Free Colorado Petition for Probate

How to open probate in Colorado: petition the District Court of the county where the decedent lived and request Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration. C.R.S. §§ 15-12-301 to 15-12-311.

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You & the Will

Colorado provides an official fillable petition; we complete it for you.

Opening probate?The whole estate, start to finish.

State Where the Estate Will Be Probated*

The state where the decedent was domiciled. Only states where a self-represented filer can prepare this document are listed.

Did the decedent leave a will?*

Yes — there is a will (request Letters Testamentary)No — there is no will (request Letters of Administration)

Your First Name*

Middle Name

Your Last Name*

Your Relationship to the Decedent*

How you are related to the person who died. Being named executor in the will is asked separately.

Your Street Address*

City*

ZIP Code*

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SELF-HELP SERVICE: SimplyTrust provides a self-help document preparation service. We are not a law firm and cannot provide legal advice, select forms for you, or tell you how to complete forms. Our role is limited to providing a platform where you input your own information into document templates.

NOT LEGAL ADVICE:This document was created entirely based on your selections. SimplyTrust does not review, analyze, or verify your entries, nor do we verify your identity, capacity, or authority to act. You are solely responsible for determining whether this document meets your needs and for completing all required execution formalities (signatures, witnesses, notarization, or recording) in accordance with your state's laws. For any legal questions, consult a licensed attorney in your state.

Frequently Asked Questions About Colorado Probate Petitions

In Colorado, you file a petition with District Court of the county where the decedent lived to open probate. Probate registrar in informal proceedings issues Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (no will) once the court grants the appointment. See how appointment works in Colorado.

You cannot fill out Letters — they are issued by the court. The document you prepare and file is the petition (or application) for probate and for Letters. This tool prepares that petition for Colorado.

Yes. Colorado publishes a statewide fillable form, which this tool completes for you. After downloading, review and sign it, then file it with District Court of the county where the decedent lived.

Not as a self-represented filer. Colorado has probate e-filing, but it is not open to self-represented litigants — you file on paper with the court. Self-represented filers CANNOT e-file a probate case: Colorado Courts E-Filing for non-attorneys is limited to domestic relations and eviction cases. A pro se filer takes or mails the JDF application/petition (and the original will) to the District Court — Denver Probate Court in Denver. Licensed attorneys may e-file probate, including Denver Probate Court cases, through Colorado Courts E-Filing.

Along with the petition, Colorado typically requires: Certified copy of the death certificate; Original will and any codicils; Acceptance of Appointment; Proposed order submitted with the application/petition: informal JDF 913; Renunciation and/or Nomination of Personal Representative where a higher-priority person yields.

Opening Probate in Colorado

To settle an estate in Colorado, the court must first appoint a personal representative — an executor when there is a will, an administrator when there is none — and issue Letters. You apply by filing a petition with District Court of the county where the decedent lived; Probate registrar in informal proceedings (no hearing); the judge in formal proceedings (after notice/hearing) issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration once the court grants it.

Colorado publishes an official statewide petition form. This tool completes that form for you from a few questions about the decedent, the estate, and the heirs or beneficiaries. After downloading, you sign it and file it with the court in the county where the decedent lived.

You file the petition together with the supporting documents the court requires — typically a certified death certificate and, where there is a will, the original will. Colorado does not require a bond by default before Letters issue. The court reviews the petition and, if it is in order, grants it and directs that Letters issue.

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Free Colorado Petition for Probate

How to open probate in Colorado: petition the District Court of the county where the decedent lived and request Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration. C.R.S. §§ 15-12-301 to 15-12-311.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Colorado Probate Petitions

Yes. Colorado publishes a statewide fillable form, which this tool completes for you. After downloading, review and sign it, then file it with District Court of the county where the decedent lived.

Opening Probate in Colorado

Free Colorado Petition for Probate

You & the Will

Frequently Asked Questions About Colorado Probate Petitions