State guide
Rhode Island
Rhode Island handles adult guardianship and conservatorship in local probate courts rather than a single statewide trial court. The state’s adult guardianship law requires a decision-making assessment tool and directs courts not to appoint a guardian if the person’s needs can be met by less restrictive alternatives.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Court that handles adult guardianship
- Petitions are handled in the probate court of the city or town where the proposed ward resides, or where an out-of-state proposed ward has property; adult hearings are before a probate court judge.
- What it's called
- limited guardian/guardian (person) and conservator (estate or property)
- Official forms and self-help
- Official page →
- Filing fee
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-22-21 publishes a probate filing fee of 1% of the ward’s personal property under the court’s jurisdiction, with a minimum of $30.00 and maximum of $1,500; Providence publishes Adult Guardianships at $154.00 including filing fee, surcharge, and advertising, plus $75.00 if creditor’s notice is issued.
- Less-restrictive alternatives
- Rhode Island’s adult guardianship statute requires the court to deny guardianship if the person’s needs are being met or can be met by less restrictive alternatives, and the law favors limited guardianship when appropriate.
- Law
- R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 33-15-1 et seq.; jurisdiction in § 8-9-9; fees in § 33-22-21.
Official resources in Rhode Island
State-hosted probate forms page with Rhode Island probate forms, including PC-2.3 guardianship, PC-2.5 decision-making assessment tool, and PC-2.10 conservatorship.
Official local probate court page for Providence residents, with jurisdiction information, local rules, and links to statewide probate forms.
State program for low-income elders and adults with disabilities who need a court-appointed health-care decision maker and have no family or friends who can help.
Official probate form used in adult limited guardianship or guardianship cases.
Key facts for Rhode Island
- Every city or town in Rhode Island has its own probate court.
- Adult limited guardianship petitions use statewide form PC-2.3.
- Conservatorship uses statewide probate form PC-2.10.
- A decision-making assessment tool must be filed with each adult guardianship petition unless excused for certain temporary emergencies.
- Rhode Island law says a court shall not appoint a guardian if needs are met or can be met by less restrictive alternatives.
- The Office of Healthy Aging’s Volunteer Guardianship Program works with probate courts to match volunteer guardians with eligible adults.
County court guardianship pages in Rhode Island
| Court | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence Probate Court Providence | Providence | Not published* | Local probate court handling adult limited guardianships, minor guardianships, estates, adult adoptions, and name changes. |
| Warwick Probate Division Kent | Warwick | (401) 738-2006 | Probate division accepts probate filings, fees, advertising hearings, and docketing for Warwick Probate Court. |
| Office of Healthy Aging Volunteer Guardianship Program Providence | Cranston | 401.895.1802 | Volunteer program for court-appointed health-care decision makers for low income elders and adults with disabilities who lack family or friends to help. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Start with the statewide probate forms page and identify the probate court for the city or town where the adult resides.
- Ask the local probate court about its advertising, scheduling, and local-rule requirements before filing.
- If the adult only needs help in specific areas, review limited guardianship first and gather the required decision-making assessment tool.
Not seeing your court or county?
Not every court publishes its rules online. Try these, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from Rhode Island's population center, for comparison only):
- Worcester Probate and Family Court, Massachusetts · about 38 miles
- Worcester Probate and Family Court virtual registry, Massachusetts · about 38 miles
- Suffolk Probate and Family Court, Massachusetts · about 49 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.Office of Healthy Aging Volunteer Guardianship Program
Website →Phone: (401) 462-3000 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Rhode Island page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.