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Caledonia County, VT Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Caledonia County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Caledonia Probate Division |
| Courthouse address | 1126 Main Street, Suite 1, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819 |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing address is published. Use the courthouse address for mail to the Caledonia Probate Division. |
| Phone | 802-748-6600 |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except during observed holidays. Closed the second Tuesday of each month, from 8:00 a.m. to noon, for in service training. |
| Filing fee | $50.00 for an estate of $10,000 or less, $110.00 from $10,001 to $50,000, rising to $3,250.00 above $10,000,000 (32 V.S.A. § 1434(a), in force since July 1, 2015). |
| Caledonia-only forms | None published. The Probate Division uses the statewide Vermont Judiciary probate forms. |
| E-filing | Vermont's courts, including the Probate Division, use a statewide e-filing system. The Judiciary is moving filers from Odyssey File & Serve to its new eFileVT platform, also called eFile & Serve. Attorneys and state agencies must e-file. A self-represented filer may e-file but is not required to, and may instead file in person, by mail or by email. |
| Email filing | [email protected]. This is a unit-wide mailbox shared with Essex County, not a Caledonia-only mailbox. |
| Case access | Vermont Judiciary Public Portal at portal.vtcourts.gov. Anonymous users can see Civil Division and Judicial Bureau case summaries remotely. Probate case information is available to the general public only at courthouse public access terminals. A party who registers and is granted elevated access can view their own probate case, its hearings and its documents online. The free Caledonia County Probate Division hearing calendar for the next 90 days is published at www.vtcourts.gov/court-calendars. |
| Remote appearance | Remote hearings by Zoom are used across the Vermont courts. Your hearing notice says whether your hearing is remote or in person. You can notify the court in writing to appear remotely instead, or ask permission in writing to appear in person, so that the court and the other party receive it at least three days before the hearing. |
| Website | www.vtcourts.gov/court-locations/caledonia-probate-division |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in St. Johnsbury, identify the assets, debts, accounts, beneficiary designations and institutions involved. Vermont gives the fiduciary two certificates of appointment at no charge, and extra certificates cost $5.00 each (32 V.S.A. § 1434(c), schedule in force since July 1, 2015), so the practical question is how many banks, brokerages, insurers and agencies you will need to contact.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families start estate settlement with a clearer list of accounts and liabilities. That matters in Caledonia County because the inventory and the certificate requests are easier to handle when the estate picture is organized before you contact the register's office.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Caledonia County Probate Division at 1126 Main Street, Suite 1, in St. Johnsbury serves the whole county. Communities in Caledonia County include Barnet, Burke, Danville, Groton, Hardwick, Kirby, Lyndon, Newark, Peacham, Ryegate, Sheffield, St. Johnsbury, Stannard, Sutton, Walden, Waterford and Wheelock, with the incorporated villages of Lyndonville and West Burke.
For a Vermont resident, open the estate in the county where the decedent lived at death (4 V.S.A. § 311a(1)). For a decedent who lived outside Vermont but owned property here, the estate may be opened where the Vermont property is situated (4 V.S.A. § 311a(2)). Each Vermont county has its own Probate Division, although Caledonia's unit email is administered together with the Essex unit.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the statewide Vermont Judiciary forms for the estate path you are using, such as 700-00001 for full administration or 700-00001SM (09/2023) for the route under 14 V.S.A. § 1901(a). Get a certified death certificate and the original will, if there is one.
- File with the Caledonia County Probate Division if the decedent lived in Caledonia County (4 V.S.A. § 311a(1)). You can file at 1126 Main Street, Suite 1, in St. Johnsbury, use the courthouse drop box, mail the packet to the same address, email the unit mailbox at [email protected], or use e-filing if you choose that method.
- Plan counter filing around the hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except observed holidays, with a closure the second Tuesday of each month from 8:00 a.m. to noon for in service training.
- Pay the graduated filing fee by check or money order made out to Vermont Superior Court, or ask the court to waive part of the fee if you cannot pay. The estate filing fee starts at $50.00 for an estate of $10,000 or less, is $110.00 from $10,001 to $50,000, and rises to $3,250.00 above $10,000,000 (32 V.S.A. § 1434(a), in force since July 1, 2015).
- Give notice and collect written consents when possible. If a hearing is required, the hearing notice gives the date, place and whether the hearing is remote or in person.
- Check the live Caledonia County Probate Division calendar for current hearing settings. In the window published on September 1, 2026, probate hearings in Caledonia County were scheduled on Mondays and Tuesdays, in Caledonia Courtroom 3 or Caledonia Courtroom 4.
- If your hearing notice sets an in-person hearing and you want to appear remotely, notify the court in writing. If your hearing notice sets a remote hearing and you want to appear in person, ask permission in writing. Either way, the court and the other party must receive it at least three days before the hearing.
- After appointment, use the letters of administration and the two certificates of appointment issued at no charge. Extra certificates cost $5.00 each (32 V.S.A. § 1434(c), schedule in force since July 1, 2015).
- Administer the estate, file required accountings or closing papers, and start tax work early. Vermont will not let the fiduciary close the estate until the Department of Taxes issues a tax clearance, and the Probate Division will not issue the final decree of distribution until it has that clearance (32 V.S.A. § 7454).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Caledonia County
The Caledonia County Probate Division uses the Vermont Judiciary's statewide probate forms. There is no Caledonia-only probate packet and no Caledonia-only cover sheet. The same numbered 700-series forms are used in all fourteen counties and are published by the Vermont Judiciary.
| Task | Common statewide forms |
|---|---|
| Open a full estate | 700-00001 Petition to Open Decedent's Estate, 700-00148 Notice of Appearance, 700-00002E List of Interested Persons for Estates, 700-00020 Estate Administration Bond and 700-00008 Certificate of Service - Probate. |
| Open under 14 V.S.A. § 1901(a) | 700-00001SM Petition to Open Small Estate (09/2023), 700-00148 Notice of Appearance, 700-0002E List of Interested Persons for Estates, 700-00030 Inventory Schedule, 700-00402 Affidavit of Paid and Outstanding Funeral Expenses and Debts for Small Estate, and 700-00020PESM Small Estate Administration Bond. |
| Nonresident fiduciary | 700-00026 Appointment of Resident Agent, used when a fiduciary who is not domiciled in Vermont needs a Vermont resident agent under 14 V.S.A. § 904. |
| Creditors | PE 32 Notice to Creditors or 700-00033 Motion to Waive Notice to Creditors. |
| Sale of real estate | 700-00035 Motion for License to Sell or Convey Real Estate. The motion fee is $100.00 (32 V.S.A. § 1434(a)(26), in force since July 1, 2015). |
| Closing | 700-00152 Fiduciary's Closing Report and Discharge, 700-00153 Receipt, and 700-00055 Report of Fiduciary of Small Estate for the route under 14 V.S.A. § 1901(a). |
| Guide | 700-00302 Probating a Vermont Estate (01/2026). |
Local nuance
Caledonia County-specific considerations
The Caledonia County Probate Division sits in St. Johnsbury and is administered together with the Essex unit, which is why one email address serves both. That does not make the two counties one court: Caledonia has its own Probate Division address, phone, probate register and courtroom listings.
All four Superior Court divisions in Caledonia County share the same courthouse address and phone number: 1126 Main Street, Suite 1, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819, and 802-748-6600. The Caledonia probate counter is closed the second Tuesday of each month from 8:00 a.m. to noon for in service training.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | File in St. Johnsbury if the decedent lived in Caledonia County. A jointly held home may pass outside the estate, but the inventory still needs a careful separation of probate and non-probate assets. Spousal rights also depend on the notice and inventory clocks under 14 V.S.A. § 319. | Sunset helps identify accounts, policies and ownership details before the spouse signs the inventory, making estate settlement less likely to require repeated filings. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | If the estate uses the route under 14 V.S.A. § 1901(a), the adult child can file by mail or email with the Caledonia unit instead of starting with a trip to St. Johnsbury. A nonresident fiduciary needs a Vermont resident agent under 14 V.S.A. § 904. | Sunset helps assemble the packet remotely, identify institutions before filing, and reduce the chance that travel is needed just to correct missing asset information. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale points to full administration, not the route under 14 V.S.A. § 1901(a). A sale of real estate needs a motion for license to sell, and that motion costs $100.00 (32 V.S.A. § 1434(a)(26), in force since July 1, 2015). | Sunset helps organize assets and liabilities before the sale motion is filed and can connect the family with a local probate attorney for the real estate step. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Access and Resource Center | Free information about Vermont court processes, help finding court forms, information about finding an attorney, and support for formal estates and small estates under 14 V.S.A. § 1901(a). Staff do not provide legal advice. | 802-879-1185; [email protected]. Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed court holidays. In-person support is by appointment at the Costello Courthouse, 32 Cherry Street, Burlington. |
| Vermont Judiciary Information Center | Call if you do not know the case number or which court has the case. | 802-652-1900 |
| Vermont Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service | Judiciary-listed referrals to Vermont attorneys for an initial consultation. | 800-639-7036 or the online referral form |
| Vermont Association for Justice Lawyer Referral Service | Judiciary-listed lawyer referral service searchable by practice area and proximity. | Use the service listed on the Vermont Judiciary's Finding Legal Help page. |
| VTLawHelp.org | Vermont legal-help site linked from the Judiciary's Estates and Wills page, including probate information after someone has died. | vtlawhelp.org/going-through-probate |
| Vermont Department of Taxes | Handles the tax clearance needed before the Probate Division issues the final decree of distribution (32 V.S.A. § 7454). The application is Form E-2A. | tax.vermont.gov |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets
Sunset helps families find the accounts, policies and property that drive estate settlement decisions, including how many institutions may ask for a certificate of appointment.
Generate the probate packet
Sunset turns the information you provide into an organized probate packet for the Caledonia County Probate Division, using the statewide Vermont forms and the St. Johnsbury filing details.
Find a local probate attorney
When a license to sell real estate, a contested filing, a resident-agent issue or a tax clearance problem calls for counsel, Sunset can help find a local probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families
Sunset is free for families. The goal is to make estate settlement clearer before you contact the register's office, appear for a hearing or ask the court to close the estate.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Caledonia County, Vermont?
File with the Caledonia County Probate Division at 1126 Main Street, Suite 1, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819, if the decedent lived in Caledonia County at death (4 V.S.A. § 311a(1)). A nonresident decedent's Vermont property can support venue where that property is situated (4 V.S.A. § 311a(2)).
What are the counter hours at the Caledonia County Probate Division?
The office is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except during observed holidays. It is closed the second Tuesday of each month from 8:00 a.m. to noon for in service training.
Can I file by mail or email instead of driving to St. Johnsbury?
Yes. You can mail filings to the Caledonia Probate Division at 1126 Main Street, Suite 1, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819, or email PDFs to [email protected] with the case number and the court in the subject line. Self-represented filers may also use e-filing but are not required to.
Why is the probate email address shared with Essex County?
The Caledonia and Essex units share the mailbox [email protected]. The courts are not the same court: Caledonia probate matters use the Caledonia County Probate Division in St. Johnsbury, with its own address, phone and courtroom listings.
Can I access a Caledonia County probate case through the Vermont portal?
Anonymous remote access through portal.vtcourts.gov covers Civil Division and Judicial Bureau case summaries. Probate case information is available to the general public only at courthouse public access terminals. A party who registers and receives elevated access can view that party's own probate case, hearings and documents online.
When does the Caledonia County Probate Division hold hearings?
The Vermont Judiciary publishes a live Caledonia County Probate Division calendar covering the next 90 days. In the window published on September 1, 2026, probate hearings in Caledonia County were scheduled on Mondays and Tuesdays, in Caledonia Courtroom 3 or Caledonia Courtroom 4. Check the current calendar before relying on any hearing date.
Do I have to appear in person, or can I appear remotely?
Your hearing notice tells you whether the hearing is remote or in person. Vermont courts use Zoom for remote hearings. If you want to appear remotely for an in-person hearing, notify the court in writing. If you want to appear in person for a remote hearing, ask permission in writing. The court and the other party must receive the writing at least three days before the hearing.
Are there Caledonia County probate forms?
The Caledonia County Probate Division uses the statewide Vermont Judiciary forms. There is no Caledonia-only cover sheet. For the route under 14 V.S.A. § 1901(a), the statewide petition is 700-00001SM (09/2023).
What does it cost to open an estate in Caledonia County?
The filing fee is the same in every Vermont county and is graduated by estate value. It is $50.00 for an estate of $10,000 or less, $110.00 from $10,001 to $50,000, and rises to $3,250.00 above $10,000,000 (32 V.S.A. § 1434(a), in force since July 1, 2015).
I live out of state and my parent lived in Caledonia County. Do I have to travel here?
Not necessarily. You can start by mail, email or optional e-filing. If you are appointed as a fiduciary and are not domiciled in Vermont, you need a Vermont resident agent under 14 V.S.A. § 904, and the hearing notice will tell you whether any hearing is remote or in person.
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.