What to Do When Someone Dies in Providence, Rhode Island
Probate in Providence County runs through the City of Providence Probate Court: prove the will, settle the debts, and pass the house to the heirs. Here is how the local process works—and what each step actually costs.
When someone dies in Providence County, settling their estate runs through the City of Providence Probate Court. This page covers the court record, whether probate is required, what it costs, how to file, transferring property, and the local attorneys who handle probate here.
Probate Court Record
City of Providence Probate Court
Providence County
Address
25 Dorrance Street, Fifth FloorProvidence, RI 02903
Paper filing availableWalk-ins acceptedSelf-filing allowed
NOTE: Rhode Island probate courts are organized by city/town, not by county. This is the probate court for the City of Providence, the largest municipality in Providence County. Residents of other Providence County towns must file in their own town probate court. Office is closed mornings on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday (court sessions); open full day Wednesday and Friday.
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Providence, probate runs through the City of Providence Probate Court at 25 Dorrance Street, Fifth Floor, Providence.
The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under Rhode Island intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Rhode Island estates take 12 months to 18 months to move through this process. The 6 monthsR.I. Gen. Laws § 33-11-5(a) (claims presented within six months from the first publication); § 33-11-1 (the period is reckoned from the probate clerk's first publication of the notice of qualification of the personal representative)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source creditor claim window is the largest fixed piece of that timeline — a mandatory wait regardless of how simple the estate is.
What Probate Costs in Providence County
What probate costs in Providence County, Rhode Island comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the City of Providence Probate Court at 25 Dorrance Street, Fifth Floor, Providence.
Rhode Island charges $4 plus 1% of personal property, minimum $34, up to $1,504R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-22-21(a); § 42-8.1-20(b)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Rhode Island are negotiated, typically 2.1%R.I. Gen. Laws (no statutory schedule; court discretion applies)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.4%R.I. Gen. Laws (no statutory schedule; court discretion applies)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Executor compensation is based on reasonable pay for time and effort — the states that do set a schedule pay 2.2%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.8%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Rhode Island requires publishing creditor notice in a local newspaper, typically $200–$500. Professional appraisals for real estate or business interests add $300–$600 per asset.
A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-17-1 (every executor, administrator and guardian shall give bond with sufficient surety); § 33-17-4 (a will's exemption from 'bond or surety' exempts only the surety); § 33-17-1.2 (no surety for a spouse/sole-heir intestate administrator)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Rhode Island typically runs 12 months to 18 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the City of Providence Probate Court
Probate cases in Providence County are filed at the City of Providence Probate Court. File in person during business hours or by mail.
How to File Your Documents
Paper Filing Available
You can file your probate documents in person at the court or by mail.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
Not every estate requires an attorney. Estate size, asset types, and whether beneficiaries agree determine if self-filing at the City of Providence Probate Court is realistic.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
File by residency (city/town), not county
Rhode Island probate courts are organized by city/town, not by county. File in the probate court of the municipality where the decedent resided at death.
All Rhode Island municipal probate courts follow Rhode Island General Laws Title 33 (Probate Practice and Procedure). Appeals go to Rhode Island Superior Court.
You can file in person without an appointment. Counter open Wednesday and Friday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM; Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday afternoons only (12:30 PM - 4:30 PM), closed those mornings for court sessions.
What to Bring
To file at the City of Providence Probate Court you need: the original will (or proof there isn't one), a certified death certificate, contact information for all heirs and beneficiaries, and a summary of what the estate owns and owes.
Transferring Property in Providence County
Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the Recorder of Deeds.
Deeds and other real property documents for Providence County are recorded with the Recorder of Deeds at 25 Dorrance Street, Room 508, Providence, RI 02903. Phone: 401-680-5545. Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM (recording); Summer hours: 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM.
The Recorder of Deeds charges $84 for the first page plus $1 for each additional page.
Providence County accepts electronic recording through CSC and Simplifile.
Rhode Island uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Providence County — the filing sequence, notice requirements, and accounting leave little room for error. Estates under the small-estate threshold are the usual exception.
Probate attorney fees in Rhode Island are based on reasonable compensation — typically 2.1%R.I. Gen. Laws (no statutory schedule; court discretion applies)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.4%R.I. Gen. Laws (no statutory schedule; court discretion applies)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate's value, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Providence County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the City of Providence Probate Court, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.
Blish & Cavanagh is a Providence litigation firm founded in 1986 whose estate practice runs from initial planning through administration of a client's estate. Its estate work includes probate, trusts, guardianships, elder law, probate and estate litigation, and business succession planning. Attorneys will meet clients at home if they cannot come to the Providence office.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigationand 11 more
Burnett & Sherer is a two-attorney trusts and estates firm at One Citizens Plaza in downtown Providence. It handles estate administration, probate and trust administration, and representation of fiduciaries, alongside estate, gift, and generation-skipping tax planning. Both attorneys are admitted in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
PracticesEstate PlanningEstate AdministrationTrust AdministrationProbateand 5 more
Lefebvre & Lefebvre is a Pawtucket practice with a Providence office, serving Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts. Alongside bankruptcy and family law, attorney Christopher M. Lefebvre prepares wills, living trusts, quitclaim deeds, and powers of attorney, several at published flat prices, and helps clients through probate. The firm offers free consultations.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateMedicaid PlanningPowers Of Attorneyand 2 more
Correira Law is a trusts and estates boutique with a Providence office and offices in Massachusetts and Florida. It handles trust and probate estate administration and trust and estate litigation, including will contests, fiduciary removal cases, omitted spouse and child shares, and trust reformations at the probate, superior, and appellate court levels.
PracticesEstate PlanningEstate AdministrationTrust AdministrationProbateand 11 more
Duffy & Sweeney is a Providence litigation firm, a division of Stevens & Lee since June 2025, handling trust and estate disputes across Rhode Island. Its fiduciary practice covers will contests, petitions to remove trustees, accounting actions, trust termination and construction actions, breach of fiduciary duty claims, and service as guardian ad litem.
Dupras Law is the Providence estate planning and administration practice of Rebecca E. Dupras, serving Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Its settlement work includes administration of estates and trusts, probate after the loss of a loved one, and establishing guardianships, alongside Medicaid and nursing home planning. It offers a free 30-minute phone or virtual consultation.
PracticesEstate PlanningEstate AdministrationTrust AdministrationProbateand 9 more
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Living trust assets, and accounts with a named beneficiary or surviving joint owner. These skip probate; some states charge the court fee only on what remains.
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Probate fee bases vary by state and may use gross estate, personal property, inventory value, or net property after debts. This calculator provides educational estimates only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Actual costs vary significantly by county, attorney, and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney in your state for guidance specific to your situation.
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This tool provides general information about self-filing probate and is not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney in your state for guidance specific to your situation.
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Step-by-step tools for families in Providence, Rhode Island.
