What is a legal heir certificate called in Uttar Pradesh?

In Uttar Pradesh it is issued as a Legal Heir Certificate, also known as a Uttaradhikar Praman Patra. It is signed by the Tahsildar, through the Tehsil office.

Who issues the legal heir certificate in Uttar Pradesh?

The Tahsildar, through the Tehsil office. Applications are made through e-District Uttar Pradesh, or in person at the relevant office.

How long does a legal heir certificate take in Uttar Pradesh, and what does it cost?

Commonly reported at about 30 days. Nominal — stamp paper for the affidavit plus a small application charge that differs by district. Both are reported figures rather than a published guarantee. The nominal application fee is fixed district by district rather than by the state, so published figures vary legitimately. Confirm at your own Tehsil office.

Will a Uttar Pradesh legal heir certificate be enough to claim a bank account?

Often, yes — below the threshold the bank has fixed, a heir certificate with an indemnity bond and no-objection letters from the other heirs is usually accepted, and no court order is needed. Above that threshold the bank can insist on a succession certificate from a civil court. Ask the branch in writing which applies to your case before starting anything.

How do I get a legal heir certificate in Uttar Pradesh?

Apply on the e-District Uttar Pradesh portal under the Revenue Department, or at the Tehsil office for the area where the deceased lived. It is issued by the Tahsildar. Uttar Pradesh also runs a separate process called varasat, which records succession to agricultural land in the revenue record — that is a mutation, not a certificate, and it does not substitute for the heir certificate a bank or insurer is asking for.

At a glance

Called: Legal Heir Certificate · Uttaradhikar Praman Patra
Issued by: Tahsildar, through the Tehsil office
Apply at: e-District Uttar Pradesh
Reported cost: Nominal — stamp paper for the affidavit plus a small application charge that differs by district
Reported time: Commonly reported at about 30 days

Cost and time are what families report, not figures the state publishes as a commitment. The nominal application fee is fixed district by district rather than by the state, so published figures vary legitimately. Confirm at your own Tehsil office.

What you will need

Death certificate of the deceased
Aadhaar and a photograph for each heir being named
Proof of relationship — ration card or birth certificates
A notarised affidavit on stamp paper, signed by all heirs, confirming the complete list
Address proof of the deceased

What is different in Uttar Pradesh

Varasat and the heir certificate solve different problems. If the asset is agricultural land, varasat mutation in the revenue record is what transfers it. If the asset is a bank balance, a policy or a provident fund, the institution wants the heir certificate. Families sent to the Tehsil for one often come away with the other.

The affidavit has to name every heir and be signed by all of them. An affidavit that omits a sibling is the most common reason an application is returned, and it is also the thing that causes trouble later when that sibling objects.

The application charge is set at district level, so a figure from a neighbouring district is not reliable.

Will this be enough, or do you need a court?

A heir certificate is a revenue document, not a court order, and for most families it is enough. Under the RBI (Settlement of Claims in respect of Deceased Customers of Banks) Directions, 2025, every bank has to fix a threshold below which it settles a deceased customer’s account without sending the family to court — and that threshold cannot be lower than ₹15 lakh at a scheduled bank, or ₹5 lakh at a co-operative bank.

That is the regulatory floor, not a promise: a bank may set its limit higher, and the figure it applies to your case is the one its own policy names. Ask the branch in writing what their limit is before you assume you need a court.

Below the limit, the bank works from a claim form, the death certificate, identity proof, an indemnity bond and no-objection letters from the heirs who are not claiming. Above it, it can require a succession certificate — a civil court petition that realistically takes six months or more. That gap is the whole reason it is worth asking before you file anything.

Common questions

What is a legal heir certificate called in Uttar Pradesh?: In Uttar Pradesh it is issued as a Legal Heir Certificate, also known as a Uttaradhikar Praman Patra. It is signed by the Tahsildar, through the Tehsil office.
Who issues the legal heir certificate in Uttar Pradesh?: The Tahsildar, through the Tehsil office. Applications are made through e-District Uttar Pradesh, or in person at the relevant office.
How long does a legal heir certificate take in Uttar Pradesh, and what does it cost?: Commonly reported at about 30 days. Nominal — stamp paper for the affidavit plus a small application charge that differs by district. Both are reported figures rather than a published guarantee. The nominal application fee is fixed district by district rather than by the state, so published figures vary legitimately. Confirm at your own Tehsil office.
Will a Uttar Pradesh legal heir certificate be enough to claim a bank account?: Often, yes — below the threshold the bank has fixed, a heir certificate with an indemnity bond and no-objection letters from the other heirs is usually accepted, and no court order is needed. Above that threshold the bank can insist on a succession certificate from a civil court. Ask the branch in writing which applies to your case before starting anything.

Find out what your case needs

The free check works out what each heir inherits and which documents each institution on your list will ask for — in about two minutes.

Check my caseFree · no account needed

Other states

For the national picture — what the certificate proves, and when an institution will want a succession certificate instead — see the legal heir certificate guide.

Verified 2026-09-15 against the e-District Uttar Pradesh portal and the state’s own published guidance. This is general information, not legal advice. State procedure is revised without notice — confirm at the office before you file.