Releasing Bank of Ireland accounts after a death
How to notify Bank of Ireland of a death and release any accounts, policies, or balances held by the deceased. Typical response times, documentation required, and common issues.
About Bank of Ireland
Bank of Ireland is an Irish bank. If the deceased held an account, policy, investment, or obligation with Bank of Ireland, it must be notified of the death and any balance released to the estate through the Grant of Probate.
How to notify Bank of Ireland of a death
Step 1: Write to Bank of Ireland enclosing a certified copy of the death certificate. Standard notification-of-death letters are accepted by every Irish institution. The letter should include the deceased's full name, date of birth, date of death, last address, and the Bank of Ireland account number or IBAN if known. A sample letter is included in the ProbatePack Notification Pack and Preparation Pack.
Step 2: Request written confirmation of the balance, value, or amount held at the date of death. This written figure is what goes on the Revenue SA2 Statement of Affairs. Current balance (today) is not enough; you need the date-of-death figure specifically.
Step 3: Wait for response. Bank of Ireland's typical response time is 3 to 6 weeks. Follow up in writing at 3 weeks if nothing has arrived.
Contact details
Address: Bereavement Support Unit
Bank of Ireland
40 Mespil Road
Dublin 4
D04 C2N4
Phone: 1800 800 656
Documents Bank of Ireland will ask for
- Certified copy of the death certificate (not a photocopy).
- Photographic identification for the executor or administrator (passport or driver's licence).
- The Bank of Ireland account number or IBAN if known. If not known, provide enough details for Bank of Ireland to identify the deceased's record.
- At release stage (after the Grant issues): a certified copy of the Grant of Probate or Grant of Administration.
Typical timeline
Initial notification to Bank of Ireland: 3 to 5 working days for acknowledgement of receipt. Written balance confirmation at date of death: 3 to 6 weeks typically. Full release of assets following receipt of the Grant: 2 to 4 weeks.
Common issues
- Joint accounts. Where the deceased held an account jointly with a surviving spouse or partner, most accounts pass by survivorship and are not part of the estate. The surviving account holder should notify Bank of Ireland of the death and request the account to be transferred into their sole name.
- Direct debits and standing orders. Bank of Ireland will usually ask whether to cancel outgoing payments from the deceased's accounts. Check first whether each is a legitimate estate expense (utility bill, insurance premium) that the executor may want to continue paying.
- Online access. Bank of Ireland's online banking or online account access typically closes on notification of death. Any digital records required for the estate administration should be printed or saved before notification if possible.
- Small Estates. For balances below €25,000, some institutions release without requiring a Grant of Probate under the Small Estates procedure. This is at the institution's discretion, not a legal right.
How ProbatePack helps with Bank of Ireland
The Preparation Pack (€229) produces a pre-personalised notification letter to Bank of Ireland, ready to sign and post, and records the response in the Asset Tracker so you know exactly when each institution replied and what balance they confirmed. The Complete Bundle (€449) adds the full inheritance-tax layer on top, including the CAT calculator and the Dwelling House Exemption assessment, for estates that will cross the Group A threshold.
How Bank of Ireland fits into the wider probate process
Notifying Bank of Ireland is one step in the full Irish probate sequence. The executor also has to prepare the application for the Probate Office, complete the SA2 Statement of Affairs on Revenue myAccount, and assess the inheritance tax position against the 2026 CAT thresholds. See the full list of 25 Irish institution guides for the other institutions the estate may need to notify, and the pre-lodgement checklist for the six steps that must be complete before the papers reach the registry.
Related institution guides
What to do next
A personalised diagnostic report telling you in plain English whether you need probate, whether you can do it yourself, what it will cost, how much inheritance tax the family will owe, and what to do in the next 14 days. If you later upgrade, we take €50 off the next pack.