Is there a deadline for renouncing an inheritance in Estonia?
Three months — and silence means “yes”. The period for renouncing an inheritance is three months, running from the moment the heir learned or should have learned of the death and of their right to inherit. If no renunciation is filed within that time, the inheritance is deemed accepted — automatically. The renunciation must be in notarial form and may be filed with any Estonian notary, who forwards it to the notary conducting the succession proceedings. And the crucial point: with the assets you also inherit the debts — which is why those three months exist: to let you find out what is actually in the estate.
📋 The rules
- Renunciation period: 3 months
- It runs from learning of the death
- Silence = acceptance
- Renunciation must be notarial
- Debts come with the assets
🔓 Exceptions
- An inventory of the estate protects the heir from liability with their own property
- The inventory can be requested within three months of learning of the debts
- If the estate is insufficient, bankruptcy of the estate must be applied for
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The inventory is what saves your own property. Where the estate carries debts, an heir can accept the inheritance and request an inventory — and once the inventory is complete, they are not liable for the deceased's debts with their personal property. The request can be filed with a notary within three months of learning of the circumstances showing that the estate is insufficient to satisfy the creditors. If the estate does not cover the debts and the heir is unwilling to pay them from their own property, they must immediately apply for bankruptcy of the estate. So the three months are not a waiting period but an investigation period — use them.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
How long do I have to renounce?
Three months from the moment you learned or should have learned of the death and of your right to inherit. Without a renunciation the inheritance is deemed accepted automatically.
In what form is a renunciation made?
It must be in notarial form. It can be filed with any Estonian notary, who forwards it to the notary conducting the succession proceedings for the estate in question.
Do debts come with an inheritance?
They do. The deceased's debts pass with the assets, which is why the three-month period exists — to let you establish whether the estate holds more assets than liabilities.
What is an inventory of the estate?
It is a protective mechanism: the heir accepts the inheritance and requests an inventory, after which they are not liable for the deceased's debts with their own personal property.
What if the estate cannot cover the debts?
If the estate is insufficient and the heir will not pay from their own property, they must immediately apply for the bankruptcy of the estate rather than letting the claims accumulate.
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