The Saudi Estates Platform lets heirs issue an heirs deed, inventory the estate and divide it online. Steps, required data and what blocks division.
Short answer: The Estates Platform (منصة التركات) is an online platform supervised by the Saudi Ministry of Justice, accessed through the National Single Sign-On (Nafath). Heirs first issue an heirs deed, then request an estate inventory that gathers the deceased's funds, assets and documented rights from the relevant authorities, and finally divide the estate, either by agreement of all heirs or by referral to the competent court circuit.
When a parent or relative passes away, the family faces practical questions: where are the accounts, which properties are registered in the deceased's name, and how can everything be divided without the estate being frozen for years? This used to mean multiple powers of attorney and visits to several authorities. The Estates Platform now brings these stages into one online path. This guide explains what the platform is, how an heirs deed differs from an estate inventory, the steps, what happens after the inventory, and when agreed division is not possible. If your family's estate involves a dispute, a minor or a debt, our inheritance and estates lawyer service starts by reviewing exactly these points.
The Estates Platform describes itself as the unified platform for estate division, supervised by the Ministry of Justice. It offers three consecutive services:
Heirs deed (حصر الورثة): a document recording the deceased, the heirs and their shares.
Estate inventory (حصر التركة): a document listing the deceased's funds, assets and documented rights relating to the estate.
Estate division (قسمة التركة): distributing the assets among the heirs according to their Sharia shares or what they agree.
According to the platform FAQ, it serves the heirs of a deceased Saudi, or of a non-Saudi who died in the Kingdom. Heirs or their legal representatives can use it wherever they live, but someone who is not an heir can only apply under a power of attorney or guardianship deed that grants the necessary authority. All heirs can view the requests and documents, and each receives a text message when the heirs deed and the estate inventory are issued. The Ministry of Justice can be reached on 1950 from inside the Kingdom.
How does an heirs deed differ from an estate inventory?
The heirs deed answers "who": the heirs, their relationship to the deceased and their shares. It is reviewed, confirmed electronically by two witnesses and issued by a notary, with no court attendance. The estate inventory answers "what": it is generated by an electronic inquiry to the relevant authorities and can only be requested once a documented heirs deed exists.
The platform says a digital heirs deed is issued in final form and does not need updating. If you hold an old paper deed, you digitise it through Najiz rather than applying again; see our guide on updating the heirs deed.
What data and documents are required?
For the heirs deed, the platform and the Ministry's heirs-deed service page list:
Deceased: ID type and number, date of birth, death certificate, and family register if married.
Heirs: ID details, date of birth, mobile number and relationship to the deceased. Each heir needs a valid ID number, and every heir must be listed, even one who has waived their share.
Two witnesses: over 18, not heirs and not agents of an heir. The platform FAQ states that a woman cannot be added as a witness on this request.
Power of attorney: a valid one if you apply for an heir; documents issued abroad must be authenticated by the Ministry of Justice.
For the estate inventory, the Ministry's service page sets two conditions only: a documented heirs deed, and that the applicant is an heir. No documents are required, and the national portal lists the service as free.
What are the steps for an estate inventory?
Log in to the Estates Platform through Nafath.
Open "E-services".
Choose "Estate inventory".
Select the deceased's name.
Click "Start estate inventory".
You are notified once the relevant authorities respond.
The platform puts the average at 14 days. Two points matter before you click "start": an inventory request cannot be cancelled once submitted, and you can re-run the inquiry to refresh asset data as long as no division is being distributed.
The inventory covers the deceased's "funds and assets and the documented rights relating to the estate". For division, the platform groups assets into cash, investment assets and real estate. If you know of an asset that does not appear, such as land under an old paper deed, a debt owed to the deceased or money abroad, do not assume it was captured; take advice before approving any division.
What happens after the inventory?
Agreed division: all heirs approve the proposal on the platform. Heirs have 10 days to approve; execution takes about 14 working days, longer for investments. You can divide each asset type separately. Cash goes to each heir's bank account; investments are either sold or moved to each heir's active portfolio; real estate is sold through the Infath centre, transferred to the heirs in undivided shares, or settled by a buy-out (تخارج) between heirs. Real-estate division requires a real-estate transactions tax number.
Judicial division: if not all heirs agree, or an impediment exists, the request is referred through the platform to the competent court circuit.
The platform lists these impediments to agreed division: more than one deceased heir, a missing heir, an heir lacking mental capacity, a minor heir, a debt, a will, or a pregnancy. A minor does not prevent the inventory itself, only agreed division. How the division is then settled is covered in our upcoming guide on estate division among heirs.
Illustrative example only: a man leaves a wife and three sons, one of them a minor. The eldest son issues the heirs deed and the inventory, which shows bank balances, a share portfolio and a registered flat. Because a minor heir is an impediment, agreed division cannot be completed on the platform, and the family must take the court route and arrange guardianship over the minor's share.
Common mistakes
Answering the "identify the heirs" questions about yourself rather than the deceased.
Leaving out an heir who has waived their share.
Choosing a witness who is an heir or an heir's agent.
Starting an inventory with wrong data, since it cannot be cancelled.
Assuming the inventory captured every asset without checking it.
Waiting for an agreed division that an impediment will block.
When do you need a lawyer?
Simple estates can be handled on the platform alone. A lawyer helps when you need to object to an issued heirs deed (this is done before the competent court, not on the platform), when an impediment sends the matter to court, when an heir refuses or does not respond, when assets are missing, abroad or held in companies, when heirs agree a paid buy-out, or when an heir dies before division.
FAQ
Is the estate inventory free?
The national portal lists estate inventory and agreed estate division as free. The heirs-deed service page shows a payment channel, so check what appears when you apply.
How long does an estate inventory take?
On average 14 days from the request, according to the platform.
Can I cancel an inventory request?
No. It cannot be cancelled after submission, but the inquiry can be re-run to update asset data if no division is being distributed.
Can we request an inventory when one heir is a minor?
Yes, any heir named in the heirs deed can apply. But a minor heir prevents agreed division, so division will need the court route.
How do I object to an issued heirs deed?
The platform does not accept objections; they go to the competent court. A simple error can be corrected through a ticket to the issuing body.
Is your family's estate stuck?
Before submitting a request you cannot withdraw, confirm the right route. Our licensed lawyers act for heirs across Saudi Arabia, in person and remotely.
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Disclaimer: This article is general information about the Estates Platform as described on official pages at the time of writing. It is not legal advice for a specific case. Services and procedures may change, so consult a qualified lawyer before acting.
