How Do I Check the Status of a Deceased Estate in South Africa?

To check the status of a deceased estate in South Africa, contact the Master of the High Court for the district where the deceased was ordinarily resident at the date of death — online via the ICMS portal, in person, or by phone — and quote the estate file number (format: office code / year / sequence number, e.g. JHB 12345/2023). The Master supervises the wind-up under the Administration of Estates Act 66 of 1965, from the death report (Form J294, within 14 days) through Letters of Executorship or Authority, the 21-day L&D Account inspection, and final distribution. Because the Master holds the original Letters, the signed L&D Account, and the estate duty clearance, it is the only authoritative source for what stage the file is at.

Who the Master of the High Court Is, and Why the Master Holds the Status

The Master of the High Court operates across 17 Master’s Offices nationally. The relevant office is the one for the district where the deceased was ordinarily resident at the date of death — not where the deceased died, and not where the executor or attorney is based.

Under the Administration of Estates Act 66 of 1965, the Master is the supervising authority — not SARS, not the bank, not the executor, and not the attorney. The Master holds the original Letters of Executorship or Authority, the signed L&D Account, and the estate duty clearance, so the Master is the only place that can certify the file’s status.

The Master also keeps wills in safe custody. A will held with the Master does not, by itself, open an estate file — that only happens when the death is reported.

The Estate File Number — the Key to Any Status Check

Every reported estate is allocated a unique file number in the format [Office code] / [year] / [sequence number] — for example, JHB 12345/2023. The number is issued when the death is reported (Form J294, within 14 days); once allocated, the file is open at the Master and can be tracked.

Master’s Office	Office Code
Johannesburg	JHB
Pretoria	PTA
Durban	DBN
Cape Town	CPT
Bloemfontein	BLO
Grahamstown / Gqeberha	GHT
Kimberley	KIM
Pietermaritzburg	PMB

Without the file number, an enquiry can still be processed by quoting the deceased’s full name, ID number, and date of death — but the file number is the fast route.

How to Check the Status: Step by Step

1. Confirm the right Master’s Office. Use the district where the deceased was ordinarily resident at the date of death.
2. Get the estate file number. It appears on the Death Notice copy, the Letter of Executorship or Authority, or any prior Master correspondence. If the death has not been reported, no file exists.
3. Choose a channel.
   • Online: The ICMS portal at justice.gov.za/master/icms.html returns the current status flag.
   • By phone: Quote the file number, the deceased’s full name, and ID number. The Master will not release financials to a third party without a legal basis.
   • In person: More productive for stalled files because the file can be pulled.
   • Via the executor or attorney: Usually the fastest route for beneficiaries.
4. Ask the right question. The Master will not volunteer a narrative — ask for the specific stage: executor appointed, L&D account lodged, account on inspection, estate duty clearance issued, file finalised.
5. If stalled, escalate in writing. Under section 35 of the Administration of Estates Act the Master can compel the executor to lodge the L&D account, and a beneficiary can write to flag one who has not progressed.

What the Status Stages Actually Mean

The Master and the ICMS portal return a small set of standard flags. Knowing what each flag means is the difference between reading “L&D account lodged” and understanding what happens next.

Status Flag	What It Means
File open	Death reported (Form J294 lodged), file number allocated, no executor yet appointed.
Executor appointed	Letters of Executorship (testate) or Letters of Authority (intestate, or executor unable to act) issued by the Master.
Advertised for creditors	Section 29 advertisement placed in the Government Gazette and a local newspaper; creditor-claims window has begun.
L&D account lodged	Liquidation and Distribution Account filed, triggering the 21-day inspection period.
L&D account on inspection	21-day inspection period running; account available at the Master’s Office.
Estate duty cleared	SARS has issued the clearance (or confirmed none is payable); the Master will not allow distribution until this is in hand.
Account approved / file finalised	Master has approved the account; distribution can proceed and the file is closed.

Who Can Ask the Master, and What the Master Will and Will Not Disclose

Access to a deceased estate file is restricted to people with a legal connection. A third-party caller quoting only the deceased’s name will not get past the front desk.

Person Making the Enquiry	What the Master Will Disclose
Executor / attorney of record	Full access to the file; can request it physically and obtain certified copies of documents.
Beneficiary / intestate heir	Can confirm status and that the account is on inspection; can lodge objections during inspection; not entitled to detailed financial breakdowns outside the L&D account process.
Creditor of the estate	Can confirm whether the claim has been noted and whether the L&D account provides for it; can object during inspection.
General public	Can confirm whether a file is open and at what stage; cannot obtain copies of underlying documents without authority.

Special Situations and Common Snags

• The estate has not been reported. There is no file to track. The death must be reported within 14 days under the Act.
• No executor after a long delay. A beneficiary or creditor can approach the Master to have one appointed where the nominated executor is unable or unwilling to act.
• L&D account lodged but objections outstanding. The inspection period holds up the file; the Master will not approve until objections are resolved.
• Estate duty assessment outstanding. SARS has its own timeline; the Master cannot finalise until SARS issues clearance (estate duty return must be lodged within one year of death).
• Will in safe custody but estate not reported. The Master confirms the will is held, but the file is not considered open until the death is reported.
• File is with a different Master’s Office. Common when the deceased moved districts; the correct office is the one for the district of residence at the date of death.

Practical Tips

• Save the file number — with it, a query is a five-minute phone call; without it, the same query can take weeks.
• A formal letter to the Master (with proof of relationship) is more effective than a phone call for problems that need the Master to act.
• If the executor is not progressing the file, a written complaint to the Master is the correct route — the Master has supervisory powers and can compel action.
• Public portals confirm whether the file is moving; the Master is the only authoritative source for whether it is properly in order.

Where a file has stalled or the family is unsure whether the death has been reported, an attorney practising in deceased estate administration can lodge the formal correspondence needed to move it forward. Burger Huyser Attorneys’ Wills & Estates department handles initial reporting, executor support, L&D lodgement, and recovery of stalled files across Gauteng, supported by a dedicated Deceased Estate Administrator.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to wind up a deceased estate in South Africa?

A straightforward testate estate with no disputes or estate duty issues can usually be finalised within 6 to 12 months. Complex estates — property in multiple jurisdictions, business interests, heir disputes, or estate duty assessments — typically take 12 to 24 months. The longest stage is usually the executor’s preparation of the L&D Account.

Can I check the status of a deceased estate online?

Yes — the Master operates the ICMS portal at justice.gov.za, returning the current stage (file open, executor appointed, L&D lodged, on inspection, finalised).

How do I find out which Master’s Office to contact?

The relevant office is the one for the district where the deceased was ordinarily resident at the date of death. The Department of Justice lists all 17 offices on justice.gov.za.

What is the estate file number, and where do I find it?

The unique identifier the Master allocates when the death is reported (Form J294, within 14 days). Format: [Office code] / [year] / [sequence number], e.g. JHB 12345/2023. It appears on the Death Notice copy, Letter of Executorship or Authority, and prior Master correspondence.

Can a beneficiary check the status of a deceased estate?

Yes — a beneficiary (or intestate heir) can approach the Master to confirm the stage. The Master will not provide detailed financial breakdowns outside the L&D account inspection, but will confirm executor appointment, L&D lodgement, and inspection status.

What can I do if the executor is not progressing the estate?

Write to the Master to flag the delay. Under the Administration of Estates Act 66 of 1965 the Master can compel the executor to lodge the L&D Account, and in extreme cases remove the executor.

Does the Master hold the original will, and does that matter for status?

Yes — the Master keeps wills in safe custody. A will held in safe custody does not, by itself, create an open estate file; the file is created only when the death is reported.

Can a bank tell me the status of the deceased’s estate?

No — the bank can confirm whether accounts are frozen and whether a third-party mandate has been registered, but is not the supervising authority. Only the Master can give the authoritative status.

What happens if SARS has not cleared the estate duty?

The Master cannot approve the L&D Account until SARS issues the clearance (or confirms none is payable). The estate duty return must be lodged with SARS within one year of death.

If you have tried to check the status of a deceased estate and the file is stalled, no executor has been appointed, or you are unsure whether the death has been reported, Burger Huyser Attorneys’ Wills & Estates department can take over. The firm’s directors handle estate administration across Gauteng, supported by a dedicated Deceased Estate Administrator (Lance Pearson), and the practice routinely resolves files where the nominated executor has not progressed, where the L&D Account is overdue, or where SARS estate duty clearance is holding up finalisation. The firm holds a 4.8/5 average across 250+ Google reviews (Trustindex verified “Top Rated Law Firm in South Africa”) and was named Best Family Law Firm 2024 at the Lawyers Monthly Legal Awards. Call the head office in Linden, Randburg on 011 888 0246 (after-hours 061 516 6878), or contact the branch nearest to where the deceased was ordinarily resident — Johannesburg, Pretoria, Centurion, Sandton, Roodepoort, Bedfordview, Alberton, or Midrand.