Connecticut Probate Court Forms: PC-200, PC-212, CT-706NT and More

The Connecticut Probate Court uses more than sixty standardized forms. Most executors need fewer than a dozen — but finding the right ones, understanding how they connect, and filing them in the correct sequence through the state's TurboCourt e-filing system is exactly what trips people up.

Here is a plain-English breakdown of the forms that matter most in a standard full estate administration, what each one does, and when you need to file it.

The "PC" Forms: What They Are and Where to Find Them

Every official probate form in Connecticut carries a "PC" prefix, maintained by the Office of the Probate Court Administrator on the CTProbate.gov portal. You can download blank copies for free. The challenge is not accessing the forms — it is knowing which ones apply to your situation and how to execute them properly.

A few critical rules before you begin:

• Original wills cannot be eFiled. They must be hand-delivered to the specific Probate Court district where the decedent resided. There are 54 districts in Connecticut; you need the right one.
• Pro se filers (no attorney) must complete identity verification with the local court clerk before their TurboCourt "Individual" account is activated. The speed of this verification varies significantly by district — some clerks complete it within a day, others take a week.
• Form revision dates matter. TurboCourt will reject petitions filed on outdated form versions. Always check the "Rev. Date" in the corner of any form before you submit.

Forms for Opening the Estate

PC-200 — Petition for Administration or Probate of Will

This is the document that officially opens a full estate administration. You file it together with the original will (if one exists) and a certified death certificate. The PC-200 triggers the court to appoint you as executor or administrator, which is what gives you legal authority to act on behalf of the estate.

PC-200CI — Confidential Information Sheet

Filed alongside the PC-200, this form contains the decedent's Social Security Number and other restricted data. It is kept separate from the public docket.

PC-211 — Affidavit for Filing Will Not for Probate

If the estate does not require full administration — because all assets pass via beneficiary designation or survivorship — you still must file the original will with the court within 30 days of death. Form PC-211 is how you do that. Missing this deadline is a violation of Connecticut law (C.G.S. § 45a-282).

PC-212 — Affidavit in Lieu of Probate (Small Estate)

This is the simplified procedure for estates where the decedent owned no real estate in their sole name and the total solely-owned personal property is $40,000 or less. If you qualify, PC-212 allows you to settle the estate without going through the full PC-200 administration process. See our guide on the Connecticut small estate affidavit for the qualifying rules in detail.

Getting Your Fiduciary Certificate (Connecticut's "Letters Testamentary")

Other states issue a document called "Letters Testamentary" or "Letters of Administration" to prove the executor's legal authority. Connecticut calls this a Fiduciary Certificate (sometimes also called a Short Certificate).

Banks will not release funds, financial institutions will not cooperate, and the DMV will not transfer vehicle titles without one. If you have been told by a bank teller that they need "Letters Testamentary" or proof of appointment, what they are asking for is the Connecticut Fiduciary Certificate.

How to obtain it: You get the Fiduciary Certificate only after the Probate Court has reviewed your PC-200 petition and issued a Decree Granting Administration or Probate of Will. The court then provides you with certified copies of the certificate. Plan to order between five and ten copies — each financial institution typically requires its own original.

There is no separate "Form PC-XXXX" for the certificate itself. The court generates it as part of the probate appointment process. This is why you cannot get the certificate without first filing the full PC-200 petition and going through the appointment hearing.

If you need the Fiduciary Certificate quickly to unfreeze a bank account or pay pressing estate bills, the fastest path is filing the PC-200 promptly and ensuring your identity is verified in TurboCourt as soon as possible.

Mid-Administration Forms

PC-203 — Safe Deposit Box Access

If the decedent had a safe deposit box, you need court authorization to open it. Form PC-203 requests that authorization.

PC-440 — Inventory

Within two months of your appointment, you must file a complete inventory of all solely-owned assets at their fair market value as of the date of death. This form is how the Probate Court knows what the estate is worth — and it is the starting point for calculating the probate fee.

Professional appraisals are frequently required for real estate, closely-held business interests, and valuable personal property. Undervaluing assets on the PC-440 creates liability risks; overvaluing them increases the probate fee unnecessarily.

PC-480 — Probate Bond

If the testator's will did not explicitly waive the bond requirement — or if the court determines one is needed — you must purchase a commercial surety bond using Form PC-480. Bond premiums typically run 0.5% to 1.0% of the estate's value per year. A $500,000 estate can generate annual premiums of $2,500 to $5,000. This is one reason experienced estate attorneys routinely recommend including an explicit bond waiver in a will.

PC-234 — Fiduciary's Notice to Creditors

Connecticut gives creditors 150 days from your appointment to file claims against the estate. By serving Form PC-234 via certified mail to known creditors, you can cut that window to 90 days — getting the estate to distribution faster. This is one of the most valuable procedural tools available to executors.

PC-237 — Return of Claims

Within 60 days after the creditor window closes, you must file this form documenting the disposition of all claims received.

Tax Forms

CT-706 NT — Connecticut Estate Tax Return for Nontaxable Estates

Here is the form that catches most Connecticut executors off guard: even if the estate is worth nowhere near the $15 million exemption threshold, you must still file this tax return with the Probate Court within six months of the date of death. The CT-706 NT is not about paying estate tax — it is the mechanism the court uses to calculate the probate fee.

Failing to file it on time, or failing to request an extension using Form CT-706 NT EXT, triggers a 0.5% per month interest penalty on the probate fee. Over an 18-month administration, that compounds to a 9% surcharge.

CT-706/709 — Connecticut Estate and Gift Tax Return

If the estate exceeds $15 million, this is the form you file with the Department of Revenue Services (DRS), with an exact copy submitted to the Probate Court. Taxable estates are rare — the vast majority of Connecticut executors will only need the CT-706 NT.

Closing the Estate

PC-241 / PC-242 — Administration Account

Before the estate can close and assets be distributed, you file a Final Administration Account — a complete, balanced ledger of all assets received and all disbursements made. Beneficiaries have the right to review and object.

PC-245 — Waiver of Right to Hearing

If beneficiaries are comfortable with the account, they can sign this waiver to skip the formal hearing and speed up the court's approval.

PC-250 / PC-251 — Certificates for Land Records

To transfer real estate to heirs or new owners, the Probate Court issues either a Certificate of Devise, Descent, or Distribution (PC-250) or a Notice for Land Records (PC-251). You then take that document to the Town Clerk in the town where the property is located and record it. Connecticut does not have county land records — each of the 169 towns maintains its own.

Recording fees run approximately $70 for the first page plus $5 per additional page, plus applicable conveyance taxes.

The Sequence Matters

These forms do not exist in isolation. Each one feeds into the next, and the Probate Court will not move forward if you have skipped a step:

1. File the will (PC-211) within 30 days
2. File the PC-200 petition to open administration
3. Post bond if required (PC-480)
4. File the inventory (PC-440) within two months of appointment
5. Notify creditors (court publication + optional PC-234)
6. File the CT-706 NT within six months of death
7. Pay the probate fee within 30 days of the court's invoice
8. File the Return of Claims (PC-237)
9. Prepare and file the Final Account (PC-241/242)
10. Record real estate transfer certificates with town clerks (PC-250/251)
11. Distribute assets and file the Affidavit of Closing

If this sequence feels manageable in outline but overwhelming in execution, the Connecticut Probate Process Guide walks through each step with the specific form numbers, filing instructions, and deadline calculations in plain English — designed specifically for non-attorneys administering a Connecticut estate.

See more Connecticut guides →