The Royal Warrant of 2004 requires that a person wishing to be recognised as a Peer prove succession to the relevant dignity, to the satisfaction of the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice. Garter King of Arms provides a ruling to the Crown on whether each claim has been satisfactorily made out.

Guidance notes are provided on how to prove succession to a Peerage. Any person wishing to prove succession to a peerage should in the first instance contact the Officer in Waiting. For general advice on the procedure, the evidence required, and the format of documents, should contact

Grant Bavister
College of Arms
130 Queen Victoria Street,
London EC4V 4BT
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For more complex claims advice should be sought from an officer of the College of Arms in London, the Court of the Lord Lyon in Edinburgh (for Peerages of Scotland), or a solicitor.

Claims are made by submission of a formal Petition to the House of Lords and Statutory Declaration to the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice via the Crown Office, made on behalf of the claimant by a suitable person. Information about the suitability of a particular person to make the Declaration is contained in the guidance notes or in cases of doubt individual cases can be discussed with the Registrar or the College of Arms.

The Royal Warrant of 2004

What is recorded in the Roll of the Peerage

The Roll of the Peerage

Clicking on several of the links on this page will open documents in secure pdf form. In order to read these you must have a pdf reading program such as Adobe Reader to view them, a free program that you may have on your computer already.

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