When a family member dies, their bank accounts, savings certificates and shares are frozen until the legal heirs prove who they are. In Pakistan, that proof is a succession certificate. This guide explains how to get a succession certificate in Pakistan, the difference between the NADRA and court routes, the documents you need, how long it takes, and what heirs living abroad should do.
What is a succession certificate?
A succession certificate is an official document that names the legal heirs of a deceased person and allows them to collect the deceased’s movable assets. Banks, the National Savings centres and share registrars ask for it before they release money to the family.
The legal basis is the Succession Act, 1925. Shares among the heirs follow the personal law of the deceased, which for most families is Islamic law. Our guide on how Islamic inheritance works in Pakistan explains how those shares are worked out.
Succession certificate, letter of administration or mutation?
Families often apply for the wrong document. Which one you need depends on the asset:
| Asset | What you usually need |
|---|---|
| Bank accounts, savings certificates, shares, prize bonds | Succession certificate |
| Agricultural land and houses in the revenue record | Inheritance mutation (intiqal) at the land record office |
| Property in a housing society or development authority | The society’s own transfer process; some ask for a letter of administration |
| A whole estate that needs to be managed or sold | Letter of administration |
For land and houses, read our guide on how to transfer property after death.
Two routes: NADRA or the civil court
1. NADRA Succession Facilitation Unit
In Islamabad, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, laws passed in 2020 and 2021 allow NADRA to issue succession certificates and letters of administration through its Succession Facilitation Units. This route is faster and cheaper than court, but it only works when:
- all legal heirs agree on the family tree and the shares,
- every heir can be verified by NADRA, and
- there is no dispute about the assets.
2. Civil court
If the heirs disagree, if the NADRA route is not available in your province, or if the case is complicated, the heirs file a petition in the civil court of the district where the deceased lived or where the assets are. The court publishes a notice so that anyone with an objection can come forward, hears the matter, and then grants the certificate. In Karachi, larger estates may be heard by the Sindh High Court instead of a district court.
How to get a succession certificate through NADRA
- Collect the documents listed below for the deceased and every heir.
- Visit a NADRA Succession Facilitation Unit with all the heirs, or with those who can attend and authorised representatives for the rest.
- NADRA verifies each heir and records the family tree and the list of assets.
- The heirs confirm the details and pay the NADRA fee.
- NADRA issues the succession certificate, which the heirs present to the bank or other institution.
How to get a succession certificate from the court
- Your advocate drafts a petition under the Succession Act with the family tree and a list of the assets and their value.
- The petition is filed in the civil court with the documents and the court fee.
- The court issues notices to the heirs and publishes a notice in a newspaper.
- If no one objects, the court records evidence and grants the certificate. If someone objects, the court decides the dispute first.
- The court may ask the heirs to give a surety bond before the certificate is issued.
Documents required
- Death certificate of the deceased, registered with NADRA
- Family Registration Certificate (FRC) from NADRA
- CNIC or NICOP copies of all legal heirs
- Details of each asset: bank statements, account numbers, savings certificates, share certificates
- If an heir has also died, their death certificate and their own heirs’ details
- For heirs abroad, a special power of attorney signed at a Pakistani embassy or consulate
How long does it take and what does it cost?
Time and cost depend on the route. Through NADRA, the main costs are the NADRA fee and getting every heir verified, and the process is usually quick when the records are complete. Through the court, you pay court fee on the value of the assets plus your advocate’s fee, and the case normally takes several months because of the notice period and hearings. A single objection can add many months.
We give you a realistic timeline and a written fee quote after looking at your family tree and the assets.
Succession certificate for overseas Pakistanis
Many heirs live in the UK, the Gulf, Europe or North America. You do not have to travel to Pakistan for most of the process:
- Sign a special power of attorney at the Pakistani embassy or consulate where you live. Our power of attorney guide for overseas Pakistanis explains how.
- Your attorney or advocate files the application and follows it up in Pakistan.
- For the NADRA route, check before you start how heirs abroad will be verified, because every heir has to be confirmed.
- Once the certificate is issued, your attorney can collect the funds or transfer them to your account.
See our legal services for overseas Pakistanis for other matters we handle while you stay abroad.
Common problems
- One heir refuses to cooperate. The NADRA route stops and the case has to go to court.
- A daughter or sister is left out. Women are legal heirs under Islamic law and leaving them out can make the certificate invalid. Read about women’s inheritance rights in Pakistan.
- Minor heirs. A child’s share may need a guardian appointed by the court before money is released.
- A disputed or fake will. If someone produces a will, the court has to decide on it first. See challenging a fake will in Pakistan.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a succession certificate online in Pakistan?
Not fully online. In Islamabad, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa you apply at a NADRA Succession Facilitation Unit, and every legal heir has to be verified there. In the rest of the country the application goes to the civil court.
How long does a succession certificate take in Pakistan?
The NADRA route is usually much faster than court because there is no notice period or hearing, as long as all heirs agree and their records are complete. A court case normally takes several months, and longer if anyone objects.
Is a succession certificate needed for a house or land?
A succession certificate is for movable assets such as bank accounts, shares and savings certificates. For land and houses, heirs get an inheritance mutation in the land record, or a letter of administration where the property office asks for one.
Can overseas heirs get a succession certificate without coming to Pakistan?
Often yes. An heir abroad can usually act through a special power of attorney signed at a Pakistani embassy or consulate. For the NADRA route every heir has to be verified, so confirm how this will be done for heirs abroad before you apply.
What if one heir refuses to cooperate?
The NADRA route only works when all heirs agree. If one heir refuses or disputes the family tree, the application has to go to the civil court, which decides after hearing everyone.
Need help with a succession certificate?
We prepare NADRA applications and court petitions for succession certificates across Pakistan, including for heirs living abroad. See our succession certificate service for overseas heirs, or send us the family details on WhatsApp at +92 334 7961863 for a free consultation, or use our contact page.
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