Common Reasons the Master Rejects Estate Documents (and How to Fix Each One)
Quick summary
Most first-time lodgements at the Master’s Office are rejected. Not because the family did anything wrong morally — because the paperwork has one or two specific defects the Master is required to flag. This article lists the ten most common rejections in 2026, what they look like, why they happen, and how to fix each one. Each round of defects adds 2 to 6 weeks to your estate. Getting it right first time is by far the cheapest path.
How rejection works
When you lodge a deceased estate pack at the Master, a counter officer reviews it on the spot (in-person lodgement) or in batch (postal lodgement). If they find defects, they:
- Hand back the pack with a defect note attached; or
- Accept the pack provisionally and issue a letter of requirements within 2–4 weeks listing what is missing.
Either way, the executor or representative must fix the defect and re-lodge. The clock on Letters of Executorship effectively restarts each round.
The Pretoria Master accepts roughly 30–40% of first-time lodgements without any defect. The rest go through 1–3 rounds. Below are the defects responsible for most of that traffic.
The 10 most common rejections
1. Abridged death certificate (BI-5) instead of unabridged (BI-132)
What it looks like: Family lodges the small printed certificate handed out by the funeral director within a week of death.
Why it’s rejected: Section 7 of the Births and Deaths Registration Act requires the Master to receive the full death certificate (BI-132) which includes the cause of death and identification particulars. The abridged BI-5 is for general use — not estates.
How to fix: Order the BI-132 from Home Affairs. The application is on form BI-130 and costs about R75. Allow 6–8 weeks from application to issue. This is the single biggest source of estate delays.
Avoidance tip: Order the unabridged certificate at the same time as the funeral. Most families wait until the Master rejects the pack — losing 6–8 weeks.
2. Photocopy of the will instead of the original
What it looks like: Family submits a clear scan or copy because the original is in the deceased’s safe and they cannot find it, or the original is at the bank vault.
Why it’s rejected: The Master must verify that the will is genuinely the last will — that requires sight of the original. Photocopies could have been altered.
How to fix:
- If the original exists, get it. Banks holding the will (FNB, Standard Bank, ABSA, Nedbank, Sanlam) release it on production of the death certificate and identification.
- If the original is genuinely lost, apply for a declaration of lost will under section 2A of the Wills Act. This is a High Court application — not something to attempt without an attorney.
- If there is no will, lodge a J155 next-of-kin affidavit instead.
3. Missing antenuptial contract
What it looks like: The deceased was married but the estate is reported as if they were single or married in community of property, without checking.
Why it’s rejected: An antenuptial contract changes the marital regime, which changes who inherits and how the estate is divided. The Master needs to see the ANC to confirm the regime.
How to fix: Most ANCs are kept by the conveyancing attorney who drafted the marriage. If the original is lost, a certified copy can be obtained from the Deeds Office in Pretoria. Order via the Deeds Registries Office search service (about R75 and 1–2 weeks).
Avoidance tip: If you do not know whether the deceased was married in or out of community of property, assume there is an ANC and search for it before lodging.
4. J294 death notice signed in front of the wrong person
What it looks like: The J294 is signed in front of a sibling, a friend, or a notary public.
Why it’s rejected: The J294 is an affidavit. It must be signed in front of a Commissioner of Oaths. Notaries are not Commissioners of Oaths by default.
How to fix: Re-sign in front of a Commissioner of Oaths. The following are automatically Commissioners:
- South African Police Service members
- Postmasters
- Bank managers (some)
- Attorneys
- Court officials
- Magistrates’ commissioners
Most SAPS stations will commission the form at no charge. Take ID.
5. J243 inventory undervalues the estate
What it looks like: Family reports the estate at R220,000 to qualify for section 18(3) Letters of Authority, when the true value is over R250,000.
Why it’s rejected: The Master cross-checks the inventory against:
- Bank balance statements
- SARS records
- Deeds Office searches
- Vehicle ownership databases
If the real value is higher, the Master rejects the section 18(3) application and requires Letters of Executorship instead.
How to fix: Re-lodge under section 14 (Letters of Executorship). You will need additional documents: J190 acceptance of trust, executor’s bond if not exempted, and a more detailed inventory. There is no shortcut.
Avoidance tip: Add everything before lodging — bank balances, vehicle book value, household contents (use R20,000–R30,000 as a default unless there are valuables), policies that pay to the estate.
6. Missing or incorrect Acceptance of Trust (J190)
What it looks like: Executor signs the J294 but forgets the separate J190 acceptance of trust as executor.
Why it’s rejected: The J190 is the executor’s formal acceptance of the appointment. Without it, the Master cannot issue Letters of Executorship even if every other document is in order.
How to fix: Complete and sign the J190 in front of a Commissioner of Oaths and re-lodge. The Master usually does not reject the whole pack — they hold it pending the J190.
7. Executor not exempted from security — no bond lodged
What it looks like: The will does not exempt the executor from providing security, but no bond is lodged with the pack.
Why it’s rejected: Section 23 of the Administration of Estates Act requires the executor to lodge security unless exempted in the will. Where the executor is not a parent, child, or surviving spouse, exemption from security is not automatic.
How to fix: Obtain an executor’s bond from an insurer such as Lombards Insurance, Hollard, or Bryte. Premium is 1–2% of estate value. Lodge the original bond with the pack. Or apply to the Master for an exemption — this is granted in limited cases (small estates, sole heir is the executor, etc.).
8. SARS clearance certificate not in pack
What it looks like: The Liquidation and Distribution account is lodged without a SARS clearance certificate confirming the deceased’s tax affairs are in order.
Why it’s rejected: The Master cannot approve the L&D account without SARS clearance. The estate must be registered with SARS, all returns up to date of death must be filed, and any tax outstanding must be settled.
How to fix:
- Register the deceased estate with SARS (form RAV01 or via online registration)
- File the deceased’s final personal income tax return
- File any outstanding returns for prior years
- Pay any outstanding tax
- Apply for SARS clearance (about 21 days)
- Re-lodge L&D account with clearance
This is a multi-month process for estates with complex tax affairs. Plan for it from the start.
9. Marriage certificate mismatched with ID
What it looks like: The deceased’s marriage certificate uses a maiden surname or a former married surname different from the surname on their ID and death certificate.
Why it’s rejected: The Master needs to confirm the marriage is in fact the marriage of the deceased. Different surnames create doubt.
How to fix: Lodge a sworn affidavit explaining the surname history (the deceased was married, divorced, remarried under a new surname, etc.). Attach copies of all relevant certificates. The Master usually accepts an affidavit but it adds an extra round.
Avoidance tip: If the deceased’s surname changed during life, anticipate the question and lodge the affidavit with the original pack.
10. Estate Late bank account opened in the wrong name
What it looks like: The executor opens an account labelled “John Smith Deceased Estate” instead of “Estate Late John Smith”.
Why it’s rejected: Not strictly rejected by the Master, but creates downstream problems — banks will not accept the account for paying creditors, SARS will not link the account to the estate registration, and the L&D account will not balance.
How to fix: Close the wrongly-named account and reopen as “Estate Late [Name] [ID number]”. Banks require Letters of Executorship and a tax registration number for the estate.
Avoidance tip: Wait for Letters of Executorship before opening the Estate Late account. Most banks will not even accept the application without Letters.
Quick reference — the top 10 in priority order
| # | Defect | Fix time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abridged death certificate | 6–8 weeks (Home Affairs) | R75 |
| 2 | Photocopy of will | 1 week — 6 months (if lost) | R0 – R15,000 |
| 3 | Missing ANC | 1–2 weeks (Deeds Office) | R75 |
| 4 | J294 wrong witness | Same day | R0 |
| 5 | Inventory under-valued | 4 weeks (re-lodge fully) | R4,500+ |
| 6 | J190 missing | 1 week | R0 |
| 7 | No executor’s bond | 1–2 weeks | 1–2% of estate |
| 8 | No SARS clearance | 2–4 months | Variable |
| 9 | Surname mismatch | 1 week (affidavit) | R150 |
| 10 | Wrong Estate Late account name | 2 weeks (re-open) | R0 |
How to avoid most rejections
Use a checklist. Most defects come from missing documents the family did not know about — especially the unabridged death certificate, antenuptial contract, and J190 acceptance.
Get a defect-check before lodging. A professional review costs R450 and saves at least one round of re-lodgement. Worth every cent.
Lodge in person. Postal lodgement loses 3–4 weeks per defect because feedback is delayed. In-person lodgement gets the defect at the counter.
Keep a complete copy. When the Master returns a pack with a defect, you need to see exactly what they flagged. A complete copy lets you verify their note against your file.
Phone before you start. Call the Pretoria Master’s deceased estates line (012 339 7700) before your first lodgement. Ask for the current J294 / J190 / J243 versions and any current notices about format changes.
Frequently asked questions
How many rounds of defects are typical?
A clean first lodgement is achievable but uncommon. 1–2 rounds are normal. 3+ rounds suggests an underlying issue (missing core document, wrong estate type, contested heirship) and is worth professional review.
Does each rejection mean starting from scratch?
No. The Master keeps the file open and you re-lodge only the corrected documents (plus the original receipt). The file reference stays the same.
Will the Master refund my Master’s fees if my pack is rejected?
Master’s fees are paid only when the L&D account is approved, not at lodgement. So there is nothing to refund. Re-lodgement is free.
Can I be sued for delays caused by rejections?
The executor has a fiduciary duty to wind up the estate diligently. Persistent rejections caused by negligence can be grounds for replacement of the executor by the Master, but a court action by heirs is rare.
How do I know if my pack is likely to be rejected before lodging?
Use a checklist (we publish one — see below). Or pay R450 for a professional defect-check. Two rounds of postal lodgement at 4 weeks each cost more in time than the defect-check.
How MasterAssistant can help
We offer fixed-fee defect-checking and re-lodgement support:
- Defect-check before first lodgement — R450
- Defect rework + re-lodgement (Master returned your pack) — R1,500 per round
- Master’s query response — R950 per written query
- Full reporting pack (we draft from scratch) — from R2,500 (small estate) / R4,500 (full estate)
Already had a pack rejected? Send us the Master’s defect note. We will quote a fixed fee to fix and re-lodge within one working day. Call 087 001 0733 or email admin@louwrens-koen.co.za.
Download our free deceased estate document checklist — covers all 10 common defects with a tick-list for first-time lodgements.
Last updated: 17 May 2026. Defect frequency based on Pretoria Master’s Office practice. The Administration of Estates Act, 1965 and its regulations govern the requirements listed. Always confirm the current form versions with the Master before lodging.