The figures on this page are general estimates. Laws, fees, thresholds, and prices differ by state and change often, and your own situation may change the result. Before you act, confirm the current numbers and rules for Rhode Island with a licensed professional — an attorney, tax advisor, or licensed agent as appropriate. Reading this page does not create a professional relationship.
When the clock starts in Rhode Island
The single fact that governs every other date on this page: in Rhode Island the creditor-claim period runs from the date of first publication — though the notice form the statute itself prescribes tells creditors the period runs from qualification.
This is not the same in every state. Some states run the period from the date of death, others from the date letters are issued to the personal representative, others from first publication of the notice to creditors. A deadline calculated from the wrong event is simply wrong, and a missed claim deadline is not curable.
Rhode Island deadlines at a glance
| Deadline | Rhode Island | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory | Ninety days after appointment, or such longer period as the probate court allows. The inventory is returned to the probate court under oath and covers all personal property, tangible and intangible, plus all claims, rights, causes of action and other assets — but not real property — with an appraisal as of the date of death. | R.I. Gen. Laws §33-9-1 |
| Creditor claim period | Six months from the first publication. Rhode Island's chapter contains a discrepancy on this point that it does not resolve: §33-11-5(a) measures the period from first publication, while the notice form §33-11-5.1(b) prescribes — and which a personal representative is conclusively presumed to have complied with by sending — tells the creditor to present a claim "within six (6) months after qualification." Those are two different dates whenever publication and qualification do not coincide. A personal representative who knows of, or can reasonably ascertain, a creditor must take reasonable steps to see that they receive notice of the commencement of the estate, and is not liable to the creditor for giving or failing to give it (§33-11-5.1(a)). Where the decedent was 55 or older at death, notice must also go to the executive office of health and human services (§33-11-5.1©). | R.I. Gen. Laws §§33-11-5(a), 33-11-5.1(b) |
| Outer claim bar | Two years from the date of first publication, and before any order of distribution has been made — no personal representative answers a creditor's suit commenced after that, except on the fiduciary's bond or as otherwise provided (§33-11-50). Before then, a creditor who missed the six months by reason of accident, mistake, excusable neglect, or lack of adequate notice of the estate may petition the probate court for leave to present a claim out of time, at any point before distribution. Notice under §33-11-5.1 given at least 60 days before the six months expires is deemed adequate for this purpose, which forecloses the lack-of-notice ground. Leave is discretionary and on the court's terms; a late claim, if allowed, is paid only out of the assets in the personal representative's hands when notice of the petition was received. There is no de novo appeal to the superior court from an order granting leave (§33-11-5(b), ©). | R.I. Gen. Laws §§33-11-50, 33-11-5(b), © |
| Closing / final distribution | No fixed date. The account is returned to the probate court on completion of the period of administration, and at such other times as the court requires under §33-14-4. No interim accounting is required unless an interested party requests one, and the court may excuse an interim accounting for good cause. A personal representative who is the sole beneficiary, or who files a release from every beneficiary, may file an affidavit of completed administration in lieu of a final account, with evidence that Rhode Island estate and inheritance taxes are satisfied, the funeral bill is paid, and all filed claims are satisfied. | R.I. Gen. Laws §33-14-1 |
The inventory deadline, as written
Every administrator and every executor, shall, within ninety (90) days after his or her appointment or such longer period as may be allowed by the probate court, return to the probate court, under oath, a true inventory of all the personal property, both tangible and intangible, and of all claims, rights, causes of actions and other assets, other than real property, of the deceased, with an appraisement thereof as of the date of the decedent's death.
— R.I. Gen. Laws §33-9-1
The creditor-claim period, as written
Claims shall be presented within six (6) months from the first publication or be forever barred, subject to extensions granted pursuant to subsection 33-11-5(b).
— R.I. Gen. Laws §§33-11-5(a), 33-11-5.1(b)
What this page does not state
Where a figure is not recorded above, it is because it was not found in the statute cited — not because no deadline exists. Court rules, local rules, and standing orders set additional dates that are not part of the statutory text, and those are not reproduced here. Confirm every date against the Rhode Island court handling the estate.
Sources
- Statutes: R.I. Gen. Laws §33-9-1; R.I. Gen. Laws §§33-11-5(a), 33-11-5.1(b); R.I. Gen. Laws §§33-11-50, 33-11-5(b), ©; R.I. Gen. Laws §33-14-1
- Authority: Rhode Island General Assembly, R.I. General Laws (rilegislature.gov)
- Source URL: https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE33/33-11/33-11-5.htm
- Verified: 2026-08-21
Related Rhode Island guides
- How Long Does Probate Take in Rhode Island? — the overall timeline these deadlines sit inside.
- How much does probate cost in Rhode Island? — the cost side.
- How Much Does an Executor Get Paid in Rhode Island? — compensation for the work.
- Rhode Island Probate Fee Sheet — printable one-page reference.
- Executor Duties: The Complete Checklist — what the role involves.
Executor deadlines in other states
Arizona · California · Delaware · Florida · Idaho · Illinois · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Minnesota · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · South Carolina · Texas · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming
This page reproduces Rhode Island statutory deadlines as published at the time of verification. It is not legal advice. Statutes are amended, court rules impose additional dates, and application depends on the specific estate. Confirm every date with the Rhode Island court or a licensed Rhode Island attorney.