How to open an estate bank account in Ireland

An estate bank account is a dedicated account opened by the executor or administrator after the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration has issued. It holds the estate's money during administration, keeps the deceased's affairs separate from the executor's personal finances, and provides a clean audit trail when the final estate accounts are prepared for the beneficiaries.

When to open the account

Open the account after the Grant has issued, not before. Banks will not usually open an estate account without a certified copy of the Grant, because the Grant is what proves the executor's or administrator's legal authority to hold estate funds. In the meantime, from the date of death to the Grant, the deceased's existing accounts are frozen and no-one should be drawing from them for estate purposes. Funeral costs and urgent estate expenses can often be paid directly by the deceased's own bank on production of the funeral invoice, without needing an estate account to exist yet.

Step-by-step

Step 1: Choose a bank where one of the executors already banks personally. Existing customer relationships open accounts faster because the bank already holds identity checks. The deceased's own bank is often the most straightforward choice because they already have the date-of-death letter and closing balance details on file.

Step 2: Gather the required documents. Every Irish bank asks for the original Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration (or a certified copy), photographic ID for each executor or administrator (passport or driver's licence), proof of address dated within the last six months for each, and the deceased's death certificate copy.

Step 3: Fill in the bank's estate account application. AIB, Bank of Ireland, PTSB, and the credit unions each have their own form. The account is titled "The Estate of [deceased's name], deceased" or similar. If there are two executors, request joint signing authority so that both must sign to withdraw funds. This is a simple internal control that catches errors and reduces the risk of disputes later.

Step 4: Transfer balances from the deceased's existing accounts. Once the estate account is open, write to each institution where the deceased held accounts, enclosing a certified copy of the Grant, and ask for the balance to be transferred to the new estate account. Most banks process this within two to three weeks. Keep the confirmation letters for the final accounts.

Step 5: Use the account only for estate transactions. Every inflow and outflow should relate to the estate. Keep a running ledger of what was received from each institution and what was paid out (debts, funeral, solicitor if used, distributions). This becomes the estate accounts you present to the beneficiaries at the end.

What to watch for

Online banking access is usually available on estate accounts but with slower setup than personal accounts, so plan for a week or two before online access is live. Some banks require both executors to attend branch in person to activate online banking. Also note that most Irish banks will not issue a debit card on an estate account, so expect cheque-book or bank-transfer-only operations.

If the estate is very small (under €25,000 in a single institution) and no Grant is actually needed, the Small Estates procedure may let you close accounts without opening a new one at all. Check with each institution before applying for a Grant you do not need.

Related reading

• Pre-lodgement checklist: the six things before you apply
• The SA2 form explained
• First-time executor: what actually needs to happen
• The 25 Irish institution bereavement guides