Where Can I Find a Revoked Will?

Originally written by Josh Hall, updated by the editorial team on 20th August 2026

Mrs Janet Carpenter asks

Is there a legal body that keeps all copies of revoked wills?

Why a Will Might Be Revoked

People's circumstances change over time. A marriage, divorce, new grandchildren or simply a change of heart can all prompt someone to reconsider what should happen to their estate after death.

When these changes are small, a codicil is often used. This is a short document attached to the existing will that sets out specific amendments. Codicils work well for minor adjustments, such as updating a gift amount or adding a new beneficiary.

However, when circumstances shift more substantially, it may make more sense to revoke the old will entirely and create a new one. This avoids confusion and ensures the document remains clear and legally sound.

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How a Will Is Revoked

In England and Wales, a will can be revoked in a few ways. The most common method is by making a new will that explicitly states it revokes all previous wills and codicils. This opening declaration is standard in most professionally drafted wills.

A will can also be revoked by physically destroying it with the intention of revoking it. This means burning, tearing or otherwise disposing of the document. Simply crossing out sections or writing "cancelled" on it may not be enough unless the intention is clear and the destruction is deliberate.

Marriage will usually revoke an existing will automatically under English law, unless the will was made in anticipation of that specific marriage. Divorce does not revoke a will, but it does affect how gifts to a former spouse are treated.

Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.

Where to Look for a Revoked Will

If you need to trace a revoked will, there are several places to check:

The person's home or personal papers
Their solicitor or the firm that prepared the original will
A will storage service, such as the National Will Register or Certainty
Banks, which sometimes hold wills in safe custody

The Probate Registry may hold a copy if the will was ever used in a grant of probate application, though this applies to wills that were acted upon rather than simply revoked.

Does a Revoked Will Still Matter?

A revoked will has no legal effect. Once properly revoked, it cannot be used to distribute the estate. However, locating an old will can sometimes be useful for context, particularly if there are questions about the person's intentions or disputes among family members.

If no valid will exists at death, the estate is distributed according to the rules of intestacy. These rules set out a fixed order of inheritance, which may not match what the person would have wanted. Details of intestacy rules can be found on GOV.UK.

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4 questions

Ask The Will Expert a Question

TheWillExpert Editor 20/08/2026 at 1:34 pm

@Wendy Once a will has been revoked, it stops being a public document, so you don't have an automatic right to see it. If the new will has been admitted to probate, only that one will show up on the probate register. The old will may still exist in the solicitor's file, or with whoever drafted the replacement, so it's worth asking them directly. They're not obliged to hand it over to you, but some will share it if the executors agree. If your concern is that your father was pressured into changing it, speak to a contentious probate solicitor sooner rather than later, as time limits can apply.

Wendy 20/08/2026 at 1:33 pm

Can I see my father's original will that was replaced by a new one 3 weeks before he died

Wends 04/04/2016 at 6:11 pm

Just read above story.
I have a very similar one which is only just happening.
Just discovered that my uncle, who had no immediate family other than my sister and I , revoked all wills prior to his death, four and half weeks before.
It appears that a new will was made and a lady friend whom he known as a companion for a few years has received a substantial pledge of money and the proceeds of his residue over family.
No marriage here, but she knew he was riddled with cancer and Parkinson's and at 86 years of age, was an easy target.
Now, I'm struggling to accept that I was cut out of the new will even though I'm one of two of his only family. Everything was deliberately hush hushed so it's too late for me to use a caveat sighing probate. Crafty, the cold will might have been destroyed I'd suspect.
Sorry for anyone that succumbs to tricksters like this and the proceeds of my uncle's estate have gone to a relatively new friend and her family.
How can this be right?

Ted 10/01/2016 at 7:15 pm

Hi,my mum wrote a will, asking for me to be the executor in1992. My mum had had a stroke in 1987 aged 49, when I was 14. She (to my knowledge) left her former council house to my sister and I. Leaving also ( according to her) 2,000 to each of her 6 grandchildren. Mum met mike in November 2014. By April 2015 she was staying at Mikes 90% of that time. Mike noted that he had asked my mum to marry him, that he wanted an arrangement drawing up that would enable either partner to reside in either of each partners property should either of them die. My mum remained at mikes house until she was diagnosed with cancer. It was decided by Mike that they would now reside at my mums home and he subsequently moved into her house. Allowing for his own son to move into his vacant property. On the basis of the diagnosis the wedding was also moved forward by 9 months. Mum mum continues do to live for a further 11 months. 2 months before she died, her original will was changed and meant that Mike could live in our mothers property indefinitely without charge. The am mounts attributed to her grandchildren had halved. My concern was the observed controlling, manipulative and coercive behaviour of her new partner. 8 weeks prior to her death her will had been changed, Mike had presented with suspicious behaviour prior to their marriage, noting that the registrar had seen the frail position of my mother and therefore did not interview them separately. My mother had also disclosed to family members her disappointment at Mikes controlling manner. She subsequently died as a result of of a fall. All finances have been collected by Mike and information has been presented to me as I have allowed Mike to undertake the majority of the leg work. I am concerned about the coercion that I believe existed in the relationship and the outcome of the will, that has led to the grandchildren losing half of their original monies. Can this will be challenged and what else can be done. Am I also entitled to see her joint account with Mike as I've only seen amounts that Mike has drawn up from her previous current accounts. I am a joint executor of the will, with Mike. Please help.

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