What happens to a WordPress.com account when someone dies
Automattic publishes its own process for a deceased person's account; a written request goes by email to passwordhelp@wordpress.com.
Automattic's terms allow a WordPress.com account to pass to the estate after the holder dies.
Automattic publishes its own process for a deceased person's account: Deceased site owner request; a written request goes by email to passwordhelp@wordpress.com. The request takes 4 documents.
How to request a transfer
- •A copy of the death certificate
- •A legal document stating your authority to act for the deceased, or a signed, notarized statement
- •Posts, pages and comments as an XML file from Tools > Export, and the media library separately
- •The subscriber list as a CSV from Jetpack > Newsletter
Required Documents
- Copy of the death certificate: to transfer ownership to another account
- Legal document stating authority to act for the deceased: to transfer ownership to another account. A signed, notarized statement may be sent in its place.
- Signed, notarized statement: in place of a legal document stating authority. Gives your first and last name, current contact information, email address, relationship with the site owner and the action requested.
- The site owner's name or account email, if known, and the site address: With a brief explanation and the action wanted.
What Automattic's terms say at death
- The terms
“When a WordPress.com site owner passes away, we like to help the family or estate determine what happens with their loved one's WordPress.com site.”1
What Automattic says happens10
- Transfer at death
At the family's or estate's request, WordPress.com can transfer a deceased owner's site to another account or make it private.1
- Who owns the asset
The site owner is the account that created the site or received it in a transfer. A transfer moves the plan, paid upgrades and domain names to the new owner.2
- Verifying the requester
A transfer of ownership needs a copy of the death certificate and either a legal document stating authority or a signed, notarized statement.1
- Memorialization
Once a requester has access, the site can carry an update post for its audience, an in memoriam page or a donation form.1
- Closing the account
Once a requester has access, the site can be set to private or deleted; a site with an active plan cannot be deleted until the plan is cancelled.1, 3
- Subscriptions and billing
The site's billing subscriptions can be updated or cancelled, and visitors can be asked to cover the subscription costs.1
- Domain renewal and expiry
Only the domain owner can renew, cancel or transfer a domain, and email ownership is tied to the domain name.2
- Inactive accounts and expiry
The Terms of Service reserve WordPress.com's right to reclaim a username or a website's URL after prolonged inactivity.4
- Other ways to reach the provider
WordPress.com offers no customer support phone number. Human support from its Happiness Engineers is on paid plans; a free plan gets the community forums and support guides.5
- Support response times
WordPress.com aims to respond to every support request within 24 hours, answering them in the order they arrive.5
Not in WordPress.com's published guidance3
- How long a request takes
- A phone number for this
- An intake portal or form for deceased-user requests
Sources5
- 1.Deceased site owner, Last reviewed on February 12, 2026
- 2.Transfer a site to a new owner, Last reviewed on September 28, 2026
- 3.User roles, Last reviewed on September 29, 2026
- 4.Terms of Service, Last Updated: October 6, 2026
- 5.Contact WordPress.com support, Last reviewed on October 5, 2026
A written request to Automattic can ask it to transfer the registration to a new registrant, memorialize the account and preserve the account while the estate is opened.
Digital Assets Recovery Letter for WordPress.com drafts that request from the estate's details.
Sources
Data sourced from Automattic primary sources (8 pages reviewed). How we research.
WordPress.com estate claims
Deceased site owner requests
Website
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
Forms for Settling an Estate
Free forms for settling an estate: the probate petition, small estate affidavit, notice to creditors, inventory, and closing forms.
Affidavit of Death
Put a joint owner's or a transfer on death deed owner's death on the land records with the affidavit your state's statute names, laid out for recording.
IRS Form 56
Notify the IRS that you are the fiduciary of an estate, a trust or a person, or end a notice filed before, on the official form.
Digital Assets Recovery Letter
Prepare a letter requesting a deceased person's online accounts, points, and balances from the program that holds them.
Petition for Probate and Letters
Open probate and ask the court to appoint you and issue Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Notice to Creditors
Notify estate creditors and start the claim period — the published notice plus mailed copies for known creditors.
Renunciation of Executor
Decline an appointment as executor named in a will — the writing filed with the court before anyone is appointed.
Tools for Settling an Estate
Free tools for settling an estate: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines, and inheritance taxes.
How Many Death Certificates Do I Need?
Calculate how many certified death certificates you need and see ordering info for your state.
Do I Need Probate?
Find out if an estate needs probate or qualifies for simplified procedures.
What Happens to Jointly Owned Property When an Owner Dies?
See what your state records when a joint tenant with right of survivorship dies: an affidavit, the death certificate or a new deed.
Do I Have to File Tax Returns for Someone Who Died?
Find out which tax returns need to be filed after someone dies and whether tax clearance is required.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Personalized plan for settling an estate after someone passes away.
What Do I Do When Someone Dies?
A step-by-step checklist for the days, weeks, and months after a death, with state rules noted where they apply.
