Probate and Recording Deeds in Providence County (Providence), Rhode Island
Where to file a will or open probate, and where to record a deed, in Providence County (Providence) — with the state rules that apply.
Probate court
Address: 25 Dorrance Street, Providence, RI 02903
Phone: (401) 680-5307
Recording deeds
City of Providence Recorder of Deeds (land records are kept by each city/town in Rhode Island)
E-recording: yes - eRecording through CSC and Simplifile - https://www.providenceri.gov/recorder-of-deeds/
Recording fee: Warranty or quitclaim deed: $84.00 + $1.00 each additional page (statewide recording fee schedule) Fee schedule
Rhode Island rules that apply
| Small estate affidavit | If an estate is made up entirely of personal property worth no more than $15,000 (not counting the decedent's tangible personal property), a relative (spouse, child, grandchild, parent, sibling, niece, nephew, aunt or uncle) or other interested person who is an adult Rhode Island resident may file a verified statement with the probate court once 30 days have passed since death and no petition for letters has been filed. The filer becomes a voluntary administrator who collects the assets, pays funeral and other debts in the order set by law, and distributes the rest. The filing fee is $30 and the certificate of appointment is $5. Real estate is not covered. Limit last amended by P.L. 2011, ch. 363. Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-24-1 |
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| Probate steps | The will is presented to the probate court and the executor named in it (or an administrator, if there is no will) is appointed and gives bond; notice of the appointment is published. Within 90 days after appointment (or longer if the court allows), the executor or administrator files a sworn inventory with appraised values of the personal property as of the date of death. Creditors have six months from first publication to file claims; debts are paid, accounts are filed with the court, and the estate is distributed. |
| Signing and recording a deed | A deed must be in writing, signed by the grantor, acknowledged, delivered, and recorded in the land evidence records of the city or town where the land is located. A realty conveyance tax of $3.75 per $500 of consideration applies when the price exceeds $100 (paid by the seller unless agreed otherwise). For residential property, an additional $3.75 per $500 applies to the part of the price above a threshold that is indexed yearly; for 2026 the threshold is $824,000. Tax rates: § 44-25-1 (most recently amended effective October 1, 2025) and Division of Taxation Advisory 2026-01. |
| Transfer-on-death deed | Rhode Island's probate title (Title 33) contains no transfer-on-death deed chapter; proposed Uniform Real Property Transfer on Death Act bills have been introduced but are not part of the General Laws. Check for new legislation before relying on this. |
All Rhode Island wills, probate and estate rules · Eviction court and tenant help in Providence County (Providence)
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.