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St. Clair County, IL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | St. Clair County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit, St. Clair County. Since December 5, 2022, the Twentieth Judicial Circuit covers St. Clair County alone. |
| Filing office | St. Clair County Circuit Clerk, St. Clair County Courthouse, 10 Public Square, third floor, Belleville, IL 62220. |
| Mailing address | St. Clair County Circuit Clerk, P.O. Box 691, Belleville, IL 62222. |
| Phone | (618) 277-6832. E-filing questions: (618) 825-2334. |
| Fax | (618) 277-1562. |
| [email protected]. | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed weekends and legal holidays. |
| Filing fee | $366.00 to open administration of a decedent's estate, intestate or testate, under the St. Clair County Circuit Clerk fee book revised October 1, 2025. Filing a will alone under 755 ILCS 5/6-1 is $0 under the same fee book. Confirm the current amount with the Circuit Clerk before filing. |
| Local forms | Yes. The Circuit Clerk publishes St. Clair County probate forms, including petitions for letters, an inventory and a small estate affidavit. |
| E-filing | Required in civil cases, including probate, for filers with and without a lawyer under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(a). St. Clair County uses Odyssey eFileIL. An original will cannot be e-filed under Rule 9(c)(1) and must be delivered or mailed to the Circuit Clerk. |
| Case lookup | The Circuit Clerk publishes its own court search and a separate subscription option for electronic access to court files. St. Clair County is not on judici.com. If an estate does not appear, call the Circuit Clerk. |
| Remote appearance | Permitted at the judge's discretion under General Administrative Order 23-10. Unless the judge has already allowed remote appearances, a written request is normally due at least seven days before the proceeding. |
| Website | St. Clair County Circuit Clerk |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Belleville, identify what the decedent owned, what passed outside probate and what debts are likely. Jointly owned real estate, transfer-on-death arrangements and named beneficiaries can change whether a St. Clair County estate is needed at all.
Sunset's estate settlement process starts with asset discovery across more than 2,300 institutions, then organizes the information needed for the St. Clair County forms, fee decision, e-filing and original-will delivery steps.
Which court handles jurisdiction
One courthouse serves St. Clair County probate filings: the St. Clair County Courthouse at 10 Public Square in Belleville, where the Circuit Clerk's office is on the third floor. The Circuit Clerk publishes no separate probate branch filing counter, so a decedent's estate for St. Clair County is filed with the St. Clair County Circuit Clerk in Belleville.
St. Clair County is its own judicial circuit. Since December 5, 2022, the Twentieth Judicial Circuit has consisted of St. Clair County alone. Neighboring Madison County is in a different circuit, and Monroe, Randolph, Washington and Perry are not St. Clair County probate filing locations.
The courthouse city is Belleville. Other St. Clair County communities include East St. Louis, O'Fallon, Fairview Heights, Swansea, Shiloh, Cahokia Heights, Caseyville, Mascoutah, Millstadt, Freeburg, Lebanon, New Athens, Marissa, Dupo, Smithton, Fairmont City, Washington Park, Brooklyn, East Carondelet, Sauget, Lenzburg, Fayetteville, St. Libory and Summerfield. Venue follows the Illinois Probate Act of 1975: file in the county of the decedent's known 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
- Confirm that St. Clair County is the proper venue. Use the decedent's known residence first, 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).
- Gather the will, death certificate, heirs' addresses, asset list and debt information. Anyone holding the will must file it with the proper Circuit Clerk immediately after death (755 ILCS 5/6-1).
- Choose the St. Clair County form path. Use the clerk's Petition for Probate of Will and for Letters Testamentary when there is a will, or the Petition for Letters of Administration when there is no will or no qualifying named executor. Letters of office are the Illinois authority document under 755 ILCS 5.
- E-file the petition and supporting papers through Odyssey eFileIL unless you qualify for an exemption under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(d). The St. Clair County Circuit Clerk provides public e-filing terminals during business hours.
- Deliver or mail the original will to the St. Clair County Circuit Clerk because original wills cannot be e-filed under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(c)(1). Mail goes to P.O. Box 691, Belleville, IL 62222.
- Pay the local filing fee or request a fee waiver. The St. Clair County fee book revised October 1, 2025 lists $366.00 to open administration of a decedent's estate, intestate or testate, and $0 to file a will alone under 755 ILCS 5/6-1.
- Address heirship and the hearing requirement. In an intestate estate, circuit Rule 13.04 requires a hearing and notice to the people entitled to administer or nominate unless the petitioner is the surviving spouse, is the only living heir, or has consents from everyone named in the petition.
- If you need to appear remotely, request it in writing at least seven days before the proceeding unless the judge has already provided for remote appearances. Non-evidentiary remote appearances are at the judge's discretion, and evidentiary hearings are presumed in person.
- After the court appoints the representative, complete the oath and bond requirements (755 ILCS 5/12-2). The court generally grants independent administration under Article XXVIII unless the will forbids it or an interested person objects (755 ILCS 5/28-2).
- Obtain letters of office from the Circuit Clerk. The St. Clair County fee book revised October 1, 2025 lists no fee for the original letters of office and $2.00 for each certified copy.
- Mail required notices to heirs and legatees within 14 days of the order, with publication if an address is not stated (755 ILCS 5/6-10).
- Publish the creditor notice once each week for three successive weeks in a newspaper published in the county where the estate is administered, then file proof of publication. The claims date must be not less than six months from the first publication or three months from mailing or delivery to a known creditor, whichever is later (755 ILCS 5/18-3). Publication cost is paid directly to the publisher.
- File the inventory when required, manage assets, handle claims, sell or transfer property as authorized and keep each assigned St. Clair County court date until the case is closed.
- Finish administration by accounting and distributing according to the will or Illinois law, then close the estate through the appropriate court filings. This is the final stage of estate settlement after debts, taxes, claims and transfers are addressed.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in St. Clair County
Illinois has no statewide standardized decedent-estate form set, but the St. Clair County Circuit Clerk publishes local probate forms in a Probate folder on its Documents and Forms page. The county forms are captioned for the Circuit Court of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit, St. Clair County, Illinois.
| Form | Use in St. Clair County |
|---|---|
| Petition for probate of will and for letters testamentary | Use when there is a will and the named executor is asking the court to admit the will and issue letters of office under 755 ILCS 5. |
| Petition for letters of administration | Use when there is no will or no qualifying named executor and an administrator is asking for letters of office under 755 ILCS 5. |
| Inventory | Use to list estate real and personal property for the St. Clair County estate. |
| Small estate affidavit | A local form the clerk publishes for the affidavit route. It is presented to the asset holder, not filed as a court case. |
| Certification for exemption from e-filing | Statewide form for a self-represented filer who qualifies for an e-filing exemption under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(d). |
| Application for waiver of court fees | Statewide civil fee-waiver form accepted by Illinois courts. |
| Appearance | Statewide form used when a person appears in an existing case. |
Circuit Rule 1.09 says the Chief Judge may require specified forms and that the Circuit Clerk may reject a document that does not conform to the court's form orders. Use the clerk's current posted forms or a proper facsimile.
Fees
The St. Clair County Circuit Clerk publishes a county fee book for the Circuit Court of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit. The current posted fee book is revised October 1, 2025, and says all fees are subject to change.
| Fee item | Amount from the fee book revised October 1, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Administration of a decedent's estate, intestate or testate | $366.00, including the $100.00 Guardianship and Advocacy Fee stated in the fee book revised October 1, 2025 |
| Civil appearance fee in a probate case | $189.00 under the fee book revised October 1, 2025 |
| Filing a will alone under 755 ILCS 5/6-1, with no administration | $0 under the fee book revised October 1, 2025 |
| Claim against an estate, $150.00 to $499.00 | $25.00 under the fee book revised October 1, 2025 |
| Claim against an estate, $500.00 to $9,999.00 | $40.00 under the fee book revised October 1, 2025 |
| Claim against an estate, $10,000.00 or more | $60.00 under the fee book revised October 1, 2025 |
| Original letters of office | No fee under the fee book revised October 1, 2025 |
| Each certified copy of letters of office | $2.00 under the fee book revised October 1, 2025 |
| Each accounting other than the final accounting | $25.00 under the fee book revised October 1, 2025 |
| Petition to reopen an estate | $25.00 under the fee book revised October 1, 2025 |
| Certification or authentication with seal | $6.00 under the fee book revised October 1, 2025 |
| Copies | $2.00 for the first page, $0.50 for each additional page 2 to 20, and $0.25 for each page after 20 under the fee book revised October 1, 2025 |
| Search by clerk staff | $6.00 per year searched for each individual under the fee book revised October 1, 2025 |
Publication costs are paid directly to the publisher, not to the court. If you cannot afford court costs, the fee book directs you to ask for the civil fee-waiver application under 735 ILCS 5/5-105.
Timeline
- St. Clair County does not publish a filing-to-hearing wait for decedent estates. Do not rely on a predicted appointment date until the court or Circuit Clerk gives you one.
- Under circuit Rule 6.07(B), a probate case receives an automatic status conference date set no later than sixty days from the date of filing, but that is a status cadence, not a promise that letters will issue by that date.
- Under circuit Rule 6.07(C) and (D), the court assigns future court dates until the case is closed. Missing a status conference or continued date can lead to dismissal for want of prosecution.
- In an intestate estate, circuit Rule 13.04 requires a hearing and notice before letters of administration issue unless the petitioner is the surviving spouse, is the only living heir, or has consents from everyone named in the petition.
- Under General Administrative Order 23-10, a remote-appearance request is normally made in writing at least seven days before the proceeding unless the judge has already provided for remote appearances.
Local nuance
St. Clair County-specific considerations
| Local rule or practice | What it means in St. Clair County |
|---|---|
| Single-county circuit | Since December 5, 2022, the Twentieth Judicial Circuit covers St. Clair County alone. Do not file a St. Clair County estate in a neighboring county. |
| Rule 13.04 on intestate letters | In an intestate estate, letters of administration will not issue before a hearing is scheduled and required people are notified unless the petitioner is the surviving spouse, is the only living heir, or has consents from everyone named in the petition. |
| Rule 13.05 on personal sureties | If a bond with personal sureties is offered, it must include an acknowledgement that the sureties are financially capable of meeting the obligation, unless the court excuses it for good cause or with consent of all heirs and legatees in a decedent's estate. Neither bond nor sureties are required when the estate has one beneficiary who is also the representative. |
| Rule 6.07 on status dates | Probate cases are exempt from the standard initial case management conference requirement, but they receive an automatic status conference date set no later than sixty days from filing. The court assigns future dates until the case closes, and missing a date can lead to dismissal for want of prosecution. |
| Rule 2.03 on self-represented help | Self-represented parties are held to the same standards as attorneys. Court, law library and Circuit Clerk staff cannot give legal advice or help complete forms for a specific case. |
| Remote appearance order | General Administrative Order 23-10 allows remote appearance in civil matters at the judge's discretion. Written requests are normally due at least seven days before the proceeding unless the judge has already allowed remote appearances. |
Small-estate Alternatives
The St. Clair County Circuit Clerk publishes a local Small Estate Affidavit form in the Probate folder of its Documents and Forms page. Because the form is posted by the Circuit Clerk, families often assume it is filed with the court, but the affidavit route is different: the affidavit is presented to the bank, transfer agent or other holder of the asset, not opened as a St. Clair County court case.
The clerk's local form includes the Illinois agent-for-service provision for an out-of-state affiant. If you live outside Illinois, review that service provision carefully before signing and confirm the current statutory requirements before using the form.
Recent updates
| Update | What changed locally |
|---|---|
| St. Clair County Circuit Clerk fee book revised October 1, 2025 | The current posted fee book lists $366.00 to open administration of a decedent's estate, intestate or testate, $189.00 for a probate appearance, $0 to file a will alone under 755 ILCS 5/6-1, claim fees by amount, and $2.00 for each certified copy of letters of office. |
| General Administrative Order 23-10 dated March 31, 2023 | The Twentieth Judicial Circuit set its local remote-appearance procedure for civil matters, including judge discretion, in-person presumption for evidentiary hearings and the seven-day written request rule. |
| Twentieth Judicial Circuit became a single-county circuit on December 5, 2022 | St. Clair County is now the only county in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit, which matters because older materials may describe a larger circuit. |
| Judges' Zoom meeting information revised June 12, 2025 | The Circuit Clerk posts current Zoom meeting information by courtroom, including telephone dial-in information for participants without video. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely St. Clair County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | If the home was held in a way that passes outside probate, the deed work is separate from opening an estate. Sole-name assets may require a St. Clair County petition, e-filing through Odyssey eFileIL, physical delivery or mailing of the original will, and the $366.00 estate opening fee from the fee book revised October 1, 2025. In an intestate estate, a surviving spouse is one of the Rule 13.04 situations where letters of office may issue without a hearing. | Sunset helps identify which assets pass outside probate, organizes the spouse's packet and connects the family to a St. Clair County probate attorney if a house sale or title issue needs counsel. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | The clerk publishes local forms and the petition can usually be e-filed, but the original will still has to be delivered or mailed to Belleville. Remote appearances may be requested under General Administrative Order 23-10. If the affidavit route fits, the clerk publishes a small estate affidavit, but it is presented to the asset holder rather than filed with the court. | Sunset helps the child find accounts, coordinate signatures and decide whether the affidavit route or a court estate is the practical path for estate settlement. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale generally requires letters of office from the St. Clair County estate. The clerk publishes an Inventory form, original letters of office carry no fee under the fee book revised October 1, 2025, and each certified copy is $2.00 under that same fee book. The representative publishes claims notice under 755 ILCS 5/18-3, and the publication cost is paid to the newspaper. | Sunset helps locate assets and debts, prepare the information for the inventory and letters request, and connect the parent with a vetted Illinois probate attorney for the sale and closing steps. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| St. Clair County Circuit Clerk | The filing office for estates. The office is at 10 Public Square, third floor, Belleville, IL 62220, with mail to P.O. Box 691, Belleville, IL 62222. Phone (618) 277-6832, fax (618) 277-1562, email [email protected]. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed weekends and legal holidays. |
| St. Clair County Circuit Clerk probate forms | Local fillable probate forms, including petitions for letters, an inventory and a small estate affidavit, captioned for the Circuit Court of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit, St. Clair County. |
| St. Clair County Circuit Clerk fee book | The fee book revised October 1, 2025 lists the decedent-estate filing fee, probate appearance fee, claim fees, certified letters fees and fee-waiver reference. |
| St. Clair County Legal Self-Help Center | Located in the law library on the first floor of the St. Clair County Courthouse, 10 Public Square, Belleville, IL 62220. Phone (618) 825-2634. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It offers legal information, access to forms, computers, internet access, printers, scanners and referrals, but does not give legal advice. |
| Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, Central Regional Office | The legal aid program serving St. Clair County. The Central Regional Office is in East St. Louis, with intake at 877-342-7891. Free civil legal help depends on eligibility and case type, so ask whether an estate matter can be accepted. |
| Illinois Legal Aid Online estate guide | Statewide plain-language guide to settling an estate after someone dies. |
| Illinois Courts approved statewide forms | Statewide forms every Illinois court must accept, including the Certification for Exemption From E-filing, the civil fee-waiver application and the Appearance. The list does not include a statewide decedent-estate form set. |
| eFileIL | The statewide e-filing system. St. Clair County uses Odyssey eFileIL. Tyler support is [email protected] or 1-800-297-5377, and the Circuit Clerk answers e-filing questions at (618) 825-2334. |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families identify accounts, policies and other assets before they decide whether St. Clair County probate is needed. That asset picture is the foundation of estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the information needed for St. Clair County filings, including the heirs, addresses, assets, debts and documents that drive the petition, inventory and notice steps. Where the Circuit Clerk publishes a local form, Sunset aligns the packet to the local filing path.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate includes real estate, a creditor dispute, a contested will, a bond issue or a hearing under the St. Clair County rules, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Illinois probate attorney serving St. Clair County.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the estate settlement path, find assets and get organized without paying Sunset a fee. If a lawyer is needed, Sunset makes the introduction and the family decides whether to hire that attorney.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file for probate in St. Clair County?
File with the St. Clair County Circuit Clerk at the St. Clair County Courthouse, 10 Public Square, third floor, Belleville, IL 62220. Mail that cannot be e-filed goes to P.O. Box 691, Belleville, IL 62222. Venue is the county of the decedent's known 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).
Which court handles probate in St. Clair County?
The Circuit Court of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit, St. Clair County handles probate. Since December 5, 2022, the Twentieth Judicial Circuit covers St. Clair County alone. Illinois has no separate probate court.
How much does it cost to open an estate in St. Clair County?
The St. Clair County Circuit Clerk fee book revised October 1, 2025 lists $366.00 to open administration of a decedent's estate, intestate or testate. Filing a will alone under 755 ILCS 5/6-1 is $0 under that same fee book. Confirm the current amount before filing.
Do I have to e-file probate papers in St. Clair County?
Yes. Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(a) requires e-filing in civil cases, including probate, and it applies to filers with and without a lawyer. St. Clair County uses Odyssey eFileIL and keeps public e-filing terminals in the Circuit Clerk's office during business hours. A self-represented filer who cannot e-file may use the statewide Certification for Exemption From E-filing under Rule 9(d).
What do I do with the original will in St. Clair County?
An original will cannot be e-filed under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(c)(1). Deliver it to the Circuit Clerk in Belleville or mail it to the Circuit Clerk at P.O. Box 691, Belleville, IL 62222. The fee book revised October 1, 2025 lists $0 to file a will alone under 755 ILCS 5/6-1.
Does St. Clair County have its own probate forms?
Yes. The Circuit Clerk publishes local probate forms, including petitions for letters, an inventory and a small estate affidavit. Illinois courts also accept the statewide Certification for Exemption From E-filing, civil fee-waiver application and Appearance forms.
Can I appear remotely in a St. Clair County probate case?
Remote appearance is available at the judge's discretion under General Administrative Order 23-10. Unless the judge has already provided for remote appearances, make a written request at least seven days before the proceeding. Evidentiary hearings are presumed to be in person unless the judge finds good cause for remote participation.
Will there be a hearing before letters of office are issued?
In an intestate estate, circuit Rule 13.04 says letters of administration will not issue before a hearing is scheduled and required people are notified, unless the petitioner is the surviving spouse, is the only living heir, or has consents from everyone named in the petition. Letters of office are the Illinois authority document under 755 ILCS 5.
How do I look up a St. Clair County estate case?
Start with the Circuit Clerk's court search on the clerk's website or use the public information terminals in the Circuit Clerk's office on the third floor. St. Clair County is not on judici.com. If the estate does not appear, call the Circuit Clerk at (618) 277-6832.
Do I have to travel to Belleville for St. Clair County probate?
Many steps can be handled by e-filing, mail and approved remote appearance. The original will still has to be delivered or mailed because it cannot be e-filed, and the judge can require an in-person proceeding.
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.