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Carver County, MN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Carver County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Carver County District Court |
| Facility | Carver County Justice Center, Chaska |
| Judicial district | First Judicial District, shared with Goodhue, Dakota, Le Sueur, McLeod, Scott and Sibley Counties (Minn. Stat. § 2.722, subd. 1) |
| Courthouse address | 604 East 4th Street, Chaska, MN 55318 |
| Mailing address | Carver County Justice Center, Carver County Court Administration, 604 East 4th Street, Chaska, MN 55318 |
| Phone | (952) 361-1420 |
| Fax | (952) 361-1491 |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, closed on court holidays |
| First paper charge | $325 as published for August 2026, made up of the $310 statutory charge and Carver County's $15 law library fee (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1); Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10) |
| Local forms | None published for probate. Carver County uses Minnesota's statewide PRO forms. |
| E-filing | Attorneys, government agencies and guardians ad litem use eFile and eServe. A self-represented personal representative may use eFile and eServe or file on paper at the Justice Center or by mail (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01). |
| Case search | Minnesota Court Records Online, including public probate documents filed on or after July 1, 2015, downloadable at no charge |
| Remote appearance | Probate is remote by default under Minnesota Judicial Council Policy 525, effective February 3, 2025. The hearing notice controls, and Carver County tells filers to call Court Administration if the notice is unclear. |
| Website | https://mncourts.gov/find-courts/carver |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing in Carver County, get a clear asset and debt picture. Minnesota asks for that information in the opening paperwork: an informal application must list approximate probate assets, non-probate assets and indebtedness by category (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 408(a)). That asset work drives the route, the notices and the estate settlement plan.
Carver County logistics are simple: one courthouse, one counter and one phone number. The harder part is knowing what belongs in the estate before the packet goes to Chaska. Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 financial institutions so the estate settlement packet is built from a complete account and title picture.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Carver County probate filings go to the Carver County District Court at the Carver County Justice Center, 604 East 4th Street in Chaska. That one location serves the whole county, including Chanhassen, Victoria, Waconia, Watertown, Norwood Young America, Carver, Cologne, Mayer, New Germany and Hamburg.
Carver County is in Minnesota's First Judicial District with Goodhue, Dakota, Le Sueur, McLeod, Scott and Sibley Counties. The judicial district is an administrative grouping, not the place where you file. A Carver County estate is filed in Carver County, and because one district bench covers seven counties, the assigned judge may not be chambered in Chaska.
Minnesota venue for the first informal or formal testacy or appointment proceeding is the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, or, if the decedent was not domiciled in Minnesota, any county where the decedent owned property at death (Minn. Stat. § 524.3-201(a)). That means Carver County can be the right place for a resident's estate, and it can also be the right place for a nonresident who left property in Carver County.
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm that Carver County is the right venue. File here if the decedent was domiciled in Carver County at death, or if the decedent was not domiciled in Minnesota but owned property in Carver County (Minn. Stat. § 524.3-201(a)).
- Choose the Minnesota route before selecting forms. Informal probate is an application to the probate registrar for an administrative determination without prior notice and without a hearing. Formal probate is a petition to a district court judge for a judicial determination after notice (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 402(a), (b); Minn. Stat. § 524.1-307).
- Assemble the statewide forms. Carver County publishes no local probate forms or local cover sheet. Use the Minnesota PRO packets, such as PRO802 for an informal case with a will, PRO702 for an informal case without a will, PRO1202 for a formal case with a will, or PRO1102 for a formal case without a will.
- Handle the original will separately. A copy of the will may be submitted electronically, but the original paper will must be deposited with the court and is not filed electronically (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(2); Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 403(e)).
- File with the Court Administrator's office. Attorneys, government agencies and guardians ad litem use eFile and eServe. A self-represented personal representative may use eFile and eServe or file on paper in person or by mail to Carver County Court Administration, Carver County Justice Center, 604 East 4th Street, Chaska, MN 55318 (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01). The office is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
- Pay the first paper charge. In Carver County, the first paper in an estate is $325 as published for August 2026: the $310 statutory charge plus Carver County's $15 law library fee (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1); Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10). The charge is paid in advance, and a filer who cannot afford it may ask the court to reduce or waive fees (Minn. Stat. §§ 357.021, subd. 3; 563.01).
- Give the required notices. An informal application is granted without prior notice, but mailing requirements still follow the application. A formal proceeding requires notice to interested persons before the hearing, and a formal testacy proceeding also requires proof of publication before the order will issue (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 404(b)).
- Watch the hearing notice. Minnesota sets probate hearings as remote by default under Judicial Council Policy 525, effective February 3, 2025, but that is not a guarantee. The hearing notice tells you whether to appear remotely or in person, and Carver County tells filers to call Court Administration at (952) 361-1420 if the notice is unclear. Use OTH1002 to ask the judge for a different appearance type.
- Receive letters after appointment. Appointment produces letters testamentary if there is a will and letters of administration if there is not. Certified copies are often needed for banks and title companies. A certified copy of any instrument is $14 as published for August 2026 (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2)).
- Administer and close the estate. Informal closing uses PRO914 no earlier than four months after original appointment, with the inventory, final account, affidavit of service and receipts. Formal settlement uses PRO1302 and discharge uses PRO1304. Later filings go back through the same Carver County case, and if a self-represented filer chose eFile and eServe, later filings in that case must also be electronic.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Carver County
Carver County publishes no local probate forms, local probate packet or local cover sheet. A Carver County filer uses Minnesota's statewide PRO forms, available from the Minnesota Judicial Branch probate forms index.
| Need | Forms |
|---|---|
| Information and duties | PRO101 Information about Probate in Minnesota; PRO908 Responsibilities of Personal Representatives |
| Informal probate with a will | PRO801 instructions; PRO802 application; PRO803 affidavit of mailing |
| Informal probate without a will | PRO701 instructions; PRO702 application; PRO703 affidavit of mailing |
| Formal probate with a will | PRO1201 instructions; PRO1202 petition; PRO1203 affidavit of service |
| Formal probate without a will | PRO1101 instructions; PRO1102 petition; PRO1103 affidavit of service |
| Appointment documents | PRO901 nomination, renunciation and bond; PRO902 acceptance and oath |
| Inventory and account | PRO912 inventory; PRO913 final account and proposal for distribution |
| Informal close | PRO911 instructions; PRO914 closing statement; PRO915 affidavit of service; PRO916 receipt for assets by distributee |
| Remote or in-person request | OTH1001 instructions; OTH1002 request for remote or in-person appearance |
If you do not have a printer, the Carver County Law Library in the same Chaska building says the public may access and print Minnesota court forms and instructions there. The statewide PRO set is useful, but it is not a complete form set for every possible probate issue.
Local nuance
Carver County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Carver County estate |
|---|---|
| One courthouse in Chaska | Carver County has one court location for probate filings: the Carver County Justice Center at 604 East 4th Street. There is one Court Administration counter and one main number, (952) 361-1420. |
| Local remote-hearing instructions | Carver County tells filers that the hearing notice directs whether to appear in person or remotely. If a notice is unclear, call Court Administration. If you are scheduled for a remote hearing and lack technology or internet access, the court says to call the same number to discuss using county equipment at the Justice Center. |
| Exhibits in contested hearings | Carver County District Court's Standing Order in Re: Exhibit Requirements, effective September 1, 2023 and amended April 24, 2026, applies to contested hearings, evidentiary hearings and trials. Proposed exhibit lists and copies are exchanged no later than the day before the hearing, and digital exhibits are uploaded and shared through the Minnesota Digital Exhibit System by that deadline. |
| Continuance requests | Carver County publishes a written continuance policy. A request must be in writing, filed before the court date, served on the other parties and explain the reason, prior continuances, whether the other parties agree or object, and a new date that works for everyone. |
| Law library and Self-Help workstation | The Carver County Law Library is on the lower level of the same Chaska building. It is open for self-service from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and the county's Self-Help phone line and computer are there. |
| Security and parking | Everyone entering the Justice Center passes a screening checkpoint, so allow time. The court publishes ample free parking in the surface lot or on the street unless otherwise posted. |
Recent updates
| Update | Date | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Carver County District Court's Standing Order in Re: Exhibit Requirements was amended. | Effective September 1, 2023; amended April 24, 2026 | For contested hearings, evidentiary hearings and trials, exhibit lists, copies and digital exhibit uploads are due no later than the day before the hearing. |
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Carver County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start at the Carver County Justice Center in Chaska and decide whether the informal route fits. If the paperwork is in order, the probate registrar can decide an informal application without prior notice and without a hearing (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 402(b)). The first paper is $325 as published for August 2026, made up of the $310 statutory charge and Carver County's $15 law library fee (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1); Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10). If Carver County real estate is being sold after an informal appointment, plan around the rule that 30 days must pass after letters issue before a certified copy of unrestricted letters is given to a purchaser or distributee (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 410(a)(1), (b)(2)(i)). | Sunset traces accounts and title first, so the spouse knows what belongs in the estate settlement and what passed outside probate before filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | A nonresident may serve as personal representative (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 407(b)). A self-represented filer may use eFile and eServe from outside Minnesota or mail paper filings to Carver County Court Administration in Chaska (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01). The original paper will still has to reach the court if there is one (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(2), 403(e)). Probate hearings are remote by default under Judicial Council Policy 525, effective February 3, 2025, but the hearing notice controls. | Sunset builds the asset picture and generates the packet remotely, so the adult child is not traveling to Chaska just to learn what is missing. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Open the estate at the Justice Center and expect letters testamentary or letters of administration to be the authority document a buyer, title company or lender asks for. Certified copies are $14 as published for August 2026 (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2)). If the appointment is informal, the 30-day real-estate timing rule under Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 410(a)(1), (b)(2)(i) should be considered before setting a closing date. If a dispute turns the sale into a contested hearing, Carver County's exhibit standing order requires exhibit exchange and digital exhibit upload no later than the day before the hearing. | Sunset finds accounts, debts and liens tied to the property before the sale is priced, reducing surprises during estate settlement. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Help Center workstation in Carver County | The workstation is available in the Carver County Law Library in the same Chaska building. It has a phone line and computer for legal information, court forms, procedures and legal resources. Self-help staff provide legal information, not legal advice. | Carver County Law Library, 604 East 4th Street, Chaska |
| Statewide Self-Help Center | Phone and email help for people representing themselves, including legal information and resources. | (651) 435-6535, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, closed on court holidays |
| Carver County Law Library | Public access to Westlaw, Minnesota court forms and instructions, and general legal information. The law library is established under chapter 134A, the same chapter that authorizes the law library fee. | (952) 361-1564. Self-service hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. |
| Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services | The civil legal aid organization serving Carver County. It is the right first call to ask whether free civil help is available, but its published case types do not include settling a decedent's estate. | 1-877-696-6529 |
| Minnesota Court Records Online | Search by name or case number, view the register of actions and download public probate documents filed on or after July 1, 2015 at no charge. | https://publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us/ |
| Judicial Branch probate help and forms | Statewide probate overview and PRO form packets for informal and formal probate. | https://mncourts.gov/help-topics/probate-wills-and-estates and https://mncourts.gov/getforms/probate |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a Minnesota probate attorney for a Carver County estate if heirs disagree, the will is ambiguous or damaged, the estate may be insolvent, a business interest is involved, a lawyer is also proposed as personal representative, or a house must be sold under time pressure. The probate registrar cannot resolve conflicts related to administration (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 415(a)(4)), so a real dispute belongs in a formal proceeding before a judge. Sunset connects the family to a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions and helps identify accounts, policies and property before the Carver County paperwork is prepared. That gives the family a cleaner estate settlement plan and a better asset schedule for Minnesota forms.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset uses the family and asset information to assemble the statewide Minnesota PRO forms that fit the Carver County filing path, whether the packet is headed to eFile and eServe, the Chaska counter or the mail.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Carver County estate needs legal judgment, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted attorney familiar with Minnesota probate practice and the First Judicial District.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset is paid by partners, not by grieving families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, understand the next filing step and decide when professional help is worth it.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Carver County?
File with the Court Administrator's office at the Carver County Justice Center, 604 East 4th Street, Chaska, MN 55318. Carver County has one court location. The office is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and the main number is (952) 361-1420.
How much does it cost to start a Carver County probate case?
The first paper in an estate is $325 as published for August 2026, made up of the $310 statutory charge and Carver County's $15 law library fee (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1); Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10). The charge is the same for an informal application and a formal petition, and it is paid once on the first paper.
Can I e-file a probate case in Carver County?
Yes. Attorneys, government agencies and guardians ad litem use eFile and eServe in Minnesota. A self-represented personal representative may choose eFile and eServe or may file on paper at the Justice Center or by mail (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01). If a self-represented filer uses eFile and eServe in a case, later filings in that case must also be electronic.
What happens to the original will if I use eFile and eServe?
A copy of the will may be submitted electronically, but the original paper will must be deposited with the court. The original will is handled separately under Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(2) and Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 403(e).
Will my Carver County probate hearing be remote?
Minnesota Judicial Council Policy 525 sets probate hearings as remote by default, effective February 3, 2025. That is a default, not a promise. The hearing notice controls. Carver County tells filers to call Court Administration at (952) 361-1420 if they are unsure how to appear, and OTH1002 is the statewide form to ask for a different appearance type.
Does Carver County lend equipment for remote hearings?
Carver County tells filers who are scheduled for a remote hearing and lack technology or internet access to call Court Administration at (952) 361-1420 to discuss using county equipment at the Justice Center. Call first, because the published instruction is to discuss the arrangement.
Does Carver County have its own probate forms?
No. Carver County publishes no local probate forms or local cover sheet. Use the Minnesota Judicial Branch statewide PRO forms, including PRO802 for an informal case with a will, PRO702 for an informal case without a will, PRO1202 for a formal case with a will and PRO1102 for a formal case without a will.
How do I look up a Carver County probate case?
Use Minnesota Court Records Online. It searches by party name, business name, attorney or case number and shows the register of actions. Public probate documents filed on or after July 1, 2015 can be downloaded at no charge. Older filings are limited, confidential and sealed materials are not shown, and courthouse terminals provide the most complete access.
Do I have to travel to Chaska to handle the estate?
Not for every step. A nonresident may serve as personal representative (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 407(b)), a self-represented filer may e-file or mail paper filings, and probate hearings are remote by default under statewide policy. If there is an original will, the paper original still has to be deposited with the court.
How do I get certified copies of letters in Carver County?
Request them from Carver County Court Administration at the Justice Center. The court asks for the case number and for specific documents rather than a request for the whole file. A certified copy of any instrument is $14 as published for August 2026 (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2)).
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.