Connecticut · Probate District 49 of the Connecticut Probate Courts (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-2)
Fairfield Probate Court Guide
Probate Court information · Updated August 2026
Settling an estate while grieving is hard. This page takes it one step at a time, and free local help is listed below.
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Many estates can avoid probate entirely. Assets with beneficiary designations, joint accounts, and trust assets may pass automatically without court involvement.
Immediate Actions
The first days
First: Get Death Certificates
Required for everythingTown vital records office serving the Fairfield Probate District
Office info
Secure the Property
- Lock the residence and secure valuable items
- Forward mail to a responsible family member
- Make a list of what you find (don't throw anything away yet)
Locate Important Documents
Required by Law
First 30 days
Deposit the Will
Anyone holding the decedent's will must deliver it forthwith after learning of the death, either to an executor named in it or to the judge, clerk or assistant clerk of this Probate Court. Neglecting to deliver it within 30 days carries a fine of not more than $1,000, imprisonment of not more than one year, or both. Separately, each person who knows of being named executor must apply for probate within 30 days of the death or face a fine of not more than $250. There is no fee to deposit a will: the $25 filing fee in § 45a-109(9) applies to any document OTHER THAN a will. A will that is filed but not offered for probate is accompanied by form PC-211. (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 45a-282, 45a-283; § 45a-109(9))
Creditor claim window
Creditors generally have 5 months from appointment of the first fiduciary to bring claims against the estate. (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 45a-354, 45a-356, 45a-357, 45a-363, 45a-375)
Notify Key Parties
- Banks and credit card companies (to prevent unauthorized use)
- Social Security Administration (1-800-772-1213)
- Employer (if applicable) for final paycheck and benefits
Assess Your Situation
Before filing anything
Which probate type is right for you?
Small estate? If the estate is worth less than the Connecticut small-estate limit (shown on the options below), you may qualify for simplified procedures.
Is there a valid will? If yes, you'll file for probate with will. If no will exists, it's intestate probate.
Complex assets? Business interests, real estate in multiple states, or contested claims may require probate administration.
Select a probate type below to see specific requirements and costs.
Which applies to your situation?
Not sure? Use the free checker at the top of this page - you don't have to decide this alone.
Connecticut's small-estate path. Instead of petitioning to admit a will or for letters of administration, an eligible person files a sworn affidavit on form PC-212 in the Probate Court for the district where the decedent resided. The court decides who is entitled to payment and distribution and decrees that each holder or registrant of an asset may transfer it. No fiduciary is appointed. The surviving spouse files; if there is none, any next of kin; and if there is no next of kin or they refuse, any person the court finds to have a sufficient interest, including a creditor. The court sends a copy of the affidavit to the Department of Administrative Services and may not issue a decree until 30 days after it was sent. Survivorship and beneficiary-designated assets do not count toward the $40,000, so a decedent can leave survivorship assets well above it and still qualify. A single solely owned Connecticut property disqualifies the route no matter how small the personal estate is. The affidavit does not buy a discount: the same § 45a-107 value scale applies, with a $25 floor, so a qualifying small estate pays between $25 and $255.
- Aggregate solely owned personal property of $40,000 or less
- No solely owned Connecticut real property at the date of death
- Affidavit signed under penalty of false statement
- Statement whether the decedent received aid or care from the state
- List of all solely owned assets and of all claims, expenses and taxes in the § 45a-365 priority categories
- Qualifies:
- $40,000
- Typical duration:
- 1-3 months
- Attorney:
- not required by law, though many families use one
The Probate Court admits the will, or grants administration where there is no will, appoints an executor or administrator, issues fiduciary certificates, and supervises the inventory, the creditor claims, the estate tax return and the final account. The petition is form PC-200, Petition/Administration or Probate of Will, filed in the probate district serving the town where the decedent resided, which for Fairfield is this court. Each person who knows of being named executor must apply for probate within 30 days of the death.
- Petition PC-200 filed in the probate district where the decedent resided
- Hearing on admission of the will, with notice, unless the will is proved out of court under § 45a-285
- Inventory (PC-2407) within 2 months of qualification
- Connecticut estate tax return within 6 months of death
- Final account or financial report, with a hearing unless all interested parties waive notice
- Qualifies:
- No dollar threshold. The default path whenever the § 45a-273 affidavit route is unavailable, which includes ANY estate holding solely owned Connecticut real property.
- Typical duration:
- 8-14 months
- Attorney:
- not required by law, though many families use one
Where a decedent is entitled to payment of medical benefits, insurance or health benefits or proceeds, or other intangible personal property, in a sum not exceeding $1,000, the judge of probate for the district where the decedent resided may name an administrator ex parte to enable distribution to the surviving spouse, or if none the next of kin, or to the funeral director or physician, on satisfactory evidence that all debts have been paid or provided for under § 45a-365.
- Qualifies:
- $1,000 or less of medical, insurance or health benefits or other intangible personal property owned by or payable to the decedent or the estate
- Attorney:
- not required by law, though many families use one
A will proved outside Connecticut may be presented for ancillary probate on form PC-201, Petition/Ancillary Probate of Will. Only the decedent's Connecticut real property and tangible personal property, plus intangibles when the Connecticut proceeding is not ancillary to another jurisdiction, go into the Connecticut inventory.
- Qualifies:
- A nonresident decedent who owned Connecticut real property or tangible personal property
- Attorney:
- not required by law, though many families use one
An estate may be declared insolvent on form PC-204, which opens the §§ 45a-376 to 45a-383 insolvency procedure. Claims are then paid in the § 45a-365 order of priority. The Probate Court must set out to the surviving spouse the household goods exempt from execution and may set out other exempt property (§ 45a-435).
- Qualifies:
- The estate's assets are insufficient to pay claims, expenses and taxes
- Attorney:
- not required by law, though many families use one
File for Probate
Where to file, forms & fees
Where to File
Free Filing Help Available
Fairfield Probate Court can help you understand forms and filing requirements at no cost.
Visit Self-Help CenterOther Topics That May Apply
Property & Real Estate
Property transfer after death, recording
Small Estate Options
Simplified procedures that can avoid full probate
Affidavit in Lieu of Probate of Will/Administration
Applies when the qualifying estate is under $40,000 (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-273).
Absolute disqualifier. If the decedent held ANY solely owned Connecticut real property at death, the affidavit route is unavailable regardless of value.
Earliest filing: 30 days after death.
Form: PC-212
Medicaid Estate Recovery
State may recover Medicaid costs from estate
Important Notice
If the deceased received Medicaid, the state may file a claim against the estate to recover benefits paid.
See the full Connecticut Medicaid estate recovery guide for what is recovered, who is exempt, and how to request a hardship waiver.
Vehicle Title Transfer
Retitle or transfer the deceased's vehicle. Office, forms, fees.
When a Connecticut vehicle owner dies, who signs the title depends on how the vehicle was titled. A beneficiary named on the certificate of registration, or a surviving joint owner whose names are joined by 'or', takes the vehicle without probate. Otherwise the Probate Court has to name someone first: an executor or administrator assigns the Certificate of Title, or, in a small estate, the court issues a decree that authorizes the transfer directly. Every route ends at the same counter, a Connecticut DMV office, with Form H-13B, the assigned title, proof of the new owner's insurance and a certified Probate Court document.
Transfer scenarios
Beneficiary named on the certificate of registration (no probate, 60-day deadline)
Documents needed:
- The original certificate of registration in which the beneficiary is designated
- A death certificate for the deceased owner
- Proof of the beneficiary's identity as the Commissioner requires
- The transfer fee required by Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-16(c)
- Any applicable registration, title and number plate fees
Not later than sixty days after the death of the owner, the beneficiary applies to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles for a certificate of title and a certificate of registration in the beneficiary's name. If the beneficiary does not apply inside that window, the beneficiary has no right to obtain ownership of and title to the vehicle under this subsection after it closes.
The beneficiary's right is subordinate to the rights of each lienholder whose security interest is duly recorded under chapter 247. There is no separate downloadable DMV beneficiary form: the designation is made on the registration certificate itself, so the statute is the authority for this route.
Joint ownership with right of survivorship (the title reads 'or')
Documents needed:
- The Certificate of Title showing two names joined by 'or' (for example, John Jones or Mary Jones)
- Completed Application for Registration and Title (Form H-13B), signed by the surviving owner
- A current Connecticut insurance card in the surviving owner's name
- The most recent registration certificate
- Acceptable identification for registration
The surviving owner brings the title and Form H-13B to a DMV office by appointment. No Probate Court document is needed, because the surviving owner already acquired the deceased owner's interest by survivorship. Where the two names carry no conjunction at all, the DMV treats either party as able to transfer ownership and requires only one signature.
A titled vessel is the exception: signatures from both owners are required regardless of the conjunction. The DMV's title-service page does not itemise a death certificate for this route; call DMV title services at 860-263-5710 before the appointment to confirm what proof of death that office wants.
Common ownership with no survivorship (the title reads 'and')
Documents needed:
- The Certificate of Title showing two names joined by 'and' (for example, John Jones and Mary Jones)
- A copy of the Probate Court document, attached to the Certificate of Title
- Completed Application for Registration and Title (Form H-13B)
- A current Connecticut insurance card in the new owner's name
- The most recent registration certificate
The Probate Court appoints an administrator or executor to convey the deceased owner's interest, and a copy of the probate document is attached to the Certificate of Title. Where the estate falls within the small-estate limits, the court may instead authorize the transfer of the deceased owner's interest by letter, and a copy of that letter is attached to the title. Both owners must otherwise sign all transactions for the vehicle.
Small estate - transfer of personal property without probate proceedings
Documents needed:
- The court-issued decree or transfer of personal property without probate proceedings (the DMV names Form PC-264 or PC-264S for this)
- The Certificate of Title assigned to the new owner, or Form Q-1 where the vehicle needs no title
- Completed Application for Registration and Title (Form H-13B)
- A current Connecticut insurance card in the new owner's name
- The most recent registration certificate
The surviving spouse, or if there is no surviving spouse any of the next of kin, files Form PC-212 (Affidavit in Lieu of Probate of Will/Administration) in the Probate Court for the district in which the decedent resided. The court sends a copy to the Department of Administrative Services and cannot issue its decree until thirty days later. The decree, or the transfer certificate the court issues under it, is what the DMV accepts.
The $40,000 test looks at solely owned personal property and EXCLUDES property that passes outside probate by operation of law, so a jointly held car or one with a named beneficiary does not count against it. PC-264 and PC-264S are documents the court issues on the PC-212 affidavit, not forms a petitioner downloads.
Surviving spouse
Documents needed:
- A certified Probate Court document naming the spouse as administrator or executor, or the court's small-estate decree, unless the vehicle passes by survivorship or by beneficiary designation
- The Certificate of Title, assigned to the spouse
- Completed Application for Registration and Title (Form H-13B), with section 5 completed to claim the immediate-family sales tax exemption
- A current Connecticut insurance card in the spouse's name
- The most recent registration certificate
Identify how the vehicle is titled first, because that decides the route. If probate is needed, the spouse files in the Probate Court for the district where the decedent resided, then brings the certified court document and the assigned title to a DMV appointment. Sales tax does not apply to a transfer between immediate family members where the vehicle was registered in the decedent's name for at least 60 days.
Two Connecticut reliefs matter here and neither is a title transfer. Under § 14-16(c)(2), where ownership passes to the owner's spouse, brother, sister, father, mother or child, the existing registration continues in force to the end of the registration period on payment of a $20 fee. Separately, under § 45a-320(c), the Probate Court may allow the surviving spouse or family the USE of a car the decedent maintained as a family car during settlement of the estate, requested on Form PC-202.
Probate estate - executor or administrator assigns the title
Documents needed:
- The Certificate of Title, assigned to the new owner by the executor or administrator; where the vehicle is registered in Connecticut but needs no title, a completed Form Q-1 supplemental assignment of ownership plus a copy of the most recent registration certificate
- A certified version of the original Probate Court document naming the administrator or executor, or the court's authority to dispose of the vehicle
- Completed Application for Registration and Title (Form H-13B), with the purchaser as the new owner and the estate as the seller
- A current Connecticut insurance card in the new owner's name
- The most recent registration certificate
- Acceptable identification for registration
- A permission letter from the immediate family member if the same plates are being kept
Open the estate in the Probate Court for the district where the decedent resided, using Form PC-200 (Petition/Administration or Probate of Will). Once appointed, assign the Certificate of Title to the new owner and make an appointment at a DMV hub or limited-service office. The certified probate document is required at the time the vehicle is registered, not before.
Connecticut does not require an attorney to open a decedent's estate in the Probate Court or to complete the DMV transfer. Larger or contested estates are a different question.
Forms
- Application for Registration and Certificate of Title(H-13B)
- Application for Replacement Certificate of Title(H-6B)
- Supplemental Assignment of Ownership(Q-1)(The DMV links this form to a host that does not respond, so no URL is stored. Request Form Q-1 through the DMV transfer-ownership page or at a DMV office.)
- Affidavit in Lieu of Probate of Will/Administration(PC-212)(A Probate Court form, not a DMV form.)
- Petition/Administration or Probate of Will(PC-200)(A Probate Court form, not a DMV form.)
Fees
The $25 title fee, $10 lien fee, $10 administrative fee and $5 plate fee were read on the Connecticut DMV fee schedule at portal.ct.gov/dmv/resources/dmv-fees on 2026-08-01, in the per-vehicle-class block for a regular passenger car, SUV or van. Beware that page's 'Title process fees' heading, which introduces DRIVER'S-LICENSE fees, not vehicle title fees. Registration itself is $120 for a regular passenger car and varies by vehicle class, so it is not an estate-specific figure. The $20 amounts come from Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-16 itself: § 14-16(c)(2) sets the fee to continue a registration for a close relative and § 14-16(e) sets the minimum fee to transfer a registration to another vehicle.
Small-estate vehicle transfer
Connecticut lets an estate be settled by affidavit, without admitting a will to probate and without letters of administration, when the decedent's solely owned tangible and intangible personal property is worth $40,000 or less and the decedent owned no solely owned real property in Connecticut at death. The Probate Court issues a decree authorizing the holder or registrant of each asset to transfer it, and that decree is what lets the DMV retitle a vehicle.
Threshold: $40,000
The $40,000 test measures SOLELY OWNED personal property and excludes anything that passes outside probate by operation of law, so a car held jointly with survivorship or carrying a § 14-16(b) beneficiary designation does not count toward it. A single solely owned Connecticut property disqualifies the route no matter how small the personal estate is.
Lost or duplicate title
When the Connecticut Certificate of Title has been lost, stolen or damaged, or cannot be found among the decedent's papers. Get the replacement before the transfer appointment, because the executor or administrator has to assign a title that exists.
To replace a title on behalf of a deceased individual, use the mail route. Send a completed Form H-6B signed by the executor or administrator, a lien release if one applies, and a certified version of the original Probate Court document naming the administrator or executor, together with a $25 check or money order, to the Department of Motor Vehicles, Specialized Registry Services, Room 305, 60 State Street, Wethersfield, CT 06161. Allow up to 90 days by mail. The DMV's online replacement service and its in-person route are open to the titled owner rather than to an estate, and the online replacement arrives within 20 business days.
Fee: $25
If a lien is listed on the title, a lien release letter must be submitted with Form H-6B. The letter must be on the lender's letterhead and give the owner's name, the vehicle year, make and identification number, state that the loan is paid in full or that the lender has no interest, and be signed by an authorized agent. Where there is an outstanding lien, the lienholder applies for the replacement title with a power of attorney, by mail only. For a lien more than ten years old that cannot be released, complete section 2 of Form H-6B or file the Motor Vehicle Ownership Affidavit (Form H-115) in place of the release.
Helpful resources
- Connecticut DMV: transfer a vehicle from a deceased member of the immediate family
The DMV's own page on the transfer, including the list of acceptable Probate Court documents, the emissions rule and the immediate-family sales tax exemption.
- Connecticut DMV: make changes to a title
Defines joint ownership ('or', with survivorship) and common ownership ('and', without), and explains what happens to each when one owner dies.
- Connecticut DMV: replace your title
Form H-6B, the $25 fee, and the mail-only route for replacing a title on behalf of a deceased individual.
- Connecticut DMV fee schedule
Title, lien, administrative, plate and registration fees by vehicle class.
- Connecticut DMV locations and hours
Every DMV hub office, limited-service office, test location and express office, with the services each performs. Titling is done at hub and limited-service offices.
- Connecticut Probate Courts form index
Form PC-212 (small-estate affidavit), PC-200 (petition to open the estate) and PC-202 (support allowance, including the family car) are in the 2000 Series.
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-16
Transfer of ownership, the beneficiary designation on the certificate of registration, what happens to the registration when the owner dies, and the fees.
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-273
Settlement of small estates by affidavit: the $40,000 personal-property limit, the no-real-property condition and the decree that authorizes an asset holder to transfer the asset.
Statewide forms and steps live in the vehicle title transfer guide. If the title cannot be found, see selling a car without a title.
Vehicle sources (15)
- https://portal.ct.gov/dmv/vehicle-services/transfer-vehicle-ownership
- https://portal.ct.gov/dmv/vehicle-services/vehicle-title-service
- https://portal.ct.gov/dmv/vehicle-services/replace-your-title
- https://portal.ct.gov/dmv/resources/dmv-fees
- https://portal.ct.gov/dmv/resources/dmv-forms
- https://portal.ct.gov/dmv/resources/locations-office-hours
- https://portal.ct.gov/dmv/resources/dmv-contact-us
- https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/DMV/20/29/H13Bpdf.pdf
- https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/DMV/20/29/H6Bpdf.pdf
- https://www.ctprobate.gov/forms-list
- https://www.ctprobate.gov/Forms/PC-212.pdf
- https://www.ctprobate.gov/Forms/PC-200.pdf
- https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_246.htm#sec_14-16
- https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_802b.htm#sec_45a-273
- https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_802b.htm#sec_45a-320
Sources for this page (14)
The facts above come from these official sources. Verify current details with the office before filing.
- ctprobate.govhttps://www.ctprobate.gov/courts/fairfield-probate-court
- ctprobate.govhttps://www.ctprobate.gov/court-locator
- ctprobate.govhttps://www.ctprobate.gov/case-lookup
- ctprobate.govhttps://www.ctprobate.gov/efiling
- ctprobate.govhttps://www.ctprobate.gov/forms-list
- ctprobate.govhttps://www.ctprobate.gov/fees-expenses-calculators
- cga.ct.govhttps://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_801.htm#sec_45a-2
- cga.ct.govhttps://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_801b.htm#sec_45a-105
- cga.ct.govhttps://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_801b.htm#sec_45a-107
- cga.ct.govhttps://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_802b.htm#sec_45a-273
- cga.ct.govhttps://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_802b.htm#sec_45a-282
- cga.ct.govhttps://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_802b.htm#sec_45a-341
- cga.ct.govhttps://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_802b.htm#sec_45a-356
- cga.ct.govhttps://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_217.htm#sec_12-392
You've seen what probate involves. Here's how to spare your own family.
A few simple steps (naming beneficiaries, a transfer-on-death deed where your state allows it, or a living trust) can keep your estate out of court.
See how to avoid probate in ConnecticutFrequently Asked Questions
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Verified against Fairfield Probate Court on August 1, 2026
Settled Estate is not a law firm, and this content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Probate laws and procedures in Connecticut can change. Consult with a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation. Full disclaimer.