This is legal information only. For advice on your own circumstances, speak to a lawyer.
Banks restrict access after death, but most permit a supervised search specifically to look for a will.
The Canadian position
The bank will usually require a statement of death and identification, and will inventory the contents. Removing anything other than the will generally requires a grant.
The Islamic position
A will locked in a box nobody can open is the practical failure a registry exists to reduce.
Note
This is legal information only. For advice on your own circumstances, speak to a lawyer.
Citations & sources
Every factual claim on this page traces to a source below. Details change — check the original source before relying on any figure, fee or legal position. Anything under “further reading” is related material, not a source for what is stated here.
Canadian legislation & government
- Locating wills and documents — Law Society of Ontario
- Apply for probate of an estate — Government of Ontario
- Estate Administration Tax — Government of Ontario
- Estates Act, RSO 1990, c E.21 — Government of Ontario
Further reading — Treadstone Law
- Executor access safety deposit box ontario — Treadstone Law
- Accessing safety deposit box after death ontario — Treadstone Law
- Wills & estates practice — Treadstone Law