Contact, jurisdiction, estate reporting and follow-up

Independent Guide to the Master of the High Court, Johannesburg

Use the official contact details, confirm Johannesburg jurisdiction, prepare the correct estate pack and keep every follow-up tied to the estate number.

Verify on the Official DOJ PageEstate Reporting Checklist
Watercolour Johannesburg skyline above an estate file, official stamp and key

Official details checked 3 August 2026

Johannesburg Master's Office Contact Details

Confirm the details and any operational notice on the Department's website before travelling.

Physical address

Hollard Building
66 Marshall Street
Corner Pixley ka Isaka Seme Street and Marshall Street
Johannesburg

Postal address

Private Bag X5
Marshalltown
2107

Official contact record

The Department's contact page listed Ms Beatrice Desiree Van Wyk as Head of Office and DeVanWyk@justice.gov.za when checked. Roles and email assignments can change.

Check the current official entry

Residence decides the office

Does Johannesburg Have Jurisdiction?

For a person who lived in South Africa, the Department says the estate must be reported to the Master in whose area of jurisdiction the deceased lived during the 12 months before death. It is not decided by the hospital, place of death, heir's address or location of one property.

Johannesburg and Pretoria are separate Master's Offices. Do not assume every Gauteng address belongs to Johannesburg. If the address is near a boundary, use the DOJ online estate process, contact the relevant office or check an existing estate on ICMS before lodging originals.

Official Online RegistrationFind an Existing Estate

Government supervision, not private estate administration

Services Handled by the Master's Office

Deceased estates

Registers reported estates, accepts wills, appoints executors or representatives, examines accounts and supervises administration.

Trusts

Registers qualifying trusts in its jurisdiction, issues trustee Letters of Authority and receives statutory trust information.

Guardian's Fund

Administers money received for minors and certain other people entitled to protected funds, subject to the governing law and claim process.

Insolvencies

Supervises insolvent estates and related appointments and accounts under the applicable legislation.

Curators and tutors

Supervises court-appointed office-holders who administer another person's property or affairs.

What it does not do

The Master does not act as the family's executor, attorney, tax practitioner or conveyancer, and does not draft a private will or trust deed for the applicant.

Report within the statutory period with the correct route

How to Report a Deceased Estate in Johannesburg

01

Confirm jurisdiction

Use the deceased's ordinary residence during the 12 months before death. Resolve uncertainty before sending original documents.

02

Choose a route

Use DOJ Online Services for deceased-estate registration or follow the official instructions for lodging at the relevant Master or service point.

03

Prepare the full pack

Forms differ by estate value, will, marriage, executor nomination and security position. Do not use an old generic checklist as the final word.

04

Preserve proof

Keep the online reference, lodgement receipt, courier proof and copies. Record the estate number immediately after registration.

The Administration of Estates Act requires reporting within 14 days. The Department explains that online registration reduces travel, but an original will still has to be lodged where one exists.

Reporting-document checklist

Documents to Prepare

This is a preparation list, not a guarantee that every item applies or that no additional document will be requested.

Core estate records

  • Death Notice, form J294
  • Death certificate and required identity copy
  • All original wills, codicils or documents purporting to be wills
  • Inventory, form J243, with asset details and values
  • Marriage certificate or other accepted proof and marriage declaration
  • Next-of-Kin Affidavit, form J192, where there is no valid will

Appointment records

  • Executor or representative nomination where required
  • Acceptance of Trust as Executor, form J190, for full administration
  • Executor's certified identity copy
  • Security undertaking and bond, form J262, unless lawfully exempt
  • Acceptance of Master's Directions, form J155, where the simplified route applies
  • Creditor information and any additional affidavit requested for the facts
Open the Current Official Reporting Requirements

Appointment before authority

Letters of Executorship and Letters of Authority

An estate above R250,000 generally follows full administration and requires Letters of Executorship. Where the gross estate does not exceed R250,000, the Master may dispense with full letters and issue section 18(3) Letters of Authority. Value alone does not let a nominee act before the letter is issued.

The official forms page states that J238 Letters of Executorship and J170 Letters of Authority must be obtained from the Master. A will nomination, reporting receipt or DOJ application status is not the issued appointment.

Understand the executor's appointment and duties

Use the government systems directly

Johannesburg Online Registration and Tracking

Deceased-estate registration

The Department launched deceased-estate online registration for Johannesburg and other initial offices. The account also provides application status, rework and appointment functions.

Open DOJ Online Services

Public deceased search

Use ICMS to search Master's Office records available from 2008 onward and identify the estate number, office and available file information.

Search the official ICMS portal

A precise written request is easier to answer

How to Follow Up on a Johannesburg Estate

Include these details

  • Estate number, deceased's name and date of death
  • Your name, relationship or legal interest and contact details
  • Date and method of the previous submission or enquiry
  • One precise question about the next milestone
  • Relevant receipt, correspondence or query sheet
  • A reasonable date for acknowledgment or a substantive reply

Common issues to diagnose

  • No estate number after reporting
  • Online application returned for rework
  • Original will not linked to the application
  • Security or nomination outstanding before appointment
  • Letters issued but not received or verified
  • L&D account waiting for examination or a requisition response
  • Executor silence mistaken for a Master's Office delay

For complaints, the Department instructs users to start with the relevant Assistant Master, then Deputy Master, then Head of Office. Preserve the earlier correspondence before escalating beyond the Johannesburg office.

Use the complete estate-tracking workflow

Private support, clearly separate from government

Need Help Preparing or Unblocking the Estate?

Bring the residence details, estate number or online reference, appointment letter, latest query and written follow-ups. Do not send original wills, identity documents or banking credentials over WhatsApp.

Get Estate Administration HelpCall 010 021 5578WhatsApp

Scope and Limits

This independent guide is general South African information. It is not an official notice, jurisdiction ruling, filing receipt, legal opinion, appointment, complaint or guarantee that a document pack will be accepted.

Office details, officials, operational conditions and online systems can change. Verify them on the linked justice.gov.za pages before relying on them.

Editorial and Professional Record

Author
Muhammad Khan
Director and Information Officer, K2023120042 (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd t/a willandtrust.co.za. Business and editorial role only; no legal or fiduciary credential is claimed.
Professional reviewer
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A South African deceased-estates attorney must add their name, credentials, registration and review date.
Details verified
Official DOJ contact and service sources checked 3 August 2026.
Publication status
Noindex professional-review draft. Not approved for publication.

Primary Sources Checked on 3 August 2026