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North Providence Probate Court, RI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | North Providence Probate Court information |
|---|---|
| Court | North Providence Probate Court, the probate court for the town of North Providence only (R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9). |
| Where to file | Town Clerk's office, North Providence Town Hall, 2000 Smith Street, North Providence, RI 02911. The town clerk is the clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6. |
| Session location | Town Council Chambers, North Providence Town Hall, 2000 Smith Street, North Providence, RI 02911. |
| Phone | (401) 232-0900, extension 1216. |
| Fax | (401) 231-9855 is the town's published fax. A different fax appears in older court data, so confirm the correct probate fax before sending filings. |
| [email protected]. | |
| Clerk's office hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Summer hours, June 21 through Labor Day, are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. These are counter hours, not court session times. |
| Court sessions | 2:00 p.m. on the first and third Monday of each month in the Town Council Chambers. If that Monday is a holiday, the session moves to the following day at 2:00 p.m. North Providence publishes this in its local administrative rules required by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29. |
| Filing fee under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 | Set by state statute: one percent of the decedent's personal property, with a minimum of $30 and a maximum of $1,500, payable before the petition is filed and computed from the petitioner's own estimate, figures unchanged since at least 1996 (R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21). North Providence adds its own charges. Its fee schedule, revised September 1, 2024, lists an opening administration petition or petition to probate a will at $114 on waiver and $194 without waiver. The one percent is recalculated against the inventory and the difference is billed or refunded. |
| Local forms | No separate North Providence probate form is published beyond the local rules and fee schedule. Use the statewide PC forms published by the Rhode Island Secretary of State under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. |
| Online filing | Paper filing. The North Providence probate page, fee schedule and local rules do not offer electronic filing. Rhode Island statutes assume a written, signed filing and payment before filing (R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-1 and 33-22-21). |
| Case lookup | North Providence's own probate page does not publish an online probate case lookup. Probate files are kept by the town clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-7. |
| Remote options | No local remote procedure is published on the North Providence probate page, local rules or fee schedule. The published session location is the Town Council Chambers. |
| Website | https://northprovidenceri.gov/town-clerk/probate-court/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in North Providence, list the assets, debts, titled property, accounts and likely heirs. Rhode Island's opening charge is calculated from the personal property estimate you provide, then revised when the inventory is filed within 90 days after appointment under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1, so a careful asset list affects both the probate path and the cost.
Sunset's estate settlement platform can search more than 2,300 institutions for accounts and assets, organize what you find, and help you decide whether a North Providence filing is needed before you contact the town clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6.
Which court handles jurisdiction
File where the decedent lived. If the decedent's home was in North Providence, the North Providence Probate Court is the court, and no other Rhode Island probate court has jurisdiction over the estate (R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9). If the decedent lived in Providence, East Providence or another Rhode Island city or town, that municipality's own probate court is the one to file in.
Rhode Island has no county probate courts and no county government. The North Providence Probate Court is the court for the town of North Providence and for no other municipality (R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9). North 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 (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
- Build the estate settlement asset list first. Identify probate assets, debts, real property, beneficiary designations and who must receive notice, because the estimate on the petition controls the initial charge under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21.
- Choose the correct statewide PC form. Rhode Island probate forms are statewide and free through the Secretary of State under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. North Providence's page points to an older forms path, so use the live statewide catalogue at www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/business-services/probate-forms/.
- File the paper petition with the town clerk's office at North Providence Town Hall, 2000 Smith Street. The town clerk is the clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6. If there is an original will, make sure the original reaches the court.
- Pay before the petition is filed. For an opening administration petition or petition to probate a will, North Providence's schedule revised September 1, 2024 lists $114 on waiver and $194 without waiver. Those local figures sit on top of the statewide rule: one percent of personal property, minimum $30 and maximum $1,500, paid on an estimate and later revised under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21.
- Handle notice and waiver under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22. Advertising is governed by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11. North Providence's September 1, 2024 schedule shows that waiver changes the opening cost because a qualification advertising charge is avoided.
- Watch the session date. The court sits at 2:00 p.m. on the first and third Monday of each month in the Town Council Chambers, with a next-day shift if that Monday is a holiday. The local administrative rules required by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29 say matters are heard in this order: formal matters, nominal matters, then contested matters. Contested matters may be set for a special session without an extra charge under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-30.
- After appointment, ask the probate clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-7 for certificates of appointment. Rhode Island sets the certificate of appointment charge at $5, a figure in force under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 and also listed on North Providence's September 1, 2024 fee schedule.
- File the inventory within 90 days after appointment unless the court allows more time (R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1). North Providence's September 1, 2024 schedule bills the recalculated one percent fee at inventory, minus $30, capped at $1,470, and payable when the inventory is filed under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21.
- Resolve the Rhode Island estate tax position before closing. The North Providence Probate Court cannot allow a final account until the estate tax has been paid, extended, or determined not to apply (R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23-36). In practice, that can mean filing Form RI-706 with the Division of Taxation and obtaining a Notice of No Tax Due for probate court purposes under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23.
- Close the estate with the required account or affidavit. North Providence's local rules require the creditor-notice affidavit before a final accounting or certificate of completed administration under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-11-5.1, and require an Affidavit of Notice to the Executive Office of Health and Human Services before the hearing to appoint an executor or administrator.
Executor duties
North Providence adds several local filing expectations to the statewide duties of an executor or administrator. Its local administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29 require an affidavit of notice to known and easily ascertainable creditors before a final accounting or certificate of completed administration under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-11-5.1. They also require an Affidavit of Notice to the Executive Office of Health and Human Services before the hearing to appoint any executor or administrator.
North Providence's rules also say no accounting will be accepted without an attorney certification substantially under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-14-2.2, or copies of the fronts of checks or other documents supporting the account. The inventory deadline is stated locally as 90 days after appointment for administrators and executors, strictly enforced, with an extension available by petition (R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1).
Forms and documents
Probate forms at the North 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, to lawyers and to probate clerks (R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16); they are numbered in the PC series and downloadable at www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/business-services/probate-forms/. The North Providence Probate Court uses the same statewide forms as every other Rhode Island probate court, and its local rules say use of state-provided forms is mandatory.
North Providence publishes its local administrative rules and fee schedule, but no separate local probate form beyond those documents. The town's probate page links an older Secretary of State forms path that redirects to a general business-services page, so use the live probate forms catalogue instead. If a needed form is not online, the Secretary of State page says some forms are issued by the court, so ask the North Providence town clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6.
| Form | Common North Providence use |
|---|---|
| PC-1.1 | Administration petition for an intestate estate; its face cites R.I. Gen. Laws 33-8-8. |
| PC-1.5 | Petition for probate of a will. |
| PC-1.9 | Petition for voluntary informal executor under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2. |
| PC-1.10 | Petition for voluntary informal administrator under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-1. |
| PC-3.5 | Appointment of agent for an out-of-state executor under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2. |
| PC-4.2 | Petition for sale or mortgage of real estate. |
| PC-7.3 | Affidavit of complete administration, a filing listed in R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21. |
| PC-9.1 | Waiver or advertising form tied to notice and advertising under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11. |
| PC-9.3 | Claim of appeal under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-23-1. |
Fees
North Providence publishes an itemized fee schedule revised September 1, 2024. It states that petition fees include a $4 Rhode Island Historical Trust fee under R.I. Gen. Laws 42-8.1-20 and are charged pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21. The statewide probate fee is still the foundation: one percent of personal property, minimum $30 and maximum $1,500, paid before filing on an estimate and revised later under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21.
| North Providence fee item | Amount on the September 1, 2024 schedule |
|---|---|
| Administration petition, not on waiver under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22 | $194, made up of a $34 petition fee plus $80 hearing advertising and $80 qualification advertising under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11. |
| Administration petition, on waiver under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22 | $114, made up of a $34 petition fee plus $80 hearing advertising under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11. |
| Probate of will, not on waiver under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22 | $194. |
| Probate of will, on waiver under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22 | $114. |
| Guardianship | $194. |
| File will with no assets | $34. |
| Voluntary informal executor under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2 | $39. |
| Voluntary informal administration under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-1 | $39. |
| Sale or mortgage of real estate | $80 for hearing advertising under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11. |
| Accounting | $80 for hearing advertising under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11. |
| Inventory under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1 | One percent of the total amount minus $30, capped at $1,470, due when the inventory is filed under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21. |
| Certificate of appointment under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 | $5.00. |
| Copies under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 | $1.50 per page. |
| Certified copies under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 | $3.00 plus $1.50 per page. |
Timeline
- Before filing, gather asset values and debts for the petition estimate. The fee is based on the estimate and later revised under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21.
- File with the North Providence town clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6 before the session you are targeting. North Providence does not publish a separate general filing cutoff for decedent-estate petitions.
- Attend the next assigned session at 2:00 p.m. on the first or third Monday of the month in the Town Council Chambers. If that Monday is a holiday, the local administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29 move the session to the following day at 2:00 p.m.
- If the matter is contested, the rules place contested matters after formal and nominal matters, and the court may use a special session without an added charge under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-30.
- After appointment, file the inventory within 90 days unless the court allows more time (R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1).
- Before the final account is allowed, resolve the Rhode Island estate tax position with the Division of Taxation (R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23-36).
Local nuance
North Providence-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in North Providence |
|---|---|
| Providence name cluster | North Providence, Providence and East Providence are separate municipalities with separate probate courts. A North Providence decedent belongs in the North Providence Probate Court (R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9). |
| Recent local rules | North Providence publishes 13 local administrative rules effective for matters filed on and after January 1, 2025. Local administrative rules are required by R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29. |
| Hearing order | The court calendar hears formal matters, nominal matters, then contested matters. Contested matters can be scheduled for a special session without an added charge under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-30. |
| Electronic recordings | North Providence's local rules say court-made electronic recordings may be requested, no other recording devices are permitted in the courtroom, copies of electronic recordings cost $150.00 per tape under the local rules effective January 1, 2025, and recordings are kept for one year under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-7. |
| Health and Human Services notice | Before a hearing to appoint an executor or administrator, North Providence requires an Affidavit of Notice to the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, with a copy of the notice attached. |
| Summer counter hours | From June 21 through Labor Day, clerk's office hours end at 4:00 p.m. rather than 4:30 p.m. These are counter hours, not session times. |
Small-estate Alternatives
North Providence's September 1, 2024 fee schedule prices a voluntary informal executor filing under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2 at $39 and a voluntary informal administration filing under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-1 at $39. The local amount is the only North Providence-specific point; the eligibility rules are statewide under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24.
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| September 1, 2024 fee schedule | North Providence's current probate fee schedule is marked revised September 1, 2024 and lists the local waiver, advertising, certificate, copy and inventory charges. |
| January 1, 2025 local rules | North Providence's local administrative rules apply to matters filed on and after January 1, 2025 under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29. |
| Stale forms link | The North Providence probate page links an older Secretary of State forms path. Use the current statewide probate forms catalogue at www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/business-services/probate-forms/ under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. |
Page last reviewed: September 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | North Providence path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Confirm whether the home passes outside probate and whether any asset still needs North Providence authority. If a petition is needed, filing on waiver under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22 can reduce the opening cost on North Providence's September 1, 2024 schedule from $194 to $114 by avoiding one advertising charge under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11. | Sunset helps separate probate and non-probate assets, prepares the estate settlement checklist, and organizes the waiver package for attorney review. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24 | If a parent died intestate, an out-of-state child living in New York, Florida, California or Texas cannot act as voluntary administrator under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-1 because that route requires 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 work with a resident agent on PC-3.5. North Providence prices either voluntary informal filing at $39 on its September 1, 2024 schedule. | Sunset identifies whether a full estate settlement is needed, helps gather the asset list, and can connect the family with a Rhode Island attorney if a resident agent or full filing is needed. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A real-estate sale usually requires a North Providence probate filing and may require PC-4.2. North Providence's September 1, 2024 schedule lists sale or mortgage of real estate at $80 for hearing advertising under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11. The Rhode Island estate tax lien and final account gate must be resolved before closing the estate (R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23-36). | Sunset helps find accounts, assemble property and debt information, track certificate needs, and connect the family with a local probate attorney for the sale petition and estate tax steps. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it provides | Link |
|---|---|---|
| North Providence Probate Court | Local session schedule, jurisdiction description, and links to North Providence's local rules and fee schedule. | https://northprovidenceri.gov/town-clerk/probate-court/ |
| North Providence Probate Court filing fees | Itemized fee schedule revised September 1, 2024, including waiver and non-waiver figures under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 and advertising charges under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11. | https://northprovidenceri.gov/pdf/clerk/NP_Probate_Court_Fees.pdf |
| North Providence Probate Court local administrative rules | 13 local administrative rules effective for matters filed on and after January 1, 2025, published under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29. | https://northprovidenceri.gov/pdf/clerk/NP_Probate_Court_Rules.pdf |
| Rhode Island Secretary of State probate forms | Statewide PC probate forms, free to the public under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16. | https://www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/business-services/probate-forms/ |
| Rhode Island Superior Court | Appeal court for a North 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, lien-discharge and Notice of No Tax Due information needed before a final account can be allowed under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-23-36. | https://tax.ri.gov/tax-sections/estate-tax |
When to hire an attorney
A Rhode Island probate attorney makes sense when the estate has real property, a contested matter, a creditor dispute, a tax lien issue, an out-of-state fiduciary, or an accounting that must satisfy North Providence's local certification rule. Sunset can organize the estate settlement information and connect you to a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families identify bank accounts, investments, insurance, retirement accounts, real estate and debts so the North Providence petition estimate is based on a complete estate settlement picture.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you enter into a practical filing checklist for the North Providence Probate Court, including the statewide PC forms, waiver questions under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22, and certificate needs under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal help, Sunset can connect you with a vetted Rhode Island probate attorney who understands municipal probate practice and North Providence's local administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, track assets, and prepare for conversations with the North Providence town clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6 or with counsel.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for someone who lived in North Providence?
File with the North Providence Probate Court through the town clerk's office at North Providence Town Hall, 2000 Smith Street, North Providence, RI 02911. The town clerk is the clerk of the probate court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-6, and the court has jurisdiction for the town of North Providence only under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-9.
When does the North Providence Probate Court meet?
North Providence's local administrative rules under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-29 set sessions for 2:00 p.m. on the first and third Monday of each month in the Town Council Chambers. If that Monday is a holiday, the session moves to the following day at 2:00 p.m.
Can I file a North Providence probate case online?
Plan on a paper filing. The North Providence probate page, fee schedule and local administrative rules do not offer electronic filing, and Rhode Island statutes require a written, signed petition and payment before filing (R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-1 and 33-22-21).
How much does probate cost in North Providence?
For an opening administration petition or petition to probate a will, North Providence's fee schedule revised September 1, 2024 lists $114 on waiver and $194 without waiver. State law also requires one percent of personal property, with a minimum of $30 and a maximum of $1,500, paid on an estimate and later revised when the inventory is filed (R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21 and 33-9-1).
Does North Providence publish its own probate forms?
North Providence publishes local administrative rules and a fee schedule, but no separate local probate form beyond those documents. Use the statewide PC probate forms published free by the Rhode Island Secretary of State under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-16.
Is there an online North Providence probate case lookup?
North Providence's own probate page does not publish an online probate case lookup. Probate records are kept by the town clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-7, and the statewide Judiciary portal does not index municipal probate courts.
Do I have to travel to North Providence for the hearing?
The published hearing place is the Town Council Chambers at North Providence Town Hall. If all required parties sign waiver paperwork under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22, the matter may be simpler and may reduce advertising costs under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-11, but the North Providence page does not publish a separate remote-hearing procedure.
What happens after I am appointed?
Ask the probate clerk under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-9-7 for certificates of appointment. Rhode Island prices each certificate of appointment at $5 under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-22-21. You must also file the inventory within 90 days after appointment unless the court allows more time (R.I. Gen. Laws 33-9-1).
Can an out-of-state child use the Rhode Island small estate process in North Providence?
It depends on the route under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24. An out-of-state child cannot serve as voluntary administrator for an intestate estate under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-1 because that statute requires a Rhode Island resident. A person named as executor in a will can use the voluntary executor route under R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-2 if the other requirements are met and a resident agent is appointed.
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.