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Franklin County, VT Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Franklin County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Franklin Probate Division, Probate Division of the Vermont Superior Court |
| Courthouse address | 17 Church Street, St. Albans, VT 05478 |
| Mailing | Mail to the courthouse address: 17 Church Street, St. Albans, VT 05478 |
| Phone | 802-524-4112 |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except observed holidays. Closed the last Monday of each month, 9:00 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). |
| Forms | Franklin uses Vermont Judiciary statewide probate forms. There are no Franklin County-only probate forms or cover sheet. |
| E-filing | Vermont courts, including the Probate Division, use a statewide e-filing system. 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. |
| Email filing | [email protected]. The mailbox is shared with Grand Isle and serves the unit, so include the case number and the court in the subject line. |
| 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 Franklin 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/franklin-probate-division |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in St. Albans, identify the assets, debts, account locations, beneficiaries and likely filing path. Vermont estate settlement depends on the inventory, the bond, the notice plan and the number of institutions that will need proof of appointment.
That last point matters in Franklin County because the court issues two certificates of appointment with the letters of administration at no charge under 32 V.S.A. § 1434(b), and extra certificates cost $5.00 each under 32 V.S.A. § 1434(c), part of the probate fee schedule in force since July 1, 2015. Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families know which banks, brokerages, insurers and employers must be contacted before they make a filing trip to the register's office.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Franklin County Probate Division at 17 Church Street in St. Albans serves Franklin County. Franklin County includes St. Albans city, Bakersfield, Berkshire, Enosburgh, Fairfax, Fairfield, Fletcher, Franklin, Georgia, Highgate, Montgomery, Richford, Sheldon, St. Albans town and Swanton. Franklin County is in northwestern Vermont, on Lake Champlain and the Canadian border.
For a Vermont resident, file in the county where the decedent lived at death (4 V.S.A. § 311a(1)). For a nonresident decedent who owned Vermont property, file where the property is situated (4 V.S.A. § 311a(2)). Franklin's unit is administered together with Grand Isle for staffing, which is why one email mailbox serves both units, but Franklin County has its own Probate Division and courthouse.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the Vermont Judiciary forms for the estate path. For a full estate, start with the petition to open a decedent's estate. For the small estate procedure under 14 V.S.A. § 1901, use the small estate petition and the companion inventory, interested-person and bond forms.
- File with the Franklin County Probate Division if venue is in Franklin County under 4 V.S.A. § 311a. You can file in person or by drop box at 17 Church Street in St. Albans, by mail to that address, by email to [email protected], or by e-filing if you use the statewide system. If you file at the counter, avoid the last Monday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to noon.
- Pay the graduated Vermont 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 higher brackets up 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.
- Use consents and notice correctly. If the required people consent in writing, the will may be allowed without a hearing. If the estate uses the small estate procedure under 14 V.S.A. § 1901 and no objection is filed after notice, appointment and any will allowance may proceed without further notice or hearing.
- If the court schedules a hearing, read the hearing notice for the date, time, place and whether the hearing is remote or in person. The Vermont Judiciary publishes a live Franklin County Probate Division calendar covering the next 90 days.
- If you want to change how you appear, act in writing. To appear remotely for an in-person hearing, notify the court and the other party so they receive it at least three days before the hearing. To appear in person for a remote hearing, ask permission in writing on the same timing.
- After appointment, use the letters of administration and certificates of appointment to work with institutions. Vermont issues two certificates of appointment at no charge with the opening documents under 32 V.S.A. § 1434(b), and extra certificates cost $5.00 each under 32 V.S.A. § 1434(c), in force since July 1, 2015.
- Administer the estate, file required follow-up papers, handle creditor and distribution steps, and start the tax work early. Vermont will not let the estate close until the Department of Taxes issues the E-2A tax clearance, and the Probate Division will not issue the final decree of distribution until it has the clearance (32 V.S.A. § 7454).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Franklin County
The Franklin County Probate Division uses the Vermont Judiciary's statewide probate forms. There are no Franklin County-only probate forms and no Franklin County cover sheet. The same numbered 700-series forms are filed in all fourteen Vermont counties, and the Judiciary publishes them through its court forms pages.
| Stage | Common Vermont forms used in Franklin 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; 700-00008 Certificate of Service - Probate. |
| Open under the small estate procedure | 700-00001SM Petition to Open Small Estate (09/2023), used with 14 V.S.A. § 1901; 700-0002E List of Interested Persons for Estates; 700-00030 Inventory Schedule; 700-00402 Affidavit of Paid & Outstanding Funeral Expenses and Debts for Small Estate; 700-00020PESM Small Estate Administration Bond; 600-00264 Certificate of Service. |
| Out-of-state fiduciary | 700-00026 Appointment of Resident Agent, tied to the resident agent requirement in 14 V.S.A. § 904. |
| Creditors | PE 32 Notice to Creditors; 700-00033 Motion to Waive Notice to Creditors. |
| Real estate sale | 700-00035 Motion for License to Sell or Convey Real Estate; PE 43 Report on License to Sell, Convey, Mortgage or Lease Real Estate or Personal Property. |
| Closing | 700-00152 Fiduciary's Closing Report & Discharge; 700-00153 Receipt; 700-00055 Report of Fiduciary of Small Estate. |
| Guide | 700-00302 Probating a Vermont Estate (01/2026). |
If you e-file a fillable PDF, save it as a flat file before uploading it.
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: September 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Franklin County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Open the estate in St. Albans if the decedent lived in Franklin County. A co-owned home may pass outside the estate, but the inventory and title review determine what belongs in the probate estate. The spouse's rights follow the statewide notice and inventory rules. | Sunset helps identify accounts, policies and property interests before the inventory is signed, so estate settlement starts with a complete asset picture. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | You can file by mail to 17 Church Street or by email to [email protected]. If you serve from Florida, California, Texas or New York, the court may require the resident agent form under 14 V.S.A. § 904. The small estate procedure itself is under 14 V.S.A. § 1901. | Sunset helps assemble the packet remotely and find the accounts before anyone decides whether a trip to St. Albans is necessary. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | File in St. Albans if venue is in Franklin County. Because a house is involved, the estate uses full administration rather than the small estate procedure under 14 V.S.A. § 1901. Selling real estate requires a court license, and the petition for a license to sell real estate costs $100.00 under 32 V.S.A. § 1434(a)(26), in force since July 1, 2015. | Sunset helps locate and organize the estate assets, then connects the family with a local probate attorney for the sale and court filings. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Access and Resource Center | Free court process information, help with Vermont court forms, information about ways to get attorney help, and free interpreter services for people without an attorney. Staff do not provide legal advice. Case types include formal and small estates under 14 V.S.A. § 1901. | 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 | Use this statewide court number if you do not know the case number or which court has the case. | 802-652-1900 |
| Vermont Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service | Referrals to Vermont attorneys through the Judiciary's finding legal help materials. | 800-639-7036 or the online referral form |
| Vermont Association for Justice Lawyer Referral Service | Search by practice area and proximity to a ZIP code. The Judiciary notes that this service does not set a consultation rate. | Online lawyer referral search |
| VTLawHelp.org | Public legal information page titled Going Through Probate After Someone Died. | vtlawhelp.org/going-through-probate |
| Vermont Department of Taxes | Issues the E-2A tax clearance required before the Probate Division can finish the final decree of distribution under 32 V.S.A. § 7454. | tax.vermont.gov |
When to hire an attorney
You do not have to have a lawyer to ask the Franklin County Probate Division to open an estate, and any interested person may file the petition. Counsel often makes sense when the estate includes real estate to sell, a contested will or account, an insolvent estate, or an out-of-state fiduciary who needs a resident agent under 14 V.S.A. § 904. Sunset connects families with a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families identify bank accounts, investments, insurance, retirement accounts and other assets before the Franklin County estate settlement filings begin.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for Vermont forms, including interested persons, asset lists and the documents families commonly need for the register's office.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Franklin County estate involves a house sale, a dispute, a resident agent issue or a difficult closing, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the estate settlement path, organize tasks and decide what help they need without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Franklin County, Vermont?
File with the Franklin County Probate Division at 17 Church Street in St. Albans if the decedent lived in Franklin County at death (4 V.S.A. § 311a(1)). If a nonresident decedent owned Vermont property in Franklin County, venue can be based on where that property is situated (4 V.S.A. § 311a(2)).
What are the counter hours at the Franklin County Probate Division?
The office is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except observed holidays. It is closed the last Monday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to noon for in service training.
Why is the Franklin County Probate Division email address shared with Grand Isle?
Franklin and Grand Isle are administered together for the unit email mailbox, so Franklin filings use [email protected]. Franklin still has its own Probate Division, courthouse address, phone number and hearing calendar.
Can I file by mail or email instead of driving to St. Albans?
Yes. You may mail filings to 17 Church Street, St. Albans, VT 05478, or email them to [email protected]. Put the case number and the court in the subject line if a case already exists. Self-represented filers may also use e-filing through the statewide system as Vermont moves from Odyssey File & Serve to eFileVT, also called eFile & Serve.
Can I look up a Franklin County probate case online?
Not as a general anonymous remote search. The Vermont Judiciary Public Portal at portal.vtcourts.gov lets anonymous users 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 that party's own probate case, hearings and documents online.
When does the Franklin County Probate Division hold hearings?
The Vermont Judiciary publishes a live Franklin County Probate Division calendar covering the next 90 days. In the window published on September 1, 2026, probate hearings in Franklin County were scheduled on Wednesdays, in the Franklin Civil/Probate Courtroom #2. Check the calendar for the current schedule.
Do I have to appear in person for a Franklin County probate hearing?
Your hearing notice says whether the hearing is remote or in person. If your hearing is in person and you want to appear remotely, notify the court in writing so the court and the other party receive it at least three days before the hearing. If your hearing is remote and you want to appear in person, ask permission in writing on the same timing.
Are there Franklin County probate forms?
Franklin County uses the statewide Vermont Judiciary probate forms. There is no Franklin County-only cover sheet. For example, the small estate procedure uses 700-00001SM Petition to Open Small Estate (09/2023) under 14 V.S.A. § 1901, and a full estate starts with 700-00001 Petition to Open Decedent's Estate.
What does it cost to open an estate in Franklin County?
The Vermont estate filing fee is statewide and 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 Franklin County. Do I have to travel to Vermont?
Not necessarily. You can file by mail, by email or through e-filing if you choose to use it. If you are appointed as a nonresident fiduciary, Vermont requires a resident agent filing 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.