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Wills are confidential documents. Upon the death of the testator, only the persons affected by the succession may consult it. An heir may ask the liquidator for a copy of the provisions of the will that concern them. If a person is named as a legatee by particular title of material property identified in the will, they have the right to obtain information concerning their legacy. If they are designated the legatee of a share of the entirety of deceased’s property, they may request a full copy of the will, not just a part of it. Note, however, that since the entry into force of the new Code of Civil Procedure, notaries are required to inform the heirs and the persons who would have inherited in the absence of a will of the existence of a deceased’s will. If a notary refuses to do so, an application may be filed with the court. We invite you to search the Register of Testamentary Dispositions of the Chambre des notaires du Québec and the Barreau du Québec to find the name of the notary who executed the last will.

Any person interested in the succession who produces a copy of the death certificate issued by the Registrar of Civil Status may a request a will search with the Register of Testamentary Dispositions of Québec. However, the Civil Code expressly provides that the liquidator is responsible for establishing whether or not the deceased had made a will. You may also ask a notary to perform the necessary research. Finally, note that to respect the confidentiality of the process, the Register only shares the results of the search with the person who requested it.