Is there a way to avoid probate appointment in Vermont?

Yes. A revocable living trust passes assets to beneficiaries without any court appointment — no petition, no Letters, no bond. A revocable trust built with SimplyTrust takes about 15 minutes.

How Do I Get Appointed as Executor in Vermont?

See the appointing court, the petition that opens the estate, what to file, and bond rules to be appointed in your state.

Got the Letters? Run the whole estate from here.

State

Document Type

Getting Appointed in Vermont

Executor (with a will) or Administrator (no will / not named)

Where you file

Vermont Superior Court, Probate Division

The form that opens the estate

700-00001Petition to Open Decedent's Estate · Fillable PDF · View sourceStart this petition for Vermont — we pre-fill it with your information. You review, sign, and file it with the court.

What the court issues (with a will)

Letters Testamentaryissued by Probate Division of the Superior Court (court issues the appointment/letters after allowing the will or approving the petition)

Letters are an output — the court issues them after granting the petition.

At a glance

UPC adoptedInformal trackE-filingSelf-represented filingLocal/county forms

E-filing runs through Odyssey File & Serve (OFS), hosted by Tyler Technologies. Registration offers an "independent user" path for self-represented litigants alongside firm/organizational registration. The OFS estate case type is chosen by estate value band, paired No Will / with Will at each band: Estate 1 ($10,000 or less), Estate 2 ($10,001-$50,000), Estate 3 ($50,001-$150,000), Estate 4 ($150,001-$500,000), Estate 5 ($500,001-$1,000,000), Estate 6 ($1,000,001-$5,000,000), Estate 7 ($5,000,001-$10,000,000), Estate 8 (greater than $10,000,000). Small estates have their own case types.

Bond

Required before Letters: Yes
Waivable by will: No
Waivable by beneficiaries: Yes

What to file with the petition

Entry fee (checks or money orders payable to Vermont Superior Court)
Certified copy of the death certificate
List of Interested Persons for Estates (form 700-00002E)
ORIGINAL Will and any codicils (if any)
For an ancillary (out-of-state) estate: authenticated copy of the will and probate from the decedent’s primary estate
Consent of surviving spouse and all heirs at law (14 V.S.A. § 107(a)) — allows the will to be allowed without a hearing; otherwise the court schedules a hearing with notice
Estate Administration Bond (form 700-00020), filed before the court issues letters (14 V.S.A. § 906); surety may be waived on request via Waiver of Surety on Estate Administration Bond (form 700-00004), at the judge’s discretion
Appointment of Resident Agent (form 700-00026) if the fiduciary is a nonresident (14 V.S.A. § 904(b))

Small-estate alternative

Bypasses full Letters: No
Form: 700-00001SMView source
Form name: Petition to Open Small Estate

State-specific notes

Statutorily, 14 V.S.A. § 902 has the Probate Division issue "letters of administration" even to the executor named in an allowed will; the judiciary's plain-language materials still distinguish Letters Testamentary (with a will) from Letters of Administration (no will). There is no separate fillable "Letters" form — the court issues the appointment documents after approving the petition. Deadlines: a will custodian must deliver the will within 30 days of learning of the death (§ 103), and the person named executor must file the death certificate and petition "with reasonable promptness" (§ 104(a)) — there is no fixed filing deadline and no outer limit on commencing probate (former § 105 was repealed by 2017, No. 195). A named executor who neglects for 20 days to give bond "shall not intermeddle or act as executor" (§ 909). Post-appointment, the bond conditions require an inventory within 60 days and an account within one year (§ 906(1), (3)). Vermont also offers a "waiver of administration" (14 V.S.A. §§ 1851-1854) that, for a sole beneficiary/heir who is also the sole fiduciary and where the decedent owned no Vermont real property, waives the inventory and the fiduciary bond and dispenses with further filings beyond the final affidavit of administration (due not less than six months or more than one year after appointment, § 1853(a)). Vermont has not adopted the Uniform Probate Code and has no informal/registrar track.

A revocable living trust passes assets to your family without this court appointment process — no petition, no Letters, no bond.

Create a Revocable Trust in 15 minutes

This tool provides general information about how a personal representative is appointed and is not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney in your state for guidance specific to your situation.Data verified 2026-07-15

Frequently Asked Questions

Vermont uses Petition to Open Decedent's Estate (700-00001), filed with the Vermont Superior Court, Probate Division. After the court grants the petition, Probate Division of the Superior Court (court issues the appointment/letters after allowing the will or approving the petition) issues your Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (without a will).

Along with the petition, Vermont generally requires: Entry fee (checks or money orders payable to Vermont Superior Court); Certified copy of the death certificate; List of Interested Persons for Estates (form 700-00002E); ORIGINAL Will and any codicils (if any); For an ancillary (out-of-state) estate: authenticated copy of the will and probate from the decedent’s primary estate; Consent of surviving spouse and all heirs at law (14 V.S.A. § 107(a)) — allows the will to be allowed without a hearing; otherwise the court schedules a hearing with notice; Estate Administration Bond (form 700-00020), filed before the court issues letters (14 V.S.A. § 906); surety may be waived on request via Waiver of Surety on Estate Administration Bond (form 700-00004), at the judge’s discretion; Appointment of Resident Agent (form 700-00026) if the fiduciary is a nonresident (14 V.S.A. § 904(b)).

Yes. Vermont requires a bond by default before Letters issue. Beneficiaries can also waive it in writing.

Vermont permits self-represented filers to open an estate, using Petition to Open Decedent's Estate (700-00001). E-filing is available. The Self-File Probate Assessment compares self-filing and attorney costs for Vermont.

Yes. A revocable living trust passes assets to beneficiaries without any court appointment in Vermont — no petition, no Letters, no bond. A revocable trust built with SimplyTrust takes about 15 minutes.

Getting Appointed in Vermont

Authority to act for the estate comes from Letters issued in Vermont by Probate Division of the Superior Court (court issues the appointment/letters after allowing the will or approving the petition), on appointment by the Vermont Superior Court, Probate Division. The document is Letters Testamentary with a will and Letters of Administration without. UPC adoption in Vermont: No.

The estate is opened by filing Petition to Open Decedent's Estate (700-00001) with the court, which carries a filing fee of $50 - $3,250 (based on estate value). Whether an informal (registrar) appointment track is available for qualifying estates: No.

A bond is required by default before Letters issue in Vermont and the beneficiaries can waive it in writing.

For smaller estates, Vermont offers a small-estate procedure for estates under $45,000 (700-00001SM). The Vermont self-file probate assessment compares self-filing and attorney costs.

SimplyTrust Editorial·Updated July 15, 2026

Legal Sources

Data sourced from Vermont statutes and official state code. How we research.

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Named as Executor

What an executor actually does: getting appointed, notifying creditors, paying debts and taxes, and where personal liability starts.

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Vermont Estate Planning Resources

In-depth guides covering Vermont probate laws, trust requirements, and estate planning strategies.

How Do I Get Appointed as Executor in Vermont?

Getting Appointed in Vermont14 V.S.A. §§ 902-906 (appointment of executors & administrators, letters, bond); §§ 902-903 (to whom letters issue); § 906 (bond) — § 901 repealed 1985Verified Jul 15, 2026View source

At a glance

What to file with the petition

Small-estate alternative

State-specific notes

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this your situation?

Named as Executor

Your kids shouldn't have to do this.

Vermont Estate Planning Resources

Getting Appointed in Vermont14 V.S.A. §§ 902-906 (appointment of executors & administrators, letters, bond); §§ 902-903 (to whom letters issue); § 906 (bond) — § 901 repealed 1985Verified Jul 15, 2026View source

At a glance

What to file with the petition

Small-estate alternative

State-specific notes

Is this your situation?

Named as Executor

Getting Appointed in Vermont

Getting Appointed in Vermont