Who inherits without a will in Hong Kong?

The spouse takes all the personal belongings, a fixed net sum set by the Ordinance, and half of the rest of the estate. The other half is held for the children in equal shares.

With the parents or the full siblings (but no children) the spouse takes the personal belongings, a larger fixed sum and half of the rest, and they share the other half. With none of them, the spouse takes everything.

Children first; then the parents; then the full siblings; then the half-siblings; then grandparents; then uncles and aunts. If there is no heir, the estate goes to the Government.

An unmarried partner does not inherit by law. A partner who was dependent on the person can apply to the court for provision from the estate.

There is no forced share, but spouses, children and dependants can apply to the court for provision from the estate.

Hong Kong's law generally applies to land in Hong Kong, and the law of the person's last domicile to moveable property.

• The fixed sums are set by the Intestates' Estates Ordinance and have not been revised often; check the current figure on the official legislation site.

Hong Kong belongs to the Common law family. Succession law grows out of the legal tradition, so it helps to know how the system works.

Read the Hong Kong legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Who owns what in a marriage in Hong Kong? →

• Consumer Council / CLIC: if the deceased made no will
• Hong Kong e-Legislation