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Kendall County, IL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Kendall County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court of the Twenty-Third Judicial Circuit, Kendall County |
| Filing office | Kendall County Circuit Clerk, Kendall County Courthouse, 807 W. John Street, Yorkville, IL 60560 |
| Mailing address | 807 W. John Street, Yorkville, IL 60560 |
| Phone | (630) 553-4183. No separate probate line is published. |
| Fax | (630) 553-4964. The Circuit Clerk states that filings are not accepted by fax or email. |
| [email protected]. The Circuit Clerk states that filings are not accepted by email. | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Confirm current hours with the Circuit Clerk before traveling. |
| Filing fee | $406.00 to open an administration of a decedent's estate, effective October 2025. Filing a will alone has no fee, effective October 2025. Letters of office are $2.00 each, effective October 2025. Confirm current amounts with the Kendall County Circuit Clerk. |
| Local forms | Yes. The Circuit Clerk publishes a decedent-estate packet, including opening petitions, heirship affidavits, oath, bond forms, proposed orders, notices, inventory and final-report forms. |
| E-filing | Required for probate filings in Illinois civil cases, including self-represented filers, unless a Rule 9(d) exemption applies. The original will cannot be e-filed and must be delivered or mailed to the Circuit Clerk under Rule 9(c)(1). |
| Case lookup | Use the Kendall County Circuit Clerk online case lookup page at https://www.kendallcountyil.gov/offices/circuit-clerk/online-court-records. Online access is limited by the Illinois Supreme Court electronic access policy, and the courthouse viewing room is available during clerk hours. |
| Remote appearance | Available for routine non-evidentiary and uncontested probate matters. Contested and evidentiary matters are in person unless the court allows otherwise. |
| Website | https://www.kendallcountyil.gov/offices/circuit-clerk |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before opening probate in Kendall County, make a practical inventory of the estate: the original will, known heirs and legatees, accounts, vehicles, real estate, debts, funeral expenses and anything with a beneficiary or joint owner. That first pass tells you whether the estate needs letters of office under 755 ILCS 5, which Kendall County forms fit the case and whether a sale or creditor issue may require attorney help.
Sunset helps with the estate settlement groundwork before the courthouse step by searching across more than 2,300 financial institutions for accounts and assets. That gives the family a clearer picture before paying the Kendall County filing fee or asking the court to appoint a representative.
Which court handles jurisdiction
One courthouse serves Kendall County probate filings: the Kendall County Courthouse at 807 W. John Street in Yorkville. The county is in the Twenty-Third Judicial Circuit with DeKalb County, but a Kendall County estate is filed with the Kendall County Circuit Clerk in Yorkville, not at the DeKalb County courthouse in Sycamore.
Kendall County includes Yorkville, Oswego, Plano, Newark, Millbrook, Millington, Lisbon and Plattville, plus Kendall County portions of Aurora, Joliet, Minooka, Montgomery, Plainfield, Sandwich and Shorewood, together with the surrounding townships. For cross-county communities, confirm the decedent's county before filing. Illinois venue is the county of the decedent's known place of residence, then the county with the greater part of the real estate, then the county with the greater part of the personal estate (755 ILCS 5/5-1).
The jurisdiction process
- File the original will with the Kendall County Circuit Clerk if there is one. Anyone holding the will must file it immediately after the death (755 ILCS 5/6-1), and a person named as executor has 30 days from learning of the appointment either to open a case or decline (755 ILCS 5/6-3). The original will cannot be e-filed under Rule 9(c)(1); deliver or mail it to 807 W. John Street, Yorkville, IL 60560. Kendall County charges no fee to file a will, effective October 2025.
- Prepare the Kendall County opening packet. Use the Circuit Clerk's local decedent-estate forms, including the New Case Probate Information Sheet, the petition that fits the estate, heirship affidavit, oath, bond form and proposed order. If the case seeks summary administration, use the Kendall County petition tied to 755 ILCS 5/9-8. If the case seeks independent administration, Article XXVIII applies under 755 ILCS 5.
- E-file the petition and supporting papers through eFileIL unless you have a Rule 9(d) exemption. Attach a copy of the will to the e-filed petition when there is a will, but send the original will separately to the Circuit Clerk.
- Pay the Kendall County filing fee or file a fee-waiver application. The administration of a decedent's estate costs $406.00, effective October 2025, and the Circuit Clerk's fee schedule should be checked before filing. The statewide fee-waiver form may be used if the filer qualifies.
- Schedule and notice the hearing or return date. Kendall County requires original documents to be filed at least three days before a scheduled court date to be heard. The current assignment order places decedent-estate probate returns, statuses and settings on Friday mornings at 9:00 a.m.; the notice of hearing states the courtroom.
- Appear for the probate call. Routine non-evidentiary and uncontested matters may be handled by Zoom under the published courtroom procedures. Contested and evidentiary matters are in person unless the court gives permission to appear remotely.
- Obtain the order and letters of office. If the court admits the will or appoints an administrator and the representative qualifies, letters of office issue under the Probate Act. Kendall County charges $2.00 for each set of letters of office, effective October 2025, under the county schedule for documents issued under 755 ILCS 5.
- Send required notices. After the order, send notice to heirs and legatees within the time required by 755 ILCS 5/6-10. For independent administration under Article XXVIII, include the required notice of rights with the mailing.
- Publish the creditor notice and file proof. The representative publishes notice once a week for three successive weeks in a county newspaper, pays the newspaper directly and files proof with the Circuit Clerk. The claims period runs for six months from first publication, with the mailed-notice rule where it applies (755 ILCS 5/18-3).
- Administer and close the estate. Collect assets, handle the inventory, pay valid claims and expenses, sell or transfer property as authorized, prepare any required accounting or final report and submit closing papers. Kendall County assigns a nine month probate status return date at filing, so track that date as part of the estate settlement calendar.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Kendall County
Illinois does not publish statewide standardized forms for decedents' estates. Kendall County is different from many Illinois counties because the Circuit Clerk publishes a local decedent-estate packet for probate in Yorkville.
| Form group | What Kendall County publishes |
|---|---|
| Opening forms | New Case Probate Information Sheet, Petition to Admit Will and Letters Testamentary, Petition for Letters of Administration, Petition for Admission of Will and Summary Administration under 755 ILCS 5/9-8, Affidavit of Heirship forms, Oath of Representative, bond forms and proposed orders. |
| Will filing | The Circuit Clerk publishes a Receipt of Will form. The original will is delivered or mailed to the Circuit Clerk, and a copy of the will is filed with the petition. |
| Administration forms | Inventory, Independent Administration Publication Notice, Certification of Mailing or Publication, Independent Administration Mailed Notice to Creditors, Final Report of Independent Representative and Order Approving Final Report. Independent administration is the Article XXVIII track under 755 ILCS 5. |
| Supervision and notices | The packet includes supervised administration notice forms. Supervised administration is the court-supervised track outside Article XXVIII under 755 ILCS 5/1-2.16, not an Article XXVIII proceeding. |
| Self-represented and consent forms | Appearance Self-Represented and Appearance and Consent to Admission of Will and Issuance of Letters. |
| Statewide forms still used | Certification for Exemption From E-filing, Application for Waiver of Court Fees and Appearance, all available through the Illinois Courts approved statewide forms page. |
Use the Circuit Clerk's Probate Deceased page for the current packet and ask the clerk before relying on a form that appears out of date.
Fees
Kendall County publishes a probate fee schedule. The amounts below are from the Kendall County Clerk of the Circuit Court fee schedule effective October 2025. Confirm the current amount with the Circuit Clerk before filing. Illinois circuit clerk fees are set under the county-by-county framework in 705 ILCS 105/27.1b, so Kendall County's number is a Kendall County number, not a statewide probate fee.
| Fee item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Administration of decedent's estate, new probate case | $406.00, effective October 2025 |
| Appearance, except listed probate carve-outs | $231.00, effective October 2025 |
| Appearance for consent, executor, administrator, administrator to collect, guardian, guardian ad litem or special administrator | No fee, effective October 2025 |
| Letters of office | $2.00 each, effective October 2025, under the county schedule for documents issued under 755 ILCS 5 |
| Filing a will alone | No fee, effective October 2025 |
| Estate claim from $0.00 to $149.99 | No fee, effective October 2025 |
| Estate claim from $150.00 to $499.99 | $25.00, effective October 2025 |
| Estate claim from $500.00 to $9,999.00 | $40.00, effective October 2025 |
| Estate claim of $10,000.00 or more | $60.00, effective October 2025 |
| Accounting other than final accounting | $25.00, effective October 2025 |
| Final accounting | No fee, effective October 2025 |
| Copies, first page | $2.00, effective October 2025 |
| Copies, pages 2 to 20 | $0.50 per page, effective October 2025 |
| Copies, pages 21 and over | $0.25 per page, effective October 2025 |
| Certification of documents, in addition to copy fees | $6.00, effective October 2025 |
| Publication costs | Paid directly to the newspaper, not to the Circuit Clerk |
Timeline
- At filing, the Circuit Clerk assigns a nine month probate status return date under Kendall County's local rule. Treat it as a status date on the court calendar, not as a deadline to finish the estate.
- Before any scheduled court date, Kendall County says original documents must be filed with the Circuit Clerk at least three days before the court date in order to be heard.
- Routine decedent-estate probate returns, statuses and settings are placed on a Friday 9:00 a.m. call under the current judicial assignment order. Your notice of hearing states the courtroom, and the Circuit Clerk can confirm where the matter is called.
- Routine non-evidentiary and uncontested matters may be handled by Zoom under the published courtroom procedures. Contested and evidentiary matters are in person unless the court permits remote appearance.
- After appointment, the representative publishes the claims notice once a week for three successive weeks and files proof with the Circuit Clerk. The claims period runs for six months from first publication, with the mailed-notice rule where it applies (755 ILCS 5/18-3).
Local nuance
Kendall County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in Kendall County |
|---|---|
| Local probate packet | The Circuit Clerk publishes a local decedent-estate packet even though Illinois has no statewide standardized decedent-estate forms. Start with the Probate Deceased page and the clerk's forms library. |
| Original will handling | The original will cannot be e-filed. Kendall County's own fee schedule states that wills cannot be filed electronically, and the original is delivered or mailed to the Circuit Clerk at 807 W. John Street. The will-filing fee is no fee, effective October 2025. |
| Probate call | The current judicial assignment order places decedent-estate probate returns, statuses and settings on a Friday 9:00 a.m. call. The notice of hearing states the courtroom, and you should confirm the courtroom with the Circuit Clerk before traveling. |
| Remote routine matters | Routine non-evidentiary and uncontested matters can be handled by Zoom under the published courtroom procedures. Evidentiary and contested matters are in person unless the court permits otherwise. |
| Publication | The Circuit Clerk publishes a list of Kendall County legal-notice newspapers. The representative pays publication costs directly to the newspaper, then files proof with the clerk as part of the claims-notice process under 755 ILCS 5/18-3. |
Small-estate Alternatives
The Kendall County Circuit Clerk publishes a local Small Estate Affidavit form in its forms library. The affidavit is presented to the bank, transfer agent or other holder of the asset rather than filed with the court, so it does not open a Kendall County probate case and no Kendall County filing fee attaches to it. For the statewide ceiling and conditions, use the Illinois small-estate rule in 755 ILCS 5/25-1.
Recent updates
| Change | What changed |
|---|---|
| Kendall County Circuit Clerk fee schedule, effective October 2025 | The schedule revised 10-01-2025 sets the decedent-estate filing fee at $406.00, effective October 2025, letters of office at $2.00 each, effective October 2025, and filing a will at no fee, effective October 2025. |
| Kendall County judicial assignment order, effective June 2, 2025 | The current assignment order places decedent-estate probate returns, statuses and settings on a Friday 9:00 a.m. call and separates adult and minor guardianships from that decedent-estate call. |
| Twenty-Third Judicial Circuit remote appearance rule, entered March 31, 2023 | Local Rule 2023-01 sets the remote appearance framework for DeKalb and Kendall Counties, including advance approval for proceedings otherwise set in person and in-person treatment for listed contested and evidentiary matters. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Kendall County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Property held in joint tenancy or with a beneficiary designation may pass outside the estate. Sole-name assets usually require a Kendall County filing using the Circuit Clerk's packet, with the $406.00 probate filing fee, effective October 2025. If there is a will, the original is delivered or mailed to Yorkville and a copy is e-filed with the petition. | Sunset helps identify which assets are probate assets, organizes the family and asset information for the packet and helps request letters of office under 755 ILCS 5 when court authority is needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Many steps can be handled remotely: filings go through eFileIL, routine status dates and settings may be handled by Zoom, and the Circuit Clerk answers procedural questions by phone. The original will still must be mailed or delivered to the Circuit Clerk, and contested or evidentiary hearings are in person unless the court allows otherwise. | Sunset helps with estate settlement planning from out of state, including account discovery, document organization, address tracking and deciding when a Kendall County attorney should step in. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate where a home must be sold | A sale of estate real estate usually requires letters of office under 755 ILCS 5, so the estate is opened with the Kendall County Circuit Clerk. Extra letters of office cost $2.00 each, effective October 2025. The creditor notice is published through a county legal-notice newspaper, and the claims period runs for six months from first publication (755 ILCS 5/18-3). The case also receives a nine month status return date. | Sunset helps identify accounts and debts, organize documents for the petition and sale process, track the claims period and connect the family with a vetted Kendall County probate attorney when a home sale or court hearing needs counsel. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Kendall County Circuit Clerk | Filing office for estates, with the probate packet, fee schedule, e-filing links, case scheduling information and publication information. Filings are not accepted by fax or email. | 807 W. John Street, Yorkville, IL 60560; (630) 553-4183; https://www.kendallcountyil.gov/offices/circuit-clerk |
| Kendall County probate forms for a deceased person | Local forms to open and administer a decedent's estate in Kendall County. | https://www.kendallcountyil.gov/offices/circuit-clerk/probate-deceased |
| Kendall County fee schedule | Current published probate fees, effective October 2025, including the $406.00 decedent-estate filing fee, effective October 2025, the representative appearance carve-out and letters of office at $2.00 each, effective October 2025. | https://www.kendallcountyil.gov/offices/circuit-clerk/filing-fees |
| Kendall County Legal Self-Help Center | Free legal information through Illinois Legal Aid Online, with access points at the courthouse law library and the Yorkville, Oswego, Plano and Newark public libraries. Staff provide legal information, not legal advice. | https://www.illinoislegalaid.org/counties/kendall |
| Twenty-Third Judicial Circuit local rules and remote appearance rule | Local practice rules for DeKalb and Kendall Counties, including Local Rule 2023-01 for remote appearances. There is no probate-specific article. | https://www.kendallcountyil.gov/offices/judiciary/local-court-rules |
| Kendall County remote court appearances | Zoom access instructions, remote courtroom etiquette and courtroom-specific standing orders. | https://www.kendallcountyil.gov/offices/judiciary/remote-court-appearances |
| Kendall County legal-notice newspapers | County-published list for estate publication notices under 755 ILCS 5/18-3. Publication costs are paid directly to the newspaper. | https://www.kendallcountyil.gov/offices/circuit-clerk/publication-information |
| Prairie State Legal Services, West Suburban office | Legal aid program serving Kendall County for eligible low-income, elderly and disabled people. Confirm whether it can take the estate matter before relying on it. | 31W001 East North Avenue, Suite 200, West Chicago, IL 60185; (630) 690-2130; (800) 690-2130; https://pslegal.org/our-offices |
| Illinois Legal Aid Online estate guide | Plain-language statewide information about settling an estate after someone dies. | https://www.illinoislegalaid.org/legal-information/how-do-i-settle-estate-after-someone-dies |
| Illinois Courts approved statewide forms | Certification for Exemption From E-filing, Application for Waiver of Court Fees and Appearance. Illinois has no statewide standardized decedent-estate packet. | https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/documents-and-forms/approved-forms/ |
| eFileIL | Statewide electronic filing system used for Kendall County probate filings, except original wills. | https://efile.illinoiscourts.gov/ |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset's estate settlement process starts by helping families understand what exists before they choose a court path. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts, assets and liabilities that may affect a Kendall County probate filing.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the information needed for the Kendall County Circuit Clerk's forms, including the will, heirs, beneficiaries, assets, debts and documents needed to support a petition for letters of office under 755 ILCS 5.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate has a home sale, creditor dispute, contested hearing or unclear heirship, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Illinois probate attorney serving Kendall County.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset is built to make estate settlement easier for families by organizing assets, documents and next steps without charging families for the core platform.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file for probate in Kendall County?
File with the Kendall County Circuit Clerk at the Kendall County Courthouse, 807 W. John Street, Yorkville, IL 60560. Venue follows the decedent's known county of residence first, 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).
How much does it cost to open an estate in Kendall County?
The Circuit Clerk's schedule lists $406.00 to open an administration of a decedent's estate, effective October 2025. Letters of office are $2.00 each, effective October 2025, under the county schedule for documents issued under 755 ILCS 5. Confirm current amounts with the Circuit Clerk.
Does Kendall County have probate forms?
Yes. The Kendall County Circuit Clerk publishes a local decedent-estate packet, including opening petitions, heirship affidavits, oath and bond forms, notices, inventory forms and final-report forms. Illinois does not publish a statewide standardized decedent-estate form set, so Kendall County's packet is an important local estate settlement tool.
Do I have to e-file in Kendall County probate?
Yes, probate filings are civil filings and e-filing is required under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(a). A self-represented filer who cannot e-file may use the standardized Certification for Exemption From E-filing under Rule 9(d). The original will cannot be e-filed and must be delivered or mailed to the Circuit Clerk under Rule 9(c)(1).
What do I do with the original will in Kendall County?
Anyone holding the will must file it with the Circuit Clerk immediately after the death (755 ILCS 5/6-1). In Kendall County, the original will is delivered or mailed to 807 W. John Street in Yorkville, while a copy of the will is filed with the e-filed petition. There is no fee to file a will, effective October 2025.
Can I appear remotely in a Kendall County probate case?
For routine non-evidentiary and uncontested probate matters, including status dates, agreed orders and settings, remote appearance is available by Zoom without prior court approval under the courtroom procedures now published for the probate call. Contested and evidentiary matters are in person unless the court allows otherwise. If a hearing is otherwise set in person, Local Rule 2023-01 requires advance approval and notice to the other side at least three business days before the proceeding.
When is the probate call in Kendall County?
Kendall County's current judicial assignment order places decedent-estate probate returns, statuses and settings on a Friday 9:00 a.m. call, with routine matters limited to fifteen minutes or less. The notice of hearing names the courtroom and judge, and you should confirm the courtroom with the Circuit Clerk before traveling.
What is the nine month probate status date in Kendall County?
The Circuit Clerk assigns a nine month probate status return date when the case is opened. It is a docket-control date, not a deadline to finish the estate. It usually comes after the claims notice period has had time to run, because creditor notice runs for six months from first publication under 755 ILCS 5/18-3.
How do I look up a Kendall County probate case?
Start from the Circuit Clerk's online case lookup page at https://www.kendallcountyil.gov/offices/circuit-clerk/online-court-records. Online access is limited by the Illinois Supreme Court electronic access policy, so if the estate is not visible online, call the Circuit Clerk at (630) 553-4183 or use the courthouse viewing room during clerk hours.
Where do I publish the notice to creditors in Kendall County?
The representative publishes the claims notice once a week for three successive weeks in a newspaper published in the county and files proof of publication with the clerk (755 ILCS 5/18-3). Kendall County publishes a legal-notice newspaper list, and publication costs are paid directly to the newspaper.
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.