Connecticut Probate Guide | Settled Estate

Connecticut probate is the Probate Court process that proves a will, appoints a fiduciary, settles debts and taxes, and passes what is left to the heirs or beneficiaries. Connecticut runs it under Conn. Gen. Stat. Title 45a, and the case is heard in one of the state's 54 Probate Districts.

Start with the fact that shapes every other answer on this page. Connecticut abolished county government in 1960, so no county probate court exists here. Section 45a-2 names 54 probate districts and assigns each of the 169 towns to one of them. Jurisdiction follows the town where the decedent lived at death, and the district name is often not the town name. A New Britain resident files in the Berlin Probate District. Look up your town in the Connecticut Probate Court directory before you fill out a single form.

Read this as a planning map rather than a filing packet. The Probate Court publishes its own PC form set, and the chief clerk in your district answers questions about the paperwork. If the death is recent, work through the Connecticut first steps guide first, because several tasks come before any court filing.

Where a Connecticut Estate Gets Filed

Venue comes first, and two clocks start at the death.

A person holding the original will must deliver it as soon as they learn of the death, either to a named executor or to the judge, clerk, or assistant clerk of the Probate Court with jurisdiction over the estate. Neglecting that duty for 30 days carries a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment of up to one year, or both (§ 45a-282).

Separately, anyone who knows a will names them as executor must apply for probate of that will within 30 days after the death, to the Probate Court for the district where the testator was domiciled at death. Missing that deadline carries a fine of up to $250 (§ 45a-283). Those two 30-day rules get conflated constantly, and they bind different people.

When there is no will, § 45a-303 sends the case to the same place, the district where the deceased was domiciled at death, and sets the order of priority for who may be appointed administrator: the surviving spouse, then a child, then a grandchild, then the parents, then a sibling, then the next of kin entitled to share. The Connecticut intestate succession guide covers who inherits when there is no will.

Get the vocabulary right, because it changes what you search for. Connecticut has a Probate Court, presided over by an elected judge of probate, with a chief clerk running the office. It has no Surrogate's Court, no Register of Wills, and no Probate and Family Court. The person settling the estate is a fiduciary: an executor where there is a will, an administrator where there is not. Connecticut never adopted the Uniform Probate Code, so pages that call your role a personal representative are describing another state's law. The Connecticut executor duties guide lists what the job asks of you once the court appoints you.

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The Three Paths a Connecticut Estate Can Take

Connecticut does not offer an informal track and a formal track. Section 45a-286 requires the Probate Court to hold a hearing before it proves or disapproves any will, with notice to all parties known to be interested, unless every one of them files a written waiver or the court dispenses with notice for cause. One track, with a hearing built into it. Cross-state copy about choosing informal probate to save time does not apply here.

What you do choose is the shape of the proceeding. Our guide to the Connecticut types of probate compares all five side by side.

A full estate. File Form PC-200, Petition/Administration or Probate of Will, in the district where the decedent lived. The court holds its hearing, admits the will or grants administration, takes the fiduciary's bond, and issues the certificate the banks want. This is the path for any estate that holds solely owned Connecticut real property, or more than $40,000 of solely owned personal property.

An affidavit in lieu of administration. If the decedent's solely owned tangible and intangible personal property totals $40,000 or less, excluding anything that passes outside probate by operation of law, and the decedent owned no solely owned real property in Connecticut, the surviving spouse or next of kin may file a sworn affidavit instead of opening an estate (§ 45a-273). The form is PC-212, and the Connecticut small estate affidavit guide walks through the filing step by step. Two details catch people out. The court sends a copy to the Department of Administrative Services and cannot issue its decree until 30 days after that copy goes out, so the shortcut still takes about a month. And the affidavit does not excuse the Connecticut estate tax return.

An ancillary proceeding. When the decedent lived elsewhere but left property here, § 45a-287 gives five alternative grounds for venue, and the first court to assume jurisdiction keeps it for all Connecticut property. The Connecticut ancillary probate guide works through that track.

Connecticut Probate Deadlines

Put these dates on the calendar the week you open the estate. The Connecticut probate timeline guide walks each phase in order.

Step	Deadline
Will custodian delivers the original will	As soon as they learn of the death, with a penalty after 30 days (§ 45a-282)
Named executor applies for probate of the will	Within 30 days after the death (§ 45a-283)
Court publishes newspaper notice to creditors	Within 14 days after the first fiduciary is appointed (§ 45a-354)
File the inventory	Within 2 months after the fiduciary qualifies, extendable to 4 months for cause (§ 45a-341(b))
Claim period that protects the fiduciary closes	150 days after the appointment of the first fiduciary (§ 45a-356(a))
Surviving spouse elects the statutory share	Within 150 days after the decree admitting the will is mailed (§ 45a-436(c))
Connecticut estate tax return due	6 months after the date of death (§ 12-392(a)(1))
Creditor sues on a rejected claim	Within 120 days of the rejection (§ 45a-363(b))
Appeal a Probate Court decree to Superior Court	Within 30 days of the date the court sent the decree (§ 45a-186(b))
Outer bar on claims against the estate	2 years from the date of death (§ 45a-375(c))

The inventory rule is tighter than most people expect. Within 2 months after the court accepts the bond or the fiduciary otherwise qualifies, the fiduciary files a signed inventory of the decedent's property, appraised at fair market value, and the court may extend that to no more than 4 months for cause (§ 45a-341). Form PC-2407 is the decedent's estate inventory. Gather date-of-death statements and a real property valuation early, because that window closes fast while a family is still sorting through the house.

The Creditor Rule Connecticut Writes Differently

Here is where competitor pages publish another state's law. Connecticut's creditor window runs 150 days from the appointment of the first fiduciary. Not from the death. Not from publication.

Within 14 days after that appointment, the Probate Court causes newspaper notice to be published at least once, telling anyone with a claim to present it to the fiduciary (§ 45a-354). Publication follows the appointment; it does not start the clock.

The clock itself sits in § 45a-356(a): once 150 days have run from the appointment of the first fiduciary, a fiduciary who pays claims or distributes assets in good faith is not chargeable for a claim presented after that day. Read the mechanism carefully, because the protection runs to the fiduciary rather than extinguishing the debt outright, and it fails if the creditor proves the fiduciary had actual knowledge of the claim at the time of payment. A fiduciary who wants a harder cutoff can send an optional written notice under § 45a-357 setting a deadline not less than 90 days out, and a creditor who misses that date is forever barred. Form PC-234 is that notice, and PC-237 is the return of claims and list of notified creditors.

Two more clocks close the system. A creditor whose claim is rejected has 120 days from the rejection to sue (§ 45a-363(b)). And no claim may be presented or sued on more than 2 years after the date of death (§ 45a-375(c)).

If the estate cannot pay everyone, the payment order matters, and Connecticut ranks it unusually. Section 45a-365 puts funeral expenses first, ahead of the expenses of settling the estate, then last-sickness claims, then taxes and claims due Connecticut and the United States, then wages earned in the 3 months before the death, then other preferred claims, then everything else pro rata. Most states put administration expenses at the top, so a national template will mis-rank a Connecticut insolvent estate. The Connecticut debt payment priority guide and the Connecticut creditor claims guide work through both lists with examples.

What Connecticut Probate Costs

There is no flat fee to open a Connecticut decedent's estate. The $250 figure that dominates search results comes from § 45a-106a, and subsection (a) of that statute says the fees in it apply to filings "in any matter other than a decedent's estate". It is the conservatorship and guardianship fee.

Decedents' estates pay the sliding scale in § 45a-107 instead, and it works differently from a filing fee in three ways.

The basis is the gross estate, not the probate estate. For a death on or after July 1, 2016, the basis is the greatest of four measures, including the inventory and the Connecticut taxable estate, so it reaches assets that never pass through the court. Any portion of the basis passing to a surviving spouse is reduced by 50 percent.
The floor is low and the ceiling is high. The minimum is $25. If the basis is under $10,000 and a full estate is opened, the minimum becomes $150. The scale runs to a $40,000 cap at a basis of $8,877,000 for deaths on or after July 1, 2016.
The invoice arrives late. The court bills after the estate tax return sets the values, so the bill lands months after the filing. Fees left unpaid 30 days after the invoice carry interest at one half of one percent per month.

The Probate Court publishes a calculator for the scale on its fees and expenses page. Budget for the surety bond too, since § 45a-289 requires a probate bond from an executor unless it is excused, and the will's own direction controls if nobody objects. The Connecticut probate bond guide explains when a bond gets waived.

The Tax Return Almost Every Connecticut Estate Files

Here is the requirement that catches families off guard. Connecticut asks for an estate tax return from every resident decedent's estate, whether or not any tax is owed, and the return is due 6 months after the date of death (§ 12-392).

Which return depends on size. For a 2026 death the Connecticut exemption is $15 million, matching the federal exclusion amount, and the rate on anything above it is a flat 12 percent (§ 12-391(g)). An estate at or below that line files Form CT-706 NT with the Probate Court for the decedent's district and files nothing with the Department of Revenue Services. An estate above it files Form CT-706/709 with DRS and sends a copy to the Probate Court. The judge of probate reviews the non-taxable return and issues a written opinion that the estate owes no tax.

That review is what sets the values the § 45a-107 fee is computed from, which is why the court's bill arrives so late in the case. Connecticut charges no inheritance tax. The Connecticut estate tax guide covers the return, the deductions, and the federal side.

When Connecticut Probate Is Not Needed

Probate reaches property held in the decedent's sole name with no built-in transfer. Plenty skips it:

Accounts and policies with a named beneficiary, including life insurance and retirement plans.
Property held in joint tenancy with right of survivorship.
Securities registered in beneficiary form under the Uniform Transfer on Death Security Registration Act, §§ 45a-468 to 45a-468m.
A motor vehicle whose sole natural-person owner named a beneficiary in writing on the certificate of registration. The beneficiary must apply to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles within 60 days of the death or the right lapses (§ 14-16(b)).
Assets already titled in a revocable trust.
Personal property that fits under the $40,000 affidavit ceiling.

One warning, because national pages get it backward. Connecticut has no transfer-on-death deed for real property. The transfer-on-death statutes here reach securities and a vehicle registration, and nothing else. To keep a Connecticut house out of probate you use a trust, a life estate deed, or survivorship titling. The how to avoid probate in Connecticut guide compares those options.

Closing the Estate, and When to Call a Lawyer

A Connecticut fiduciary closes by accounting to the court. Most decedents' estates file a financial report rather than a formal account, and when the court approves it the judge may enter a decree releasing the fiduciary and any sureties from further liability on the items shown (§ 45a-176). Form PC-246 is the financial report; PC-241 and PC-242 cover the account when one is required. The Connecticut probate accounting guide walks the choice.

An uncontested estate with a clear will is manageable on your own, and the Connecticut probate without a lawyer guide shows how far self-representation goes. Bring in counsel when:

Heirs disagree about the will, the assets, or who should serve, since a challenge runs as an appeal from probate to the Superior Court within 30 days of the decree (§ 45a-186(b)).
The estate cannot cover its debts, so the § 45a-365 payment order decides who gets paid.
Real property has to be sold, which raises the Connecticut estate tax lien that sits on the property from the return's due date until the tax is paid, and the certificate of release the Probate Court issues for a non-taxable estate (§ 12-398).
A surviving spouse is weighing the statutory share, a life estate of one third of the property passing under the will, which must be elected within 150 days after the decree admitting the will is mailed (§ 45a-436). See the Connecticut will requirements guide for what makes the will provable in the first place.

A Filing Sequence That Works

Gather the original will, certified death certificates, account statements, deeds, and vehicle titles.
Confirm the town where the decedent was domiciled at death, then find that town's probate district.
Decide the path: an affidavit in lieu under § 45a-273, a full estate, or an ancillary proceeding.
File PC-200 with the Probate Court within 30 days if you are the named executor, or file PC-212 if the estate qualifies for the affidavit.
Attend the hearing, post the bond if one is required, and collect your fiduciary certificate.
Watch for the court's newspaper notice, published within 14 days of your appointment, and start the 150-day claim clock from the appointment date.
File the inventory within 2 months of qualifying, on Form PC-2407.
Pay valid claims in the § 45a-365 order and keep a receipt for every payment.
File the Connecticut estate tax return by the 6-month mark, CT-706 NT with the court or CT-706/709 with DRS.
File the financial report or account, pay the court's fee invoice when it arrives, and distribute on the decree.

Verify every date and dollar figure with the chief clerk in your probate district before you act. This page is general information about Connecticut estates. Confirm anything that affects your situation with the Probate Court or a licensed Connecticut attorney.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is probate in Connecticut?

Probate in Connecticut is the Probate Court process that proves a will, appoints a fiduciary, settles debts and taxes, and distributes what is left to the heirs or beneficiaries. It runs under Conn. Gen. Stat. Title 45a, and the case is heard in one of the 54 Probate Districts listed in § 45a-2.

Which Connecticut Probate Court handles my case?

The Probate Court for the district where the decedent was domiciled at death. Connecticut has no probate court organized by county, because the state abolished county government in 1960. Section 45a-2 assigns all 169 towns to 54 districts, and the district name is often not your town name. A New Britain resident files in the Berlin Probate District.

How long does probate take in Connecticut?

Most straightforward Connecticut estates run about 8 to 14 months. A fiduciary waits out the 150-day claim period that starts at appointment under § 45a-356, then files the Connecticut estate tax return that is due 6 months after the death, and the court invoices its fee only after that return sets the values. Contested estates run longer.

How long do creditors have to make a claim against a Connecticut estate?

The working window is 150 days from the appointment of the first fiduciary, not from the death and not from publication. Under § 45a-356 a fiduciary who pays or distributes in good faith after that day is not chargeable for a claim presented late. The outer bar is 2 years from the date of death under § 45a-375(c).

How much does probate cost in Connecticut?

There is no flat fee to open a Connecticut decedent's estate. The $250 filing fee everyone finds is § 45a-106a, which applies only to matters other than a decedent's estate. Estates pay the § 45a-107 sliding scale instead, which starts at $25, carries a $150 floor when a full estate is opened on a basis under $10,000, and caps at $40,000 for deaths on or after July 1, 2016.

Do I need a lawyer for Connecticut probate?

No. Connecticut lets a fiduciary serve without an attorney, and many people settle an uncontested estate themselves. Hire counsel when heirs disagree, when the estate cannot pay its debts, when real property has to be sold, or when someone signals a will challenge.

Sources:

Title: Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 45a-2, Probate districts. Publisher: Connecticut General Assembly. Publication Date: Not listed. URL: https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_801.htm#sec_45a-2
Title: Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 45a-283, Executor to apply for probate of will. Penalty. Publisher: Connecticut General Assembly. Publication Date: Not listed. URL: https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_802b.htm#sec_45a-283
Title: Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 45a-286, Hearing required before proving or rejecting a will. Notice. Publisher: Connecticut General Assembly. Publication Date: Not listed. URL: https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_802b.htm#sec_45a-286
Title: Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 45a-273, Settlement of small estates without probate of will or letters of administration. Publisher: Connecticut General Assembly. Publication Date: Not listed. URL: https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_802b.htm#sec_45a-273
Title: Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 45a-341, Inventory to be filed. Property included in inventory. Appraisal. Time limits. Publisher: Connecticut General Assembly. Publication Date: Not listed. URL: https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_802b.htm#sec_45a-341
Title: Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 45a-356, Effect of failure to present claim; exoneration of fiduciary. Publisher: Connecticut General Assembly. Publication Date: Not listed. URL: https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_802b.htm#sec_45a-356
Title: Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 45a-365, Order of payment of claims, expenses and taxes. Publisher: Connecticut General Assembly. Publication Date: Not listed. URL: https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_802b.htm#sec_45a-365
Title: Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 45a-107, Fees and expenses for settlement of decedent's estate. Interest on unpaid fees. Exception. Publisher: Connecticut General Assembly. Publication Date: Not listed. URL: https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_801b.htm#sec_45a-107
Title: Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 45a-106a, Fees in matters other than decedent's estate and fiduciary accountings. Publisher: Connecticut General Assembly. Publication Date: Not listed. URL: https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_801b.htm#sec_45a-106a
Title: Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 12-392, Payment of tax. Penalties for late filing. Extension of time. Method of filing. Notice to court of probate. Publisher: Connecticut General Assembly. Publication Date: Not listed. URL: https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_217.htm#sec_12-392
Title: Estate and Gift Tax Information. Publisher: Connecticut Department of Revenue Services. Publication Date: Not listed. URL: https://portal.ct.gov/drs/individuals/individual-income-tax-portal/estate-and-gift-taxes/tax-information
Title: CT Probate Courts court locator. Publisher: Connecticut Probate Courts. Publication Date: Not listed. URL: https://www.ctprobate.gov/court-locator
Title: Fees and Expenses. Publisher: Connecticut Probate Courts. Publication Date: Not listed. URL: https://www.ctprobate.gov/fees-expenses-calculators
Title: Probate Court Forms. Publisher: Connecticut Probate Courts. Publication Date: Not listed. URL: https://www.ctprobate.gov/forms-list

It is not legal advice.