Washington Letters Testamentary, also known as Letters of Administration, are documents issued by a court in Washington that provide authority to an executor or administrator to administer the estate of a deceased person. They are necessary to establish the executor's legal right to act on behalf of the estate. The letters are typically issued when an individual dies without a Last Will and Testament or when the court determines that the existing Will is invalid. There are two types of Washington Letters Testamentary: Letters of General Administration and Letters of Limited Administration. Letters of General Administration are issued when the estate is large and complex, and provide the executor with full authority to manage the estate. Letters of Limited Administration are issued when the estate is small, and provide the executor with limited authority to manage the estate.