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Central Falls Probate Court, RI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Central Falls detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Central Falls Probate Court |
| Where to file | Central Falls City Hall, 580 Broad Street, Central Falls, RI 02863, 2nd floor. The city clerk of Central Falls is the clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6. |
| Mailing | Call 401-727-7400 before mailing original papers. The probate page directs filings and contact to City Hall at 580 Broad Street. |
| Phone | 401-727-7400 |
| Fax | 401-727-7406 |
| Counter hours | Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; third Thursday of the month, 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. These are city clerk counter hours, not hearing times. |
| Court meeting time | Fourth Monday of each month, starting at 2:00 p.m., on the 2nd floor of City Hall. Rhode Island requires each probate court to publish its session times in its local administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29. |
| Fee at filing under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 | For a petition to probate a will or grant administration, Rhode Island charges one percent of the decedent's personal property, with a minimum of $30 and a maximum of $1,500, payable before filing and based on your estimate. Those amounts are current under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 as reviewed in September 2026 and were unchanged by the last 2014 amendments. Central Falls's own added records and advertising charges under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11 were not confirmed from the city documents, so ask the clerk before you file. The one percent is recalculated against the inventory filed under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1. |
| Forms | Statewide PC forms. Rhode Island probate forms are prescribed and furnished free under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16; Central Falls uses the same statewide forms as other Rhode Island probate courts. Use the current Secretary of State catalogue at sos.ri.gov under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. |
| Electronic filing | Plan on paper filing. The Central Falls probate page does not offer an electronic filing option, and R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 assumes payment to the clerk before the petition is filed and a written receipt from the clerk. |
| Lookup | The Central Falls probate page does not link to a probate search. Probate papers are kept by the city clerk of Central Falls under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6 and 8-9-7. |
| Video or phone hearing option | The Central Falls probate page does not list a video or phone hearing option. Call the clerk if travel is difficult. |
| Website | https://www.centralfallsri.gov/city-clerk/page/probate-court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose forms or pay a fee in Central Falls, identify the decedent's accounts, debts, real estate and titled personal property. Rhode Island's opening fee under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 is based on the personal-property estimate you put on the petition, so a cleaner asset list makes the first filing and later estate settlement easier.
Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 institutions for accounts and benefits that families often miss. Use that information to decide whether a Central Falls filing belongs on the full administration path or on a smaller statewide route under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24.
Which court handles jurisdiction
File where the decedent lived. If the decedent's home was in Central Falls, the Central Falls Probate Court is the court, and no other Rhode Island probate court has jurisdiction over the estate under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9.
Rhode Island has no county probate courts and no county government. The Central Falls Probate Court is the court for the city of Central Falls and for no other municipality under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9. Central Falls is in Providence County, which matters in one respect only: an appeal from a decree of this court goes to the Superior Court for that county under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-23-1, and the Superior Court sits in four divisions statewide, with Providence and Bristol counties served together.
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm that Central Falls is the right place to file. If the decedent lived in the city of Central Falls, file with the Central Falls Probate Court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9; if the decedent lived in another Rhode Island city or town, use that municipality's own probate court.
- Build an asset and debt list before filing. The personal-property estimate on the petition controls the fee paid before filing under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, and the estimate is later checked against the inventory required within 90 days of appointment under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1.
- Choose the statewide PC forms. Rhode Island probate forms are free statewide under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. Common opening forms include PC-1.1 for administration under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-8-8 and PC-1.5 for probate of a will; if the estate qualifies for a voluntary informal filing under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24, use the forms tied to that route.
- File at Central Falls City Hall, 580 Broad Street, Central Falls, RI 02863, 2nd floor. The city clerk of Central Falls is the clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6.
- Pay the amount due before the petition is filed. For a will or administration petition, R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 sets one percent of personal property, minimum $30 and maximum $1,500, amounts current as reviewed in September 2026 and unchanged by the last 2014 amendments. Central Falls may add records charges and advertising charges under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11, so call 401-727-7400 for the current local total.
- Handle notice. If notice must be advertised, Rhode Island requires newspaper advertisement once a week for at least two weeks, with the first advertisement at least 14 days before the first hearing date, under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11. If all interested parties sign a waiver under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22, the advertising requirement and cost may be avoided.
- Calendar the hearing. The Central Falls Probate Court meets on the fourth Monday of each month at 2:00 p.m. on the 2nd floor of City Hall, and R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29 requires local administrative rules to include the court's session times. The Central Falls probate page does not list a video or phone option, so call the clerk before relying on anything other than appearing at City Hall.
- Receive proof of authority after appointment. When the court appoints you, ask the clerk for certificates of appointment. Each certificate costs $5, current as of September 2026 under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, and banks, transfer agents and agencies often ask for separate originals.
- Administer the estate. File the inventory within 90 days after appointment unless the court allows more time under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1; that inventory is also when the one percent fee under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 is adjusted. Creditor claims run from first publication under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-11-5, and uncontested matters are heard before contested matters under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-30.
- Close only after the Rhode Island tax position is resolved. Before the Central Falls Probate Court will allow a final account, the court must find that estate tax under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-22 has been paid, extended or determined not to apply, and the Division of Taxation's certification settles that issue under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23-36. In practice, an estate may need Form RI-706 under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23 and the Division's Notice of No Tax Due for the probate court.
Forms and documents
Probate forms at the Central Falls Probate Court
Rhode Island probate forms are statewide. A legislative commission prescribes them and the Secretary of State publishes them free to the public, to lawyers and to probate clerks under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. They are numbered in the PC series and downloadable from the current Secretary of State probate forms catalogue at https://www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/business-services/probate-forms/.
The Central Falls Probate Court uses the same statewide forms as every other Rhode Island probate court. The city's probate page points readers to the statewide forms catalogue and does not list a separate Central Falls form or filing checklist on that page. A few forms may be issued by the court rather than posted online, so call the city clerk's office at 401-727-7400 if the form you need is not in the Secretary of State catalogue under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16.
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: September 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | If the home was truly co-owned, first confirm whether any asset still needs a Central Falls appointment. Any solely owned Rhode Island real property takes the estate outside the voluntary informal route under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24 and may require full probate, a certificate of appointment under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, and a real-property title filing such as PC-10.6. File at City Hall if the decedent lived in Central Falls under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9. | Sunset helps identify accounts, title issues and debts so the spouse can decide whether Central Falls probate is needed at all and can prepare for estate settlement before the fourth-Monday session. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | For an intestate estate, an out-of-state child cannot act as voluntary administrator because R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-1 requires the filer to be a Rhode Island resident. If the will names that child as executor, the voluntary executor route under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2 may be available after the 30-day wait under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24, with the original will and a resident agent appointed on PC-3.5 under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2. Central Falls meets monthly on the fourth Monday at 2:00 p.m. | Sunset can help sort whether the estate is within the R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24 path, prepare the packet and connect the family with local counsel if a Rhode Island resident fiduciary or resident agent is needed. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale requires full probate steps in Central Falls if the child lived in the city. The personal representative may need authority from the court, including a sale or mortgage petition such as PC-4.2, and must address the automatic Rhode Island estate tax lien on real property through Form RI-706 and, for real property, Form T-77 under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23. The final account cannot be allowed until the tax position is resolved under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23-36. | Sunset helps find accounts, organize real-property and debt information, generate the probate packet and connect the parent with a vetted Rhode Island probate attorney for the court authority and closing steps. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it provides | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Central Falls Probate Court | Local address, monthly meeting time, phone, fax and links to the city's probate fee, administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29 and calendar materials. | https://www.centralfallsri.gov/city-clerk/page/probate-court |
| Rhode Island Secretary of State probate forms | Free statewide PC probate forms under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. | https://www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/business-services/probate-forms/ |
| Rhode Island Superior Court | Appeal forum for a Central Falls probate decree under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-23-1, through the Providence/Bristol County division. | https://www.courts.ri.gov/Courts/SuperiorCourt/Pages/default.aspx |
| Rhode Island Division of Taxation, estate tax | Form RI-706, lien discharge information and Notice of No Tax Due information for probate court purposes under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23 and 44-23-36. | https://tax.ri.gov/tax-sections/estate-tax |
When to hire an attorney
Rhode Island probate can become lawyer-sensitive when real estate must be sold, family members disagree, creditor claims are disputed under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-11-5, an appeal is possible under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-23-1, or the estate tax and lien-discharge steps under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23 affect closing. If you are unsure which Central Falls filing to make or whether a waiver under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22 is safe, Sunset connects you to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for financial accounts, insurance, benefits and other assets so families can begin estate settlement with a clearer picture of what the Central Falls petition should include.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into an organized Rhode Island probate packet, including the local filing details for the Central Falls Probate Court and the statewide PC forms used under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate involves real estate, a contested matter, an appeal under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-23-1 or tax steps under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Rhode Island probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, find assets and understand the next probate step without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for someone who lived in Central Falls?
File with the Central Falls Probate Court at Central Falls City Hall, 580 Broad Street, Central Falls, RI 02863, if the decedent lived in the city of Central Falls. Rhode Island probate jurisdiction is municipal, and the Central Falls Probate Court has jurisdiction for Central Falls under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9.
Who is the probate clerk in Central Falls?
The city clerk of Central Falls is the clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6. The probate page directs callers to 401-727-7400, and the fax number is 401-727-7406.
When does the Central Falls Probate Court meet?
The court meets on the fourth Monday of each month at 2:00 p.m. on the 2nd floor of City Hall. Rhode Island requires each probate court to include the dates and times it is in session in its local administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29.
Can I file a Central Falls probate case electronically?
Plan on paper filing. The Central Falls probate page does not offer electronic filing, and R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 assumes that the fee is paid before the petition is filed and that the clerk issues a written receipt.
What is the filing fee in Central Falls probate?
For a petition to probate a will or grant administration, R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 sets one percent of the decedent's personal property, with a $30 minimum and a $1,500 maximum, amounts current as reviewed in September 2026 and unchanged by the last 2014 amendments. The fee is paid before filing based on your estimate and later adjusted against the inventory under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1. Central Falls may also collect records and advertising charges under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11, so call the clerk for the current total.
Does Central Falls have its own probate forms?
The Central Falls page points to Rhode Island's statewide probate forms, not a separate city form set. Statewide probate forms are free through the Secretary of State under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16, and the current catalogue is at https://www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/business-services/probate-forms/.
Can I look up a Central Falls probate matter online?
The Central Falls probate page does not link to a probate search. Probate papers are kept by the city clerk of Central Falls under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6 and 8-9-7, so call the clerk's office if you need to locate a file.
Do I have to travel to Central Falls for probate?
The Central Falls probate page does not list a video or phone hearing option. If all interested parties sign a waiver under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22 and the matter is uncontested under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-30, travel may be reduced, but you should call 401-727-7400 before assuming a court appearance is unnecessary.
Can an out-of-state child use the small estate path in Central Falls?
Only in the way R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24 allows. For an intestate estate, R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-1 requires the voluntary administrator to be a Rhode Island resident. If the will names the out-of-state child as executor, R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2 allows the voluntary executor route if the original will is filed and a resident agent is appointed under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2.
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.