What Is A Legal Heir Certificate?
Updated: 12-08-2025 at 3:30 PM
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Complexities are often involved in matters of inheritance, succession, and property transfers. That is why the government of India created the provision of a Family Legal Heir Certificate. It is one of the most important documents that helps maintain a smooth functioning of inheritance laws and property transfers with as few chances of conflicts as possible.
Read the article to learn about the details of the family Legal Heir Certificate, application for legal heir certificate, documents required for succession certificate and much more.
Overview
This table provides key details about the application of the Legal Heir Certificate, including its issuing authority, purpose, validity, and application process. It serves as a quick reference for anyone seeking to understand its importance and procedure.
| Name of the certificate | Family Legal Heir Certificate |
|---|---|
| Issued by | Revenue Department or Municipal Corporation |
| Objective | A Legal Heir Certificate is made upon the request of a family member, wherein they select their successors and document them legally. |
| Validity | Valid for life |
| Apply for a legal heir certificate | Online |
What Is A Legal Heir Certificate?
Legal Heir Certificate meaning a certificate that is issued upon the request of a family member, wherein they select their successors and document them legally. Applying legal heir certificate online helps in settling matters such as the transfer of assets to successors without any conflicts or disputes. The application for a succession certificate can be obtained by the legal heirs on the death of the deceased from the municipal corporations.
Contents Of A Legal Heir Certificate
The application of the Legal Heir Certificate comprises several components to make information clear and valid. The major things it consists of are as follows:
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Name and address of the deceased
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Date of the death of the deceased
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Details of the legal heir, such as name, address, and relationship with the deceased
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Details of the issuing authority
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Date of the issue of the certificate
What Are The Benefits Of A Legal Heir Certificate?
There are several benefits of applying legal heir certificate that make the lives of successors easy and conflict-free. Some of its major benefits are described below in brief:
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Helps in the identification of rightful successors.
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Legal heirs can claim the assets of the deceased through the government document.
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The govt certificate also enables the legal heirs to claim insurance, receive pension, provident fund, and salary arrears of the deceased.
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In some cases, legal heirs can also use their legal heir certificates to secure employment opportunities.
Who Can Apply For A Legal Heir Certificate?
Individuals' applications for a succession certificate are mentioned below for one’s better understanding and reference:
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Spouse of the deceased
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Children of the deceased
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Parents of the deceased
How To Apply For A Legal Heir Certificate?
One can apply for a legal heir certificate by following the steps laid down below in detail to avoid any confusion. The steps for both offline and online procedures are:
Application For Succession Certificate Offline
Step 1: Please visit the district court of your respective area and request an application form.
Step 2: Fill out the application form and attach all the required documents, including an affidavit on stamp paper or self-declaration.
Step 3: Please pay the fee and submit your application.
Step 4: After successful submission of the application, a Revenue Inspector would conduct verification in person, following which you’ll receive their legal heir certificate.
Applying Legal Heir Certificate Online
Please visit your state’s respective e-portal, navigate to the option of applying for a legal heir certificate, fill out the application and upload the supporting documents, pay the fees, and apply.
Please note that it takes around a month to complete all the procedures. However, if you applied more than a month ago, you can approach the Revenue Division Officer (RDO) or sub-collector.
Required Documents For A Legal Heir Certificate
To successfully apply for the official government certificate, one needs to submit some supporting documents. The list of Documents required for a succession certificate is as follows:
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Proof of residence of the deceased and the legal heir
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Death certificate of the deceased
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Birth certificate of the legal heir
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Self-declaration
Difference Between A Legal Heir Certificate & Succession Certificate
There are some major differences between a Family Legal Heir Certificate & a Succession Certificate. The points of difference are mentioned below in tabular format:
| Components | Legal Heir Certificate | Succession Certificate |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Drawn up by the deceased, wherein he/she select their legal heirs. | Helps in transferring assets after the death of the deceased under the Hindu Succession Act. |
| Issued by | Local revenue authorities like the Municipal Corporation | Civil courts |
| Who can apply? | Spouse, children, or parents of the deceased | Legal heirs of the deceased if there is no will. |
| Legal process | Simple | Comparatively complex, as it requires legal proceedings |
| Used for | Inheritance claims or for claiming the deceased’s pension, insurance, etc. | Transfer of assets in case of no will |
Read More: When Can A Daughter Not Claim Her Father's Property? | Inheritance & Property Law
How To File An ITR On Behalf Of The Deceased As Their Legal Heir?
After the death of the deceased, it is the responsibility of the legal heirs to file an Income Tax Return (ITR). They can do so by:
Step 1: Visit the official website of Income Tax.
Step 2: Register using your information and create an account.
Step 3: After registration, log in to your account and navigate to ‘myAccount’.
Step 4: Find the request type option and click on ‘Adding/Registering a representative on behalf of someone else’.
Step 5: Select the deceased’s estate to continue registering.
Step 6: Fill out all the deceased’s relevant information, like the name of the estate, the deceased’s date of incorporation, etc.
Step 7: Upload the supporting documents of the deceased, like a PAN card, death certificate, legal heir certificate, and a self-declaration.
Step 8: Apply to be able to file ITR on behalf of the deceased.
Conclusion
The Family legal heir certificate allows the rightful heirs of the deceased to carry out various activities, such as the transfer of assets, with no conflicts or complexities.
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