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New Haven Probate Court, CT Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | New Haven Probate Court, PD-38 |
| Probate district | Serves New Haven only (C.G.S. section 45a-2). |
| Courthouse address | 200 Orange Street, 1st Floor, New Haven, CT 06510 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 905, New Haven, CT 06504 |
| Phone | (203) 946-4880 |
| Fax | (203) 946-5962 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Call before making a trip. |
| 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 | The court uses statewide PC forms. Connecticut Probate Court forms are uniform statewide for filing purposes, and fee uniformity is set by C.G.S. section 45a-105. |
| E-filing status | Statewide eFiling through TurboCourt. Attorneys must register, and registration is optional for everyone else (Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1). The original will must be delivered on paper (section 7.1a). |
| Case search | Statewide Case Lookup at ctprobate.gov/case-lookup. Filter to PD38, New Haven Probate Court. Coverage for decedents' estates and trusts runs from January 5, 2011. |
| Remote appearance | Participation by electronic means is a request decided by the court under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 66.1. The rule names no platform. |
| Website | https://www.ctprobate.gov/courts/new-haven-probate-court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing at the New Haven Probate Court, identify what the person owned and what they owed. In Connecticut, that asset picture affects both the current $40,000 small estates procedure under C.G.S. section 45a-273 and the probate fee the court invoices later under C.G.S. section 45a-107.
The Connecticut estate tax return is due at the Probate Court within six months of death, whether or not a full estate settlement is opened. Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families find accounts, policies and liabilities early enough to choose the right estate settlement path and prepare the New Haven filing with fewer surprises.
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 and not by any county (C.G.S. section 45a-2). The New Haven Probate Court is PD-38 and serves one town: New Haven.
If the decedent was domiciled in New Haven at death and left a will, the estate is filed with the New Haven Probate Court under C.G.S. section 45a-283. If the decedent died intestate, the New Haven Probate Court has jurisdiction to grant letters of administration under C.G.S. section 45a-303. For a nonresident decedent who owned Connecticut property, C.G.S. section 45a-287 lists possible Connecticut probate districts, and the court that first assumes jurisdiction retains it.
Use the statewide Court Locator at ctprobate.gov/court-locator if the person lived in a nearby town. Hamden, West Haven, East Haven, North Haven, Branford, North Branford, Milford and Orange are not in the New Haven Probate Court district. The New Haven Regional Children's Probate Court is a separate court in the same city and does not handle decedents' estates.
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm the assets, debts and domicile. A full estate begins with PC-200 at the Probate Court for the district where the person was domiciled at death (C.G.S. section 45a-283, C.G.S. section 45a-303). The current $40,000 small estates procedure set by P.A. 07-32 and applied under C.G.S. section 45a-273 is available only when the person had no solely owned Connecticut real estate and solely owned personal property is within the statutory limit.
- Get the Connecticut PC forms. For a full estate use PC-200 with PC-200CI. For the affidavit in lieu route use PC-212, with C.G.S. section 45a-273 in mind. The original will cannot be eFiled and must reach the court on paper under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 7.1a.
- File with the New Haven Probate Court if the person lived in New Haven. Walk in at 200 Orange Street, 1st Floor, New Haven, CT 06510, or mail papers to P.O. Box 905, New Haven, CT 06504. The court is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Use eFiling only if it fits your filing. The Connecticut Probate Courts use statewide eFiling through TurboCourt. Attorneys who appear in a probate matter must register, and registration is optional for everyone else (Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1). After access is granted, a registered filer receives decrees and notices electronically under section 22.3.
- Do not bring money to open 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 New Haven 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.
- Watch for notice from the court. The court may schedule a hearing, accept written waivers, or use the streamline notice procedure under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 8.6. After the first fiduciary is appointed, the court places the newspaper notice to creditors within fourteen days (C.G.S. section 45a-354), and creditors generally have 150 days to present claims (C.G.S. section 45a-356).
- Ask early if you need 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 New Haven Probate Court what that court expects.
- Get the authority document after 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 New Haven Probate Court for as many certified copies as you expect to need.
- Administer the estate and meet the Connecticut clocks. File the inventory on PC-2407 within two months after qualification, unless the court extends the time for cause to not more than four months (C.G.S. section 45a-341). If the decedent owned Connecticut real estate, ask the clerk for PC-251 and record it in the land records of each town where the property is located. File the Connecticut estate tax return with the Probate Court within six months of death.
- Close the estate settlement. File the return of claims on PC-237 within sixty days after the 150-day claims period ends (C.G.S. section 45a-361). File the financial report on PC-246 under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 30.19, or the fuller account if required. After distribution, file PC-213 if the court directs it, under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 36.12.
Forms and documents
Probate forms at the New Haven Probate Court
Connecticut probate forms are statewide. The New Haven 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 |
|---|---|
| PC-200 | Petition to open a full administration or probate a will. For a Connecticut resident, file in the district where the decedent was domiciled at death (C.G.S. section 45a-283). |
| PC-200CI | Confidential information filed with PC-200. |
| PC-212 | Affidavit in Lieu of Probate of Will or Administration for the small estates procedure under C.G.S. section 45a-273. |
| PC-2407 | Inventory for decedents' estates, due within two months after qualification unless extended for cause to not more than four months (C.G.S. section 45a-341). |
| PC-237 | Return of Claims and List of Notified Creditors, due within sixty days after the 150-day claims period ends (C.G.S. section 45a-361). |
| PC-246 | Financial Report for a decedent's estate, used in most closings under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 30.19. |
| PC-213 | Affidavit of Closing, filed after distribution if the court directs it, under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 36.12. |
| PC-184 | Request or order for waiver of fees when a petitioner cannot pay, under C.G.S. section 45a-111. |
| PC-482 | Appointment of Probate Judge as agent for service by a fiduciary who lives outside Connecticut. Nonresident decedent venue is a separate issue under C.G.S. section 45a-287. |
PC-251, the notice for land records after appointment of a fiduciary, is obtained from the court and is recorded with the town clerk rather than filed as an online court form.
Local nuance
New Haven Probate Court district-specific considerations
| Local point | What to do |
|---|---|
| Two Probate Courts in one city | Use the New Haven Probate Court, PD-38, for decedents' estates involving a person domiciled in New Haven. Do not use the New Haven Regional Children's Probate Court, PD-55, which is a different court in the same city and is not one of the 54 decedent estate Probate Court districts under C.G.S. section 45a-2. |
| Two addresses and two ZIP codes | Use 200 Orange Street, 1st Floor, New Haven, CT 06510 for the courthouse. Use P.O. Box 905, New Haven, CT 06504 for mail. This matters for sending the original will on paper. |
| Nonstandard local hours | The New Haven Probate Court is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Nearby Connecticut Probate Courts keep different hours, so check New Haven's hours rather than assuming another court's schedule. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely New Haven path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned New Haven home | The home may pass outside probate if ownership was by survivorship, but the Connecticut estate tax return is still filed with the New Haven Probate Court within six months, and the probate fee is computed under C.G.S. section 45a-107. Solely owned accounts may still require a fiduciary. If there is solely owned Connecticut real estate, the small estates procedure under C.G.S. section 45a-273 is not available. | Sunset helps find accounts, policies and liabilities before the return and estate settlement filings are prepared. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If a parent died domiciled in New Haven with no solely owned Connecticut real estate and solely owned personal property within the $40,000 limit set by P.A. 07-32 and applied under C.G.S. section 45a-273, file PC-212 with the New Haven Probate Court. A Connecticut estate tax return is still due within six months. A fiduciary who lives in Massachusetts or another state may need PC-482. Most filings can be mailed to P.O. Box 905 or submitted through eFiling under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1, but the original will must arrive on paper under section 7.1a. | Sunset helps assemble the packet from out of state and locate accounts the family may not know about. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate where a home must be sold | Solely owned Connecticut real estate makes this a full administration, not a C.G.S. section 45a-273 small estates filing. Start with PC-200 at the New Haven Probate Court under C.G.S. section 45a-283 or C.G.S. section 45a-303, record PC-251 in the town land records after appointment, file PC-2407 within two months after qualification under C.G.S. section 45a-341, and ask about PC-400 if court permission is needed to sell the property. | Sunset helps build the inventory and liability picture and can connect the family with a local attorney if the sale, taxes or dispute risk make counsel important. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut Probate Court Locator | Finds the Probate Court for a Connecticut town. Use it to confirm that New Haven belongs to PD-38 and that nearby towns belong to different districts under C.G.S. section 45a-2. | ctprobate.gov/court-locator |
| Connecticut Case Lookup | Searches decedents' estates and trusts by name and district. Filter to PD38, New Haven Probate Court. Coverage runs from January 5, 2011. | ctprobate.gov/case-lookup |
| Administration of Decedents' Estates user guide | Plain-English Probate Court Administrator guide to opening, administering and closing a Connecticut estate settlement. | ctprobate.gov Resource Library, User Guides |
| Statewide PC forms | Free Connecticut probate forms, including PC-200, PC-212 under C.G.S. section 45a-273, PC-2407 under C.G.S. section 45a-341 and PC-246 under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 30.19. | ctprobate.gov/forms-list and ctprobate.gov/trusts-estates/trusts-estates-forms |
| Fees and expenses calculators | Explains the statewide statutory fee and includes the decedents' estates calculator for the probate fee under C.G.S. section 45a-107. | ctprobate.gov/fees-expenses-calculators |
| Probate Court Rules of Procedure | Statewide 2026 edition, effective July 1, 2026, including fee timing, eFiling, streamline notice and participation by electronic means. | ctprobate.gov/rules-procedure |
| Assistance for individuals with disabilities | Explains accommodation requests and PC-2. For New Haven, call (203) 946-4880 and ask for the chief clerk. | ctprobate.gov/assistance-individuals-disabilities-ada |
| Statewide Legal Services of Connecticut | Statewide legal aid intake for people who cannot afford a lawyer, with hotline and online intake. | slsct.org/get-help and ctlawhelp.org |
| New Haven Probate Court | Answers procedural questions, provides forms and receives paper filings. The clerk can provide limited procedural help but cannot give legal advice. | 200 Orange Street, 1st Floor, New Haven, CT 06510, mail to P.O. Box 905, New Haven, CT 06504, (203) 946-4880 |
When to hire an attorney
Connecticut's Probate Court materials state that estate matters can be complex and that legal advice is strongly recommended. Counsel is especially useful for a contested New Haven estate, a real estate sale, tax return uncertainty, substantial or unusual assets, a fiduciary who lives outside Connecticut, or an appeal to the Superior Court within the time allowed by C.G.S. section 45a-186. Sunset connects to a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families identify bank accounts, investments, insurance policies and liabilities before a New Haven estate settlement is filed or a Connecticut estate tax return is prepared.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset and family information into an organized packet for the New Haven Probate Court, including the forms and supporting documents that fit the chosen path.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate involves a home sale, a dispute, tax complexity or an out-of-state fiduciary, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Connecticut probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, understand next steps and decide when professional help is needed.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in New Haven, Connecticut?
File at the New Haven Probate Court, 200 Orange Street, 1st Floor, New Haven, CT 06510, if the decedent was domiciled in New Haven at death. A will is filed in the district of domicile under C.G.S. section 45a-283, and an intestate estate is administered in the district of domicile under C.G.S. section 45a-303. Use ctprobate.gov/court-locator if the person lived in a nearby town.
Is the New Haven Probate Court the same as the New Haven Regional Children's Probate Court?
No. The New Haven Probate Court is PD-38 and handles decedents' estates for New Haven under C.G.S. section 45a-2. The New Haven Regional Children's Probate Court is PD-55, a different court in the same city, and it is not the decedents' estate court for New Haven.
What are the New Haven Probate Court's hours and which address do I use?
The court is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Use 200 Orange Street, 1st Floor, New Haven, CT 06510 for the courthouse. Use P.O. Box 905, New Haven, CT 06504 for mail. Call (203) 946-4880 before making a trip.
What does it cost to open a decedent's estate at the New Haven 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. The fee is statewide and uniform under C.G.S. section 45a-105, and for deaths on or after July 1, 2016, the graduated fee runs from $25 to a cap of $40,000, with the details set by C.G.S. section 45a-107.
Can I file probate online in New Haven?
A self-represented party may use the statewide Connecticut Probate Courts eFiling system through TurboCourt, and attorneys who appear in a probate matter must register under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1. The original will cannot be eFiled and must reach the New Haven Probate Court on paper under section 7.1a.
Do I have to go to a hearing at the New Haven Probate Court?
Not always. 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. If the court uses streamline notice and no party requests a hearing by the stated date, the court may issue a decree without the parties being present.
Can I take part in a New Haven Probate Court hearing by phone or video?
Connecticut Probate Courts may allow participation by electronic means under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 66.1. It is a request that the court decides, not a right, and the rule names no platform. Ask the clerk of the New Haven Probate Court what the court expects.
How do I look up a probate case in New Haven?
Use the statewide Case Lookup at ctprobate.gov/case-lookup and filter to PD38, New Haven Probate Court. It covers decedents' estates and trusts from January 5, 2011 to the present, with earlier cases incomplete. The tool shows case index information and fiduciary contact information, not filed documents.
Does the New Haven Probate Court have its own forms?
The New Haven Probate Court uses statewide Connecticut PC forms. Use PC-200 for a full estate under C.G.S. section 45a-283 or C.G.S. section 45a-303, and PC-212 for the affidavit in lieu procedure under C.G.S. section 45a-273. The court can provide forms, but Connecticut probate forms are published statewide at ctprobate.gov.
What paperwork proves I am the executor in Connecticut, and how long is it good for?
After appointment, the clerk issues a certificate of appointment as fiduciary. Under C.G.S. section 45a-200, that certificate is sufficient evidence of authority and identity for one year from the date it is issued. Ask the clerk of the New Haven Probate Court how many certified copies to request.
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.