NEWS

Wills Registry

The Public Trustee's Office established a confidential Wills Registry ('the Registry') on 1 January 2001.

The Registry acts as a central information centre for all Wills that are drawn up, of which notice has been given to the Public Trustee

Information available from the Registry will be useful to:

a testator and/or his/her lawyer when the testator wishes to make a subsequent Will;
the next of kin or beneficiaries of a deceased testator and/or the lawyers acting for the estate of the deceased testator to assist in the administration of the estate; and
the next of kin or beneficiaries of a deceased testator and/or their lawyers in determining whether the deceased left behind a Will governing estate distribution.
Depositing Information with the Registry

Confidentiality of Information

Information deposited with the Registry is strictly confidential and will only be released to certain individuals, as set out below. Limited access to information may also be granted to authorised officers within the Registry.

Copies of Wills and/or their contents should not be furnished to the Public Trustee.

Obtaining Information from the Registry

The following persons may make a search application for information pertaining to a Will by submitting the prescribed Form 6 to the Public Trustee's Office:

the lawyer who is assisting a testator to draw up a subsequent Will;
the testator himself, upon proof of his identity;
the lawyer acting for the estate of a deceased testator's next of kin or beneficiary, upon production of the testator's death certificate; and
the next of kin or beneficiary of a testator, upon production of the testator's death certificate and documents establishing his relationship with the testator.

Fees and Charges

The costs of utilising the Registry are as follows:

deposition of information - free; and
cost of search application - $10.00.