Accessing a Deceased Person's Bank Account: Every Major NZ Bank Compared

Every major NZ bank at a glance

When someone dies, their bank freezes accounts held in their sole name. What happens next — and whether you need a court grant — depends on how much is held and which bank you are dealing with. The table below compares the published policies of New Zealand’s main retail banks as at July 2026.

Bank	Releases funds without a grant up to	Estate form / process	Estate team contact
ANZ	$40,000	Deceased Estates Claim and Closure Form	0800 269 296
ASB	Threshold not published — confirm directly*	Closing documents (death certificate + supporting evidence)	Any ASB branch or asb.co.nz
BNZ	$40,000	Bereavement Assistance team process	0800 500 280
Westpac	$40,000 (tiered — see below)	Deceased Estate Declaration and Claim/Indemnity Form	0800 756 872 · estate_management@westpac.co.nz
Kiwibank	Not published — assessed case by case	Estates team notification	0800 113 355 · estates@kiwibank.co.nz
The Co-operative Bank	$40,000 (indicative)	Estate claim / settlement form	0800 554 554
TSB	$40,000	Estate Declaration form (online notification to start)	0800 872 226

*ASB's published help page does not state a dollar figure. In practice most banks now align with the $40,000 statutory threshold (see below), but you should confirm ASB's current position directly. Banks set their own internal limits and may apply a lower figure at their discretion — always check with the specific bank before assuming funds will be released.

Why $40,000 is the number that keeps appearing

The $40,000 figure is not a coincidence. On 24 September 2025 the statutory threshold above which probate is generally required rose from $15,000 to $40,000, and the major banks have moved their own release limits into line with it. That means an estate whose only assets are bank deposits totalling $40,000 or less at a single institution can often be dealt with without any court grant at all — the bank releases the funds on a statutory declaration or indemnity instead. See when probate is not required for the full picture, and accessing a deceased person’s bank account for the underlying rules on who has authority.

Two cautions. First, the threshold applies per institution, not across the whole estate — $30,000 at two different banks is under the limit at each, even though the estate totals $60,000. Second, if the deceased owned property, shares, or any asset that requires a grant to transfer, you will need probate or letters of administration regardless of how little is in the bank. The same threshold logic applies to KiwiSaver, though providers are far less consistent — see our KiwiSaver provider-by-provider comparison.

Bank-by-bank detail

ANZ

ANZ releases funds without a grant where the total held is under $40,000, using its Deceased Estates Claim and Closure Form. You will typically need the death certificate, the will (if there is one), and a grant of probate or letters of administration if the balance is above the threshold. Notify ANZ on 0800 269 296 or at any branch.

ASB

ASB’s published guidance asks you to notify the bank as soon as possible so it can place holds on the accounts, then provide “closing documents” — the death certificate and supporting evidence of your authority. ASB does not publish a dollar threshold on its help page, so confirm its current position when you notify it. Contact ASB through any branch or via asb.co.nz.

BNZ

BNZ handles deceased estates through its Bereavement Assistance team and will release balances of $40,000 or less without a grant, on production of the death certificate, the will, certified ID and a signed declaration. Call 0800 500 280.

Westpac

Westpac operates a tiered process. For balances under $500, only a certified death certificate and ID are needed. For balances under $40,000, you also complete Westpac’s Deceased Estate Declaration and Claim/Indemnity Form. Above $40,000, a grant of probate or letters of administration is required. Contact the deceased estate team on 0800 756 872 or estate_management@westpac.co.nz.

Kiwibank

Kiwibank does not publish a fixed release threshold and assesses each estate individually through its dedicated estates team. Notify it early on 0800 113 355 or estates@kiwibank.co.nz and it will tell you what it needs — generally the death certificate, the will, certified ID and, above its internal limit, a court grant.

The Co-operative Bank

The Co-operative Bank asks you to notify it as soon as possible and then guides you through the documents it needs, which typically include the death certificate, evidence of your authority, and a completed claim/settlement form. It generally aligns with the $40,000 threshold for releasing funds without a grant. Call 0800 554 554.

TSB

TSB starts the process with an online notification form and uses an Estate Declaration form. It releases estates of $40,000 or less without a grant; above $40,000, probate is required. You will generally need a certified death certificate, a certified copy of the will (if any), the Estate Declaration form, certified photo ID for any non-TSB claimant, and the account details for payment. Call 0800 872 226.

The documents banks ask for

Although each bank uses its own form, the underlying document set is consistent across all of them:

• A death certificate — certified copy, or the original sighted at a branch
• The will (if there is one) — often a certified copy
• Certified photo ID of the executor, administrator or next of kin making the claim
• The bank’s estate declaration, claim or indemnity form — signed
• A grant of probate or letters of administration — only where the balance is above the bank’s threshold
• Payment account details — where the funds are to be transferred

Gather these once and you can generally work through several institutions at the same time.

When you will still need a court grant

The bank thresholds only remove the need for a grant where the estate is small and simple. You will still need probate or letters of administration if:

• Any single institution holds more than $40,000 in the deceased’s sole name
• The estate includes real estate — Land Information New Zealand requires a grant to register a transmission, regardless of value (see joint property and probate)
• The estate holds shares, managed funds or other registered investments that the registry will only transfer on sight of a grant
• A bank exercises its discretion to require a grant even below the threshold

If a grant is required, our complete guide to probate explains the process, and our probate cost guide sets out the fees.

How to notify a bank that someone has died

1. Contact the bank’s estate team using the number in the table above, or call in to a branch. Do this early — it stops automatic payments and protects the estate.
2. Provide the death certificate and your ID. The bank will freeze sole-name accounts and tell you which of its forms you need.
3. Complete the bank’s estate form. For small balances this is often all that is required.
4. Provide a grant of probate or letters of administration if the balance is above the threshold, or if the bank requests one.
5. Give the bank the account details for where the funds should be paid, and it will close the account and release the balance.

Joint accounts are treated differently: on the death of one holder, the balance generally passes automatically to the surviving holder by survivorship and is not frozen for the estate. See joint property and probate.

Frequently asked questions

Can I access a deceased person’s bank account before probate in NZ?

Only within limits. Banks freeze sole-name accounts on notification of death. Most major banks will release balances of $40,000 or less without a grant, on a death certificate, ID and a signed declaration. Above that, you need probate or letters of administration.

What is the bank threshold for releasing funds without probate in New Zealand?

At most major banks it is $40,000, aligned with the statutory probate threshold since 24 September 2025. Banks set their own limits and may apply a lower figure; Kiwibank assesses each estate case by case rather than publishing a fixed threshold.

Do all New Zealand banks use the same threshold?

No. ANZ, BNZ, Westpac, TSB and The Co-operative Bank generally use $40,000, ASB does not publish a figure, and Kiwibank works case by case. Always confirm with the specific institution, as internal limits can be lower.

What documents does a bank need to release a deceased person’s funds?

A certified death certificate, the will (if any), certified photo ID of the person claiming, and the bank’s signed estate declaration or indemnity form. Above the bank’s threshold you also need a grant of probate or letters of administration, plus the account details for payment.

What happens to a joint bank account when one owner dies?

The balance generally passes automatically to the surviving account holder by survivorship. It is not frozen for the estate and does not usually require probate.