceased estate in South Africa.
Mandatory primary reporting document signed by surviving spouse or next-of-kin within 14 days of death under Section 7 of the Act.
Mandatory schedule listing all immovable property, bank accounts, vehicles, investments, and life policies held at date of death.
Mandatory declaration when the deceased died without leaving a valid Will, declaring surviving spouses, children, and blood relatives.
Executed in duplicate by the nominated executor for estates exceeding R250,000, accompanied by certified copy of executor ID.
Signed by the nominated Master's Representative for estates valued under R250,000 to obtain Section 18(3) Letters of Authority.
Security bond furnished by the executor unless expressly exempted in the Will or the executor is the parent, spouse, or child of the deceased.
Personalize your statutory reporting checklist to your estate's exact value bracket, marital regime, and testacy status. Instantly downloads a branded, high-resolution court checklist complete with interactive tick-boxes, statutory deadlines, and Form J243 verification guidelines.
Winding up a deceased estate in South Africa is a regulated legal process governed by the Administration of Estates Act 66 of 1965. Whether you are an appointed Executor, an attorney, or a surviving family member reporting a death to the Master of the High Court, this authoritative step-by-step guide explains statutory timelines, prescribed forms, forensic asset discovery, and distribution procedures.
Prescribed deadline under Section 7 to report a death to the Master of the High Court via Form J294.
Estates ≤ R250k receive Letters of Authority (Sec 18(3)); estates > R250k require Letters of Executorship.
Realistic timeframe from death notification to final Master's Filing Slip and estate distribution.
Mandatory notice windows: 30 days for Section 29 Creditors (J193) and 21 days for Section 35 L&D (J187).
In terms of Section 7 of the Administration of Estates Act 66 of 1965, every deceased estate must be reported within 14 days of death to the Master of the High Court in the jurisdiction where the deceased was ordinarily resident. If the deceased resided outside South Africa, jurisdiction falls under the Master's office where the majority of estate assets are situated.
Once the Master of the High Court reviews and accepts the reporting documents, statutory authority is issued strictly according to the gross asset value of the deceased estate:
Expedited procedure where the Master dispenses with formal Section 29 advertisements, formal liquidation accounts, and executor commission. The authorized master's representative collects assets and distributes directly to heirs.
Formal fiduciary appointment conferring sole legal authority to represent the deceased estate, take custody of assets, freeze pre-existing accounts, open the Section 28 estate account, and wind up the estate under full statutory supervision.
In terms of Section 29 of the Administration of Estates Act, the appointed Executor must publish a Notice to Creditors (Form J193) in both the weekly Government Gazette of South Africa and in one or more local circulating newspapers within the magistrate's court district where the deceased was resident.
This publication triggers a strict 30-day statutory window for all creditors—including financial institutions, SARS, medical professionals, and private claimants—to formally submit claims against the estate. The Executor cannot lawfully distribute any assets to heirs before this 30-day period expires.
Under Section 28 of Act 66 of 1965, the Executor must immediately open a dedicated "Estate Late" bank account at a registered South African commercial bank. All existing bank accounts held in the deceased's individual name are frozen upon notification of death to safeguard funds from unlawful withdrawal.
All cash on hand, policy death benefits, investment proceeds, rental income, and refunded deposits must be paid directly into the Section 28 estate bank account. The Executor is strictly prohibited from mingling estate funds with personal or corporate accounts.
South African executors carry an unconditional fiduciary duty to trace all assets belonging to the deceased—including life policies, pension surpluses, retirement annuity death benefits, Deeds Office properties, and motor vehicles (eNaTIS).
Billions of Rands in unclaimed insurance payouts, provident funds, and dormant accounts remain uncollected simply because families and executors are unaware of policy numbers or underwriting institutions.
Furthermore, uncovering credit facilities with active Credit Life Insurance enables the Executor to demand debt settlement by underwriters rather than liquidating family assets.
Search across 30+ major South African financial institutions, life underwriters, credit registries, and Deeds Office records.
Once all estate assets have been liquidated or valued and creditor claims quantified, the Executor drafts the formal Liquidation and Distribution (L&D) Account. The account comprises:
Following the Master's provisional review, the Executor advertises a Section 35 Notice (Form J187) in the Gazette and local newspaper. The account lies open for public inspection for 21 days at the Master's Office and Magistrate's Court.
No deceased estate in South Africa can be legally distributed until the South African Revenue Service (SARS) issues an official Deceased Estate Tax Clearance Certificate. The Executor must finalize two separate tax periods:
Following the expiry of the 21-day Section 35 inspection period without formal objection, the Master authorizes final distribution:
If an heir cannot be located, an estate cannot be lawfully closed. After statutory notice periods, unclaimed funds must be paid into the State's Guardian's Fund, where funds can remain trapped for decades.
Statutory asset tracing and credit liability audits designed for Executors, Attorneys, and Heirs. Identify hidden life insurance policies, credit commitments, and estate assets within 24 to 72 hours.
National sweep across South African life underwriters and investment houses to uncover active, dormant, or paid-up policies linked to the deceased's SA ID.
Full Policy & Investment Search PLUS complete Credit Bureau Financial Commitment Audit. Uncovers debt balances and accounts with Credit Life Insurance.
The ultimate fiduciary forensic investigation. Combines national policy searches and credit audits with Deeds Office property, vehicles, and company directorships.
Clear, legally precise answers regarding Master of the High Court procedures, Letters of Executorship, statutory gazette notices, tracing unclaimed policies, and deceased estate administration.
A deceased estate comes into existence immediately upon the death of an individual who leaves behind assets, property, or liabilities in South Africa. In terms of the Administration of Estates Act 66 of 1965, the estate must be formally reported within 14 days to the Master of the High Court having jurisdiction over the deceased's last ordinary residence.
The Master issues official letters of appointment—either Letters of Authority under Section 18(3) (for gross estate values ≤ R250,000) or formal Letters of Executorship (for gross estate values > R250,000). The appointed fiduciary is legally authorized to freeze individual bank accounts, open a dedicated Section 28 estate account, advertise for creditors under Section 29, conduct a comprehensive forensic asset and policy audit, settle valid debts, file SARS tax returns, and distribute inheritances to rightful heirs according to the valid Will or the rules of intestate succession.
The distinction in South African probate law is determined strictly by the gross asset value of the deceased estate:
Winding up an uncomplicated estate under Letters of Authority typically takes 3 to 6 months. Formal estates under Letters of Executorship average 6 to 18 months, while complex or contested estates can take several years.
Major causes of administrative delays include:
Reporting an estate requires submitting a standardized Department of Justice reporting pack to the Master:
Under Section 29 of the Administration of Estates Act, every executor appointed under Letters of Executorship must advertise a statutory Notice to Creditors in the Government Gazette. Estate Portal operates South Africa's central digital gazette search index.
By entering a 13-digit South African ID number into our live search tool, you can instantly search all verified Section 29 notices (Form J193) across national gazette batches. The portal provides the deceased's name, estate number, date of death, Master's Office jurisdiction, and the appointed executor or law firm's verified contact details.
When a death notification is received, South African commercial banks are legally mandated to freeze all accounts held solely in the deceased's name to prevent unlawful depletion of funds. Joint accounts and debit orders are suspended.
Debts (credit cards, vehicle finance, personal loans, retail accounts) do not disappear upon death; they become liabilities claimable against the deceased estate. Valid creditors must submit claims during the statutory 30-day Section 29 window. If estate assets exceed liabilities, the executor settles all debts before distributing inheritances. If liabilities exceed assets, the estate is declared insolvent and administered in terms of the Insolvency Act 24 of 1936. Beneficiaries are not personally liable for the debts of the deceased beyond inherited asset values.
In South Africa, billions of Rands in life insurance policies, retirement fund death benefits, and dormant bank deposits remain uncollected because family members and executors are unaware of their existence or policy numbers. Contacting individual institutions manually can take months.
Estate Portal solves this nationwide challenge through our 360° Forensic Policy & Asset Discovery Service. By cross-referencing national underwriting registers, commercial banks, and asset managers, Estate Portal conducts an exhaustive forensic audit to identify active life cover, investment portfolios, retirement payouts, and dormant bank accounts.
A Section 29 Notice to Creditors (Form J193) is a mandatory statutory notice that every executor appointed under Letters of Executorship must publish in the Government Gazette and one local newspaper circulating in the district where the deceased resided.
Its purpose is to notify all potential creditors that the debtor has passed away. Creditors are afforded a strict 30-day window from the date of publication to submit their claims to the executor. An executor who distributes estate assets without publishing this notice can be held personally liable for unpaid creditor claims.
The Section 35 Liquidation and Distribution (L&D) Account is the comprehensive financial statement compiled by the executor and submitted to the Master of the High Court. It accounts for every cent in the estate, including gross assets collected, sales proceeds, administration expenses (Master's fees, advertising, conveyancing, and executor remuneration capped at statutory tariff (3.5%)), settled liabilities, net inheritance distribution per the Will or intestate succession, and estate duty calculations (20% on dutiable value over the R3.5 million abatement).
Once provisionally examined by the Master, a Form J187 notice is published in the Gazette and local newspaper, and the account lies open for 21 days for public inspection. If no formal objections are lodged, the Master authorizes final distribution.
When a person dies without a valid Last Will and Testament, their estate is classified as "intestate" and is distributed according to the strict statutory hierarchy established by the Intestate Succession Act 81 of 1987:
When an heir or beneficiary cannot be found, the administration of the estate cannot be finalized. If an heir remains missing after statutory advertisements, their inheritance must be surrendered into the State's Guardian's Fund, where funds can languish indefinitely.
Estate Portal's Legacy Trace service assists executors, legal practices, and families in tracking down missing heirs. Using sophisticated identity registers, historical addresses, population records, and verified telecommunications data compliant with POPIA, our forensic trace specialists locate missing beneficiaries quickly and verify their lawful entitlement.
If the executor nominated in a Will has predeceased the testator, refuses to act, or is incapacitated, they can sign a formal Deed of Renunciation. In the absence of an alternate executor nominated in the Will, the beneficiaries and surviving family must convene to sign a Deed of Nomination, recommending a suitable fiduciary (typically an admitted attorney or professional fiduciary).
The Master of the High Court reviews the nomination and, upon approving their credentials and compliance (such as security bonds where applicable), issues Letters of Executorship to the designated representative. Estate Portal's Need an Executor Referral System connects families with qualified, verified South African attorneys and fiduciary professionals who specialize in fast, transparent estate administration.
Our fiduciary team and national legal network assist executors, heirs, and families with gazette notices, policy searches, missing heirs, and Master's Office procedures.
Answer a few plain-language questions, calculate your estimated estate administration costs, and instantly download or email your formatted, ready-to-sign Estate Portal South Africa Last Will & Testament (PDF).
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We match you with verified local deceased estate attorneys, fiduciary practitioners, and trust officers in your province to report the estate and obtain Letters of Executorship.
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Executors are legally mandated to trace all nominated beneficiaries before closing the estate. Interrogate credit bureaus, deeds registries, and national databases to locate heirs.
We interrogate Deeds Registries, Credit Bureau archives, telecom identifiers, and population databases to locate heirs across South Africa and abroad.
Submit missing beneficiary or heir details for interrogation against national deeds, credit bureau, and population archives.
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