The Non-Contentious Probate (Amendment) Rules 2016
These Rules amend the Non-Contentious Probate Rules 1987 (S.I. 1987/2024) (“the 1987 Rules”) in order to enable a personal applicant for a grant of probate to make the application online if invited to do so by the registry to which the application is to be made, allowing for an online process to be introduced on a pilot basis. There are two amendments. First, rule 5 of the 1987 Rules (which makes provision about the process for making a personal application) is amended to provide that it applies with modifications and exceptions where an application proceeds under the new rule 5A (which makes provision for the circumstances in which such an application may be made online and the process of making it, including the modifications and exceptions to rule 5). Second, the new rule 5A itself is inserted immediately after rule 5.