View source for Duties of a Personal Representative (16:XII)

== C. Search of Wills Notice ==

If the deceased made a will, they may have filed a Wills Notice with the Vital Statistics Registry.  Note that the Vital Statistics registry does not keep a copy of the will and will only have a record of the date the will was made.

To obtain a representation grant through the court registry, a personal representative needs to provide two copies of a Wills Notice Search, which can be obtained on application to the Vital Statistics Registry.  A Wills Notice Search provides the date the person signed the will registered in the wills notice, the location of the will at that time, and the date the Vital Statistics Agency received the wills notice. 

If the will-maker is alive, only the will-maker can request a Wills Notice Search. However, a person who provides the documentation and payment listed below can apply for a Wills Notice if the will-maker is deceased: 
* A photocopy of the death certificate
* A completed VSA 532 form

To apply for a search, a person has to mail the requested documents to: '''Vital Statistics Agency''', PO Box 9657 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC V8W 9P3. Alternatively, they can deliver the requested materials to a Service BC Counter to request for a Search of Wills Notice. Please note that you cannot ask for a search online, unlike filing a Wills Notice. 

The cost to conduct a Wills Notice search is $20 per will search, plus $5 for each additional name the will-maker may have used. The results are usually printed within 20 business days. If you are pressed for time, you can also request Courier Delivery. In the case of Courier Deliveries, there is an additional $33 fee for the courier, but it prints next business day.