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Law & Justice

Apply for an estate administrator

Appointment of an estate administrator by the probate court to safeguard and manage an estate when the heirs are unknown or have not yet been identified.

Wo wohnen Sie?

Damit wir Apply for an estate administrator mit dem zuständigen Nachlassgericht in Ihrer Stadt anzeigen können.

Oder Großstadt wählen:

Sie werden zur geführten Suche weitergeleitet – mit Kontaktdaten, Termin und nächsten Schritten für Apply for an estate administrator.

Processing: approx. 2 monthsSuccess rate: 75.0 %
Last reviewed: August 03, 2026

Quick answer

  1. 1

    Documents you need

    Personalausweis oder Reisepass · Formular / Antrag

  2. 2

    Responsible authority

    The authority of your main residence

  3. 3

    How to do it

    In person or by post at the office

  4. 4

    Costs

    10–80 € je nach Urkunde/Verfahren

Find the responsible authority

How to proceed

  1. 1

    File a petition with the probate court (local court)

    Including an explanation of the need for security, e.g., outstanding receivables.

  2. 2

    Appointment of an estate administrator

    Through the court, usually a lawyer or notary.

  3. 3

    Estate Administration and Heir Tracing

    The estate administrator safeguards the estate and identifies the heirs.

Responsible authority

The authority of your main place of residence is responsible.Find authority →

The essentials before applying

Who is eligible?

Creditors of the estate, government agencies, or other persons with a legitimate interest in safeguarding an estate with unknown heirs.

Income limit

Processing time

Nationwide: approx. approx. 2 months

Success rate

approx. 75.0 % (estimate)

Most common mistakes

  • Application filed without evidence of a legal interest
  • Unterlagen nicht vollständig – vor Abgabe Checkliste prüfen

Common reasons for rejection

  • Need for security not demonstrated
  • The heirs are already known and can be contacted

Alternatives

  • Check related services in the application assistant
  • Use social counselling before applying

If rejected

File a written objection within 30 days – with reasons why the decision is wrong and any missing evidence.

Related services

Questions & Answers

Wie lange dauert Nachlasspflegschaft beantragen?

In der Regel ca. 60 Werktage – je nach Behörde und Auslastung.

Freshness & source

Maintenance
Continuously reviewed & updated
Source
Bundesamt für Justiz
Data quality
100 %

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