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Bureau County, IL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Bureau County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, Bureau County |
| Filing office | Bureau County Circuit Clerk, Bureau County Courthouse, 700 South Main Street, Room 100, Princeton, IL 61356 |
| Mailing | Mail to the courthouse address: 700 South Main Street, Princeton, IL 61356 |
| Phone | (815) 872-2001 |
| Fax | (815) 872-0027 |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Filing fee | Bureau County's fee schedule, effective January 1, 2022, lists Probate (PR) in Schedule 1 under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b at $326.00 to file and $201.00 to appear. Call the Circuit Clerk to confirm the current amount before filing. |
| Will deposit | The county fee schedule lists $0.00, effective January 1, 2022, to file a will alone under 755 ILCS 5/6-1 when no administration is opened. |
| Local forms | No Bureau County decedent-estate petition, oath, inventory, account or small estate affidavit form is published. Illinois statewide forms still cover e-filing exemption, fee waiver and appearance. |
| E-filing | Probate filings are civil filings, so e-filing is required under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(a), with the Rule 9(d) exemption process for self-represented filers who cannot e-file. An original will cannot be e-filed and must be delivered or mailed to the Circuit Clerk under Rule 9(c)(1). |
| Case search | Bureau County uses Judici at the county entry point with court code IL006015J. If an estate case is not visible online, call the Circuit Clerk. |
| Remote appearance | The Circuit Clerk offers a Virtual Court Appearance option by Zoom. Confirm whether your hearing qualifies before relying on a remote appearance. |
| Website | Bureau County Circuit Clerk |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing in Bureau County, make a practical inventory of what the person owned, how each asset was titled, whether beneficiary designations exist and what debts are known. That first pass determines whether you need letters of office under 755 ILCS 5, whether the original will must be delivered to Princeton, and what fee or notice step comes next.
Sunset can support estate settlement by searching across more than 2,300 financial institutions for accounts and assets, then helping you organize what belongs in the probate packet. That work is especially helpful in Bureau County because no local decedent-estate form packet is published.
Which court handles jurisdiction
One courthouse serves Bureau County probate filings: the Bureau County Courthouse, 700 South Main Street, Room 100, Princeton, IL 61356. The filing office is the Bureau County Circuit Clerk, not a county clerk and not a filing counter in another county.
Bureau County is part of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit with LaSalle and Grundy Counties. That shared circuit structure does not move a Bureau County estate to Ottawa or Morris. Illinois venue is the county of the decedent's known place of residence, then the county with the greater part of Illinois real estate, then the county with the greater part of Illinois personal estate (755 ILCS 5/5-1).
The jurisdiction process
- Collect the will and asset information. Anyone who has the will must file it with the Bureau County Circuit Clerk immediately after death (755 ILCS 5/6-1). A person named as executor has 30 days after learning of the appointment to open a case or decline, under 755 ILCS 5/6-3.
- Deliver or mail the original will to Princeton. E-filed documents go through the Illinois civil e-filing system, but an original will cannot be e-filed under Rule 9(c)(1). Send or bring it to the Bureau County Circuit Clerk, 700 South Main Street, Room 100, Princeton, IL 61356.
- Prepare the petition and supporting papers. Bureau County does not publish a local decedent-estate packet, so the petition to admit the will or seek letters of office under 755 ILCS 5 is prepared for the estate. The petition usually addresses heirship under 755 ILCS 5/5-3 and the requested representative.
- E-file the petition and pay the Bureau County filing fee. Bureau County's fee schedule, effective January 1, 2022, lists Probate (PR) cases in Schedule 1 under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b at $326.00 to file and $201.00 to appear. Confirm the current amount with the Circuit Clerk before filing.
- Ask the court for the administration order. Under the Illinois Probate Act of 1975, the court grants independent administration under Article XXVIII unless the will forbids it or an interested person objects (755 ILCS 5/28-2). If the court appoints a representative, the representative must take the oath and address bond under 755 ILCS 5/12-2.
- Receive letters of office. Letters of office are the authority papers issued under 755 ILCS 5. When there is a will, the letters may be letters testamentary under 755 ILCS 5/6-8. When there is no will, the letters are letters of administration under Article IX.
- Give required notices. After the order, send notice to heirs and legatees within 14 days where required, and publish if an address is not stated (755 ILCS 5/6-10). The representative also publishes the creditor notice once each week for three successive weeks in a newspaper published in the county and files proof with the clerk, starting the six months claims period under 755 ILCS 5/18-3.
- Administer and close the estate. The representative gathers assets, handles inventory obligations, pays allowed claims, distributes property and closes the estate through the accounting or closing procedure that fits the case. For an independent representative under Article XXVIII, fewer court orders may be needed, but the Bureau County file still must be closed properly.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Bureau County
Bureau County does not publish a local decedent-estate probate packet for a petition, oath, inventory, account or small estate affidavit. Illinois also has no statewide standardized decedent-estate form set, so the documents for letters of office under 755 ILCS 5 are usually prepared for the specific estate rather than pulled from a county template.
The statewide Illinois forms that can matter in a Bureau County estate are the Certification for Exemption From E-filing, the Application for Waiver of Court Fees for civil cases and the Appearance. Every Illinois court must accept the approved statewide standardized forms that apply to the filing.
Fees
Bureau County publishes its own civil fee schedule for the Circuit Clerk. The schedule is headed effective January 1, 2022, and lists Probate (PR) cases in Schedule 1 under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b at $326.00 to file and $201.00 to appear. Because the schedule is several years old, call the Bureau County Circuit Clerk at (815) 872-2001 to confirm the current probate filing fee before submitting a petition.
The same Bureau County schedule lists $0.00, effective January 1, 2022, for filing a will alone under 755 ILCS 5/6-1 when no estate administration is opened. The schedule does not publish a Bureau County figure for claims, certified letters of office under 755 ILCS 5, or copies, so confirm those costs with the Circuit Clerk if you need them.
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Bureau County fee schedule effective January 1, 2022 | The Circuit Clerk's schedule places Probate (PR) cases in Schedule 1 under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b at $326.00 to file and $201.00 to appear, and lists $0.00 to file a will alone under 755 ILCS 5/6-1 when no administration is opened. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Bureau County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Jointly held property or accounts with beneficiaries may pass outside probate. If assets were in the decedent's sole name, the spouse e-files the petition and delivers or mails the original will to the Circuit Clerk in Princeton because Rule 9(c)(1) bars e-filing an original will. Bureau County's fee schedule, effective January 1, 2022, lists Probate (PR) at $326.00 to file and $201.00 to appear under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b. | Sunset identifies accounts, organizes title and beneficiary information, and helps decide what must be included in the estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Many filing steps can be handled from outside Illinois through e-filing, phone and email with the Circuit Clerk, and Bureau County offers a Zoom virtual appearance option. The original will still must reach Princeton by mail or in person. Filing a will alone is $0.00 under the county schedule effective January 1, 2022, when administration is not opened under 755 ILCS 5/6-1. | Sunset helps organize the assets and debts, prepare next-step documents, and decide whether a court filing is needed for estate settlement. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate where a home must be sold | Selling real estate usually requires letters of office under 755 ILCS 5. The petition is filed with the Bureau County Circuit Clerk, and the county fee schedule effective January 1, 2022, lists $326.00 to file a Probate (PR) case under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b. The representative publishes the claims notice once each week for three successive weeks in a county newspaper, and the six months claims period runs under 755 ILCS 5/18-3. | Sunset can build the asset list, flag missing accounts, generate the probate packet and connect the family with a Bureau County probate attorney. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Bureau County Circuit Clerk | Probate filing office at 700 South Main Street, Room 100, Princeton, IL 61356. Phone (815) 872-2001, fax (815) 872-0027, email [email protected]. Publishes the county fee schedule, Judici link and Virtual Court Appearance option. | Circuit Clerk website |
| Bureau County Legal Self-Help Center | Located at Princeton Public Library, 698 East Peru Street, Princeton, IL 61356, (815) 875-1331. Offers computers, internet, WiFi, online court forms and printers for legal information, not legal advice. | Bureau County self-help center |
| Prairie State Legal Services, Ottawa office | Serves Bureau, Grundy, LaSalle and Putnam Counties from 1021 Clinton Street, Ottawa, IL 61350, (815) 434-5903. Free civil legal help for eligible people. Ask whether the office can help with the estate issue before relying on it. | Prairie State offices |
| Illinois Legal Aid Online | Plain-language statewide guide to settling an estate after someone dies. | Estate guide |
| Illinois Courts approved statewide standardized forms | Provides statewide forms such as the e-filing exemption, civil fee waiver and Appearance. No decedent-estate form set is included. | Approved forms |
| eFileIL | Statewide electronic filing system, with the free Odyssey eFileIL option for civil filings. | eFileIL |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer is especially useful in a Bureau County estate settlement when a house or farmland must be sold, heirs disagree, a creditor files a claim, a will contest is possible, or a representative needs help preparing documents because no local decedent-estate packet is published. The Circuit Clerk keeps the court file and accepts filings, but cannot give legal advice. Sunset connects families with a vetted Illinois probate attorney serving Bureau County.
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 that can shape a Bureau County estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the asset list, family information and court-ready documents families often need when seeking letters of office under 755 ILCS 5 in Bureau County.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate needs legal help, Sunset connects families with a vetted Illinois probate attorney serving Bureau County.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, understand the next filing step and decide whether probate in Princeton is necessary.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Bureau County?
File with the Bureau County Circuit Clerk at the Bureau County Courthouse, 700 South Main Street, Room 100, Princeton, IL 61356. Illinois venue starts in the county where the decedent had a known place of residence, then moves to the county with the greater part of Illinois real estate, then to the county with the greater part of Illinois personal estate (755 ILCS 5/5-1).
Do I have to e-file probate papers in Bureau County?
Yes. Probate is a civil case, and Illinois requires e-filing in civil cases under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(a). If you are self-represented and cannot e-file, you may use the statewide Certification for Exemption From E-filing under Rule 9(d). An original will cannot be e-filed and must be delivered or mailed to the Circuit Clerk under Rule 9(c)(1).
How much does Bureau County probate cost?
Bureau County's fee schedule, effective January 1, 2022, lists Probate (PR) cases in Schedule 1 under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b at $326.00 to file and $201.00 to appear. Call the Circuit Clerk at (815) 872-2001 to confirm the current amount before filing.
Does it cost anything just to file a will in Bureau County?
The Bureau County fee schedule lists $0.00, effective January 1, 2022, for filing a will alone under 755 ILCS 5/6-1 when administration is not being opened. Anyone who has the will must file it with the Circuit Clerk immediately after death (755 ILCS 5/6-1).
How do I look up a Bureau County probate case?
Start with Bureau County's Judici entry point using court code IL006015J. If the estate case does not appear online, call the Circuit Clerk because online access may not show every probate filing.
Are there local probate forms in Bureau County?
No local decedent-estate petition, oath, inventory, account or small estate affidavit form is published by Bureau County. Use the statewide forms that apply, such as the e-filing exemption, civil fee waiver and Appearance, and prepare estate-specific probate documents as needed.
Can I appear remotely in a Bureau County probate hearing?
The Circuit Clerk offers a Virtual Court Appearance option by Zoom. Before the hearing, call the Circuit Clerk to confirm whether your specific probate setting may be handled remotely.
Do I have to travel to Princeton to handle a Bureau County estate?
Not always. The petition can be e-filed, and the court offers a Zoom option for some appearances. The original will still has to be delivered or mailed to the Bureau County Circuit Clerk because Rule 9(c)(1) does not allow original wills to be e-filed.
Is the Bureau County Circuit Clerk the same as the County Clerk?
No. Probate filings go to the Bureau County Circuit Clerk, also called the Clerk of the Circuit Court. The County Clerk is a separate office for functions such as vital records and elections.
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.