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Rhode Island · Central RI · Narragansett Bay · #259 Most Populous County in the US
Kent County, Rhode Island
Warwick, Coventry, and central Rhode Island - Rhode Island's second most populous county, home of TF Green International Airport, and the suburban backbone connecting Providence to the South County shore communities. Property tax, courts, public records, probate, and senior services for Kent County residents.
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Kent County (no functioning county government — routes to RI state agencies/town governments)
East Greenwich, RI (historical county seat)
Recommended
Kent County's assessment ratio means effective tax rates are low — but incorrect appraisals still cost money. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Warwick: Warwick Emergency Management Agency – Emergency Operations Center, 111 Veterans Memorial Drive, Warwick, RI 02886 | (401) 468-4200 | Main: (401) 468-4000; EMA Director Major Rick Rathbun; housed within the Warwick Fire Department.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-95 runs north-south through Kent County (about 10 miles south of Providence); I-295 provides a western bypass; RI-4 connects Warwick south to Washington County beaches.
Airport: T.F. Green International Airport (PVD) – Rhode Island’s primary commercial airport, located in Warwick.
Transit: RIPTA – multiple routes connect Warwick to Providence.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Warwick: City of Warwick Building Official – confirm current phone via warwickri.gov.
Notes: Kent Hospital (Kent County Memorial Hospital), 455 Toll Gate Road, Warwick, RI 02886 | (401) 737-7010, was founded in 1946 and opened in 1951 as a 90-bed community hospital; it is a founding member of Care New England, a regional health system established 1996. The Crompton Free Library building (1876, West Warwick) is NRHP-listed and now houses the Pawtuxet Valley Preservation and Historical Society.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
State: Rhode Island Office of Veterans Affairs – 560 Jefferson Blvd., Warwick, RI 02886 | (401) 921-2119; benefits counseling, referrals, homeless veteran services; burial services at the Rhode Island Veterans Cemetery in Exeter. There is no county-level veterans office in RI.
Federal: Providence VA Medical Center – accessible to the north.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Warwick: Warwick Public Library – Central Library, 600 Sandy Lane, Warwick, RI 02886/02889 | (401) 739-5440 | Fax: (401) 738-2055 | Hours: Mon-Thu 9 AM-9 PM, Fri-Sat 9 AM-5 PM; branches include Apponaug (3267 Post Road) and Norwood (328 Pawtuxet Ave).
West Warwick: Crompton Free Library building is now a historical society; confirm current West Warwick public library branch via westwarwickri.gov.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Goddard Memorial State Park (Warwick) – a genuine, well-regarded Greenwich Bay waterfront state park. The Nathanael Greene Homestead (Coventry) is a real, documented Revolutionary War site – Greene was one of George Washington’s most trusted generals.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Warwick: City Assessor’s Office – confirm current contact via warwickri.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Warwick: Warwick Animal Shelter – 101 Arthur W. Devine Blvd., Warwick, RI 02886 | (401) 468-4377 | [email protected] | Hours: Mon/Tue/Wed/Fri 12-4 PM, Sat-Sun 11 AM-3 PM, closed Thu and holidays; note Warwick Animal Control (police dispatch, (401) 468-4200) is a separate operation from the shelter itself. Dog licensing through the Warwick City Clerk’s Office, (401) 738-2006.
West Warwick: West Warwick Animal Shelter – Hay Street, West Warwick, RI | Hours: Sun-Thu 9 AM-3:30 PM.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Warwick: confirm current contact via warwickri.gov.
NOTES: This is the second county in the Rhode Island v2 redo (Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence, Washington). Because Rhode Island counties have no operating government, every section above routes to either the state agency or the relevant municipal department – this is accurate and expected, not a service gap. All contact information was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Kent County
Kent County is Rhode Island’s central suburban county – anchored by Warwick (the state’s second-largest city, population ~82,000) and forming the residential and commercial backbone connecting Providence to the state’s southern coastal communities.
Warwick is home to T.F. Green International Airport – Rhode Island’s primary commercial airport (officially Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport), which has grown significantly as an alternative to Boston Logan for southern New England travelers. The airport serves numerous direct domestic routes and some international service and is a significant economic driver for the county.
Kent Hospital in Warwick is a major community hospital and one of the county’s largest employers. New England Institute of Technology (NEIT) in East Greenwich is a private technical college focused on applied technology degrees.
East Greenwich (the county seat) is one of Rhode Island’s most affluent communities – with a charming Main Street, waterfront access, and consistently high property values. Coventry is Rhode Island’s largest town by area and a largely residential suburban community.
Rhode Island counties have no county government – all services are provided by municipalities or the state.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Rhode Island’s property tax system is entirely municipal – each of Kent County’s 5 municipalities has its own tax assessor.
The appeal process: File with your local Tax Assessment Board of Review within 90 days of the tax bill mailing date. If denied, appeal to Rhode Island Superior Court within 30 days.
Rhode Island estate tax: Above $1.733 million (2025) at rates up to 16%. No Rhode Island inheritance tax.
OWNWELL CTA: Kent County appeal deadline 90 days from tax bill. TF Green area commercial and residential appreciation has been solid. Rhode Island estate tax at $1.733M affects most homeowners with retirement savings. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Recommended
Kent County appeal deadline 90 days from tax bill. TF Green area commercial and residential appreciation has been solid. Rhode Island estate tax at $1.733M affects most homeowners with retirement savings. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
The Rhode Island Superior Court – Kent County at 222 Quaker Lane, Warwick (401-822-6900) handles major civil and criminal matters. Probate is municipal – each Kent County municipality has its own Probate Court. The Kent County Registry of Deeds (401-822-6916) at 222 Quaker Lane, Warwick maintains all land records.
Rhode Island estate tax: RI Division of Taxation administers. No RI inheritance tax.
TF Green and aviation industry: Warwick’s large airport workforce includes a mix of airline employees (with airline pension plan succession issues) and related hospitality and logistics workers.
Senior Services: The RI Division of Elderly Affairs (401-462-3000) and local senior services in Warwick (401-738-2000 ext. Senior Center) coordinate senior services and SHIP counseling.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
Coventry Town Clerk
(401) 822-9151
East Greenwich Town Clerk
(401) 886-8602
Warwick City Clerk
(401) 738-2005
West Warwick Town Clerk
(401) 822-9200
Coventry Probate Court
(401) 822-9200
East Greenwich Probate Court
(401) 886-8600
Warwick Probate Court
(401) 738-2000
West Warwick Probate Court
(401) 822-9200
Structure
Genealogy
County-level / municipal record sources
Warwick Probate Court, Warwick City Hall (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above). Records for each town in Kent County are held locally, not at a county office.
Kent County Superior Court, 222 Quaker Lane, Warwick, holds broader historical civil and land court records.
Local societies
Rhode Island Genealogical Society, based in Providence, is the state’s primary genealogical organization and a strong resource for research across all Rhode Island cities and towns, including those in Kent County.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
WHERE TO GO (for Warwick) Warwick Probate Court Warwick City Hall, 3275 Post Road, Warwick, RI 02886 (401) 738-2006 Probate Court in Warwick meets each Thursday of the month (except the fifth Thursday, when it doesn’t fall) at 8:00 AM in the City Council Chambers.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Rhode Island has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code. Probate is governed by Title 33 of the Rhode Island General Laws and is handled entirely at the municipal level – there is no county probate court anywhere in the state. The decedent’s city or town of residence determines which of Rhode Island’s 39 probate courts has jurisdiction.
Voluntary/Informal Administration by Affidavit (R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-24-1) – available when the estate consists entirely of personal property (no real estate at all) with a total value, excluding tangible personal property like furniture, of $15,000 or less. At least 30 days must have passed since death, and no petition for Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration can already be pending. A surviving spouse, child, grandchild, parent, sibling, niece, nephew, aunt, uncle, or other interested party may file a verified statement with the local probate court.
Formal Probate Administration – required whenever the estate includes any real estate, or when personal property exceeds $15,000. The original will (if any) must be filed with the local probate court within 30 days of death, along with a Petition for Probate requesting appointment of an executor (or, if there’s no will, an administrator).
Step 2: filing for administration
The will (if any) is filed with the probate court of the city or town where the decedent resided, within 30 days of death.
A Petition for Probate is filed requesting appointment of a personal representative; the local probate judge appoints an executor (named in the will) or administrator (if intestate).
The court clerk issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, along with certified copies needed to access bank accounts and other assets.
Notice must be given to all known and reasonably ascertainable creditors before a First and Final Account will be accepted.
The personal representative inventories the estate, pays valid debts and taxes, and – for any real estate – records a Certificate of Devise or Descent in the land evidence records of every city or town where the property is located.
The estate is closed once a First and Final Account (or, for smaller/simpler estates, an Affidavit of Complete Administration) is filed and accepted by the local probate court.
What it costs
Filing fees, publication costs, and other charges vary by city/town; contact the specific municipal probate court for current fees.
Rhode Island imposes a STATE ESTATE TAX on larger estates (separate from the federal estate tax) – check current thresholds, as they are periodically adjusted. Rhode Island does NOT have a separate inheritance tax.
An inheritance tax discharge (or a Statement of No Tax Due) is required before an estate can be closed, even when no tax is ultimately owed.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Coventry Probate Court
(401) 822-9200
East Greenwich Probate Court
(401) 886-8600
Warwick Probate Court
(401) 738-2000
West Warwick Probate Court
(401) 822-9200
Structure
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
(401) 222-2340
Structure
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Department of Health
3 Capitol Hill, Providence, RI 02908
(401) 222-5960
Department of Human Services (DHS)
(401) 462-5300
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
State: Rhode Island Department of Health – (401) 222-5960 | health.ri.gov; no county-level health department exists in RI.
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Recommended for Rhode Island
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