Estate Settlement, Division, and Property Registration in Jeddah
Estate settlement means identifying the deceased’s assets, debts, and heirs, then paying the debts and executing any will, then dividing what remains among the heirs according to their shares and registering each heir’s portion of the property in their name. It starts with an heirs certificate issued through Najiz, and ends either by agreement or by court judgment. In Jeddah we handle it as lawyers, notarize the waivers, and register the property through our licensed registrar.
Law practice, notarization, and real estate registration under official licences — the numbers are published on our Licences page.
- Heirs certificate, shares, and debt settlement
- Notarized waivers and amicable division
- Registering the deceased’s property in the heirs’ names
The Estate Settlement Path
- Heirs certificate via Najiz
- Assets and debts inventory
- Statement of shares
- Notarized division or waiver
- Registration in the Real Estate Registry
Cases We Handle in Estates
We handle estate settlement, division, and property registration for the following clients through our office in Jeddah.
Heirs in Agreement
A correct, fast, and notarized division without a dispute or a lawsuit.
Stalled Divisions
Blocked by a disagreement, an absent heir, or a minor among the heirs.
Waiver and Share Purchase
An heir who wants to waive a share, or buy out the other heirs by notarized declaration.
Estates with Property
An estate holding property already registered, or requiring registration before division or sale.
What We Do at Each Stage
The table below sets out the stages of estate settlement, what we do at each stage, and the authority involved.
Heirs Certificate
- Preparing and following up the heirs certificate application
- Verifying and digitizing older documents
Authority: Najiz — Ministry of Justice
Assets and Debts Inventory
- Verifying the deceased’s title deeds and properties
- Identifying accounts, claims, and liabilities
Authority: Real Estate General Authority and related bodies
Statement of Shares
- Setting out each heir’s share under the inheritance provisions of the Personal Status Law
Authority: our office
Amicable Division or Waiver
- Drafting the division agreement or the waiver declaration
- Notarizing it before our licensed notary
Authority: Notarization
Judicial Division
- Filing a division or estate settlement claim where agreement fails
- Representation before the court
Authority: the competent court
Property Registration
- Transferring the deceased’s property to the heirs or to the buyer in the Real Estate Registry
Authority: our licensed real estate registrar
Minors’ Shares
- Arranging guardianship over a minor’s share and protecting it until majority
Authority: the court
Why Al-Shatiri & Al-Ghamdi for Estates
Ahmed Abdullah Al Ghamdi
Estate settlement brings together three specialisms: law practice (claims and shares), notarization (waivers and amicable division), and real estate registration (transferring the property). Ahmed Al Ghamdi holds all three: a law practice licence, a notarization practice licence, and a real estate registration practice licence from the Real Estate General Authority, alongside a fellowship as a Sharia consultant in financial transactions and dispute settlement — which matters specifically in reconciling heirs. The licences are personal to him, and we publish their numbers on our Licences page for anyone who wants to verify them.
Law Practice
Claims, shares, and representing the heirs before the competent court.
Real Estate Registration
Transferring the deceased’s property in the Real Estate Registry through a licensed registrar.
Documents Needed to Start the Settlement
The more complete these documents are, the faster the first steps go.
The death certificate, the applicant’s ID, and the heirs’ IDs or details.
The heirs certificate if already issued, the property title deeds, and any will.
Details of debts, claims, and bank accounts where available.
No asset of the deceased may be disposed of, and no property registered in the heirs’ names, before the heirs certificate is issued.
Three Steps to Registering the Property
01 — Initial Call
We map the estate: has the heirs certificate been issued? Is there property, a minor, or a debt?
02 — A Written Settlement Plan
The steps in the right order, the authorities involved, and what each stage requires.
03 — Step-by-Step Execution
Through to registering the property in the heirs’ names and closing the file.
Common Questions About Estate Settlement in Jeddah
What is the heirs certificate and why is it the first step?
It is the official document proving the death and identifying the lawful heirs. It is issued through the heirs certificate service on Najiz, and older documents can be queried and digitized. No asset of the deceased may be disposed of, and no property registered in the heirs’ names, before it is issued.
Can an estate be divided without going to court?
Yes, if all adult heirs of full capacity agree. The division or waiver is drafted in an instrument and notarized, then carried out by transferring the property and distributing the assets. Court permission is required for a minor’s or an absent heir’s share, and the division becomes judicial where agreement cannot be reached.
How is a property that cannot be split divided?
Either by selling it and dividing the proceeds, or by one heir buying out the others’ shares under a notarized declaration, or by a judicial division in which the court decides the appropriate method. We set out the least costly and least contentious option before any decision is taken.
What is the real estate registrar’s role in an estate?
Where the deceased’s property is registered in rem or lies in a declared district, the transfer of ownership to the heirs or to the buyer is documented before a licensed real estate registrar through the Real Estate Registry platform. The Authority also provides a service to verify the ownership registration deed and the deceased’s properties beforehand.
Ready to Start the Estate Settlement?
Getting the order of the steps right saves the heirs months, money, and conflict. Send us the situation of the estate and we will propose a plan — telling us whether the heirs certificate has been issued, and whether the estate includes property or a minor.
Official References
Heirs Certificate Service
Ministry of Justice — Najiz: issuing, querying, and digitizing the heirs certificate
Personal Status Law
Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers — Royal Decree No. (M/73) dated 6/8/1443H
Verify Ownership Deed and the Deceased’s Properties
Real Estate General Authority — e-service
Real Estate Registry Platform
Real Estate General Authority — registry services and the licensed real estate registrar
Law of Evidence
Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers — Royal Decree No. (M/43) dated 26/5/1443H
Related Services
Notarization Services in Jeddah
Powers of attorney, declarations, and contracts before a licensed notary.