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What to Do When Someone Dies in Vermont

Step by step guide for the first days and weeks after a death in Vermont. Probate is heard by the Probate Division of the Superior Court, and 4 V.S.A. § 272 puts one probate district in each of the 14 counties, named for the county. The court's own name carries no word "County": the Chittenden district is the Chittenden Probate Division. Vermont calls the person who settles an estate the executor or administrator, never the personal representative.

Get Death Certificates
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If You Are the Named Executor in Vermont

If you are the named executor, personal representative, or the family member organizing a Vermont estate, start with the records and court tasks below at a steady pace. Each step links to its full instructions in the timeline.

  1. Order Certified Death Certificates

    Statute: 18 V.S.A. § 5017

    Vermont death certificates guide →

  2. Find the Original Will and the Documents You Will Need

    Statute: 14 V.S.A. § 101

  3. Secure the Home and the Property
  4. Notify the Social Security Administration
  5. Deliver the Will Within 30 Days

    Statute: 14 V.S.A. § 103

    Vermont probate guide guide →

We are sorry for your loss. Take time to grieve and ask for help when you need it. This guide will be here when you are ready.

Timeline of Tasks

Start with the immediate tasks. Open each later phase as you reach it.

First 24 to 48 Hours

Get Official Pronouncement of Death
A medical professional must officially pronounce death before anything else can happen.
Contact a Funeral Home
The funeral home transports the body and helps with many of the first tasks.
Notify Close Family and Friends
Reach out to the people who need to know right away.

First Week

Order Certified Death Certificates
You will need certified copies for the Probate Division, banks, insurers and the DMV.
Find the Original Will and the Documents You Will Need
Vermont works from the signed original will, not a photocopy.
Secure the Home and the Property
Protect the house and belongings while the estate is sorted out.
Notify the Social Security Administration
Report the death so benefit payments stop.

First Month

Deliver the Will Within 30 Days
Whoever holds the will has 30 days from learning of the death to hand it over.
Decide Which Vermont Route Fits
Vermont has two simplified court routes plus an affidavit procedure, and each turns on the kind of property rather than on value alone.
Petition the Probate Division for Appointment
File in the probate district of the county where the deceased lived.
Publish the Notice to Creditors
The creditor clock starts on the day the notice first runs in the newspaper.
Notify Financial Institutions
Contact banks, credit unions, brokerages and card issuers.
Handle the Vehicles
Vermont recognizes transfer on death titling for cars and an automatic spousal transfer.

Ongoing Tasks (3+ Months)

Pay Claims in the Statutory Order
Vermont fixes the order in which an estate pays what it owes.
File the Tax Returns
Vermont has an estate tax and no inheritance tax.
File the Account
Account to the court for what came in and what went out.
Distribute and Close
Transfer what is left once the debts are settled, then close the file.

Who to Notify

Social Security Administration
Call 1-800-772-1213
Employer / HR Department
Phone call or email
Banks & Credit Unions
Visit branch with death certificate
Insurance Companies
Call policy customer service
Credit Card Companies
Call number on card
Utility Companies
Call to transfer or cancel
DMV / Vehicle Registration
Visit in person or online
Post Office
Submit change of address form

Documents to Gather

Death Certificates

Many estates start with 10-15 certified copies because banks, insurers, property-transfer contacts, and agencies may ask for them.

How to get death certificates →

Will & Trust Documents

Look in safe deposit boxes, home safes, attorney files, and records folders.

Probate guide →

Financial Statements

Bank statements, investment accounts, retirement accounts, and recent tax returns.

Asset transfer guide →

There is no rush on this. When you are ready, a short assessment can help you see whether probate is needed.

What Comes Next?

After the first 30 days, you may need to start probate or transfer assets. The Vermont probate guide walks through what usually comes next.

Read the Vermont Probate Guide

More Vermont Resources

Explore the rest of the Vermont probate hub.

Do I need probate?4 pages
Costs and money5 pages
File for probate2 pages
Transfer assets4 pages
Learn and reference5 pages