Succession Certificate (Civil Court)
A court-granted certificate to inherit a deceased person's debts and securities. A succession certificate is granted by a civil court to the legal heirs to collect debts and securities (bank deposits, shares, bonds) of someone who died without a will. It is a formal legal proceeding — notices, valuation and court fees. NOS manages the petition and representation end-to-end.
Understand the service
What we can help with
A Succession Certificate is issued by the District Civil Court and empowers the heirs to collect and transfer a deceased person's movable assets — bank accounts and deposits, shares and demat holdings, mutual funds, insurance, bonds, government securities and EPF / pension. A clean, uncontested case with the heirs in agreement and documents in hand is fixed-price. Others take more work: multiple, minor or NRI heirs, several institutions, a large estate, an unregistered Will, or a foreign death certificate needing apostille. Heir disputes, a Will challenge, contested proceedings, probate (registered Will / Christian / Parsi) and cross-border matters are handled by a senior advocate. The court fee — roughly 3% of the estate value — is always a transparent pass-through, refundable if the petition is refused.
Succession vs Legal Heir Certificate. A Succession Certificate is a civil-court order for collecting movable assets (bank, shares, deposits); a Legal Heir Certificate (revenue) is used for pension and dues, and a Family Member Certificate records family composition. For immovable property, a different remedy applies. Not sure which you need? Pick “help me identify the service” and we'll confirm.
How it works on the ground
The government process is scattered across portals, offices and paperwork. NOS turns it into one guided flow.
The reality on the ground
What you face today in TG & AP
Filed in the district civil court with jurisdiction; involves petition, newspaper notice and hearings.
Court fee is a percentage of the estate value; documentation must be precise.
Banks and companies specifically require this (not just a legal-heir certificate) for securities.
For NRIs, attending court and coordinating a lawyer from abroad is daunting.
The NOS way
One guided flow — fully remote
01Instant online assessment
Answer a short questionnaire and see your case category, red flags, price estimate and timeline — before you pay anything.
02Built for both states
TG / AP rule-packs apply the exact process, documents and fees automatically.
03A dedicated case manager
Matched to your region and language — plus expert review for complex or high-risk cases.
04Secure document vault
A dynamic checklist per case; we arrange drafting, attestation and apostille so you never have to fly down.
05Transparent quote, secure payment
Pay online (INR, NRI cards & UPI) — no Demand Drafts, no counter queues.
06We file and see it through
Government submission handled for you, with live status, SLA-backed timelines & escalation, and in-app messaging — ending in your verified document.
one flow, tracked end to end
Step 01 of 06
Instant online assessment
Answer a short questionnaire and see your case category, red flags, price estimate and timeline — before you pay anything.
one flow, tracked end to end
Know before you pay
Free viability check with your category & price estimate up front — no surprises.
One case manager
A single point of contact, matched to your region & language, start to finish.
Truly remote
Drafting, attestation, payment & government filing handled — zero counter visits.
What we handle
How it works
- 01Step 1
Tell us about the estate
A short questionnaire — the heirs, any Will, the assets and their institutions, and the documents you hold. A clean, uncontested case with heirs in agreement is fixed-price.
- 02Step 2
Case Manager assigned
A dedicated Case Manager is assigned and you can message them before you pay. Multiple / NRI heirs, large estates and disputes get a clear plan and quotation first.
- 03Step 3
We petition & coordinate the court
We draft and file the petition, calculate and pay the ad-valorem court fee, manage the newspaper publication and the objection window, attend the hearings through our advocate, and coordinate the banks / RTAs / insurers on the certificate afterwards.
- 04Step 4
Certificate delivered
DeliveredThe court's Succession Certificate is delivered digitally with a physical copy couriered, and every hearing and stage is tracked in your dashboard.
What you'll typically need
- The deceased's death certificate and where they ordinarily resided (it sets the court)
- The legal heirs and their relationship / ID — and whether they all agree
- The movable assets to be covered (institution, account / folio, approximate value)
- Whether there is a Will, and whether any heir is an NRI or abroad
Don't have everything to hand? That's alright — especially at a difficult time. Share what you can and your Case Manager will guide you through the rest.
Made for NRIs. No trips home. No local runaround. No language barrier. Manage the entire process from your phone, in your own timezone — while NOS handles the counters, the paperwork and the follow-ups.
Ready to start?
The feasibility check takes about two minutes and is completely free.
Start Succession Certificate (Civil Court)