Vermont Probate Forms Finder

Important Notes

• -Vermont publishes one statewide probate form set, numbered 700-000NN, with 600-000NN for forms shared across divisions. The same forms are used by the Probate Division in all 14 counties.
• -Some older forms still carry a legacy PE number instead of a 700 number, and the Judiciary prints only the title on the page. Where that happens, the number recorded here comes from the Judiciary's own file name.
• -Filing fees are statewide by statute, not per county. 32 V.S.A. § 1434(a) bands the fee by estate value: $50.00 at $10,000.00 or less, $110.00 through $50,000.00, $265.00 through $150,000.00, $500.00 through $500,000.00, $1,000.00 through $1,000,000.00, $1,750.00 through $5,000,000.00, $2,500.00 through $10,000,000.00, and $3,250.00 above $10,000,000.00.
• -A chapter 81 small estate pays the ordinary band fee. There is no discounted entry fee for the small estate proceeding, so the route saves process rather than money. The separate $50.00 line at § 1434(a)(30) is for the Rule 80.3 affidavit procedure, which is a different thing.
• -32 V.S.A. § 1434(b) charges no fee for the documents that open an estate, including two certificates of appointment and letters, and lets the court waive part of a filing fee under Vermont Rule of Civil Procedure 3.1. Each additional certification of appointment costs $5.00 under § 1434(c).
• -Subdivisions (10), (28) and (31) of 32 V.S.A. § 1434(a) are repealed. Do not renumber around them when quoting the fee list.
• -Vermont's two simplified court routes are mutually exclusive and neither one is a pure value test. A small estate must be entirely personal property; a waiver of administration requires a sole beneficiary or sole heir who is also sole fiduciary and no Vermont real property. An estate with real estate reaches neither.
• -Vermont says executor or administrator, never personal representative, and 14 V.S.A. § 902 issues letters of administration even to the executor named in a will.
• -You file with the {County} Probate Division of the Superior Court. Vermont abolished its county probate courts on February 1, 2011, and the court's own name contains no word "County".
• -Vermont has no county registry of deeds. A certified decree affecting real estate is recorded with the town clerk of the town where the land lies (14 V.S.A. § 1742 and 24 V.S.A. § 1154). The Secretary of State publishes the directory of town clerks.
• -The creditor clock runs from the date of first publication of the notice to creditors: 4 months under 14 V.S.A. § 1203(a)(1), or 1 year after death where no notice was given. Vermont Medicaid is carved out and has its own 4 month window under § 1203(d).
• -The inventory is due within 60 days of appointment under 14 V.S.A. § 1051, while the Judiciary's own page and booklet ask for 30 days under Probate Rule 66a with a maximum of 90. Both statements are official, so work to the shorter one and ask the court for more time if you need it.
• -The first account is due within one year of receiving letters and annually after that (14 V.S.A. § 1055). Fiduciary compensation is necessary expenses plus reasonable fees, with no statutory percentage and no published schedule (§ 1065).
• -An appeal from the Probate Division goes to the Civil Division of the Superior Court, not to the Supreme Court first, and costs $295.00 under 32 V.S.A. § 1431(b)(7).
• -Vermont has a transfer on death designation for a vehicle title but no transfer on death deed for land. Real property uses the enhanced life estate deed under 27 V.S.A. chapter 6 instead.
• -Vermont imposes an estate tax under 32 V.S.A. § 7442a and no inheritance tax. The inheritance tax chapter, 32 V.S.A. chapter 181, is repealed in full.