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Orange County, VT Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Orange County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Orange Probate Division |
| Courthouse address | 5 Court Street, Chelsea, VT 05038 |
| Mailing | Mail filings to the Orange Probate Division at 5 Court Street, Chelsea, VT 05038. |
| Phone | 802-685-4610 |
| [email protected]. This is the unit mailbox for filings and questions, so include the case number and Orange Probate Division in the subject line when a case is already open. | |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except observed holidays. Closed the second Friday of each month, 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, under 32 V.S.A. § 1434(a), in force since July 1, 2015. |
| Forms | Statewide Vermont Judiciary probate forms. There are no Orange County only forms and no Orange County cover sheet. |
| E-filing | 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 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. Free per-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. To appear remotely instead, notify the court in writing. To appear in person when a hearing is set as remote, ask permission in writing. The court and the other party must receive it at least three days before the hearing. |
| Website | www.vtcourts.gov/court-locations/orange-probate-division |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing in Chelsea, list the accounts, real estate, vehicles, debts, funeral expenses, and beneficiary designations you know about. Vermont probate forms and the inventory process depend on date-of-death values, and the Orange Probate Division will be easier to work with if you know which institutions must be contacted during estate settlement.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families find accounts before the first filing. That matters in Vermont because the court issues two certificates of appointment at no charge with the letters of administration, while each extra certificate costs $5.00 under 32 V.S.A. § 1434(c), in force since July 1, 2015. Count the banks, brokerages, insurers, and other institutions early so the estate settlement does not stall after appointment.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Orange Probate Division sits at 5 Court Street in Chelsea and serves all of Orange County, including Bradford, Braintree, Brookfield, Chelsea, Corinth, Fairlee, Newbury, Orange, Randolph, Strafford, Thetford, Topsham, Tunbridge, Vershire, Washington, West Fairlee, and Williamstown.
For a Vermont resident, file the estate in the county where the decedent lived at death. For a nonresident decedent with Vermont property, file in any Vermont county where the property is located. Those venue rules come from 4 V.S.A. § 311a(1) and 4 V.S.A. § 311a(2).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the correct Vermont Judiciary probate packet before you file. The Orange Probate Division uses the statewide form set, including the petition to open the estate, the list of interested persons, the bond form, the certificate of service, and any route-specific forms required by the Vermont Judiciary.
- File with the Orange Probate Division at 5 Court Street in Chelsea. A self-represented filer may file in person, by mail, by email to [email protected], or by e-filing. If you e-file a fillable court PDF, save it as a flat file first.
- Pay the statewide filing fee. The fee is graduated by estate value, from $50.00 for an estate of $10,000 or less to $3,250.00 above $10,000,000, under 32 V.S.A. § 1434(a), in force since July 1, 2015. Checks or money orders are made payable to Vermont Superior Court.
- Give notice to interested persons as the court requires. If a hearing is needed, the notice will state the date, time, and whether the hearing is remote or in person. If all required consents are filed, some steps may proceed without a hearing under the statewide Vermont rules and statutes.
- Watch the Orange County calendar. The Vermont Judiciary publishes a live Orange County Probate Division calendar covering the next 90 days. In the window published on September 1, 2026, probate hearings in Orange County were scheduled on Fridays, in Courtroom 2. Check the calendar for the current schedule.
- If the hearing notice sets a remote hearing, use Zoom. If you want to appear remotely for an in-person hearing, notify the court and the other party in writing so they receive it at least three days before the hearing. If you want to appear in person for a remote hearing, ask permission in writing on the same timing.
- After appointment, use the certificate of appointment to work with banks, brokerages, insurers, employers, and other institutions. Vermont issues two certificates at no charge with the letters of administration, and extra certificates cost $5.00 each under 32 V.S.A. § 1434(c), in force since July 1, 2015.
- Administer the estate, handle creditor and tax issues, and close only after Vermont tax clearance is complete. Apply for the Department of Taxes clearance on Form E-2A. The Probate Division will not issue the final decree of distribution until it has the tax clearance required by 32 V.S.A. § 7454 and, when a final accounting is waived, 14 V.S.A. § 1069(5).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Orange County
The Orange County Probate Division uses the Vermont Judiciary's statewide probate forms. There are no Orange County only forms and no local cover sheet. The same numbered 700- series is filed in all fourteen Vermont counties, the forms are free, and they are published at www.vtcourts.gov/court-forms and on the Judiciary's Estates and Wills page.
For a typical decedent's estate, start with the statewide petition to open the estate, the list of interested persons, the bond form, and the certificate of service. If the case qualifies for Vermont's small estate route under 14 V.S.A. § 1901(a), in force since July 1, 2019, use the small estate petition and the companion forms required for that route.
Timeline
- The Vermont Judiciary publishes a live Orange County Probate Division calendar covering the next 90 days.
- In the window published on September 1, 2026, probate hearings in Orange County were scheduled on Fridays, in Courtroom 2.
- Check the current calendar before planning travel to Chelsea, because hearing schedules can change.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Orange County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | File in Chelsea if the decedent lived in Orange County and probate assets need administration. Separate co-owned assets and beneficiary-designated assets from assets that belong on the probate inventory. | Sunset helps identify accounts, beneficiary designations, and property information before the spouse decides what must go through the Orange Probate Division. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If the estate fits 14 V.S.A. § 1901(a), in force since July 1, 2019, the Vermont small estate route covers an estate with fair market value of not more than $45,000.00 that consists entirely of personal property, with a time-share estate allowed. It is still an opened estate, not a shortcut around the court. A nonresident fiduciary must address Vermont's resident agent requirement under 14 V.S.A. § 904, usually on form 700-00026. | Sunset helps gather the asset list, generate the probate packet, and connect the family with a Vermont attorney if the resident agent issue needs legal guidance. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home that must be sold usually points to full estate administration in the Orange Probate Division. Selling estate real estate requires a court license, commonly requested on the statewide motion to sell real estate, and that motion is priced at $100.00 under 32 V.S.A. § 1434(a)(26), in force since July 1, 2015. | Sunset helps organize property, mortgage, creditor, and account information so the parent and any attorney can move from opening the estate to sale approval and closing. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Access and Resource Center | Free court process information, help with Vermont court forms, and information about ways to get an attorney. Staff do not provide legal advice. Case types include full estates 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 in Burlington. |
| Vermont Judiciary Information Center | Use this number if you do not know your case number or which court has your case. | 802-652-1900 |
| Vermont Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service | Referral to a Vermont attorney 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. | Online referral service |
| VTLawHelp.org | Plain-language Vermont probate information, including guidance on going to the Probate Division in the county where the decedent lived. | vtlawhelp.org/going-through-probate |
| Vermont Department of Taxes | Issues the tax clearance the Probate Division needs before it will issue the final decree of distribution. The application is Form E-2A. | tax.vermont.gov |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across 2,300 institutions to help families find accounts, insurance, retirement assets, and other property before they file. In Orange County, that can reduce repeat trips to Chelsea and help you know how many certificates of appointment you may need.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into an organized Vermont probate packet, using the statewide forms required by the Orange Probate Division.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal help, Sunset connects families with a vetted Vermont probate attorney who can advise on filings, resident agent issues, real estate sales, disputes, and tax clearance.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset's estate settlement platform helps organize the work, track next steps, and prepare for the court process without charging families to get started.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for someone who lived in Orange County?
File with the Orange Probate Division at 5 Court Street in Chelsea. For a Vermont resident, venue is the county where the decedent lived at death under 4 V.S.A. § 311a(1). For a nonresident with Vermont property, venue can be any county where the Vermont property is located under 4 V.S.A. § 311a(2).
What are the Orange Probate Division counter hours?
The Orange Probate Division is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except observed holidays. It is closed the second Friday of each month, 8:00 a.m. to noon, for in service training. Call 802-685-4610 before traveling if timing is tight.
Can I e-file an Orange County probate case?
Yes. 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.
Can I view an Orange County probate case from home?
Maybe, depending on your role. On portal.vtcourts.gov, anonymous users can view Civil Division and Judicial Bureau case summaries remotely, but 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, hearings, and documents online.
When are Orange County probate hearings scheduled?
The Vermont Judiciary publishes a live Orange County Probate Division calendar covering the next 90 days. In the window published on September 1, 2026, probate hearings in Orange County were scheduled on Fridays, in Courtroom 2. Check the current calendar before relying on that pattern.
Can I attend an Orange County probate hearing remotely?
Your hearing notice tells you whether the hearing is remote or in person. Vermont uses Zoom for remote hearings. If you want to appear remotely for an in-person hearing, notify the court and the other party in writing so they receive it at least three days before the hearing. If you want to appear in person for a remote hearing, ask permission in writing on the same timing.
Are there Orange County only probate forms?
No. The Orange Probate Division uses the Vermont Judiciary's statewide probate forms, and there is no Orange County cover sheet. The same numbered forms are used across all fourteen Vermont counties.
How much is the Orange County probate filing fee?
The filing fee is the same in every Vermont county and is set by 32 V.S.A. § 1434(a). 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. The schedule has been in force since July 1, 2015.
Do I have to travel to Chelsea if I live out of state?
Not for every step. A self-represented filer may file in person, by mail, by email, or by optional e-filing. If a hearing is set, the notice will say whether it is remote or in person. A nonresident executor or administrator should also plan for Vermont's resident agent requirement under 14 V.S.A. § 904.
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.