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Northeast Probate Court, CT Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Northeast Probate Court, PD-26 |
| Courthouse address | 84 Providence Street, Putnam, CT 06260 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 471, Putnam, CT 06260 |
| Phone | (860) 928-4844 |
| Fax | (860) 928-4766 |
| Hours | Monday through Thursday, 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.; Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
| Fee at opening | 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. |
| Forms | Connecticut forms are statewide. The Northeast Probate Court uses the numbered PC forms published by the Office of the Probate Court Administrator and does not publish forms of its own. |
| Online filing | The statewide eFiling system is powered by TurboCourt. Attorneys who appear in a probate matter must register, while registration is optional for self-represented filers under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1. |
| Case search | Connecticut Case Lookup at ctprobate.gov/case-lookup covers decedents' estates and trusts from January 5, 2011 to the present, with earlier results incomplete. |
| Remote participation | Connecticut Probate Courts may allow participation by electronic means under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 66.1. It is a request the court decides, not a right. |
| Website | https://www.ctprobate.gov/courts/northeast-probate-court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Putnam, separate probate assets from assets that pass outside court, list debts and expenses, and identify whether the decedent lived in Ashford, Brooklyn, Eastford, Pomfret, Putnam, Thompson or Woodstock. That first asset map drives the petition, the Connecticut estate tax return due within six months, and the later court bill under C.G.S. section 45a-107.
Sunset starts estate settlement by searching across more than 2,300 institutions for accounts, insurance, benefits and other assets families often miss. A more complete asset picture helps you choose the right Connecticut forms, estimate the later Probate Court invoice under C.G.S. section 45a-107, and avoid filing in the wrong Northeast court.
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. The Northeast Probate Court serves Ashford, Brooklyn, Eastford, Pomfret, Putnam, Thompson and Woodstock (C.G.S. section 45a-2).
If the decedent was domiciled in one of those towns at death and left a will, the executor applies to the Probate Court for that district within thirty days (C.G.S. section 45a-283). If the decedent died intestate, the Probate Court for the district where the person was domiciled grants letters of administration (C.G.S. section 45a-303). For a nonresident decedent with Connecticut property, C.G.S. section 45a-287 supplies the possible Connecticut districts.
Do not confuse this court with the Northeast Regional Children's Probate Court, PD-59. PD-59 is a separate Regional Children's Probate Court and is not one of the 54 decedents' estate probate districts. For estate settlement for a person from Ashford, Brooklyn, Eastford, Pomfret, Putnam, Thompson or Woodstock, use PD-26.
If you are unsure which Probate Court serves a nearby town, use the statewide Court Locator at ctprobate.gov/court-locator. Canterbury, Killingly, Plainfield and Sterling are not in this district; they are served by a different Connecticut Probate Court.
A decision of the Probate Court may be appealed to the Superior Court, generally within thirty days of the date the Probate Court sent the decree (C.G.S. section 45a-186).
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm that the Northeast Probate Court is the right court. For a Connecticut resident who left a will, venue is the Probate Court for the district where the person was domiciled at death, and the named executor applies within thirty days (C.G.S. section 45a-283). For an intestate estate, jurisdiction to grant letters of administration is in the district where the person was domiciled at death (C.G.S. section 45a-303).
- Choose the Connecticut filing path and forms. A full estate normally starts with PC-200, Petition/Administration or Probate of Will, filed in the court for the decedent's domicile under C.G.S. section 45a-283. If the estate qualifies for the affidavit in lieu procedure, use PC-212 under C.G.S. section 45a-273. If the decedent was a nonresident with Connecticut property, use the ancillary route under C.G.S. section 45a-287.
- File with the Putnam office or through the statewide eFiling system if you are an eligible filer. Attorneys who appear in a probate matter must register for eFiling, while registration is optional for others under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1. The original will cannot be eFiled and must reach the Probate Court on paper under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 7.1a.
- Start the case without an upfront estate charge. 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 Northeast 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 or a hearing path from the court. Connecticut Probate Courts may use ordinary hearing notice, written waivers, or the streamline notice procedure under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 8.6. If a hearing is scheduled, Connecticut Probate Courts may allow a party, witness or attorney to take part by electronic means under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 66.1, but the court decides the request.
- After appointment, use the clerk's certificate to act for the estate. 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.
- Administer the estate and meet the Connecticut filings. The fiduciary files the decedent's estate inventory, commonly 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). The court places newspaper notice to creditors within 14 days after appointment of the first fiduciary (C.G.S. section 45a-354). Creditors generally have a 150-day presentment period after appointment of the first fiduciary (C.G.S. section 45a-356), and the fiduciary files the return of claims within 60 days after that period ends (C.G.S. section 45a-361).
- File the Connecticut estate tax return and close the estate. The estate tax return is due within six months of death. Form CT-706 NT is filed with the Probate Court for a nontaxable Connecticut estate, while CT-706/709 is filed with the Commissioner of Revenue Services with a copy to the Probate Court. A final financial report, usually PC-246, is governed by Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 30.19, and a status update, PC-286, is governed by section 30.21 if the estate remains open. If the court directs an affidavit of closing, PC-213 is governed by Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 36.12.
Forms and documents
Probate forms at the Northeast Probate Court
Connecticut probate forms are statewide. The Northeast 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 at this court |
|---|---|
| PC-200 | Petition/Administration or Probate of Will, used to open a full resident estate in the Probate Court for the district where the decedent was domiciled (C.G.S. section 45a-283). |
| PC-200CI | Confidential information filed with PC-200. |
| PC-212 | Affidavit in Lieu of Probate of Will/Administration for the Connecticut procedure under C.G.S. section 45a-273. |
| PC-212A and PC-212CI | Related request and confidential information forms for the C.G.S. section 45a-273 affidavit in lieu procedure. |
| PC-201 | Petition/Ancillary Probate of Will for a nonresident decedent with Connecticut property under C.G.S. section 45a-287. |
| PC-2407 | Inventory/Decedents' Estates, used for the inventory 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, filed within 60 days after the 150-day claims period ends (C.G.S. section 45a-361; C.G.S. section 45a-356). |
| PC-246 | Financial Report/Decedent's Estate, governed by Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 30.19. |
| PC-286 | Status Update/Decedent's Estate, governed by Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 30.21. |
| PC-213 | Affidavit of Closing, governed by Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 36.12. |
| PC-482 | Appointment of Probate Judge as Agent for Service by Non-Resident Fiduciary, relevant when the fiduciary lives outside Connecticut. |
Local nuance
Northeast Probate Court district-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Northeast name collision | Northeast Probate Court is PD-26 for decedents' estates. Northeast Regional Children's Probate Court is PD-59, a different court outside the 54 decedents' estate probate districts listed in C.G.S. section 45a-2. |
| Seven towns served | The court serves Ashford, Brooklyn, Eastford, Pomfret, Putnam, Thompson and Woodstock (C.G.S. section 45a-2). A nearby town is not enough; use ctprobate.gov/court-locator if you are unsure. |
| Putnam courthouse | The court's office is at 84 Providence Street in Putnam, with mailing to P.O. Box 471, Putnam, CT 06260. |
| Short Friday hours | The court posts Friday hours of 8:15 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., shorter than its Monday through Thursday hours. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Person | Likely path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | If the decedent was domiciled in Ashford, Brooklyn, Eastford, Pomfret, Putnam, Thompson or Woodstock, start with the Northeast Probate Court under C.G.S. section 45a-283 or C.G.S. section 45a-303. Even if the home passes outside probate, Connecticut still requires an estate tax return within six months, and the later court bill is computed under C.G.S. section 45a-107. | Sunset helps identify accounts, insurance and benefits before filing, then organizes the probate packet for the Putnam court. |
| out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | If the decedent lived in one of the seven towns and the estate fits Connecticut's affidavit in lieu procedure, use PC-212 under C.G.S. section 45a-273 at the Northeast Probate Court. A fiduciary who lives outside Connecticut may also need the nonresident fiduciary service form, PC-482. | Sunset helps compare known assets with discovered accounts, prepare the C.G.S. section 45a-273 packet, and connect the family with a Connecticut attorney if a local filing issue appears. |
| parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | File in PD-26 if the child was domiciled in Ashford, Brooklyn, Eastford, Pomfret, Putnam, Thompson or Woodstock. If the child died intestate, the Probate Court's authority to grant letters of administration comes from C.G.S. section 45a-303. A sale of real property may require Probate Court permission unless the will authorizes it. | Sunset helps find financial accounts, assemble court forms, and coordinate attorney help for the sale and closing filings. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Northeast Probate Court | Filing office for estates of people who lived in Ashford, Brooklyn, Eastford, Pomfret, Putnam, Thompson or Woodstock. The clerk can provide forms and limited procedural assistance, but cannot give legal advice. | 84 Providence Street, P.O. Box 471, Putnam, CT 06260; (860) 928-4844; fax (860) 928-4766; https://www.ctprobate.gov/courts/northeast-probate-court |
| Connecticut Court Locator | Town-by-town dropdown for finding the correct Probate Court at ctprobate.gov/court-locator. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/court-locator |
| Connecticut Case Lookup | Free statewide search for decedents' estates and trusts, with coverage from January 5, 2011 to the present and incomplete earlier results. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/case-lookup |
| Connecticut probate forms | Statewide numbered PC form catalogue and Trusts and Estates subset. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/forms-list; https://www.ctprobate.gov/trusts-estates/trusts-estates-forms |
| Administration of Decedents' Estates user guide | Probate Court Administrator's 2026 guide to Connecticut decedent estate administration. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/trusts-estates/trusts-estates-user-guides |
| Connecticut probate fee calculators | Calculators, including one for decedents' estates, that estimate the later court invoice under C.G.S. section 45a-107. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/fees-expenses-calculators |
| Probate Court accommodation requests | A person with a disability may request an accommodation from a Connecticut Probate Court using form PC-2, ideally with at least ten days' notice. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/assistance-individuals-disabilities-ada |
| Statewide Legal Services of Connecticut | Legal aid intake line for people with low income in Connecticut. | 1-800-453-3320; https://slsct.org/ |
| CTLawHelp.org | Free Connecticut self-help legal library and legal help finder. | https://ctlawhelp.org/ |
| Putnam Law Library | Public law library in Putnam with research guides and reference help. Check current hours before traveling. | 155 Church Street, Putnam, CT 06260; (860) 928-3716; https://www.jud.ct.gov/lawlib/ |
When to hire an attorney
Connecticut's Probate Court Administrator says a lawyer is not required in every estate but is often advisable, and the statewide Trusts and Estates materials say estate matters can be complex. Counsel is especially useful in the Northeast Probate Court when family members disagree, a home must be sold, a fiduciary lives outside Connecticut, a creditor issue appears, or an appeal to the Superior Court is being considered under C.G.S. section 45a-186. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for accounts, insurance, benefits and other assets so families can begin estate settlement with a clearer picture of what exists and what may need to be reported.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset and family information into an organized Connecticut probate packet for the Northeast Probate Court, including the forms most likely to fit the estate path.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate needs legal judgment, Sunset can connect the family with a Connecticut probate attorney familiar with local filing expectations and statewide Probate Court procedure.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, prepare for probate, and understand next steps without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for someone from Ashford, Brooklyn, Eastford, Pomfret, Putnam, Thompson or Woodstock?
File with the Northeast Probate Court, PD-26, if the decedent was domiciled in one of those towns. A will is filed in the district where the testator was domiciled at death (C.G.S. section 45a-283), and an intestate estate is administered in the district where the decedent was domiciled at death (C.G.S. section 45a-303).
Is Northeast Probate Court the same as Northeast Regional Children's Probate Court?
No. Northeast Probate Court is PD-26 and handles decedents' estates for Ashford, Brooklyn, Eastford, Pomfret, Putnam, Thompson and Woodstock (C.G.S. section 45a-2). Northeast Regional Children's Probate Court is PD-59 and is a different court for children's matters, not decedents' estate settlement.
What are the Northeast Probate Court hours?
The court posts hours of Monday through Thursday, 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., and Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Call (860) 928-4844 before traveling if timing matters.
Is money due when I open a decedent's estate in Northeast 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, the decedent's estate fee is graduated and can be estimated with the calculator at ctprobate.gov/fees-expenses-calculators.
May I use Connecticut eFiling for the Northeast Probate Court?
The Connecticut Probate Courts use one statewide eFiling system powered by TurboCourt. Attorneys who appear in a probate matter must register, while registration is optional for self-represented filers under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1. The original will cannot be eFiled and must reach the Probate Court on paper under section 7.1a.
Can I look up a Northeast Probate Court estate online?
Use Connecticut Case Lookup at ctprobate.gov/case-lookup and filter to the Northeast Probate Court district, PD-26. The tool covers decedents' estates and trusts from January 5, 2011 to the present, with earlier cases incomplete. It shows case index information and fiduciary contact information, not filings.
Does the Northeast Probate Court have its own probate forms?
The court uses the statewide Connecticut PC forms published by the Office of the Probate Court Administrator. The key resident full-estate petition is PC-200 under C.G.S. section 45a-283, and the affidavit in lieu form is PC-212 under C.G.S. section 45a-273.
Do I have to travel to Putnam for a probate hearing?
Not always. Connecticut Probate Courts may use waivers or the streamline notice procedure under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 8.6, and some matters may be decided without everyone appearing. Connecticut Probate Courts may also allow participation by electronic means under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 66.1, but that is a request the court decides.
Where do I file the Connecticut estate tax return for this district?
For a decedent domiciled in Ashford, Brooklyn, Eastford, Pomfret, Putnam, Thompson or Woodstock, the Connecticut estate tax return is filed with the Northeast Probate Court within six months of death. CT-706 NT is filed with the Probate Court for a nontaxable estate. CT-706/709 is filed with the Commissioner of Revenue Services with a copy to the Probate Court.
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.