We use QCD sum rules to estimate the universal form factors describing thesemileptonic B decays into excited charmed resonances, such as the $1^-$ and$2^-$ states $D_1^{*}$ and $D_2^{*}$ belonging to the $s_\ell^P={3/2}^-$ heavyquark doublet, and the $2^-$ and $3^-$ states $D_2^{*\prime}$ and $D_3$belonging to the $s_\ell^P={5\2}^-$ doublet.