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Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court, CT Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court, PD-19 |
| Courthouse address | 240 Stafford Avenue, Bristol, CT 06010-4682 |
| Mailing | Use the courthouse address. The court's page does not publish a separate mailing address. |
| Phone | (860) 584-6230 |
| Fax | (860) 845-1312 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. No lunch closure or seasonal schedule is published on the court's page. |
| Filing fee | No filing fee is due when a decedent's estate is opened. The Probate Court invoices a statutory fee later, computed on the value of the estate under C.G.S. section 45a-107. |
| Local forms | Connecticut probate forms are statewide. The Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court uses the same numbered PC forms as every other Connecticut Probate Court, published by the Office of the Probate Court Administrator. |
| E-filing | The Connecticut Probate Courts use a statewide eFiling system powered by TurboCourt. Attorneys must register under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1. Registration is optional for everyone else. The original will cannot be eFiled and must reach the court on paper under section 7.1a. |
| Case lookup | Connecticut Case Lookup is available at ctprobate.gov/case-lookup. It covers decedents' estates and trusts from January 5, 2011 to the present, with earlier results incomplete. |
| Remote appearance | Remote appearance is a request the Probate Court decides under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 66.1. The rule names no platform. |
| Website | https://www.ctprobate.gov/courts/bristol-plymouth-probate-court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything at the Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court, list the assets, debts, beneficiary designations, jointly owned property, and any real estate connected to the person who died. Connecticut estate settlement depends on what the decedent owned, what passed outside probate, and whether the person was domiciled in Bristol or Plymouth at death.
Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 institutions so families can find accounts before choosing a filing path. That matters in Connecticut because the probate fee under C.G.S. section 45a-107 is based on the value of the estate and is invoiced later, and the estate tax return is due within six months even when probate property is limited.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Connecticut probate is handled by a separate statewide system of 54 Probate Courts, one for each probate district, not by the Superior Court that hears appeals under C.G.S. section 45a-186 and not by any county. The Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court serves Bristol and Plymouth (C.G.S. section 45a-2). The courthouse is in Bristol at 240 Stafford Avenue.
If the decedent was domiciled in Bristol or Plymouth and left a will, the named executor applies to the Probate Court for the district where the testator was domiciled at death (C.G.S. section 45a-283). If the decedent died intestate, the Probate Court for the district where the decedent was domiciled at death has jurisdiction to grant letters of administration (C.G.S. section 45a-303). For a nonresident who owned Connecticut property, C.G.S. section 45a-287 identifies the possible Connecticut districts, and the court that first assumes jurisdiction keeps it. If you are unsure which Probate Court serves a town, use the statewide Court Locator at ctprobate.gov/court-locator.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the right Connecticut Probate Court. For a decedent domiciled in Bristol or Plymouth, file at the Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court, PD-19, because those are the towns served by this probate district under C.G.S. section 45a-2 and the resident venue rules are C.G.S. section 45a-283 and C.G.S. section 45a-303.
- Prepare the opening papers. A full estate generally begins with PC-200, Petition/Administration or Probate of Will, filed under C.G.S. section 45a-283 when a will is offered. If the estate qualifies for the small estates procedure under C.G.S. section 45a-273, the family uses the affidavit in lieu process instead of a full administration.
- File with the Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court. Paper filings go to 240 Stafford Avenue, Bristol, CT 06010-4682. The statewide eFiling system is powered by TurboCourt, attorneys must register under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1, and registration is optional for everyone else. The original will cannot be eFiled and must reach the court on paper under section 7.1a.
- Do not bring an opening check for a decedent's estate. Connecticut does not charge a filing fee to open a decedent's estate. Under section 6.1 of the Probate Court Rules of Procedure, the statutory filing fee is due at filing in every kind of Probate Court matter except a decedent's estate and an accounting. Instead, the Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court bills the estate later. The fee is set by statute and is the same in all 54 Connecticut probate districts (C.G.S. section 45a-105). For a person who died on or after July 1, 2016, it is graduated on the greater of the inventory, the gross estate or the Connecticut taxable estate, running from $25 up to a cap of $40,000, with a minimum of $150 where a full estate is opened on a basis under $10,000, and with any portion passing to a surviving spouse counted at half (C.G.S. section 45a-107). The fee is owed on everything the decedent owned, including assets that pass outside probate, and it is owed whether or not an estate is opened at all. Interest of 0.5 per cent per month runs on a probate fee that is unpaid thirty days after the court's invoice, and separately on the fee of an estate whose Connecticut estate tax return is filed late (C.G.S. section 45a-107). ctprobate.gov publishes a fee calculator at ctprobate.gov/fees-expenses-calculators.
- Expect notice and, if needed, a hearing. The Probate Court may set a hearing, accept written waivers, or use the streamline notice procedure under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 8.6. The court's page does not publish hearing days or waiting times.
- Ask early if someone needs to participate by electronic means. Connecticut Probate Courts may allow a party, witness or attorney to take part in a hearing, conference or deposition by electronic means. Section 66.1 of the Probate Court Rules of Procedure lets the court permit it on request or on its own motion, weighing factors that include the nature of the proceeding, the technology available, and whether remote participation would still allow full examination of witnesses. It is a request the court decides, not a right, and the rule names no platform. Ask the clerk of the Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court what that court expects.
- After appointment, use the certificate of appointment. When the Probate Court appoints you, the court's clerk issues a certificate of your appointment as fiduciary. Under C.G.S. section 45a-200 that certificate is sufficient evidence of your authority and identity for one year from the date it is issued, so a bank or transfer agent may ask for a recently issued copy. Ask the clerk of the Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court for as many certified copies as you expect to need, and expect to request fresh ones if the estate stays open past a year.
- Administer and close the estate. The fiduciary gathers assets, handles the inventory under C.G.S. section 45a-341, follows creditor notice and claims rules under C.G.S. sections 45a-354, 45a-356 and 45a-361, files the Connecticut estate tax return within six months, and files the closing financial report or account when settlement is complete.
Forms and documents
Probate forms at the Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court
Connecticut probate forms are statewide. The Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court uses the same numbered PC forms as every other Connecticut Probate Court, published free by the Office of the Probate Court Administrator at ctprobate.gov. The court does not publish forms of its own.
| Form | Use in a Bristol or Plymouth estate |
|---|---|
| PC-200 | Petition to open a decedent's estate or probate a will, filed in the proper district under C.G.S. section 45a-283. |
| PC-212 | Affidavit in lieu process for a qualifying small estate under C.G.S. section 45a-273. |
| PC-2407 | Decedent's estate inventory under C.G.S. section 45a-341. |
| PC-237 | Return of claims and list of notified creditors under C.G.S. section 45a-361. |
| PC-246 | Financial report for many decedent's estates under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 30.19. |
| CT-706 NT | Nontaxable Connecticut estate tax return, filed with the Probate Court within six months. |
| CT-706/709 | Taxable Connecticut estate and gift tax return, filed with the Commissioner of Revenue Services with a copy to the Probate Court within six months. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely local path | How Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | If the decedent was domiciled in Bristol or Plymouth, start with the Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court. Co-owned property may pass outside probate, but Connecticut still requires an estate tax return within six months, and the Probate Court fee is computed under C.G.S. section 45a-107. | Sunset helps identify accounts, beneficiary designations, debts, and title facts before you decide what must be filed for estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | If the decedent lived in Bristol or Plymouth and the estate uses the small estate path under C.G.S. section 45a-273, file the affidavit in lieu paperwork with this court. If the fiduciary lives in New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Florida, or another state, ask the clerk what additional service-of-process paperwork is expected. | Sunset can assemble the known assets and generate a probate packet so the out-of-state family member knows what to mail, what must be paper, and what questions to ask the clerk. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | For a Bristol or Plymouth decedent with solely owned Connecticut real estate, expect a full estate rather than the C.G.S. section 45a-273 small estate path. The Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court appoints the fiduciary, and the fiduciary may need court authority before selling real property unless the will provides it. | Sunset helps locate accounts, organize debts, prepare the filing set, and connect the family with a Connecticut probate attorney when the home sale or family dynamics make counsel important. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court | Filing office for estates of people domiciled in Bristol or Plymouth. The clerk can provide forms and limited procedural help but cannot give legal advice. | 240 Stafford Avenue, Bristol, CT 06010-4682. Phone (860) 584-6230. Fax (860) 845-1312. https://www.ctprobate.gov/courts/bristol-plymouth-probate-court |
| Connecticut Court Locator | Town-by-town lookup for the correct Probate Court at ctprobate.gov, useful when the decedent lived outside Bristol or Plymouth. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/court-locator |
| Connecticut Case Lookup | Free statewide search for decedents' estates and trusts, filterable to PD19, with coverage from January 5, 2011 to the present. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/case-lookup |
| Connecticut probate forms | Statewide numbered PC form catalogue used at every Connecticut Probate Court. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/forms-list |
| Administration of Decedents' Estates user guide | The Probate Court Administrator's plain-English guide to Connecticut estate settlement. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/trusts-estates/trusts-estates-user-guides |
| Connecticut probate fee calculators | Calculators for the statutory probate fee under C.G.S. section 45a-107, including the decedents' estates calculator. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/fees-expenses-calculators |
| Probate Court accommodation requests | Information about requesting disability accommodations from a Connecticut Probate Court. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/assistance-individuals-disabilities-ada |
| Statewide Legal Services of Connecticut | Statewide legal aid intake for people with low income. Ask whether your issue is within its services. | 1-800-453-3320. https://slsct.org/ |
| CTLawHelp.org | Free Connecticut self-help legal library and legal help finder. | https://ctlawhelp.org/ |
When to hire an attorney
Counsel often makes sense when the will is contested, a Bristol or Plymouth home must be sold, family members disagree, the fiduciary lives outside Connecticut, a tax filing is complicated, or the estate has creditor problems. The Probate Court Administrator's materials say estate matters can be complex and that a lawyer is often advisable, although not required. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for financial accounts, insurance, retirement assets, and other property that families often miss, then organizes the results for estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family's answers into a Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court filing packet using Connecticut's statewide forms and the local court contact details.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Connecticut estate needs legal help, Sunset connects the family with a vetted probate attorney who can advise on the court process, real estate, taxes, creditor issues, and contested matters.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the next steps, organize documents, and move through estate settlement without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for someone who lived in Bristol or Plymouth?
File with the Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court, PD-19, if the decedent was domiciled in Bristol or Plymouth. The district serves those two towns under C.G.S. section 45a-2. For a will, venue is tied to the district where the testator was domiciled at death under C.G.S. section 45a-283. For an intestate estate, jurisdiction to grant letters of administration is in the district where the decedent was domiciled at death under C.G.S. section 45a-303.
Is the Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court actually in Bristol?
Yes. The courthouse address is 240 Stafford Avenue, Bristol, CT 06010-4682. The court serves both Bristol and Plymouth under C.G.S. section 45a-2.
Can I use eFiling for the Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court?
The Connecticut Probate Courts use one statewide eFiling system powered by TurboCourt. Attorneys must register under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1, while registration is optional for other filers. The original will cannot be eFiled and must be delivered to the court on paper under section 7.1a.
What does it cost to open a decedent's estate in the Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court?
No filing fee is due when a decedent's estate is opened. The Probate Court invoices a statutory fee later, computed on the value of the estate under C.G.S. section 45a-107. For deaths on or after July 1, 2016, that fee is graduated from $25 to a cap of $40,000, with a minimum of $150 when a full estate is opened on a basis under $10,000, all under C.G.S. section 45a-107.
Does the Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court publish local probate forms?
No. Connecticut probate forms are statewide. The Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court uses the same numbered PC forms as every other Connecticut Probate Court, and the court does not publish forms of its own.
Can I appear remotely for a Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court hearing?
Remote appearance is not automatic. Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 66.1 allows the court to permit participation by electronic means on request or on the court's own motion, after considering the rule's factors. Ask the clerk what the Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court expects for your hearing.
Can I look up a Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court estate online?
Yes. Connecticut Case Lookup at ctprobate.gov/case-lookup lets you search decedents' estates and trusts and filter to the Bristol-Plymouth Probate Court district, PD19. Coverage runs from January 5, 2011 to the present. Earlier cases may appear, but coverage before January 5, 2011 is incomplete.
Do I have to travel to Bristol if I live out of state?
Not always. The court may proceed with waivers, may use the streamline notice procedure under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 8.6, and may consider a request for participation by electronic means under section 66.1. The original will still must reach the court on paper under section 7.1a, and you should ask the clerk what the court expects before making travel plans.
What document proves my authority after appointment?
The clerk issues a certificate of appointment after the Probate Court appoints the fiduciary. Under C.G.S. section 45a-200, the certificate is sufficient evidence of the fiduciary's authority and identity for one year from issuance, so banks and transfer agents may ask for a current copy.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.