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Ramsey County, MN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Ramsey County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Ramsey County District Court, Second Judicial District |
| Probate location | Probate Court, Civil Division, Ramsey County Courthouse, 15 West Kellogg Boulevard, Room 170, St. Paul, MN 55102 |
| Judicial district | Second Judicial District, which is Ramsey County alone, with 26 judges (Minn. Stat. § 2.722, subd. 1) |
| Mailing address | Ramsey County District Court, Probate Court, 15 W Kellogg Blvd, St Paul, MN 55102 |
| Probate phone | (651) 266-8145, for wills, probate, guardianship, conservatorship and trusts |
| Main courthouse phone | (651) 266-8266 |
| Fax | (651) 266-8149 |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, closed on legal holidays |
| First paper in an estate | $325, current as of August 2026, made up of the $310 statutory fee plus Ramsey County's $15 law library fee (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1); Minn. Stat. § 134A.09) |
| Local probate forms | Ramsey County has a probate forms page, but it points to Minnesota's statewide PRO forms and adds no separate Ramsey County form or cover sheet |
| E-filing | Mandatory for attorneys, government agencies and guardians ad litem. A self-represented personal representative may e-file voluntarily or file on paper at the counter or by mail (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01). |
| Original will | A copy may be e-filed, but the original paper will must be deposited with the court (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(2), 403(e)). |
| Case search | Minnesota Court Records Online, https://publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us/CaseSearch. Public probate documents filed on or after July 1, 2015 are generally downloadable at no charge, subject to confidentiality limits. |
| Remote appearance | Probate is remote by default under Minnesota Judicial Council Policy 525, effective February 3, 2025, but the hearing notice controls. |
| Website | https://mncourts.gov/find-courts/ramsey |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Start estate settlement in Ramsey County by identifying the assets, liabilities and title problems before anything is filed. Minnesota opening paperwork asks for the approximate value of probate assets, non-probate assets and indebtedness (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 408(a)), and Ramsey County charges the first-paper fee in advance when the case begins (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subds. 2(1), 3).
Know the courthouse channels before you go. Ramsey County's walk-in Self-Help Service Center does not cover decedents' estates, so estate questions go to Probate Court at (651) 266-8145, the Statewide Self-Help Center, the law library upstairs or counsel. Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 financial institutions, which helps families build the estate settlement picture before a packet is assembled.
Which court handles jurisdiction
File a Ramsey County estate with the Court Administrator's office at Probate Court, Civil Division, Room 170 on the first floor of the Ramsey County Courthouse, 15 West Kellogg Boulevard, St. Paul. Ramsey County has other court locations for other case types, including the Juvenile and Family Justice Center, the Law Enforcement Center, Civil Commitment Court and the suburban site in Maplewood, but probate is published at the Kellogg Boulevard courthouse.
Ramsey County is the entire Second Judicial District. Minnesota law lists the district as Ramsey County with 26 judges, and the statewide district-boundary statute treats the Second and Fourth Judicial Districts differently from the multi-county districts (Minn. Stat. § 2.722, subds. 1, 2). Unlike most Minnesota counties, Ramsey County does not share its judicial district with other counties.
Venue for the first informal or formal testacy or appointment proceeding is the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. If the decedent was not domiciled in Minnesota, venue is any county where the decedent's property was located at death (Minn. Stat. § 524.3-201).
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm venue. Use Ramsey County if the decedent was domiciled there at death, or if the decedent was not domiciled in Minnesota and property was located in Ramsey County at death (Minn. Stat. § 524.3-201).
- Build the asset and debt picture. Minnesota requires the opening application to include approximate values for probate assets, non-probate assets and indebtedness (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 408(a)). That is the practical start of estate settlement, because it determines what authority is needed and what documents will be requested.
- Choose the route. An informal application goes to the probate registrar for an administrative determination without prior notice and without a hearing. A formal petition goes to a district court judge for a judicial determination after notice to interested persons (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 402(a), (b); Minn. Stat. § 524.1-307).
- Assemble the forms. Ramsey County's probate forms page points to the statewide PRO series and adds no separate Ramsey County form or cover sheet. Informal probate with a will uses PRO801, PRO802 and PRO803. Informal probate without a will uses PRO701, PRO702 and PRO703. Formal probate with a will uses PRO1201, PRO1202 and PRO1203. Formal probate without a will uses PRO1101, PRO1102 and PRO1103.
- Handle the original will correctly. A copy of a will may be e-filed, but the original paper will cannot be filed electronically and must be deposited with the court (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(2), 403(e)).
- File with Probate Court in Room 170. Attorneys, government agencies and guardians ad litem use eFile and eServe. A self-represented personal representative may use eFile and eServe voluntarily, file on paper at the first-floor counter or mail the packet to Ramsey County District Court, Probate Court, 15 W Kellogg Blvd, St Paul, MN 55102 (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01).
- Pay the first-paper fee. In Ramsey County, the first paper in an estate costs $325, current as of August 2026, made up of the $310 statutory fee plus Ramsey County's $15 law library fee (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1); Minn. Stat. § 134A.09). The fee is charged once on the first paper in the estate, and fees are payable in advance (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 3).
- Complete notice. Informal probate is granted without prior notice, but the required mailing proof is still part of the packet. Formal probate requires notice to interested persons before the hearing, and a formal testacy proceeding requires proof of publication before the order will issue (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 404(b)).
- Follow the hearing notice. Minnesota's statewide default for probate hearings is remote, and remote hearings run on Zoom or by telephone, but a judicial officer may set a case differently and the hearing notice controls (Minnesota Judicial Council Policy 525, effective February 3, 2025). Form OTH1002 is used to ask for a different appearance type. Ramsey County publishes (651) 266-8266 for access to a remote hearing, and the Ramsey County Law Library offers space, wifi and equipment by appointment at 651-266-8391.
- Get letters after appointment. Appointment produces letters testamentary when there is a will and letters of administration when there is not. Certified copies are often needed for banks, title companies and buyers, and in Ramsey County they come from the Records Office in Room 72. Certified copies cost $14 each, current as of August 2026 (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2)).
- Administer and close. File the inventory on PRO912 and the final account and proposal for distribution on PRO913. An unsupervised estate closes with PRO914, PRO915 and PRO916, while a formal settlement uses PRO1302 and discharge on PRO1304. Estate settlement ends at closing and distribution, not at the initial appointment.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Ramsey County
Ramsey County is unusual because the Second Judicial District keeps a Ramsey County probate forms page. That page points to Minnesota's statewide PRO series and adds no separate Ramsey County probate form or cover sheet. The forms are free, but the statewide set is not every possible probate form.
| Need | Forms |
|---|---|
| Probate orientation | PRO101 Information about Probate in Minnesota; PRO908 Responsibilities of Personal Representatives |
| Start informal probate with a will | PRO801 instructions; PRO802 application; PRO803 affidavit of mailing |
| Start informal probate without a will | PRO701 instructions; PRO702 application; PRO703 affidavit of mailing |
| Start formal probate with a will | PRO1201 instructions; PRO1202 petition; PRO1203 affidavit of service |
| Start formal probate without a will | PRO1101 instructions; PRO1102 petition; PRO1103 affidavit of service |
| Qualify as personal representative | PRO901 nomination, renunciation and bond; PRO902 acceptance and oath |
| Inventory and account | PRO912 inventory; PRO913 final account and proposal for distribution |
| Close informally | PRO911 instructions; PRO914 statement to close; PRO915 affidavit of service; PRO916 receipt for assets by distributee |
| Ask for a different appearance type | OTH1001 instructions; OTH1002 request for remote or in-person appearance |
Local nuance
Ramsey County-specific considerations
Probate Court is a real court name here. Minnesota folded the former probate offices into the district courts in 1982, but Ramsey and Hennepin were transferred into the district courts of the Second and Fourth Judicial Districts and made divisions of them (Minn. Stat. § 2.722, subd. 3). In Ramsey County, Probate Court sits inside the Civil Division with Civil Filing, Conciliation Court, Housing Court and Civil Commitment Court.
Use the probate line, not just the courthouse main line. Probate Court publishes (651) 266-8145 for wills, probate, guardianship, conservatorship and trusts, and fax (651) 266-8149. The courthouse main line, (651) 266-8266, is the general Court Administration number and is also the number the court publishes for access to remote hearings.
Ramsey County is a single-county judicial district. The Second Judicial District is Ramsey County alone, with 26 judges (Minn. Stat. § 2.722, subd. 1). That is different from most Minnesota districts, where multiple counties share one judicial district.
The walk-in Self-Help Service Center does not cover probate. Ramsey County's Self-Help Service Center is in Room 190 and is one of Minnesota's walk-in centers, but its published services are family court matters, expungements and name changes. Probate Court is listed among the services the center does not include. For an estate, use Probate Court, the Statewide Self-Help Center, the law library, the statewide probate form packets or counsel.
The law library is in the same courthouse. Ramsey County's $15 law library fee, current as of August 2026, is authorized by Minn. Stat. § 134A.09 and is part of the $325 first-paper cost under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1). The Ramsey County Law Library is on the eighteenth floor, offers legal research resources, and can provide space, wifi and equipment by appointment for a remote hearing.
The courthouse layout matters. Probate Court is in Room 170 on the first floor. Records are in Room 72 on the lower level, courtrooms are on several upper floors, and the court publishes that a notice may not include a room number. Check the scheduling screens in Room 130 on the day of an appearance.
Recent updates
| Update | Date |
|---|---|
| The Second Judicial District amended its order on electronic and recording devices in court facilities. The order governs recording devices, electronic-device use in courtrooms and limited places where photographs and video are permitted. | Effective May 16, 2024; republished January 14, 2025 with no substantive changes |
| The Second Judicial District reissued its Visual Guide to Ramsey County Courts, including public counters, security screening, the Records Office, self-help center, legal kiosks, law library, courtroom expectations and remote hearing expectations. | Revision date March 28, 2025 |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start at Probate Court, Room 170, in the Ramsey County Courthouse. If the informal route fits, the application is decided by the probate registrar as an administrative determination without prior notice or a hearing (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 402(b)). The first paper costs $325, current as of August 2026, made up of the $310 statutory fee plus Ramsey County's $15 law library fee (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1); Minn. Stat. § 134A.09). If real estate must be handled after an informal appointment, thirty days must pass from issuance of letters before a certified copy of unrestricted letters is given to a purchaser or distributee of real property (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 410(a)(1), (b)(2)(i)). | Sunset traces accounts and title issues first, so the spouse knows what is inside the estate and what passed outside it before filing in St. Paul. |
| 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 e-file in Minnesota or mail paper filings to Ramsey County District Court, Probate Court, 15 W Kellogg Blvd, St Paul, MN 55102 (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(5)(i)). Probate hearings are remote by statewide default under Judicial Council Policy 525, effective February 3, 2025, but the hearing notice controls. The original will is the physical exception: a copy may be e-filed, but the original paper will must be deposited with the court (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(2), 403(e)). | Sunset builds the asset picture and probate packet remotely, so an out-of-state child is not traveling to St. Paul just to learn what the filing is missing. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Open the estate through Probate Court in Room 170. Letters testamentary or letters of administration are the authority a buyer, title company or lender will ask to see. Certified copies come from the Records Office in Room 72, cost $14 each, current as of August 2026, and can be requested through that office (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2)). If the appointment was informal, build in the thirty-day real-estate waiting rule for unrestricted letters (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 410(a)(1), (b)(2)(i)). If the sale or heirs are contested, the registrar cannot resolve the conflict and the matter belongs before a judge (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 415(a)(4)). | Sunset finds debts, liens and accounts before the property is priced or a closing date is set. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Probate Court, Ramsey County District Court | Filing and procedural questions for wills, probate, guardianship, conservatorship and trusts | Room 170, first floor, 15 West Kellogg Boulevard, St. Paul; (651) 266-8145 |
| Ramsey County Self-Help Service Center | Walk-in self-help for family court matters, expungements and name changes. Its published services do not include Probate Court. | Room 190, 15 West Kellogg Boulevard; 651-266-5125; 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday |
| Statewide Self-Help Center | Legal information and resources by phone and email for people representing themselves. Staff give legal information, not legal advice. | (651) 435-6535; 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday |
| Ramsey County Law Library | Free law-related resources, legal research help, computers and space, wifi and equipment by appointment for a remote hearing | Eighteenth floor, Ramsey County Courthouse; 651-266-8391; 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday |
| Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services | Civil legal aid organization serving Ramsey County. Its published case types do not include administering a decedent's estate, but it is the right first call to ask whether free help is available. | 1-877-696-6529; St. Paul office, 445 Minnesota Street, Suite 1800 |
| Minnesota Judicial Branch probate help and forms | Probate overview and statewide PRO form packets | https://mncourts.gov/help-topics/probate-wills-and-estates and https://mncourts.gov/getforms/probate |
| Minnesota Court Records Online and Ramsey County Records Office | Online case lookup and certified copies from Ramsey County District Court cases | MCRO: https://publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us/CaseSearch; Records Office, Room 72; (651) 266-8237 |
When to hire an attorney
A Ramsey County estate is a good candidate for counsel when heirs disagree, a will is ambiguous or damaged, the estate may be insolvent, a business interest is involved, a house must be sold under time pressure or a lawyer is serving as personal representative and supervision is triggered under Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 414. The registrar cannot resolve conflicts about estate administration (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 415(a)(4)), and court administration staff are not allowed to give legal advice. Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services serves Ramsey County, but its published service areas do not include administering a decedent's estate. Sunset connects families to a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and helps identify accounts, insurance, real estate and debts before the Ramsey County packet is prepared. That matters because Minnesota opening papers ask for assets and indebtedness on the front end.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset picture into the statewide PRO forms a Ramsey County estate needs, organized for eFile and eServe, mail or the Room 170 counter at the Ramsey County Courthouse.
Find a local probate attorney. When a formal hearing, real estate sale, dispute or supervision issue makes a lawyer the safer path, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted probate attorney familiar with the Second Judicial District.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset gives families a central place to organize estate settlement, find accounts, prepare probate paperwork and decide when attorney help is worth using.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Ramsey County?
File with the Court Administrator's office at Probate Court, Room 170 on the first floor of the Ramsey County Courthouse, 15 West Kellogg Boulevard, St. Paul, MN 55102. Probate Court is part of the Civil Division of the Second Judicial District. Attorneys file through eFile and eServe; a self-represented personal representative may e-file or file on paper at the counter or by mail.
What is the phone number for probate in Ramsey County?
Call (651) 266-8145, the line the court publishes for wills, probate, guardianship, conservatorship and trusts. The probate fax is (651) 266-8149. The courthouse main line is (651) 266-8266, and the Records Office for copies in Ramsey County cases is (651) 266-8237.
How much does it cost to start a Ramsey County estate case?
The first paper in an estate costs $325 in Ramsey County, current as of August 2026. That is the $310 statutory fee plus Ramsey County's $15 law library fee (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1); Minn. Stat. § 134A.09). The amount is the same for an informal application and a formal petition, and it is charged once on the first paper. A filer who cannot afford the fee may ask the court to reduce or waive it (Minn. Stat. § 563.01).
What are the Probate Court hours in Ramsey County?
Probate Court publishes hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, closed on legal holidays. Visitors pass through security screening at the courthouse entrance, and the public counters are on the first floor.
Can I e-file a Ramsey County probate case?
Yes. EFile and eServe is mandatory for attorneys, government agencies and guardians ad litem, and a self-represented personal representative may choose to use it (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01). A self-represented filer may also file on paper at the counter or by mail. Once a self-represented filer e-files in a case, later filings in that case must also be electronic. The original will cannot be e-filed, although a copy may be e-filed and the original paper will must be deposited with the court (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(2), 403(e)).
Does Ramsey County have its own probate forms?
Ramsey County has a probate forms page, and it points to Minnesota's statewide PRO series. There is no separate Ramsey County probate form or local cover sheet. Informal probate with a will starts with PRO802 and PRO801 instructions; informal probate without a will starts with PRO702 and PRO701 instructions; formal probate uses PRO1202 or PRO1102 depending on whether there is a will.
Will my Ramsey County probate hearing be remote or in person?
Minnesota's statewide Remote and In-person Hearings Policy sets probate hearings as remote by default, and remote hearings run by Zoom or telephone (Minnesota Judicial Council Policy 525, effective February 3, 2025). That is a default, not a guarantee. A judicial officer can set a case differently, and the hearing notice controls. Form OTH1002 is used to ask for a different appearance type. Ramsey County publishes (651) 266-8266 for access to a remote hearing, and the Ramsey County Law Library offers space, wifi and equipment by appointment at 651-266-8391.
How do I look up a Ramsey County probate case?
Use Minnesota Court Records Online at https://publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us/CaseSearch. Ramsey County probate case numbers begin 62-PR, and trust matters begin 62-TR-CV. MCRO shows the register of actions and public documents available online. Public probate documents filed on or after July 1, 2015 are generally downloadable at no charge, while older documents are limited and confidential documents are not shown. The public access terminals in the Records Office in Room 72 give the most complete access.
Can the Ramsey County Self-Help Service Center help with a decedent's estate?
No. The walk-in Self-Help Service Center in Room 190 helps with family court matters, expungements and name changes, and its published list says Probate Court is not included. For a decedent's estate, use Probate Court at (651) 266-8145 for procedural questions, the Statewide Self-Help Center at (651) 435-6535 for legal information, the Ramsey County Law Library upstairs, and Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services at 1-877-696-6529 to ask whether free help is available.
Do I have to travel to St. Paul to settle a Ramsey County estate?
Often, much of the work can be done remotely or by mail. A nonresident may serve as personal representative (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 407(b)), a self-represented filer may e-file or mail paper filings, probate hearings are remote by statewide default, and the case can be followed on MCRO. The original will is the main physical-document issue: a copy may be e-filed, but the original paper will must be deposited with the court. Certified copies of letters can be requested from the Records Office at (651) 266-8237.
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.