Back to Rhode Island
New Shoreham Probate Court, RI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | New Shoreham Probate Court |
| Where to file | Town Clerk, 16 Old Town Road, New Shoreham, RI 02807. The town clerk of New Shoreham is the clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6. |
| Mailing address | PO Box 220, Block Island, RI 02807 |
| Phone | 401-466-3200 |
| Fax | 401-466-3219 |
| Clerk hours | Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; closed federal holidays and the second Monday in August. |
| Court sessions | Third Wednesday of every month at 3:00 p.m. The local administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29 say the court reschedules if inclement weather makes travel to the island impossible. |
| Filing cost | State statute sets one percent of the decedent's personal property, with a minimum of $30 and a maximum of $1,500, payable before filing and computed from the petitioner's estimate, figures set by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 and unchanged since at least 1996. New Shoreham's checklist, retrieved September 1, 2026, lists a $34.00 filing charge, a $69.00 advertising charge, and an inventory fee of one percent of personal property minus the $34.00 filing charge. |
| Local documents | Yes. New Shoreham publishes a filing-requirements checklist and administrative rules. Rhode Island probate forms are statewide and free under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. |
| Electronic filing | Plan on paper filing. New Shoreham's site and rules describe filings and written communications sent or faxed to the court, and Rhode Island statutes assume a written petition, the original will when required, and a written receipt for payment under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-1, 33-24-2 and 33-22-21. |
| Online case lookup | The New Shoreham probate page does not publish an online probate case lookup. Probate records are kept by the probate clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-7. |
| Video or phone hearing | New Shoreham's published rule addresses rescheduling when weather prevents travel to the island. It does not publish a video or phone hearing option. |
| Website | https://newshorehamri.gov/153/Probate-Court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Rhode Island probate path, identify the assets, debts, real estate, beneficiaries, and likely tax issues. In New Shoreham, that first inventory matters because the fee under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 is calculated from the personal-property estimate you put on the petition and then revised against the inventory required by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1.
Sunset can support estate settlement by helping you search across 2,300 institutions for accounts and assets before you file. That is especially useful for a Block Island estate when travel, mail timing, and a once-a-month court session make it important to send the right packet the first time.
Which court handles jurisdiction
File where the decedent lived. If the decedent's home was in New Shoreham, the New Shoreham 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. New Shoreham is Rhode Island's name for the town of Block Island, and this probate court is the only one on the island.
Rhode Island has no county probate courts and no county government. The New Shoreham Probate Court is the court for the town of New Shoreham and for no other municipality under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9. New Shoreham is in Washington 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 town clerk of New Shoreham is the clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6. The clerk's office is at 16 Old Town Road, and the mailing address printed by the town is PO Box 220, Block Island, RI 02807.
The jurisdiction process
- List the decedent's assets and debts before filing. The statewide fee under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 is based on an estimate of personal property, and the estimate is revised after the inventory required by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1.
- Download the statewide PC forms from the Rhode Island Secretary of State, which publishes probate forms free under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. Then check New Shoreham's filing-requirements checklist for the documents needed for your petition type.
- File with the New Shoreham town clerk, who is the clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6, at 16 Old Town Road or by mail to PO Box 220, Block Island, RI 02807.
- Pay before the petition is filed. R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 sets the statewide one percent fee, with a $30 minimum and a $1,500 maximum, and New Shoreham's checklist retrieved September 1, 2026 lists a $34.00 filing charge and a $69.00 advertising charge when advertising is required under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11.
- Decide whether the matter can proceed by waiver under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22. New Shoreham's administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29 require matters to be heard on waiver, except emergencies, to be filed by noon on the third business day before the hearing.
- If advertising is required under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11, account for New Shoreham's special statutory rule. Notices affecting probate matters in New Shoreham must run in a qualifying English-language newspaper distributed in Washington and/or Providence counties.
- Attend the session. New Shoreham's administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29 set court for the third Wednesday of each month at 3:00 p.m.; the same rules and R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-30 give formal, uncontested matters priority over contested matters.
- If weather makes travel to the island impossible, follow the court's rescheduling notice. New Shoreham's local administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29 say the session will be rescheduled to a time and location that serves the court's best interest.
- After appointment, ask the probate clerk for certificates of appointment. R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 sets the certificate charge at $5 per certificate, current statutory charge; New Shoreham's checklist says certificates cannot be issued once an estate has closed unless the estate is reopened by petition and fee.
- File the inventory within 90 days after appointment unless the court allows more time, as required by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1. New Shoreham's checklist says the inventory fee is one percent of personal property minus the $34.00 filing charge listed by the town as of September 1, 2026.
- Resolve creditor and tax steps before closing. Claims are governed by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-11-5, and before the New Shoreham Probate Court allows a final account it must see that Rhode Island estate tax has been paid, extended, or determined not to apply under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23-36.
- Close with the required account or affidavit of complete administration. New Shoreham's rules require original beneficiary releases and a certificate of devise or descent, or an affidavit of no real property, at or before the hearing; the affidavit of complete administration is a $30 statutory filing under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, with New Shoreham local charges as listed by the town.
Executor duties
New Shoreham's local administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29 add practical requirements to the statewide duties of a personal representative. Accounts must be certified by the fiduciary and either the attorney representing the fiduciary or the CPA who prepared the account under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-14-2.2, as cited in the town's rules. The rules also require a creditor-notice affidavit under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-11-5.1 before a final account or affidavit of complete administration will be allowed.
For a closing filing, New Shoreham's checklist calls for the paid funeral bill, the Rhode Island estate tax discharge or statement of no tax due under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23-36, original releases from beneficiaries, and either a certificate of devise or descent with the property description and recording fee or an affidavit of no real property. If real estate must be sold, the checklist calls for a purchase and sale agreement and an appraisal with the sale petition.
Forms and documents
Probate forms at the New Shoreham 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 downloadable at https://www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/business-services/probate-forms/.
The New Shoreham Probate Court uses those statewide forms and links to the statewide catalogue from its probate page. New Shoreham does not publish a separate local probate form, but it does publish its own filing-requirements checklist and administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29. A few Rhode Island forms are issued by the court rather than posted online, so ask the probate clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6 if a required form is not in the Secretary of State catalogue.
| Need | Common form | Local note |
|---|---|---|
| Open an intestate estate | PC-1.1 Administration Petition, which cites R.I. Gen. Laws 33-8-8 | New Shoreham's checklist calls for the petition, death certificate, filing charge, and advertising charge or waiver under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22 and 33-22-11. |
| Probate a will | PC-1.5 Petition for Probate of Will | New Shoreham's checklist calls for the will, proof of will, death certificate, and resident-agent form if the executor is not a Rhode Island resident under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2 when the voluntary executor route applies. |
| Voluntary informal executor | PC-1.9, tied to R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2 | For an out-of-state named executor, New Shoreham's checklist calls for a resident agent, and R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2 requires one. |
| Voluntary informal administrator | PC-1.10, tied to R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-1 | New Shoreham's checklist states that the petitioner must be a Rhode Island resident, matching R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-1. |
| Waive notice or advertising | PC-9.1 Waiver or Advertising | Advertising is governed by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11, and waiver practice is governed by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22. |
| Appeal a decree | PC-9.3 Claim of Appeal | The first appeal step is filed with the probate clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-23-1. |
Fees
Rhode Island sets the core probate fee by statute. For a petition to probate a will or grant administration, the fee is one percent of the decedent's personal property under the court's jurisdiction, with a $30 minimum and a $1,500 maximum, payable before filing and based on the petitioner's estimate under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21. Those statutory figures were unchanged by the last 2014 amendments and have been unchanged since at least 1996.
New Shoreham adds local charges. Its filing-requirements checklist, retrieved September 1, 2026, lists a $34.00 filing charge, a $69.00 advertising charge when advertising is required under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11, and an inventory fee of one percent of personal property minus the $34.00 filing charge, with a $1,504 maximum stated by the town as of September 1, 2026. The $34.00 figure follows the Rhode Island pattern of the $30 statutory minimum under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 plus a local records charge.
Advertising is not just a local custom. R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11 contains a New Shoreham-specific proviso requiring probate advertisements for New Shoreham matters to run in an English-language newspaper distributed in Washington and/or Providence counties. If every interested person signs a waiver under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22, the advertising requirement and its cost may fall away.
Other statewide charges still apply. A certificate of appointment costs $5 under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, current statutory charge. Copies are $1.50 per page, with $3.00 to certify, under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21, figures unchanged since at least 1996.
Timeline
- Before filing, gather asset values and debts. The filing fee under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 is based on estimates submitted with the petition.
- If using a voluntary informal route under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24, wait until the statutory waiting period has passed and choose the correct form: PC-1.9 for a voluntary executor under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2 or PC-1.10 for a voluntary administrator under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-1.
- For a waiver matter under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22, file by noon on the third business day before the hearing, except for emergencies. This is New Shoreham's own local administrative rule under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29.
- For an advertised matter under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11, build in time for the New Shoreham-specific newspaper requirement and the town's $69.00 advertising charge, as published by the town on September 1, 2026.
- Attend the monthly session. New Shoreham's administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29 set sessions for the third Wednesday at 3:00 p.m.; R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-30 and the town's rules place formal, uncontested matters before contested matters.
- After appointment, file the inventory within 90 days unless the court allows more time under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1. New Shoreham recalculates the one percent fee under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 against the inventory.
- Before the final account, resolve the Rhode Island estate tax position under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23-36. The Division of Taxation's Notice of No Tax Due or other certification is what establishes that the tax issue is resolved for court purposes.
Local nuance
New Shoreham-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for estate settlement |
|---|---|
| New Shoreham is Block Island | New Shoreham is the town most people know as Block Island. The town prints its probate mailing address as PO Box 220, Block Island, RI 02807, and that reaches the same clerk's office for the New Shoreham Probate Court. |
| Island travel is built into the rules | The local administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29 say that if inclement weather makes travel to the island impossible, the session is rescheduled to a time and location that serves the court's best interest. |
| Special newspaper rule | R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11 names New Shoreham specifically. Probate advertisements must be placed in a qualifying English-language newspaper distributed in Washington and/or Providence counties. |
| Paper and fax communications | New Shoreham's rules say written communications in a pending matter must be sent or faxed to the New Shoreham Probate Court, not to private offices of the clerk or judge. The town clerk is the probate clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6. |
| Council-as-court statute | R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-2.2 says the New Shoreham town council may act as the probate court. The current town rules refer to a judge and clerk, so confirm current hearing administration with the probate clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6 before a contested matter. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| New Shoreham filing checklist and rules reviewed for this page | The town's filing-requirements checklist was used for the $34.00 filing charge, $69.00 advertising charge under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11, and local document lists as retrieved September 1, 2026. The administrative rules linked by the town show amendments through January 18, 2012 and remain the town's posted rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29. |
| Rhode Island estate tax figures for 2026 | The Division of Taxation advisory ADV 2025-27 sets the 2026 estate tax credit at $87,940 and states that the first $1,838,056 of an estate is exempt for decedents dying on or after January 1, 2026. Rhode Island estate tax administration is governed by R.I. Gen. Laws 44-22 and 44-23. |
Page last reviewed: September 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely New Shoreham path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home on Block Island | Confirm how title is held before filing. If probate is needed, file with the New Shoreham town clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6 and expect the town's $34.00 filing charge and, if advertising is required under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11, the $69.00 advertising charge listed by the town as of September 1, 2026. A certificate of devise or descent may be needed for title work, and certificates of appointment cost $5 under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21. | Sunset helps identify accounts, organize the probate packet, and flag real-property and estate tax steps for estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24 | If the parent died without a will, an out-of-state child cannot serve as voluntary administrator because R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-1 requires a Rhode Island resident affiant. If the child is named executor in a will, R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2 allows the voluntary executor route with a resident agent, and PC-3.5 is the resident-agent form under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2. New Shoreham accepts mail at PO Box 220, Block Island, RI 02807, which matters because court sits once a month. | Sunset helps the family determine whether there is a will, find assets, and connect with a Rhode Island resident agent or attorney when needed. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate when a Block Island home must be sold | Real property takes the estate outside the voluntary informal route under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24. New Shoreham's checklist calls for a sale petition, purchase and sale agreement, appraisal, advertising fee under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11, and affidavit of notice before the hearing. Rhode Island's estate tax lien rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23 may also need to be cleared before closing. | Sunset helps collect property, debt, account, and tax information so the sale petition and estate settlement steps are not delayed by missing documents. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it provides | Link |
|---|---|---|
| New Shoreham Probate Court | Jurisdiction summary, monthly session information under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29, and links to the town's filing checklist and administrative rules. | https://newshorehamri.gov/153/Probate-Court |
| New Shoreham Town Clerk | The office that keeps probate papers and administers the court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6, with posted hours. | https://newshorehamri.gov/152/Town-Clerk |
| New Shoreham Probate Filing Requirements | Local checklist and fee figures, including the $34.00 filing charge and $69.00 advertising charge as retrieved September 1, 2026, with advertising governed by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11. | https://newshorehamri.gov/DocumentCenter/View/626/Probate-Filing-Requirements-PDF |
| New Shoreham Probate Court administrative rules | Local administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29, including the session rule, island-weather rescheduling rule, waiver deadline under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22, and account requirements. | https://newshorehamri.gov/DocumentCenter/View/627/Probate-Rules-and-Regulations-PDF |
| Rhode Island Secretary of State probate forms | Statewide probate forms published free under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. | https://www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/business-services/probate-forms/ |
| Rhode Island Superior Court | The Superior Court that hears an appeal from a New Shoreham probate decree under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-23-1. | https://www.courts.ri.gov/Courts/SuperiorCourt/Pages/default.aspx |
| Rhode Island Division of Taxation estate tax | Estate tax return, lien discharge, and Notice of No Tax Due information under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-22 and 44-23. | https://tax.ri.gov/tax-sections/estate-tax |
When to hire an attorney
A probate attorney can be especially helpful in New Shoreham when an estate involves island real estate, an out-of-state executor who needs a resident agent under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2, a sale petition, a creditor dispute under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-11-5, Rhode Island estate tax filings under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-22 and 44-23, 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 helps families locate accounts, insurance, retirement assets, and other property so the petition estimate, inventory under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1, and estate settlement plan start from a complete picture.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the information needed for Rhode Island PC forms published under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16 and New Shoreham's local filing checklist, so you can file with the town clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate involves Block Island real estate, a sale petition, a resident agent under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2, or an appeal under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-23-1, Sunset can connect you with a vetted probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset gives families a single place to move through estate settlement, from asset discovery to probate preparation to attorney connection.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for someone who lived on Block Island?
File with the New Shoreham Probate Court. New Shoreham is the town of Block Island, and the town clerk of New Shoreham is the clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6. The filing address is 16 Old Town Road, New Shoreham, RI 02807, and the mailing address is PO Box 220, Block Island, RI 02807.
Does Washington County handle New Shoreham probate?
No. Rhode Island has no county probate courts and no county government. The New Shoreham Probate Court serves only the town of New Shoreham under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9. Washington County matters only for an appeal, because an appeal from a New Shoreham probate decree goes to the Superior Court for that county under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-23-1.
When does the New Shoreham Probate Court meet?
The court is in session the third Wednesday of every month at 3:00 p.m. under New Shoreham's local administrative rules required by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29. The rules say that if inclement weather makes travel to the island impossible, the session is rescheduled.
Can I send my New Shoreham probate filing by mail?
Yes. The town publishes PO Box 220, Block Island, RI 02807 as the mailing address. Because the town clerk is the probate clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6 and the court sits once a month under rules required by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29, call 401-466-3200 before mailing an original will or time-sensitive filing.
Can I use electronic filing in New Shoreham probate?
Plan on paper filing with the New Shoreham town clerk. New Shoreham's site and rules describe written filings and communications sent or faxed to the court, and Rhode Island statutes require a written petition, the original will where applicable, and payment before filing with a written receipt under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-1, 33-24-2 and 33-22-21.
Is there an online New Shoreham probate case lookup?
The New Shoreham probate page does not publish an online probate case lookup. Probate papers are kept by the probate clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-7, and copies are charged under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21.
How much does it cost to file in New Shoreham Probate Court?
R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 sets the statewide probate fee at one percent of personal property, with a $30 minimum and $1,500 maximum, payable before filing and later revised against the inventory. New Shoreham's checklist retrieved September 1, 2026 lists a $34.00 filing charge, a $69.00 advertising charge when advertising is required under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11, and an inventory fee of one percent of personal property minus the $34.00 filing charge.
Do I have to travel to Block Island for every probate step?
Not every step necessarily requires a court appearance. If all interested parties sign a waiver under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22, some matters can proceed without advertising under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11, and New Shoreham's rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29 set a filing deadline for waiver matters. For any hearing or weather issue, call the probate clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6.
What happens if bad weather prevents travel to the island?
New Shoreham's local administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29 say that if inclement weather makes travel to the island impossible, the session is rescheduled to a time and location that serves the court's best interest. The published rule is a rescheduling rule, not a video-hearing rule.
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.