Back to Vermont
Chittenden County, VT Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Chittenden County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Chittenden Probate Division, Probate Division of the Vermont Superior Court |
| Courthouse address | 175 Main Street, Burlington, VT 05401 |
| Mailing | The Vermont Judiciary publishes no separate mailing address for this court; send mail to the street address, addressed to the Probate Division. |
| Phone | 802-651-1518 |
| [email protected]. This is the shared mailbox for every division of the Superior Court in Chittenden County, not a probate-only address. Put the case number and the name of the court in the subject line. | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except during observed holidays. Closed the second Tuesday of each month from noon to 4:00 p.m. for in-service training. |
| Hearing days | The Vermont Judiciary publishes a live Chittenden County Probate Division calendar covering the next 90 days at www.vtcourts.gov/court-calendars. In the window published at the start of September 2026, probate hearings in Chittenden County were scheduled on Wednesdays and Thursdays in Civil/Probate Courtroom 1, First Floor. Check the calendar for the current schedule. |
| 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). |
| Local forms | The Vermont Judiciary publishes no Chittenden County cover sheet or Chittenden-only probate form. Chittenden County uses the statewide Vermont Judiciary probate forms. |
| E-filing status | Vermont courts, including the Probate Division, use statewide e-filing. The Judiciary is moving filers from Odyssey File & Serve to eFileVT, 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. |
| Case search | 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. Free Chittenden County Probate Division hearing calendars covering the next 90 days are 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, at least three days before the hearing. |
| Website | www.vtcourts.gov/court-locations/chittenden-probate-division |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file at 175 Main Street, build the asset list. Vermont expects an inventory early in the case: file the inventory within 30 days of your appointment, which is what the Vermont Judiciary's own instructions require. The statute sets an outer limit of 60 days (14 V.S.A. § 1051) and the court can extend the time for good cause.
Also count the institutions you will need to contact. The court issues two certificates of appointment at no charge with the letters of administration, and extra certificates cost $5.00 each (32 V.S.A. § 1434(c)). Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps identify banks, brokerages, insurers, employers and other places before estate settlement paperwork starts.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Chittenden Probate Division serves Chittenden County from Burlington. Chittenden County communities include Burlington, South Burlington, Winooski, Essex Junction, Bolton, Buels Gore, Charlotte, Colchester, Essex, Hinesburg, Huntington, Jericho, Milton, Richmond, Saint George, Shelburne, Underhill, Westford and Williston.
Venue follows the Vermont rule. A Vermont resident's estate is opened where the decedent resided at death (4 V.S.A. § 311a(1)). A nonresident's Vermont estate may be opened where the decedent's Vermont property is situated (4 V.S.A. § 311a(2)). Vermont Superior Court units follow county lines (4 V.S.A. § 30(b)), so Chittenden County has its own Probate Division and does not share it with another county.
The name trap matters locally. The town of Essex and the city of Essex Junction are in Chittenden County, so those estates are handled in Burlington by the Chittenden Probate Division.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the right Vermont estate path and assemble the opening packet. A full estate generally starts with the certified death certificate, the original will and codicils if any, 700-00001 Petition to Open Decedent's Estate, 700-00148 Notice of Appearance - Probate Division, 700-00002E List of Interested Persons for Estates, 700-00020 Estate Administration Bond and 700-00008 Certificate of Service - Probate. A small estate uses the Vermont small-estate process under 14 V.S.A. § 1901.
- File with the Chittenden Probate Division at 175 Main Street in Burlington, by mail to that address, by email to [email protected] with the case number and the name of the court in the subject line, or by e-filing if you choose or are required to e-file. If you e-file a fillable Vermont Judiciary PDF, save it as a flat file first.
- Pay the graduated estate filing fee. The common opening brackets are $50.00 for an estate of $10,000 or less and $110.00 from $10,001 to $50,000, with the schedule rising to $3,250.00 above $10,000,000 (32 V.S.A. § 1434(a), in force since July 1, 2015). Checks and money orders are made out to Vermont Superior Court.
- Handle notice. If creditor notice is required, publication runs once in a newspaper circulating where the decedent lived. Ask the register's office at the Chittenden Probate Division which newspaper or newspapers can be used; the cost is set by the newspaper and no figure is published. Publishing starts the four-month creditor claim period from the date of first publication (14 V.S.A. § 1203).
- Watch for consents and hearing notices. If a hearing is scheduled, the live Chittenden County Probate Division calendar shows upcoming probate hearing dates, but the hearing notice controls the date, time and whether the hearing is remote or in person.
- If travel to Burlington is a problem, follow the remote appearance instructions on the hearing notice. If the notice sets an in-person hearing and you want to appear remotely, notify the court and the other party in writing so they receive it at least three days before the hearing.
- After appointment, use the Vermont authority documents. The Probate Division issues letters of administration and two certificates of appointment at no charge (32 V.S.A. § 1434(b)). Banks, brokerages, insurers, employers and the Social Security Administration usually ask for the certificate of appointment; extra certificates cost $5.00 each (32 V.S.A. § 1434(c)).
- Administer and close the estate. File the inventory within 30 days of your appointment, which is what the Vermont Judiciary's own instructions require. The statute sets an outer limit of 60 days (14 V.S.A. § 1051) and the court can extend the time for good cause. Before closing, apply for the Vermont Department of Taxes tax clearance on Form E-2A; the Probate Division will not issue the final decree of distribution until the tax clearance is in the file (32 V.S.A. § 7454; 14 V.S.A. § 1069(5)).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Chittenden County
The Chittenden Probate Division uses the Vermont Judiciary's statewide probate forms. There are no Chittenden County local forms and no local cover sheet: the same numbered 700 series is filed in all fourteen counties, it is free, and it is published at www.vtcourts.gov/court-forms and on the Judiciary's Estates and Wills page.
| Stage | Common Vermont forms used in Chittenden County |
|---|---|
| Open a full estate | 700-00001 Petition to Open Decedent's Estate, 700-00148 Notice of Appearance - Probate Division, 700-00002E List of Interested Persons for Estates, 700-00020 Estate Administration Bond and 700-00008 Certificate of Service - Probate, with the certified death certificate and original will if there is one. |
| Open a small estate | For a small estate under 14 V.S.A. § 1901, use 700-00001SM Petition to Open Small Estate (09/2023), 700-00002E List of Interested Persons for Estates, 700-00030 Inventory Schedule, 700-00402 Affidavit of Paid and Outstanding Funeral Expenses and Debts for Small Estate, 700-00020PESM Small Estate Administration Bond and 700-00008 Certificate of Service - Probate. |
| Nonresident fiduciary | 700-00026 Appointment of Resident Agent is used when the proposed fiduciary is not domiciled in Vermont (14 V.S.A. § 904). |
| Inventory and creditors | 700-00030 Inventory Schedule, PE 32 Notice to Creditors or 700-00033 Motion to Waive Notice to Creditors, 700-00034PE Written Statement of Claim and 700-00003 Notice of Disallowance. |
| Real estate sale | 700-00035 Motion for License to Sell or Convey Real Estate and PE 43 Report on License to Sell, Convey, Mortgage or Lease. |
| Closing | 700-00152 Fiduciary's Closing Report and Discharge, 700-00153 Receipt, 700-00401 Affidavit of Administration, 700-00406A Motion to Waive Accounting and 700-00406B Waiver of Final Accounting and Consent, depending on the estate path. |
Local nuance
Chittenden County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Use 175 Main Street for probate | The Chittenden Probate Division is at 175 Main Street in Burlington. The Costello Courthouse houses the Criminal and Family Divisions, not the Probate Division. |
| Free in-person form help is in Burlington by appointment | The statewide Access and Resource Center offers in-person support by appointment at the Costello Courthouse in Burlington. That makes Chittenden County the one county where the statewide court self-help office has an in-person appointment location. |
| Essex and Essex Junction file in Burlington | The town of Essex and the city of Essex Junction are Chittenden County municipalities. If the decedent lived in either one, the local probate filing is with the Chittenden Probate Division in Burlington. |
Recent updates
No Chittenden Probate Division local change is noted. Page last reviewed: September 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Chittenden County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | File in Burlington if the decedent lived in Chittenden County. Jointly owned property with survivorship may not be part of the estate the court administers, but a full asset review is needed before choosing forms. A bond is required before letters issue, and interested parties may ask to waive the surety. | Sunset finds accounts and institutions first, so the inventory, certificate count and estate settlement plan are built around the assets that actually need probate authority. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Use the Vermont small-estate path under 14 V.S.A. § 1901 if the estate qualifies. A fiduciary who is not domiciled in Vermont is appointed only at the court's discretion and must designate a Vermont resident agent on 700-00026 (14 V.S.A. § 904). Filing can be done by mail, email or e-filing, and a hearing notice explains whether a remote appearance is available. | Sunset helps gather the asset list, generate the packet and identify when a Vermont resident agent or local attorney should be lined up before filing. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A house means a full estate. A sale requires 700-00035 Motion for License to Sell or Convey Real Estate, and that motion costs $100.00 (32 V.S.A. § 1434(a)(26)). The estate also needs tax clearance on Form E-2A before the final decree of distribution can issue (32 V.S.A. § 7454). | Sunset builds the asset picture early so the sale, tax clearance and closing tasks can be planned together rather than discovered one at a time. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Vermont Judiciary Access and Resource Center | Free court process and form information for people without an attorney. Its listed case types include formal and small estates under 14 V.S.A. § 1901. Staff do not provide legal advice. | 802-879-1185; [email protected]. Phone and email hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed court holidays. In-person appointments are by appointment at the Costello Courthouse, 32 Cherry Street, Burlington. |
| Vermont Judiciary Information Center | Helps callers who do not know their case number or which court has their case. | 802-652-1900 |
| First Congregational Church free legal clinic in Burlington | Monthly Sunday afternoon phone clinic during stated months. Its listed subjects include probate. | [email protected] or 802-862-5010 extension 4 |
| Vermont Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service | Referrals to Vermont attorneys, including an initial consultation under terms stated by the Judiciary. | Online referral form through the Judiciary's Finding Legal Help page, or 800-639-7036 |
| Vermont Association for Justice Lawyer Referral Service | Search by practice area and proximity to a ZIP code. Ask any attorney about consultation cost before scheduling. | Through the Judiciary's Finding Legal Help page |
| VTLawHelp probate information | Vermont-specific self-help information about going through probate and filing in the county where the decedent lived. | vtlawhelp.org/going-through-probate |
| Vermont Department of Taxes | Issues the tax clearance needed before a Vermont estate can close. | tax.vermont.gov |
When to hire an attorney
Legal help is especially useful in Chittenden County when a will is contested, real estate must be sold, the fiduciary lives outside Vermont, the estate may be insolvent, or the tax clearance work is complicated. Chittenden County is also where many Vermont probate attorneys practice, so a local lawyer can often coordinate filings, hearing logistics and estate settlement tasks with the Burlington court. Sunset connects you to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across thousands of institutions so families can identify bank accounts, investments, insurance, retirement accounts and other assets before the Chittenden County filing is prepared.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the information needed for the Vermont forms, including the petition, interested-person list, inventory and supporting documents used for estate settlement.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate involves a dispute, a home sale, a nonresident fiduciary or a tax issue, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Vermont probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand what must be filed, what institutions must be contacted and what local Chittenden County steps come next.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Chittenden County, Vermont?
File with the Chittenden Probate Division at 175 Main Street, Burlington, VT 05401. You may file in person, by mail, by email to [email protected] with the case number and the name of the court in the subject line, or by e-filing if you choose or are required to e-file.
Is the Chittenden Probate Division in the Costello Courthouse?
No. The Probate Division is at 175 Main Street in Burlington. The Costello Courthouse holds the Criminal and Family Divisions, not the Probate Division.
What are the counter hours at the Chittenden Probate Division?
The published hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except during observed holidays. The counter is closed the second Tuesday of each month from noon to 4:00 p.m. for in-service training.
Do I file in Burlington if my relative lived in Essex or Essex Junction?
Yes. The town of Essex and the city of Essex Junction are in Chittenden County. If the decedent lived in either community, file in Burlington with the Chittenden Probate Division.
What days are probate hearings scheduled in Chittenden County?
The Vermont Judiciary publishes a live Chittenden County Probate Division calendar covering the next 90 days. In the window published at the start of September 2026, probate hearings in Chittenden County were scheduled on Wednesdays and Thursdays in Civil/Probate Courtroom 1, First Floor. Check the calendar for the current schedule.
Can I e-file a probate case in Chittenden County?
Yes, if you are allowed to use e-filing. Vermont courts are moving filers from Odyssey File & Serve to eFileVT, 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.
Can I look up a Chittenden County probate case online?
The Public Portal at portal.vtcourts.gov does not give anonymous remote access to probate case information. Anonymous users can see Civil Division and Judicial Bureau case summaries remotely, while 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 their own probate case, hearings and documents online.
Does the Chittenden Probate Division have its own forms?
The Vermont Judiciary publishes no Chittenden County cover sheet or Chittenden-only probate form. Use the statewide Vermont Judiciary probate forms, including the 700 series forms listed on the Estates and Wills page.
What is the filing fee, and who do I make the check out to?
The filing fee is graduated: $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). Checks and money orders are made out to Vermont Superior Court.
Do I have to travel to Burlington for a hearing?
Not always. Your hearing notice says whether the hearing is remote or in person and gives any Zoom information for a remote hearing. If your hearing is scheduled in person and you want to appear remotely, notify the court and the other party in writing so they receive it at least three days before the hearing.
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.