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Stratford Probate Court, CT Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Stratford Probate Court information |
|---|---|
| Court | Stratford Probate Court, PD-47 |
| Courthouse address | Birdseye Municipal Complex, 468 Birdseye Street, 2nd Floor, Stratford, CT 06615 |
| Mailing | No separate mailing address is published. Use Birdseye Municipal Complex, 468 Birdseye Street, 2nd Floor, Stratford, CT 06615. |
| Phone | (203) 385-4023 |
| Fax | (203) 375-6253 |
| Hours | Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. |
| Filing cost | 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 PC forms are statewide. The Stratford Probate Court does not publish forms of its own. |
| E-filing | The statewide eFiling system is powered by TurboCourt. Attorneys must register, while registration is optional for everyone else under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1. The original will cannot be eFiled and must reach the court on paper under section 7.1a. |
| Case lookup | Use ctprobate.gov/case-lookup and filter to PD47. Coverage for decedents' estates and trusts runs from January 5, 2011 to the present. |
| Remote participation | Electronic participation is a request the court decides under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 66.1. The rule names no platform. |
| Website | https://www.ctprobate.gov/courts/stratford-probate-court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing at the Stratford Probate Court, make a practical list of what the person owned, what was jointly held, what had named beneficiaries, what debts are known, and whether any Connecticut real estate is involved. In Connecticut, that asset picture matters for estate settlement because the probate fee is calculated under C.G.S. section 45a-107 and billed later, and an estate tax return is filed with the Probate Court within six months.
Sunset can help organize that first pass by searching more than 2,300 institutions for accounts, policies and other assets, then turning the results into a probate packet you can use with the Stratford Probate Court or with a Connecticut probate attorney.
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 county government (C.G.S. section 45a-2). The Stratford Probate Court serves Stratford only (C.G.S. section 45a-2). The courthouse is in Stratford, at the Birdseye Municipal Complex, so this is one of the Connecticut districts where the court name and courthouse town line up.
If the decedent was domiciled in Stratford at death, a will is offered for probate in the Stratford Probate Court under C.G.S. section 45a-283(a), and an intestate estate is administered there under C.G.S. section 45a-303(a)(1). For a nonresident decedent with Connecticut property, C.G.S. section 45a-287 lists the possible Connecticut probate districts. If you are unsure which Probate Court serves a town, use the statewide Court Locator at ctprobate.gov/court-locator.
The jurisdiction process
- List the assets, debts and tax filings before choosing a filing path. Connecticut estate settlement starts with the asset picture because the Probate Court fee is billed later under C.G.S. section 45a-107, and the Connecticut estate tax return is filed with the Probate Court within six months whether or not a full estate is opened.
- Confirm that Stratford is the right probate district. The Stratford Probate Court serves the town of Stratford only under C.G.S. section 45a-2. A will for a Stratford domiciliary is filed where the testator was domiciled at death under C.G.S. section 45a-283, and an intestate estate is handled under C.G.S. section 45a-303.
- Get the statewide forms. The opening petition for a full estate is PC-200, used with the Probate Court in the district where the person was domiciled at death under C.G.S. section 45a-283. Connecticut PC forms are published statewide by the Office of the Probate Court Administrator, and the Stratford Probate Court does not publish forms of its own.
- File with the Stratford Probate Court at Birdseye Municipal Complex, 468 Birdseye Street, 2nd Floor, Stratford, CT 06615. No separate mailing address is published. The clerk can provide forms and limited procedural help, but cannot give legal advice.
- Handle paper originals and eFiling correctly. The statewide eFiling system is powered by TurboCourt, and 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.
- Do not bring a counter payment for opening a decedent's estate. No filing fee is due when a decedent's estate is opened. The Stratford Probate Court invoices the statutory fee later under C.G.S. section 45a-107.
- Watch for notice, waiver or a hearing path. Notice is given when the estate is opened and again when the final financial report or account is filed. Many estates proceed without an appearance if written waivers are filed or if the court uses the streamline notice procedure under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 8.6 and no hearing is requested.
- Ask early if someone needs to participate by electronic means. Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 66.1 lets the court allow a party, witness or attorney to participate by electronic means on request or on the court's own motion. It is a request the court decides, not a right, and the rule names no platform.
- Receive proof of authority if appointed. 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.
- Administer the estate on Connecticut's statewide clocks. The decedent's estate inventory is filed within two months after qualification unless the court extends the time under C.G.S. section 45a-341. The court places the newspaper notice to creditors under C.G.S. section 45a-354, claims are handled under the 150-day framework in C.G.S. section 45a-356, and the return of claims is filed under C.G.S. section 45a-361.
- Close the estate through the court's final decree and required closing papers. The final financial report, often PC-246, is governed by Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 30.19. If the court directs an affidavit of closing, PC-213 is tied to Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 36.12.
- Use the clerk's published hours when planning a visit or call. The Stratford Probate Court is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; the phone number is (203) 385-4023.
Forms and documents
Probate forms at the Stratford Probate Court
Connecticut probate forms are statewide. The Stratford 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 | Local note |
|---|---|---|
| PC-200 | Petition to open administration or probate a will in the district where the decedent was domiciled at death under C.G.S. section 45a-283. | Use Stratford Probate Court for a decedent domiciled in Stratford. |
| PC-212 | Affidavit in Lieu of Probate of Will/Administration for the small-estate procedure under C.G.S. section 45a-273. | The affidavit is filed with the Probate Court. It is not an out-of-court bank form. |
| PC-2407 | Inventory for decedents' estates, filed on the timing set by C.G.S. section 45a-341. | Use the statewide form and file it with the Stratford Probate Court when required. |
| CT-706 NT | Connecticut estate tax return for nontaxable estates, filed with the Probate Court within six months for estates within that form's scope. | For a Stratford resident decedent, the return is filed with the Stratford Probate Court. |
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Stratford path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | If the decedent was domiciled in Stratford, start with the Stratford Probate Court under C.G.S. section 45a-283. A jointly held home may pass outside probate, but the Connecticut estate tax return is still filed with the Probate Court within six months, and the probate fee is computed under C.G.S. section 45a-107. | Sunset helps identify accounts, beneficiary designations, co-owned assets and debts so the spouse can see what belongs in the estate settlement packet and what may pass outside probate. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Papers are mailed to the Birdseye Municipal Complex street address because no separate mailing address is published. The original will cannot be eFiled under section 7.1a. If the small-estate procedure under C.G.S. section 45a-273 fits, the affidavit is still filed in the Probate Court. | Sunset helps organize the asset list, generate the probate packet, and flag practical items for an out-of-state fiduciary, including the possible need for PC-482 if the child is appointed. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate when a home must be sold | A sale of solely owned real property usually points to full administration through PC-200 in the Probate Court for the decedent's domicile under C.G.S. section 45a-283. After appointment, the certificate of appointment under C.G.S. section 45a-200 is the proof a buyer's attorney or title company will expect. A contested decree is appealed to the Superior Court under C.G.S. section 45a-186. | Sunset helps gather the financial picture, prepare the initial filing materials, and connect the parent with a Connecticut probate attorney when a sale, title issue or dispute needs counsel. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Stratford Probate Court | Filing office for Stratford. The clerk can provide forms and limited procedural help but not legal advice. | Birdseye Municipal Complex, 468 Birdseye Street, 2nd Floor, Stratford, CT 06615; (203) 385-4023; fax (203) 375-6253; https://www.ctprobate.gov/courts/stratford-probate-court |
| Connecticut Court Locator | Town-by-town lookup for the correct Probate Court. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/court-locator |
| Connecticut Case Lookup | Free statewide search of decedents' estates and trusts. Filter to PD47. Coverage runs from January 5, 2011 to the present. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/case-lookup |
| Connecticut probate forms | Statewide PC form catalogue, free from the Office of the Probate Court Administrator. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/forms-list |
| Administration of Decedents' Estates user guide | The Probate Court Administrator's 2026 plain-English guide to Connecticut estate administration. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/trusts-estates/trusts-estates-user-guides |
| Connecticut probate fee calculators | Statewide calculators for the probate fee invoiced later under C.G.S. section 45a-107. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/fees-expenses-calculators |
| Probate Court accommodation requests under the ADA | Form PC-2, with at least ten days' notice requested where possible. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/assistance-individuals-disabilities-ada |
| Connecticut Judicial Branch law libraries | Public law libraries with librarians who can help locate statutes, rules and forms; they do not give legal advice. | https://www.jud.ct.gov/lawlib/ |
| Statewide Legal Services of Connecticut | Legal aid intake and screening for people who cannot afford a lawyer. | 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
A lawyer is not required for every Connecticut estate, but the Probate Court Administrator says estate matters can be complex and that legal advice is often advisable. Counsel is especially useful if the will is contested, a Stratford home must be sold, heirs disagree, a fiduciary lives outside Connecticut, tax filings are unclear, 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, retirement benefits and other assets so families can start estate settlement with a clearer picture of what exists and what may pass outside probate.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information into a packet you can use when preparing Connecticut PC forms, filing with the Stratford Probate Court, or speaking with a lawyer.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate involves a home sale, a dispute, a nonresident fiduciary or questions about Connecticut procedure, Sunset can help you find a probate attorney familiar with Connecticut Probate Courts.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset helps families move from uncertainty to an organized estate settlement plan without charging the family for the service.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for someone who lived in Stratford?
File with the Stratford Probate Court if the decedent was domiciled in Stratford. A will is filed where the testator was domiciled at death under C.G.S. section 45a-283, and an intestate estate is handled under C.G.S. section 45a-303. The court is at Birdseye Municipal Complex, 468 Birdseye Street, 2nd Floor, Stratford, CT 06615.
Which town does the Stratford Probate Court serve?
The Stratford Probate Court serves Stratford only. Connecticut's probate districts are defined town by town in C.G.S. section 45a-2, and Stratford is PD-47.
What are the Stratford Probate Court's hours?
The Stratford Probate Court is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Call (203) 385-4023 before relying on the Friday noon closing for a time-sensitive filing.
Does the Stratford Probate Court have its own probate forms?
Connecticut probate forms are statewide. The Stratford Probate Court uses the same numbered PC forms as every other Connecticut Probate Court, and the court does not publish forms of its own.
How much is due when I open a decedent's estate in Stratford?
No filing fee is due when a decedent's estate is opened. The Stratford Probate Court invoices the statutory probate fee later, computed under C.G.S. section 45a-107. 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 Stratford 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.
Can I use eFiling for the Stratford Probate Court?
The Connecticut Probate Courts run one statewide eFiling system, powered by TurboCourt. Attorneys who appear in a probate matter must register for it under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1. Registration is optional for everyone else, and a self-represented party may open an Individual account and file at the Stratford Probate Court that way. Once you have eFiling access to a matter, you must eFile documents in it and receive decrees and notices electronically under section 22.3. The original will cannot be eFiled and must reach the court on paper under section 7.1a.
Can I take part in a Stratford Probate Court hearing 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 Stratford Probate Court what that court expects.
Do I have to travel to Stratford for every probate step?
Not always. Papers can be mailed to the published street address, the statewide eFiling system may be available under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1, and the original will must still be sent on paper under section 7.1a. Many matters are decided on written waivers or through the streamline notice procedure under section 8.6 if no hearing is requested.
How do I look up a Stratford estate online?
Use Connecticut's free Case Lookup at ctprobate.gov/case-lookup and filter to the Stratford Probate Court district, PD47. The tool covers decedents' estates and trusts from January 5, 2011 to the present, with incomplete earlier coverage, and it shows case index information and fiduciary contact information rather than filing images.
What proof shows that I can act for the Stratford estate?
When the Probate Court appoints you, the court's clerk issues a certificate of appointment. Under C.G.S. section 45a-200, the certificate of appointment is sufficient evidence of your authority and identity for one year from the date it is issued, so banks and transfer agents may ask for a recently issued 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.