Resealing a Grant of Probate in British Columbia: A Guide for U.S. and Out-of-Province Executors

If you’re an executor (or administrator) appointed outside British Columbia and the deceased owned assets in British Columbia —most commonly British Columbia real property — you may need to reseal your grant in British Columbia before you can transfer, sell, or distribute those assets.

This guide answers the questions we hear most often from U.S. executors and executors from other Canadian provinces. This is general information, not legal advice for your specific circumstances.

What is “resealing” in British Columbia?

Resealing is the British Columbia Supreme Court process that recognizes a Grant of Probate (or similar court grant) issued in another province, territory or country. Once resealed, your authority is recognized in British Columbia and institutions here can accept it.

In practical terms, resealing is often the step that allows you to deal with BC-situated assets — especially real property—that can’t be transferred or sold until BC recognizes your authority.

The resealing process is similar to a British Columbia probate application. Resealing applications even require probate fees which are court fees paid to the British Columbia government when resealing a foreign Grant of Probate. They are calculated based on the gross value of the estate, and they are separate from legal fees or other estate administration costs.

Use the BC Probate Fee Calculator to estimate both the probate fee and court filing fee.

Do I need to reseal a Grant of Probate in British Columbia?

You may need to reseal if:

there are assets in British Columbia in the deceased’s name alone, and
an institution requires recognized authority before releasing or transferring them — most commonly British Columbia real property.

Some assets may not require resealing. For example, jointly held assets may pass to the surviving joint owner, and accounts with a named beneficiary may transfer outside the estate. But when an asset is held solely in the deceased’s name (especially land), resealing is often required before anything can move forward.

Do I need to travel to British Columbia to reseal probate?

No, most resealing matters can be handled remotely.

A good resealing process should work for executors who live elsewhere, with:

virtual appointments,
secure client portals for communication and document sharing, and
coordinated commissioning of affidavits outside of British Columbia.

If you’re in the U.S. or another province/territory, or country, we typically coordinate with your local notary public (or appropriate official) so you don’t need to travel to British Columbia to sign paperwork.

How long does resealing take in British Columbia?

Timelines vary based on the court registry’s workload, the complexity of the estate, and how quickly required documents and valuations are available.

As a general guide, once your application is filed, it often takes around 8 weeks for the court to issue the resealed grant (timelines can be longer or shorter depending on registry and circumstances).

A large portion of “timeline” usually happens before filing — gathering court-certified copies, obtaining date-of-death values, completing searches, and waiting out the notice period.

Can I sell or transfer BC real estate without resealing?

Usually not. In many cases, the British Columbia Land Title Office requires authority that is recognized in British Columbia before real estate can be transferred or sold. Resealing is the process that bridges that gap by having the foreign grant recognized by the British Columbia Supreme Court.

If you are trying to list or sell a British Columbia property, resealing can be the difference between “we can proceed” and “we have to pause.”

What documents do out-of-province and U.S. executors usually need?

Every file is different, but common requirements include:

original or court-certified copies of the foreign grant (and related court documents),
information to identify and value British Columbia assets as of the date of death, and
names and addresses of anyone entitled to notice.

Special note for U.S. estates and trusts

Many U.S. estates involve trust arrangements, and some assets may not require probate in the originating state. Where authority is still needed for British Columbia assets, additional trust documentation may be required, and we may ask for confirmation from counsel in the originating state regarding whether probate is required there.

Ready to reseal your Grant of Probate in British Columbia?

If you’re an executor appointed outside British Columbia, we can confirm whether your grant can be resealed and guide you through the process from intake to resealed grant — including post-resealing transmissions and British Columbia real estate sale support.

Request a Resealing Consultation