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What to Do When Someone Dies in Pretoria: A Step-by-Step Guide

Quick summary
When a family member dies in Pretoria, the practical steps split into three stages: the first 48 hours (death certificate, funeral arrangements), the first two weeks (locate the will, gather documents, identify the executor), and the Master’s Office stage (reporting the estate and obtaining Letters of Executorship or Letters of Authority).
This guide walks through each stage in plain English. It is not legal advice — it is a practical roadmap so you know what to expect and what documents you will need.

The first 48 hours

The first two days are about the death, not the estate. The estate work begins once you have a death certificate.

1. Confirm the death and collect the BI-1663 form

If your family member died at home, call your doctor or an emergency service. The doctor or paramedic completes a Notice of Death (BI-1663). If the death was in a hospital, the hospital does this automatically. If the death was unexpected, violent, or unattended, the South African Police Service must attend and the body will go to a state mortuary for a post-mortem.

You cannot bury, cremate or repatriate a body without the BI-1663.

2. Get the death certificate

The funeral director will normally take the BI-1663 to the Department of Home Affairs and register the death. You will receive an abridged death certificate (BI-5) within a few days. For estate purposes you will eventually need the unabridged death certificate (BI-132) — order it now, because Home Affairs takes 6–8 weeks to issue it.

Important: The unabridged death certificate is required by the Master of the High Court. Order it early — it is the most common cause of estate delays.

3. Arrange the funeral

Funeral arrangements are usually handled by the surviving spouse or eldest child. Keep all invoices — funeral costs are a legitimate first claim against the estate and may be reimbursed.

Weeks 1–2: Finding the paperwork

Once the funeral is over, the estate work begins. Don’t rush — you have 14 days from the date of death to formally report the estate to the Master, but in practice it often takes longer to gather everything, and the Master accepts reasonable delays.

4. Find the will

Look for a will in:

  • The deceased’s home safe or filing cabinet
  • A safety deposit box at the bank
  • The office of the attorney who drafted it
  • The trust department of the deceased’s bank (FNB, Standard Bank, Nedbank, ABSA and Sanlam all hold wills for clients)
  • The deceased’s email or cloud storage for an electronic copy that might point you to the original

If you cannot find a will after a thorough search, the estate will be treated as intestate — meaning the Intestate Succession Act decides who inherits. That is not a disaster; it just means a different procedure at the Master’s Office.

5. Identify the executor

If there is a will, it will name an executor — the person legally responsible for winding up the estate. If the named executor is unable or unwilling to act, the heirs can nominate someone else, subject to the Master’s approval.

If there is no will, the heirs nominate a Master’s representative (small estates) or an executor dative (full estates) by written agreement.

6. Gather these documents

Start a single physical folder or a shared cloud folder. You will need:

Document Where to find it
Unabridged death certificate (BI-132) Home Affairs (ordered above)
Deceased’s ID document Home / safe / wallet
Original will As above
Marriage certificate Home Affairs if missing
Antenuptial contract (if applicable) Conveyancing attorney / deeds office
IDs of all heirs From each heir
Bank statements (last 3 months) Online banking / branch
Title deeds for any property Deeds Office / home safe
Vehicle registration papers NaTIS / home
Investment statements Sanlam / Old Mutual / broker
Life-insurance policies Insurer / broker
Funeral account Funeral director

If something is missing, don’t stop — the Master will accept a sworn affidavit explaining the absence.

The Master’s Office stage

This is where most families get stuck. The Master of the High Court is the government office that oversees deceased estates, trusts and the protection of minors’ inheritances. The Pretoria office handles estates where the deceased lived in Pretoria, Centurion, Akasia, Hatfield, Brooklyn, Arcadia, the Moot or Montana.

7. Which Master’s Office has jurisdiction?

The Master that handles the estate is the one for the area where the deceased was ordinarily resident — not where they died. If your father lived in Brooklyn but died in a Johannesburg hospital, the Pretoria Master’s Office handles his estate.

Pretoria Master of the High Court — current address (until 1 June 2026): SALU Building, 316 Thabo Sehume Street, Pretoria. From 1 June 2026 the office moves to 351 Francis Baard Street, Pretoria.

Office hours are 07:45–13:00 only. Walk-ins close at lunch.

8. Reporting the estate

You report the estate by lodging a reporting pack with the Master. The pack you need depends on the value of the estate.

Small estate (under R250,000) — Letters of Authority:
A simpler process under Section 18(3) of the Administration of Estates Act. The Master appoints a “Master’s representative” who can collect bank balances and small assets without a full executor’s appointment.

Full estate (R250,000 and above) — Letters of Executorship:
The Master appoints an executor who has full authority to sell property, pay creditors, and distribute the estate. The estate must be advertised, a Liquidation and Distribution account drafted, and a final winding-up performed.

9. How long does it take?

Honest answer: between 3 and 18 months, depending on:

  • Whether all reporting documents are in order on first lodgement (most aren’t)
  • Whether the Master’s Office is on backlog (currently moderate in Pretoria)
  • Whether the estate has property to transfer
  • Whether SARS clearance is needed

If you do everything yourself and your pack has no defects, expect roughly 8–12 weeks to Letters of Executorship and another 6–12 months to final wind-up.

10. What can delay things?

In order of frequency, the main delays are:

  1. Wrong or missing death certificate (abridged when unabridged is needed)
  2. Defective J294 / J295 forms (acceptance of trust, executor’s bond)
  3. Missing antenuptial contract for in-community marriages
  4. No SARS clearance certificate for estates with tax liabilities
  5. Estate Late bank account not opened — required before the Master will release funds

Each of these can be fixed, but each adds 2–6 weeks to the timeline. Getting the pack right the first time is by far the cheapest path.

When to call for help

You do not need an attorney to wind up a small or simple estate. Many families manage perfectly well on their own with a good checklist and patience.

You probably do need help if any of the following apply:

  • The estate value is over R250,000 (Letters of Executorship are required)
  • The deceased owned property in their name
  • There are minor children or a surviving spouse with disputed rights
  • There is a trust involved
  • The Master has rejected your documents once already
  • You are an executor outside Pretoria who cannot attend in person

How MasterAssistant can help

We are a private service provider. We are not affiliated with the Master of the High Court or any government department.

We offer pay-per-action assistance — no monthly fees, no retainers. You pay only for the specific service you ask for:

  • Document review & checklist (30 minutes) — we tell you exactly what’s missing
  • Reporting pack preparation — small estate or full estate
  • Master’s Office lodgement in Pretoria — single attendance
  • Document collection — when Letters are ready
  • Defect rework — if the Master has rejected your pack

Each service is quoted in writing before any work starts. There are no government fees added — those are paid directly to the Master.

Need help with the first steps? Start an online application or download our free Deceased Estate Document Checklist. One of our consultants will respond within one working day.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to report the estate within 14 days?

Yes, the Administration of Estates Act requires reporting within 14 days. In practice the Master accepts later reporting if there is a reasonable explanation. There is no penalty for late reporting on its own, but the estate cannot legally be wound up until it is reported.

Can the bank release money before Letters are issued?

Generally no. The bank will freeze the account on receiving the death certificate. For small estates under R250,000 the bank may release funds against Letters of Authority. For larger estates the bank waits for Letters of Executorship.

What if I am the only heir and there is no will?

You will be nominated as Master’s representative (if the estate is under R250,000) or as executor dative (if it is larger). The Intestate Succession Act gives a surviving spouse and children a clear order of priority.

Do I have to use the Pretoria Master?

Only if the deceased was ordinarily resident in the Pretoria Master’s area of jurisdiction. If they lived in Johannesburg, Cape Town or anywhere else, that Master’s Office handles the estate.

Can I report the estate online?

Not in 2026. Reporting is still done by physical lodgement at the Master’s Office or by post. The Department of Justice has piloted electronic reporting but it is not yet available for general estates.

Last updated: 17 May 2026. This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. Every estate is different. If you are unsure, consult an attorney or contact us for a free initial review.