Letters of Administration: plain-English guide for Irish probate
The court order appointing an administrator to deal with an estate where the person who died left no valid will.
What it means, in plain English
Letters of Administration is the equivalent of a Grant of Probate for estates where the person who died did not leave a will, or where the will is invalid. The court appoints an administrator, who takes on the same responsibilities an executor would have under a will.
Letters of Administration in Irish probate practice
In Ireland, when someone dies intestate, the rules in Part VI of the Succession Act 1965 decide who inherits and who has the right to be appointed administrator. The usual order of priority is the surviving spouse or civil partner, then the children, then the parents, then the siblings. The person granted Letters of Administration is legally responsible for collecting the estate, paying debts and taxes, and distributing the balance according to the statutory rules. The process at the Probate Office is very similar to a Grant of Probate application, with a few paperwork differences: an Oath for Administrator rather than an Oath for Executor, an administration bond in some cases, and a different schedule of who has priority to apply. Timelines are the same: 8 to 15 weeks in Dublin, 6 to 10 weeks at most District Registries. Notification letters to institutions and the Revenue SA2 filing follow the same process as a probate application.
Worked example
John dies without a will. He was survived by a spouse, Eileen, and two adult children. Under Section 67 of the Succession Act, Eileen takes two-thirds of the estate and the two children share the remaining third equally, so each child inherits one-sixth. Eileen applies for Letters of Administration as the spouse with first right under the intestacy priority rules. Once issued, she handles the estate the same way an executor would under a will.
The statutory position
Section 67 of the Succession Act 1965 sets out the intestacy distribution rules. Section 67A covers registered civil partners. Order 79 of the Rules of the Superior Courts sets out the administration oath requirements. The Probate Office publishes guidance on who has priority to apply where there is no will.
Related terms in this glossary
Related reading
How ProbatePack handles Letters of Administration
Everything you need to complete a personal probate application yourself. Pre-filled SA2 form, 25 personalised notification letters, probate affidavit, asset tracker, appointment briefing, post-Grant administration guide, estate accounts template, and 6 months of milestone email reminders.