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Norwich Probate Court, CT Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Norwich Probate Court, PD-29 |
| Courthouse address | City Hall, 100 Broadway, Room 122, Norwich, CT 06360 |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing address is published. Use City Hall, 100 Broadway, Room 122, Norwich, CT 06360. |
| Phone | (860) 887-2160 |
| Fax | (860) 887-2401 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call before traveling if timing is critical. |
| 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. |
| Forms | Connecticut probate forms are statewide. The Norwich Probate Court uses the same numbered PC forms as every other Connecticut Probate Court, and the court does not publish forms of its own. |
| Electronic filing | The statewide eFiling system is powered by TurboCourt. Attorneys who appear in a probate matter must register, while registration is optional for everyone else (Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1). The original will cannot be eFiled and must reach the court on paper (section 7.1a). |
| Case search | Use Connecticut Case Lookup at ctprobate.gov/case-lookup and filter to Norwich Probate Court, PD-29. Coverage for decedents' estates and trusts runs from January 5, 2011 to the present, with incomplete earlier coverage. |
| Electronic participation | Remote participation may be requested, but it is not a right. The court decides under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 66.1. |
| Website | https://www.ctprobate.gov/courts/norwich-probate-court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a filing path, list what the decedent owned, what passed by joint ownership or beneficiary designation, what debts are known, and whether any Connecticut real estate was solely owned. That first asset picture controls whether estate settlement can stay simple or needs a full Probate Court administration.
Sunset helps families search across 2,300 institutions so you can identify accounts before filing at the Norwich Probate Court. That makes the probate packet, notices and tax-return work easier to line up before deadlines begin to stack up.
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). A decision of the Probate Court may be appealed to the Superior Court, generally within thirty days (C.G.S. section 45a-186). The Norwich Probate Court serves Bozrah, Franklin, Griswold, Lisbon, Norwich, Preston, Sprague and Voluntown (C.G.S. section 45a-2).
If the decedent was domiciled in one of those towns and left a will, the executor applies in the Probate Court for the district where the testator was domiciled at death, within thirty days after death (C.G.S. section 45a-283). If the decedent died intestate, the Probate Court for the district where the person 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 gives the possible Connecticut districts.
The courthouse is in Norwich City Hall, but the district also covers Bozrah, Franklin, Griswold, Lisbon, Preston, Sprague and Voluntown. If the decedent lived in another Connecticut town, use the Connecticut Court Locator at ctprobate.gov/court-locator to find the correct Probate Court.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the correct court. If the decedent was domiciled in Bozrah, Franklin, Griswold, Lisbon, Norwich, Preston, Sprague or Voluntown, file in the Norwich Probate Court district (C.G.S. section 45a-2, C.G.S. section 45a-283, C.G.S. section 45a-303).
- Prepare the opening papers. A full estate generally starts with PC-200, Petition/Administration or Probate of Will, filed in the district where the Connecticut resident decedent was domiciled at death (C.G.S. section 45a-283). If the original will exists, it must be delivered to the court on paper because the original will cannot be eFiled (Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 7.1a, section 22.1).
- File with the Norwich Probate Court at City Hall, 100 Broadway, Room 122, Norwich, CT 06360, by the filing method the court accepts for your situation. Attorneys who appear in a probate matter must use the statewide eFiling system after registration, while registration is optional for self-represented filers (Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1).
- Do not bring an opening filing fee 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 Norwich 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 set a hearing, may act after written waivers, or may use the streamline notice procedure, which gives parties time to request a hearing before a decree enters (Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 8.6).
- If attending is difficult, ask the clerk what the Norwich Probate Court expects for a request to participate by electronic means. Section 66.1 of the Probate Court Rules of Procedure lets the court allow a party, witness or attorney to participate remotely on request or on the court's own motion, but it is the court's decision and the rule names no platform.
- After appointment, get certified copies of your authority document. When the Probate Court appoints you, the court's clerk issues a certificate of 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.
- Administer and close the estate. The fiduciary gathers assets, follows the creditor notice process under C.G.S. section 45a-354, files the inventory within two months after qualification unless extended as allowed by C.G.S. section 45a-341, files the Connecticut estate tax return within six months, accounts or reports to the court, distributes under the court's decree and completes the closing papers required for the estate.
Forms and documents
Probate forms at the Norwich Probate Court
Connecticut probate forms are statewide. The Norwich 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/Administration or Probate of Will for a full estate filed in the district where the Connecticut resident decedent was domiciled at death (C.G.S. section 45a-283). |
| PC-212 | Affidavit in Lieu of Probate of Will/Administration for the small estate procedure under C.G.S. section 45a-273. |
| PC-2407 | Inventory/Decedents' Estates, filed within the statutory inventory period (C.G.S. section 45a-341). |
| PC-237 | Return of Claims and List of Notified Creditors, tied to the claims process after the 150-day creditor period (C.G.S. section 45a-356, C.G.S. section 45a-361). |
| PC-246 | Financial Report/Decedent's Estate, a common closing report under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 30.19. |
Local nuance
Norwich Probate Court district-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Eight towns use one court | The Norwich Probate Court serves Bozrah, Franklin, Griswold, Lisbon, Norwich, Preston, Sprague and Voluntown (C.G.S. section 45a-2). A family in Preston, Sprague or Voluntown should still file here if the decedent was domiciled there at death (C.G.S. section 45a-283, C.G.S. section 45a-303). |
| Use the five-digit ZIP | The court is in City Hall at 100 Broadway, Room 122, Norwich, CT 06360. Published Probate Court materials do not agree on the ZIP+4, so use the five-digit ZIP unless the clerk gives a more specific mailing instruction. |
| Earlier daily hours | The Norwich Probate Court publishes Monday through Friday hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., which differ from the common 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. pattern used by many Connecticut Probate Courts. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely path in the Norwich Probate Court district | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | If the decedent was domiciled in one of the eight towns, the Norwich Probate Court is the local Probate Court (C.G.S. section 45a-2, C.G.S. section 45a-283). Joint or survivorship assets may pass outside the estate, but the Connecticut estate tax return is still due within six months, and the later probate fee is computed under C.G.S. section 45a-107. | Sunset helps identify accounts, organize asset values and prepare an estate settlement packet so the spouse can see what truly needs court action. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If the decedent lived in Bozrah, Franklin, Griswold, Lisbon, Norwich, Preston, Sprague or Voluntown, start with this court. The small estate procedure may be available under C.G.S. section 45a-273 if the statutory conditions are met, and the child should ask the clerk what the court expects from a nonresident fiduciary. | Sunset helps the child gather account information remotely, generate the right packet and decide whether local counsel should handle filing or hearing logistics. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A solely owned Connecticut home usually means a full estate in the Norwich Probate Court if the child was domiciled in one of the eight towns (C.G.S. section 45a-283, C.G.S. section 45a-303). Sale authority, creditor steps and court approval issues should be handled carefully before listing or closing. | Sunset helps map assets and debts, create the starting forms and connect the parent with a local probate attorney when the home sale makes estate settlement more complex. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Norwich Probate Court | Filing office for estates of people who lived in Bozrah, Franklin, Griswold, Lisbon, Norwich, Preston, Sprague or Voluntown. The clerk can provide forms and limited procedural information, but cannot give legal advice. | City Hall, 100 Broadway, Room 122, Norwich, CT 06360. Phone: (860) 887-2160. Fax: (860) 887-2401. Website: https://www.ctprobate.gov/courts/norwich-probate-court |
| Connecticut Court Locator | Town-by-town tool for finding the correct Probate Court if the decedent lived outside the eight Norwich Probate Court towns. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/court-locator |
| Connecticut Case Lookup | Free statewide search for decedents' estates and trusts, filterable to Norwich Probate Court, PD-29. Coverage runs from January 5, 2011 to the present, with incomplete earlier coverage. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/case-lookup |
| Connecticut probate forms | Statewide numbered PC form catalogue, including Trusts and Estates forms used at the Norwich Probate Court. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/forms-list |
| Administration of Decedents' Estates user guide | Probate Court Administrator guide to Connecticut estate settlement, including opening, administration, taxes and closing. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/trusts-estates/trusts-estates-user-guides |
| Connecticut probate fee calculators | Calculators for estimating the later 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 | Statewide ADA accommodation information for Connecticut Probate Courts, including form PC-2 and a ten-day notice guideline. | 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 | General Connecticut self-help legal library and legal help finder. | https://ctlawhelp.org/ |
| New London Law Library | Nearby public law library for legal research. Check current hours before traveling. | 70 Huntington Street, New London, CT 06320. Phone: (860) 442-7561. https://www.jud.ct.gov/lawlib/ |
When to hire an attorney
Connecticut Probate Court materials state that a lawyer is not required but is often advisable, and estate matters can become complex quickly when real estate must be sold, heirs disagree, creditor issues arise, taxes are unclear or a fiduciary lives out of state. If the Norwich Probate Court estate involves contested issues, sale authority, tax questions or a family conflict, counsel can keep the estate settlement on track. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for accounts, policies and other assets so the family can understand what belongs in the estate settlement and what may pass outside the Probate Court process.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset picture into an organized probate packet for the Norwich Probate Court, including the information needed for the common Connecticut PC forms and next-step checklist.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal judgment, Sunset helps connect the family with a local probate attorney familiar with Connecticut Probate Court practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, find assets and get matched with help without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate if the person lived in Bozrah, Franklin, Griswold, Lisbon, Norwich, Preston, Sprague or Voluntown?
File with the Norwich Probate Court if the decedent was domiciled in one of those towns at death. The district serves all eight towns under C.G.S. section 45a-2. For a will, the filing belongs in the district where the testator was domiciled at death (C.G.S. section 45a-283). For an intestate estate, the district where the person was domiciled at death has jurisdiction to grant letters of administration (C.G.S. section 45a-303).
What is the address for the Norwich Probate Court?
The court is in Norwich City Hall at 100 Broadway, Room 122, Norwich, CT 06360. The phone number is (860) 887-2160, and the fax number is (860) 887-2401.
What are the Norwich Probate Court hours?
The court publishes Monday through Friday hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call the clerk before traveling if you need to confirm a holiday schedule or same-day filing timing.
Can I e-file at the Norwich Probate Court?
The statewide eFiling system is powered by 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). A self-represented person may use an Individual account, but the original will cannot be eFiled and must reach the court on paper (section 7.1a).
Can I appear remotely for a Norwich Probate Court hearing?
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 Norwich Probate Court what that court expects.
How do I look up a Norwich Probate Court estate?
Use Connecticut Case Lookup at ctprobate.gov/case-lookup and filter to Norwich Probate Court, PD-29. The tool covers decedents' estates and trusts from January 5, 2011 to the present, with incomplete earlier coverage. It shows case index information and fiduciary contact information, not the filed documents.
Does the Norwich Probate Court have local probate forms?
No local form packet is published by the court. Connecticut probate forms are statewide, and the Norwich Probate Court uses the same numbered PC forms as every other Connecticut Probate Court. The common full-estate opening petition is PC-200, filed in the district where the resident decedent was domiciled at death (C.G.S. section 45a-283). The small estate procedure uses PC-212 under C.G.S. section 45a-273.
How much does it cost to open an estate at the Norwich Probate Court?
No filing fee is due when a decedent's estate is opened. The Probate Court invoices the estate later under C.G.S. section 45a-107. For a person who died on or after July 1, 2016, the statutory probate fee is graduated and can range from $25 to a cap of $40,000, with the full calculation governed by C.G.S. section 45a-107.
Do I have to travel to Norwich for every step?
Not always. The court may act after waivers or through the streamline notice procedure when no hearing is requested (Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 8.6). If a hearing is set and travel is difficult, ask about a request for participation by electronic means under section 66.1 of the Probate Court Rules of Procedure.
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.