The figures on this page are general estimates. Laws, fees, thresholds, and prices differ by state and change often, and your own situation may change the result. Before you act, confirm the current numbers and rules for Rhode Island with a licensed professional — an attorney, tax advisor, or licensed agent as appropriate. Reading this page does not create a professional relationship.
This page is built to print. Use your browser's Print command and choose "Save as PDF" for a one-page Rhode Island reference. Every figure below is compiled from the statutes and state authorities listed at the bottom — the same sources cited on our Rhode Island probate pages.
Rhode Island probate fees
| Item | Rhode Island |
|---|---|
| Court filing fee | R.I. Gen. Laws §33-22-21(a) sets the fee on a petition for probate of a will or for appointment of an administrator, guardian or conservator at 1% of the decedent's personal property over which the court has jurisdiction, but not less than $30 and not more than $1,500. That fee covers subsequent filing and recording in the same proceeding. |
| Attorney fees | Not statutory. Fees must be reasonable and are subject to review by the local probate court. |
| Executor / personal representative fees | No statutory formula. The personal representative is entitled to just compensation as allowed by the probate court. Family executors often waive it. |
| Fee basis | reasonable |
| Appraisal / referee | Not used. Rhode Island does not appoint a state appraiser, though the personal representative must file an inventory and may need private appraisals for real estate or valuables. |
Worked example
Rhode Island sets no percentage, so no worked example can be calculated from the statute: the probate court reviews each request for reasonableness before approving it.
Rhode Island thresholds and deadlines
| Item | Rhode Island |
|---|---|
| Small-estate threshold | R.I. Gen. Laws §33-24-1(a) makes voluntary informal administration available where the estate consists entirely of personal property whose total value subject to inventory under §33-9-1, EXCLUSIVE of tangible personal property, does not exceed $15,000, and no petition for letters has been filed. The filing may be made 30 days after the death. |
| Creditor claim period | R.I. Gen. Laws §33-11-5(a): claims "shall be presented within six (6) months from the first publication or be forever barred", subject to the extension in §33-11-5(b). That subsection is a relief route: a creditor who by reason of accident, mistake, excusable neglect or lack of adequate notice of the estate failed to present a claim within the six months may, before distribution, petition the probate court for leave to present it out of time. |
| Statutory floor (creditor period) | R.I. Gen. Laws §33-11-5(a): claims "shall be presented within six (6) months from the first publication or be forever barred", subject to the extension in §33-11-5(b). That subsection is a relief route: a creditor who by reason of accident, mistake, excusable neglect or lack of adequate notice of the estate failed to present a claim within the six months may, before distribution, petition the probate court for leave to present it out of time. |
| Transfer-on-death deed | Rhode Island does not currently authorize a transfer-on-death deed for real estate. Bills to adopt the Uniform Real Property Transfer on Death Act have been introduced repeatedly (most recently 2025-S 0141) but had not become law as of 2026, so solely owned real property generally must pass through probate or a living trust. |
What passes outside Rhode Island probate
These transfers are not part of the estate the fees above are calculated on:
- Beneficiary designations — retirement accounts, life insurance, payable-on-death accounts.
- Joint ownership with right of survivorship.
- Transfer-on-death deed — Rhode Island does not currently authorize a transfer-on-death deed for real estate. Bills to adopt the Uniform Real Property Transfer on Death Act have been introduced repeatedly (most recently 2025-S 0141) but had not become law as of 2026, so solely owned real property generally must pass through probate or a living trust.
- Assets titled into a funded living trust.
Sources for this sheet
- Statutes: R.I. Gen. Laws §33-11-5; R.I. Gen. Laws §33-11-50; R.I. Gen. Laws §33-24-1; R.I. Gen. Laws §44-22-1.1
- State authority: Rhode Island General Laws (Rhode Island General Assembly, rilegislature.gov)
- Small-estate procedure: https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE33/33-24/33-24-1.htm
- Creditor claim period: https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE33/33-11/33-11-5.htm
- Court filing fees: https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE33/33-22/33-22-21.htm
- estateTax: https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE44/44-22/44-22-1.1.htm
Compiled August 15, 2026 from the sources listed above. Fee schedules, thresholds, and court costs are amended by legislatures and courts — confirm each figure against the cited statute or the Rhode Island court before relying on it.
The full Rhode Island guides
- How Much Does Probate Cost in Rhode Island? — the full cost breakdown.
- How Much Does an Executor Get Paid in Rhode Island? — the fee rule in detail.
- How Long Does Probate Take in Rhode Island? — the timeline and its statutory floor.
- Executor Deadlines in Rhode Island — inventory deadline, creditor-claim period and outer bar, each quoted from the statute.
- How to Avoid Probate in Rhode Island — the transfers that pass outside it.
- How Much Does a Will Cost in Rhode Island? — execution requirements and pricing.
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This sheet sets out Rhode Island probate figures as published at the time of compilation. It is not legal advice. Figures and statutes change and their application depends on the specific estate. Confirm current figures with the Rhode Island courts or a licensed Rhode Island attorney.