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East Providence Probate Court, RI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | East Providence Probate Court, the probate court for the city of East Providence. |
| Where to file | Office of the City Clerk, East Providence City Hall, 145 Taunton Avenue, East Providence, RI 02914. The city clerk of East Providence is the clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6. |
| Where hearings are held | City Council Chambers, 1st floor, East Providence City Hall, 145 Taunton Avenue. |
| Phone | (401) 435-7500, extension 11037, for probate. |
| Fax | The city probate page does not publish a probate fax. Call the probate clerk through the published probate phone number before faxing anything. |
| No role email is published for probate. Reach the probate clerk by phone. | |
| Clerk counter hours | Monday through Wednesday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. These are filing counter hours, not court session times. |
| Court sessions | 2:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month in the City Council Chambers. East Providence's 2026 calendar cancels the fourth-Tuesday sessions on November 24, 2026 and December 22, 2026. |
| Fee at opening | State law sets the base filing fee under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21: one percent of the decedent's personal property, minimum $30 and maximum $1,500, with figures unchanged since at least 1996, paid before filing on the petitioner's estimate and recalculated later. East Providence's 2026 schedule lists most opening petitions at $104.00 on waiver or $169.00 without waiver, reflecting local preservation and advertising charges under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11. |
| Forms | Rhode Island probate forms are statewide PC forms published free by the Secretary of State under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. East Providence links the state catalogue and does not publish a separate local probate form or cover sheet. |
| Paper or electronic filing | Plan on paper filing with the Office of the City Clerk. East Providence's site offers no electronic probate filing, and Rhode Island statutes assume signed written petitions, original wills and written receipts. |
| Case lookup | East Providence links a tool labelled Probate Records (searchable and printable) at searchiqs.com/rieprov/. The city publishes the link, but the page should not be treated as proof of coverage dates or available document types. |
| Phone or video hearings | Call the clerk before planning around phone or video participation. East Providence publishes the City Council Chambers session location and does not publish a phone or video procedure. |
| Website | https://eastprovidenceri.gov/departments/city-clerk-1 |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose forms or ask for a hearing date, list the assets, debts, titled property, account balances and likely creditor issues. In East Providence, that first asset list affects the amount due at filing because the base probate fee is calculated from the personal property estimate and later revised against the inventory under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 and R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1.
Sunset helps families start estate settlement with asset discovery across more than 2,300 institutions, then uses that information to organize the probate packet. That matters in East Providence because the city has its own 2026 fee schedule, Friday-before-session submission rules, and local account and real-estate-sale requirements.
Which court handles jurisdiction
File where the decedent lived. If the decedent's home was in East Providence, the East Providence 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. If the decedent lived in Providence or North Providence instead, those are separate cities with separate probate courts.
Rhode Island has no county probate courts and no county government. The East Providence Probate Court is the court for the city of East Providence and for no other municipality under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9. East Providence 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
- Identify the assets and debts first. The petition asks for an estimate of personal property, and the base filing fee is one percent of that estimate, with a $30 minimum and a $1,500 maximum, under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21. Those figures have been unchanged since at least 1996.
- Choose the statewide PC forms. Rhode Island probate forms are prescribed and provided free under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16, and East Providence links the Secretary of State's form catalogue from its probate page.
- File with the Office of the City Clerk at East Providence City Hall, 145 Taunton Avenue, East Providence, RI 02914. The city clerk of East Providence is the clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6.
- Pay before the petition is filed. East Providence's 2026 schedule lists most opening petitions at $104.00 on waiver or $169.00 without waiver, made up of the statutory $30 filing component under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, a $4.00 preservation fee, a $5.00 certificate component under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, and $65.00 advertising charges when advertising is required under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11.
- Handle notice and waiver. If every interested party signs the appropriate waiver under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22, the East Providence 2026 petition total is lower because a $65.00 advertising charge under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11 drops away.
- Meet the local submission deadline. East Providence's administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29 require petitions that do not require advertising under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11, or that are on waiver under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22, to be submitted by close of business on the Friday before the court session.
- Attend the hearing if one is needed. Regular sessions are at 2:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month in the City Council Chambers, 1st floor, and the court hears name changes, matters on waiver, formal matters and then contested matters, following the docket order published in its administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29 and R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-30. The 2026 calendar cancels the fourth-Tuesday sessions on November 24, 2026 and December 22, 2026.
- After appointment, order certificates of appointment. Rhode Island sets each certificate of appointment at $5.00 under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, and banks, transfer agents and motor-vehicle offices often ask to see one.
- File the inventory within 90 days of appointment unless the court allows more time. R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1 sets the 90-day inventory duty, and East Providence's 2026 schedule recalculates the one percent fee under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 against the personal property inventory, netting out the $30.00 already paid and capping the later inventory charge at $1,470.00 when the statutory $1,500 ceiling applies.
- Address creditor notice before closing. East Providence's administrative rules require the fiduciary's affidavit that notice was given to known and easily ascertainable creditors, and creditor claims are governed by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-11-5.
- Resolve Rhode Island estate tax before the final account. The East Providence Probate Court cannot allow the final account unless the estate tax has been paid, extended or determined not to apply, and the Division of Taxation's Notice of No Tax Due resolves that point for probate court purposes under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23-36.
- Close with the required account or affidavit. East Providence will not accept an account without the fiduciary and attorney certification described in R.I. Gen. Laws 33-14-2.2, and its local rules require additional support when an account includes proceeds from a real-estate sale.
Executor duties
East Providence adds practical requirements through its administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29. For an account, the city requires the fiduciary and attorney certification described in R.I. Gen. Laws 33-14-2.2, and an account showing proceeds from a real-estate sale must include the HUD settlement statement. Fee-approval petitions must include a schedule of services, dates, time, hourly rate and total.
For real estate, East Providence's rules require a copy of the purchase and sale agreement before a sale petition is granted, plus an independent appraisal that is not from the listing Realtor or the buyer's Realtor. For creditor issues, East Providence will not accept a final accounting or affidavit of complete administration without the fiduciary's affidavit that notice was given to known and easily ascertainable creditors under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-11-5.
Forms and documents
Probate forms at the East Providence Probate Court
Rhode Island probate forms are statewide. A legislative commission prescribes them and the Secretary of State publishes them free to the public, lawyers and probate clerks under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16; they are numbered in the PC series and available at www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/business-services/probate-forms/.
The East Providence Probate Court uses the same statewide forms as every other Rhode Island probate court and links that catalogue under Associated State Forms. East Providence does not publish a separate local probate form or cover sheet. A few forms may be issued by the court rather than posted online, so call the probate clerk through the city clerk's office if a needed form is not in the state catalogue.
Fees
Rhode Island sets the base probate fee by statute, and East Providence adds local charges on top. For a petition to probate a will or grant administration, the base fee is one percent of the decedent's personal property over which the court has jurisdiction, with a floor of $30 and a ceiling of $1,500 under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21. Those statutory figures have been unchanged since at least 1996. The amount paid at filing is provisional because it is based on the petitioner's estimate and must be revised when the estimate proves wrong.
| East Providence 2026 item | Amount and notes |
|---|---|
| Probate of will or administration, on waiver | $104.00 on the city's 2026 schedule. The amount includes the $30 statutory component under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, a $4.00 preservation fee, a $5.00 certificate of appointment component under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, and a $65.00 qualification advertising charge under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11. |
| Probate of will or administration, not on waiver | $169.00 on the city's 2026 schedule, adding a second $65.00 advertising charge under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11. |
| Voluntary informal executor or administrator | $39.00 on the city's 2026 schedule, made up of the $30 statutory filing component under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, a $4.00 preservation fee and a $5.00 certificate component under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21. The voluntary informal routes are governed by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-1 and R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2. |
| Will filed with no probate | $34.00 on the city's 2026 schedule, made up of the $30 statutory component under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 and the $4.00 preservation fee. This filing records a will but does not appoint a fiduciary. |
| Accounts | $65.00 advertising charge on the city's 2026 schedule under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11. |
| Petition for sale of real estate | $65.00 advertising charge on the city's 2026 schedule under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11, plus the local rule requirements for an independent appraisal and purchase and sale agreement. |
| Additional certificate of appointment | $5.00 on the city's 2026 schedule and under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21. |
| Copies | East Providence's 2026 schedule lists regular copies at $1.00 per page and certified copies at $3.00 for the first page plus $1.00 for each additional page. R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 separately sets the statewide copy formula at $1.50 per page with $3.00 to certify. |
The inventory matters because East Providence recalculates the one percent fee under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 when the inventory required by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1 is filed. The city's 2026 schedule nets out the $30.00 already paid at opening and lists a $1,470.00 later charge when the statutory $1,500 ceiling applies.
Timeline
- Before filing, collect the asset estimate. The one percent probate fee under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 is paid before filing and begins with the estimate you provide.
- For a matter on waiver under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22, or a matter that does not require advertising under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11, submit the petition by close of business on the Friday before the East Providence court session.
- For matters requiring advertising, use the city's 2026 advertising calendar and call the clerk before relying on a publication date. Newspaper notice is governed by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11.
- Attend the regular session at 2:00 p.m. on the second or fourth Tuesday in the City Council Chambers. East Providence's administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29 allow the court to meet on another date if necessary, and R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-30 governs the docket order.
- For 2026, do not plan on the fourth-Tuesday sessions that would have fallen on November 24, 2026 and December 22, 2026, because East Providence's 2026 calendar lists no court session on those dates.
- Within 90 days after appointment, file the inventory unless the probate court allows more time under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1. East Providence uses that inventory to recalculate the statutory one percent fee under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21.
- Before the final account, resolve the Rhode Island estate tax position. The final account cannot be allowed until the tax has been paid, extended or determined not to apply under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23-36.
Local nuance
East Providence-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| Twice-monthly sessions | East Providence sits at 2:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday under its administrative rules, which are local administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29. The city's 2026 calendar cancels the fourth-Tuesday sessions on November 24, 2026 and December 22, 2026. |
| Friday deadline for waiver matters | Petitions that do not require advertising under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11, or that are on waiver under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22, must be submitted by close of business on the Friday before the session. |
| Published probate records link | The city links a tool labelled Probate Records (searchable and printable) at searchiqs.com/rieprov/. Use it as a city-published lookup link, but call the clerk if you need to know what dates or documents it includes. |
| Local real-estate sale requirements | East Providence's administrative rules require an independent appraisal and a copy of the purchase and sale agreement before a petition to sell real estate is granted. |
Small-estate Alternatives
East Providence prices the voluntary informal routes under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-1 and R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2 at $39.00 on its 2026 schedule. That amount reflects the $30 statutory filing component under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, a $4.00 local preservation fee and a $5.00 certificate component under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, with no advertising charge under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11.
The statewide limits still control. The voluntary informal administration route under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-1 is for qualifying personal-property estates of $15,000, a figure in force since 2005, exclusive of tangible personal property and with no real estate. A voluntary executor under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2 who lives outside Rhode Island must appoint a resident agent under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2.
Recent updates
| Update | What changed locally |
|---|---|
| 2026 East Providence fee schedule | East Providence publishes a 2026 probate fee schedule with $104.00 opening petitions on waiver, $169.00 opening petitions without waiver, $39.00 voluntary informal filings under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24, and an inventory recalculation under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21. |
| 2026 session calendar | The city's 2026 probate calendar keeps the second-and-fourth-Tuesday pattern but lists no court session on November 24, 2026 or December 22, 2026. |
| Probate records link | East Providence links a probate lookup labelled Probate Records (searchable and printable) at searchiqs.com/rieprov/. |
Page last reviewed: September 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely East Providence path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Confirm how the home was titled and whether any probate asset remains in the decedent's name. If a petition is needed, an East Providence waiver under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22 can reduce the 2026 opening total from $169.00 to $104.00 by avoiding one $65.00 advertising charge under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11. | Sunset organizes the asset list, flags accounts that may pass outside probate, and prepares an estate settlement packet focused on the assets that still need court authority. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the Rhode Island decedent died without a will, an out-of-state child cannot serve as voluntary administrator under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-1 because that statute requires the affiant to be a Rhode Island resident. If the child is named executor in a will, R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2 can allow the voluntary executor route with a resident agent under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2 and PC-3.5. East Providence's 2026 schedule prices either voluntary informal filing under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24 at $39.00. | Sunset identifies whether the estate fits the R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24 path, prepares the asset schedule, and helps a child in New York, Florida, California or Texas connect with local counsel when a resident agent or full administration is needed. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate when a home must be sold | Full administration is usually needed because real estate is involved. East Providence's administrative rules require an independent appraisal and a purchase and sale agreement before the court grants a sale petition, and the city's 2026 schedule lists a $65.00 advertising charge under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11 for a petition for sale of real estate. Use PC-4.2 for the sale or mortgage petition. | Sunset helps gather accounts, debts, real-property information and sale documents, then routes the estate settlement work to a local probate attorney if the house sale, tax lien discharge or accounting needs legal help. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it provides | Link |
|---|---|---|
| East Providence Probate Court, Office of the City Clerk | Session schedule, probate phone number, case lookup link, fee and rules link, statewide forms link, and advertising calendars. The city clerk is the clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6. | https://eastprovidenceri.gov/departments/city-clerk-1 |
| East Providence probate fees and rules | The city's 2026 fee schedule and local administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29. | https://eastprovidenceri.gov/files-docs/19-04-24/probate-court-fees-rules |
| East Providence 2026 probate advertising schedule | Published 2026 court dates, advertisement windows under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11, cutoff dates, and the cancelled fourth-Tuesday sessions in November and December 2026. | https://eastprovidenceri.gov/files-docs/23-11-02/probate-2024-advertising-schedule |
| Rhode Island Secretary of State probate forms | Statewide PC probate forms provided free 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 an East Providence probate decree under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-23-1, with Providence and Bristol counties served together. | https://www.courts.ri.gov/Courts/SuperiorCourt/Pages/default.aspx |
| Rhode Island Division of Taxation estate tax | Estate tax return and lien-discharge information needed before a final account is allowed under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23-36. | https://tax.ri.gov/tax-sections/estate-tax |
When to hire an attorney
Legal help makes sense in East Providence when there is a contested matter, a petition to sell real estate, an account requiring the R.I. Gen. Laws 33-14-2.2 certification, a creditor dispute under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-11-5, an estate tax lien issue under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23-12, or an appeal to the Superior Court under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-23-1. Sunset connects families with a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for financial accounts, insurance, retirement assets and other property so the East Providence petition and inventory are based on a complete estate settlement picture.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns what the family knows into an organized packet for the East Providence Probate Court, including the information needed for statewide PC forms under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16 and the local filing steps.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate has a house sale, creditor dispute, account, tax lien or contested hearing, Sunset can connect the family with a probate attorney who handles Rhode Island municipal probate court work.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, understand the filing path and decide what help they need without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for someone who lived in East Providence?
File with the Office of the City Clerk at East Providence City Hall, 145 Taunton Avenue, East Providence, RI 02914. The city clerk of East Providence is the clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6, and the East Providence Probate Court has jurisdiction when the decedent lived in East Providence under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9.
Is there electronic filing at the East Providence Probate Court?
Plan on paper filing. East Providence's probate page does not offer electronic probate filing, and Rhode Island statutes assume written petitions, the original will when one exists, payment before filing, and a written receipt from the clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21.
When does the East Providence Probate Court meet?
Regular sessions are at 2:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month in the City Council Chambers, 1st floor of City Hall. East Providence publishes this schedule in its administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29, and its 2026 calendar cancels the fourth-Tuesday sessions on November 24, 2026 and December 22, 2026.
How much does it cost to open probate in East Providence?
The state component is one percent of the decedent's personal property, with a minimum of $30 and a maximum of $1,500 under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, with those figures unchanged since at least 1996. East Providence's 2026 schedule lists most opening petitions at $104.00 on waiver or $169.00 without waiver, because the city adds a $4.00 preservation charge, a $5.00 certificate component under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 and $65.00 advertising charges when advertising is required under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11.
Can I look up an East Providence probate case online?
East Providence links a tool labelled Probate Records (searchable and printable) at searchiqs.com/rieprov/. Use it as a city-published lookup starting point, and call the probate clerk if you need coverage dates, copies, or help finding a particular estate.
Does East Providence have local probate forms?
No separate local probate form or cover sheet is published by East Providence. Rhode Island probate forms are statewide PC forms provided free by the Secretary of State under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16, and East Providence links that catalogue from its probate page.
Do I need to travel to East Providence for probate?
Not every filing requires a contested hearing. If all interested parties sign a waiver under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22, East Providence treats the matter as a waiver matter, the 2026 fee can be lower because a $65.00 advertising charge under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11 drops away, and the petition must be submitted by close of business on the Friday before the session. Call the clerk before planning around any phone or video participation.
What happens if someone disagrees with an East Providence probate decree?
An aggrieved person must file a claim of appeal with the East Providence probate clerk within 20 days after execution of the decree, then file the certified claim and reasons in the Superior Court within 30 days after entry of the decree. Both deadlines are jurisdictional and cannot be extended under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-23-1, and the appeal is heard de novo.
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.