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R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-24-1 · checked 2026-10-20
Rhode Island small estate affidavit limit
In Rhode Island the small estate voluntary administration is available when the value of the estate, not counting tangible personal property is $15,000 or less, and it can be used 30 days after the death. It works through an affidavit or sworn statement filed with the court or its clerk.
- 1Dollar limit $15,000
- 2Waiting period 30 days
- 3Filed with Court
- 4Statute R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-24-1
What R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-24-1 says
The operative words of the statute, as read on 2026-10-20:
“fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000)”
That test is applied to the value of the estate, not counting tangible personal property. The estate must consist entirely of personal property. The sworn statement goes to the probate court of the city or town where the decedent lived, with a death certificate; the statute sets a $30 filing fee and $5 for the certification of appointment.
Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-24-1. Last checked 2026-10-20.
Worked examples against the $15,000 limit
| Estate value | Result under R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-24-1 |
|---|---|
| $9,000 | Within the limit |
| $15,000 | Within the limit |
| $16,000 | Over the limit by $1,000: the small-estate route is closed |
Values are the estate as the statute measures it — value of the estate, not counting tangible personal property — not everything the person owned. Rhode Island's figure is $47,500 below the $62,500 median of the 48 jurisdictions with a dollar limit on this site, ranking 48th from the top.
When the route opens
The statute requires 30 days to pass after the death. For a death on January 15, 2026, the earliest date is February 14, 2026. 7 of the 31 jurisdictions with a written wait make people wait longer and 3 wait less; the median is 30 days.
If the estate goes through full probate instead, creditors have 6 months counted from first publication (R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-11-5(a)). The Rhode Island probate timeline works those dates through.
Filing and fees
The sworn statement goes to the court or its clerk, which keeps it on file. R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-24-1 sets a $30 fee to file the statement and $5 for the clerk's certification of appointment.
The free route is the probate court itself: the clerk or register in the county where the person lived can say which form the court uses for the small estate voluntary administration and what it charges. This site does not supply forms or refer anyone to a lawyer.
Nearby New England jurisdictions
Connecticut: $40,000; Maine: $40,000 base after 30 days; Massachusetts: $25,000 after 30 days; New Hampshire: no dollar cap; Vermont: $45,000.
Related: small estate limits compared · assets that skip probate · all 51 jurisdictions.
General information from the statute as written on 2026-10-20; not legal advice. Statutes change, courts add local rules, and the facts of an estate decide which route applies. Confirm with the Rhode Island probate court or its self-help center before filing.