Back to Illinois
Boone County, IL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Boone County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, Boone County |
| Filing office | Boone County Circuit Clerk, 601 North Main Street, Belvidere, IL 61008 |
| Construction entrance | The Circuit Clerk directs visitors to a temporary Webster Street entrance at the back of the courthouse during construction. |
| Phone | (815) 544-0371 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Filing fee | Administration of a Decedent's Estate is $384.00, effective December 12, 2025. Confirm the current amount with the Boone County Circuit Clerk. Circuit clerk fees are governed by 705 ILCS 105/27.1b. |
| Local forms | No Boone County decedent-estate probate packet is published on the Circuit Clerk site. Illinois does not publish a statewide decedent-estate form set. |
| E-filing | Required for civil cases in Boone County as of January 1, 2018. The Circuit Clerk names Odyssey and i2File as providers and provides two scanning stations during regular business hours. An original will may not be e-filed and must be delivered or mailed to the Circuit Clerk under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(c)(1). |
| Case search | Boone County uses judici.com at the Boone County court entry page. If an estate does not appear there, ask the Circuit Clerk about access. |
| Remote appearance | Zoom access is used for some Boone County proceedings. Confirm whether your probate matter qualifies and get the current meeting information from the Circuit Clerk. |
| Website | https://boonecircuitclerk.us/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Boone County, list what the decedent owned, how each asset was titled, who is named as beneficiary and what debts may exist. Probate is often needed for assets titled only in the decedent's name, and the filing plan changes if the estate includes real estate, a contested will or unpaid claims.
Sunset can support estate settlement before the first court filing by helping search for accounts across more than 2,300 financial institutions and organizing what you know into a usable probate roadmap. That preparation makes it easier to decide what to e-file, what must be mailed or delivered, and what to ask the Boone County Circuit Clerk.
Which court handles jurisdiction
One courthouse serves Boone County probate filings: the Boone County Courthouse at 601 North Main Street in Belvidere. The Circuit Clerk currently directs visitors to a temporary Webster Street entrance during construction. Boone County communities served by this filing office include Belvidere and the rest of Boone County.
Boone County is in the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit with Winnebago County, but each county keeps its own Circuit Clerk and courthouse. File a Boone County estate with the Boone County Circuit Clerk in Belvidere, not with the Winnebago County Circuit Clerk in Rockford.
Illinois venue is county-based. Probate or administration is in the county where the decedent had a known place of residence, or if there was no Illinois residence, where the greater part of the real estate is located, or if there is no Illinois residence and no Illinois real estate, where the greater part of the personal estate is located (755 ILCS 5/5-1).
The jurisdiction process
- Locate the original will, if there is one. Anyone holding the will must file it with the Circuit Clerk immediately after death (755 ILCS 5/6-1), and a person named as executor has 30 days after learning of the appointment to open a case or decline (755 ILCS 5/6-3). An original will may not be e-filed under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(c)(1), so deliver or mail it to the Boone County Circuit Clerk in Belvidere.
- Prepare the petition to admit the will, if any, and to issue letters of office under 755 ILCS 5, together with heirship information, oath, bond materials and any proposed orders the Circuit Clerk or court requires. Illinois uses letters of office under 755 ILCS 5 as the authority document, with letters testamentary for an executor under a will and letters of administration for an administrator.
- E-file the petition and supporting papers through eFileIL. Boone County states that civil e-filing has been mandatory since January 1, 2018, and the Circuit Clerk names Odyssey and i2File as providers. If you cannot e-file, use the statewide Certification for Exemption From E-filing under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(d).
- Pay the Boone County filing fee. Administration of a Decedent's Estate is $384.00, effective December 12, 2025. Confirm the current amount with the Boone County Circuit Clerk before filing.
- Prove heirship and ask the court to appoint the representative. Illinois courts grant independent administration under Article XXVIII unless the will forbids it or a proper objection or protective issue requires otherwise (755 ILCS 5/28-2). Supervised administration is the court-supervised track outside Article XXVIII (755 ILCS 5/1-2.16).
- Attend any required hearing or present the order as directed. Zoom access is used for some Boone County proceedings, but availability depends on the judge and matter. Confirm the current remote-appearance instructions with the Circuit Clerk.
- After appointment, obtain certified copies of letters of office under 755 ILCS 5 from the Circuit Clerk. Boone County lists certified copies of letters of office at $2.00, effective December 12, 2025.
- Give required notices. The representative mails notice to heirs and legatees within 14 days after the order, with publication if an address is not stated (755 ILCS 5/6-10). The representative also publishes creditor notice once each week for 3 successive weeks in a county newspaper and files proof of publication, creating the claims deadline of at least six months from first publication under 755 ILCS 5/18-3.
- Administer the estate by collecting assets, addressing claims, handling taxes and expenses, and selling property only when authority is in place. Boone County lists a Petition to Sell Real Estate at $50.00, effective December 12, 2025.
- Close the estate when administration is complete. If the case remains open after the 12th month following issuance of letters of office under 755 ILCS 5, Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Local Rule 15.005 places it on a progress call unless it has been terminated, closing papers have been filed or a written request for more time has been submitted.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Boone County
Boone County does not publish a decedent-estate probate packet on the Circuit Clerk site. Illinois also has no statewide standardized decedent-estate form set, so ask the Boone County Circuit Clerk what petition, order, oath, bond, heirship and closing papers the court expects for your situation.
The statewide forms that still matter in a Boone County probate filing are the Appearance, the Fee Waiver for Civil Cases and the Certification for Exemption From E-filing. Every Illinois court must accept approved statewide standardized forms. If you are e-filing, use eFileIL through the providers named by the Boone County Circuit Clerk, and deliver or mail the original will because Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(c)(1) bars e-filing an original will.
Fees
| Boone County fee item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Administration of Decedent's Estate | $384.00, effective December 12, 2025 |
| Administration of a Missing Person's Estate | $384.00, effective December 12, 2025 |
| Wrongful Death probate matter | $284.00, effective December 12, 2025 |
| Probate appearance | $209.00, effective December 12, 2025, with no fee for the purpose of consent or for the appearance of an executor or administrator |
| Petition to Sell Real Estate | $50.00, effective December 12, 2025 |
| Claim, petition or supplemental proceeding seeking equitable relief, including construction or contest of a will | $60.00, effective December 12, 2025 |
| Accounting other than final account, if not waived | $25.00, effective December 12, 2025 |
| Claim from $150.00 to $500.00 | $25.00, effective December 12, 2025 |
| Claim from $500.01 to $10,000.00 | $40.00, effective December 12, 2025 |
| Claim over $10,000.00 | $60.00, effective December 12, 2025 |
| Certified copy of letters of office under 755 ILCS 5 | $2.00, effective December 12, 2025 |
| Exemplification fee | $4.00, effective December 12, 2025 |
The schedule also states that publication costs are paid directly to the newspapers by the executor, administrator, guardian, petitioner, other interested person or counsel. Confirm the current fee before filing.
Local nuance
Boone County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in Boone County |
|---|---|
| Temporary courthouse entrance | The Boone County Circuit Clerk directs courthouse visitors to a temporary Webster Street entrance at the back of the courthouse during construction. Confirm access instructions before going to 601 North Main Street in Belvidere. |
| Zoom access | Boone County uses judge-specific Zoom access for some proceedings. Do not assume a probate hearing is remote. Confirm whether your matter qualifies and get the current meeting information from the Circuit Clerk. |
| Seventeenth Judicial Circuit progress calls | Local Rule 15.005 places estates, including decedent's estates that are independently administered under Article XXVIII, on a progress call after the 12th month following issuance of letters of office under 755 ILCS 5. The representative must report on progress, file closing papers or ask in writing for more time. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Boone County Circuit Clerk fee schedule | The Boone County filing fee schedule is effective December 12, 2025. Administration of a Decedent's Estate is $384.00, effective December 12, 2025, probate appearance is $209.00, effective December 12, 2025, and claim tiers are $25.00, $40.00 and $60.00, effective December 12, 2025. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Persona | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Confirm whether the home passes outside probate by title or beneficiary arrangement. For assets in the decedent's sole name, e-file the petition through eFileIL, deliver or mail the original will to the Boone County Circuit Clerk, and plan for the Administration of a Decedent's Estate fee of $384.00, effective December 12, 2025. | Sunset helps identify accounts and title issues, organizes the filing information and prepares the spouse for Boone County's original-will and e-filing steps. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Call the Boone County Circuit Clerk at (815) 544-0371 before travel. Many papers can be e-filed, and Zoom may be available for some proceedings, but the original will must still be delivered or mailed to Belvidere. Boone County follows the January 1, 2018 civil e-filing date. | Sunset helps the child sort assets, decide whether a court filing is needed and coordinate estate settlement steps that can be handled remotely. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of real estate usually requires letters of office under 755 ILCS 5 from the Boone County case. The Boone County schedule lists a Petition to Sell Real Estate at $50.00, effective December 12, 2025, and certified copies of letters of office under 755 ILCS 5 at $2.00, effective December 12, 2025. If the case is still open a year after letters issue, Local Rule 15.005 may place it on a progress call. | Sunset helps organize property, creditor and heir information, then connects the parent with a vetted Illinois probate attorney if the sale or progress-call requirements need legal help. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Boone County Circuit Clerk | Filing office for Boone County estates at 601 North Main Street, Belvidere, IL 61008, with a temporary Webster Street construction entrance. Phone: (815) 544-0371. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Boone County Legal Self-Help Center | Listed by Illinois Legal Aid Online at the Boone County Courthouse, 601 North Main Street, 2nd Floor Law Library, Belvidere, IL 61008, (815) 544-3103. Its listing says the location is currently closed, so call before going. |
| Prairie State Legal Services, Rockford Office | Legal aid office serving Boone County. Address: 303 North Main Street, Suite 600, Rockford, IL 61101. Phone: (815) 965-2902. |
| Illinois Legal Aid Online, how do I settle an estate after someone dies | Statewide plain-language guide to estate settlement after a death. |
| Illinois Courts approved statewide standardized forms | Use for the statewide Appearance, Fee Waiver for Civil Cases and Certification for Exemption From E-filing. Illinois courts must accept approved statewide standardized forms. |
| eFileIL | Statewide electronic filing system. The Boone County Circuit Clerk names Odyssey and i2File as filing providers. |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts, policies and other assets before you decide whether Boone County probate is needed. That asset inventory gives the estate settlement a clearer starting point.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the information needed for the petition, heir and legatee details, asset list, creditor information and court-ready next steps. In Boone County, Sunset also flags the original-will delivery rule and the local fee schedule so the filing plan matches the Circuit Clerk's process.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Boone County estate needs a home sale, contested papers, court supervision outside Article XXVIII or help with the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit progress call, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Illinois probate attorney serving Boone County.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset's estate settlement tools are free for families, and families can choose whether they want attorney help, document support or both.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Boone County?
File with the Boone County Circuit Clerk at 601 North Main Street in Belvidere. Boone County shares the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit with Winnebago County, but a Boone County estate is filed with Boone's own Circuit Clerk, not in Rockford. Venue follows the Illinois Probate Act of 1975: the county of the decedent's known residence, then the county holding the greater part of the real estate, then the county holding the greater part of the personal estate (755 ILCS 5/5-1).
Do I have to e-file probate papers in Boone County?
Yes. Boone County states that electronic filing is mandatory for all civil cases as of January 1, 2018, and probate is a civil case under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(a). The Circuit Clerk names Odyssey and i2File as providers, and self-represented filers who cannot e-file may use the statewide Certification for Exemption From E-filing under Rule 9(d). An original will may not be e-filed and must be delivered or mailed to the Circuit Clerk under Rule 9(c)(1).
How much does probate cost in Boone County?
The Boone County Circuit Clerk's fee schedule lists Administration of a Decedent's Estate at $384.00, effective December 12, 2025. The same schedule lists a probate appearance at $209.00, effective December 12, 2025, with no fee for the purpose of consent or for the appearance of an executor or administrator. Confirm the current fee with the Circuit Clerk before filing.
Can I appear remotely in a Boone County probate matter?
Zoom access is used for some Boone County proceedings. Ask the Circuit Clerk whether your hearing qualifies, whether the judge requires an in-person appearance and what current meeting information applies.
Are there Boone County probate forms?
No Boone County decedent-estate probate packet is published on the Circuit Clerk site, and Illinois does not publish a statewide standardized decedent-estate form set. Ask the Circuit Clerk what local documents the court expects, and use the statewide Appearance, civil fee waiver and e-filing exemption forms when they apply.
How do I look up a Boone County probate case?
Start with the Boone County judici.com entry page. The Circuit Clerk states that cases since August 1993 may be searched there. If an estate is not listed, contact the Circuit Clerk about how to review the file or request a search.
What happens if a Boone County estate stays open more than a year?
The Seventeenth Judicial Circuit's probate Local Rule 15.005 places estates, including decedent's estates that are independently administered under Article XXVIII, on a progress call after the 12th month following issuance of letters of office under 755 ILCS 5. The representative reports on progress, files closing papers or asks in writing for more time.
Do I have to travel to Belvidere if I live outside Illinois?
Many papers can be e-filed, and some proceedings may use Zoom, but the original will still must be delivered or mailed to the Boone County Circuit Clerk. Call the Circuit Clerk before travel to confirm whether your matter requires an in-person appearance.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.