Back to Missouri
Boone County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Boone County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Boone County, 13th Judicial Circuit |
| Courthouse address | Boone County Courthouse, 705 E. Walnut St., Columbia, MO 65201 |
| Mailing address | 705 E. Walnut St., Columbia, MO 65201 |
| Phone | Probate Division: (573) 886-4090. Circuit Clerk main line: (573) 886-4000. |
| Fax | Probate fax: (573) 886-4095 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The court is closed for State of Missouri and United States federal holidays. |
| Court cost to open a decedent estate | Testate estate: $185.50 plus publication. Intestate estate: $150.50 plus publication. |
| Local forms | Yes. The 13th Judicial Circuit publishes Boone County probate forms, including forms for letters, small estate affidavits, refusal of letters, heirship, inventories, settlements and copy requests. |
| E-filing | Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System. The 13th Judicial Circuit's Local Court Rule 4.8 excludes self-represented filers from that local requirement and leaves their filing procedure to the clerk. Original wills, original codicils and original bonds are not filed electronically. |
| Case search | Case.net is the statewide public case lookup. Boone County cases in the 13th Circuit update in real time after entry by the clerk's office. |
| Remote appearance | The 13th Judicial Circuit publishes WebEx video and audio links by division. Each division posts what must still be attended in person, so check the setting or call the Probate Division before planning to appear by video. |
| Website | 13th Judicial Circuit: https://www.courts.mo.gov/hosted/circuit13/. Boone County probate page: https://www.courts.mo.gov/hosted/circuit13/courtoffices/Probate/bneprobate.htm. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Boone County probate path, make a working list of the assets, debts, beneficiary designations, co-owned property, real estate and creditor issues. Missouri has no-letters options for some estates, but the right local filing depends on what is actually in the estate and who is asking for authority.
Sunset's estate settlement process starts with asset discovery across more than 2,300 institutions, then uses what is found to help organize the Boone County forms, cost estimate and attorney handoff. Boone County publishes separate local paths for full administration, small estate affidavits, refusal of letters and heirship, so knowing the asset picture first helps avoid the wrong filing.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Boone County serves Boone County from the Boone County Courthouse in Columbia. Boone County and Callaway County make up the 13th Judicial Circuit, but Callaway County matters are handled at the Callaway County Justice Center in Fulton. A Boone County estate is filed in Columbia.
Boone County communities whose municipal dockets the circuit hears in Boone County include Columbia, Ashland, Centralia, Hallsville and Sturgeon. Missouri venue starts with the decedent's domicile: a will is probated and letters are granted in the county where the decedent was domiciled, with separate rules for a decedent who had no Missouri domicile (RSMo 473.010).
The jurisdiction process
- Sort the assets and the local path. Identify probate assets, nonprobate transfers, debts, real estate and who has priority to act. In Missouri, a full administration appoints a personal representative, while a small estate affidavit or refusal of letters does not appoint one.
- Choose the Boone County forms. Use the Boone County probate forms published by the 13th Judicial Circuit. For a full estate, the packet may include an application for letters, an application to probate the will if there is one, consents, renunciations, a resident agent form, the confidential filing information sheet and later inventory and settlement forms.
- Handle the original will and any bond correctly. The 13th Judicial Circuit's Local Court Rule 72.K requires the application for probate of the will and the original will with any original codicils to be filed and not electronically filed. Local Court Rule 72.A also requires the original bond, unless waived by the will or the court, to be delivered to the clerk and not electronically filed.
- File in Columbia. File Boone County estate papers with the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Boone County at 705 E. Walnut St., Columbia, MO 65201. Attorneys use the Missouri eFiling System. Someone filing without a lawyer should ask the Probate Division how the clerk wants the filing submitted.
- Pay the opening court cost. A Boone County testate estate costs $185.50 plus publication, and an intestate estate costs $150.50 plus publication. Personal checks are not accepted under Local Court Rule 5.1.
- Let the clerk arrange required publication. Local Court Rule 72.H says the clerk arranges publication of notices required by law or ordered by the court, except the final notice for an independent administration. In a full administration, the notice of letters is published once a week for four consecutive weeks, and creditor deadlines run under RSMo 473.033 and RSMo 473.360.
- Watch the hearing setting. Boone County probate dockets are published on the court's schedule, and the circuit directs readers to Case.net for scheduled hearings. The court does not set a standard wait between filing and a hearing, so check Case.net or call the Probate Division for the setting in a particular estate.
- Receive the letters. When the court appoints a personal representative, the clerk issues letters testamentary where there is a will or letters of administration where there is none, and those letters are the document a bank or title company asks to see. The 13th Judicial Circuit's fee schedule prices certified and authenticated copies at $1.00 per page plus $1.50 per seal, so order the copies the institutions will need.
- Administer the estate under Boone County rules. File the inventory within thirty days after letters are issued unless the court continues the deadline on written request. Keep supporting documents for settlements, redact confidential information, and remember that a non-attorney personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153.7).
- Close the estate. Boone County's settlement rules require accountings, verification of balances, proof of disbursements and proposed distribution documents. Estate settlement in Boone County is document-heavy, especially when bank statements, receipts, cancelled checks and waivers are needed for the final filing.
Executor duties
The Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Boone County adds several practical duties to the statewide personal representative role. The 13th Judicial Circuit's Local Court Rule 72.F requires the inventory in all estates within thirty days after letters are issued unless the deadline is continued on written request for good cause. Local Court Rule 72.I requires settlements to account for all income and disbursements, verify bank balances for the settlement period, support disbursements with checks, vouchers or receipts, and retain original supporting documents until discharge.
Local Court Rule 72.M also puts redaction on the filer. Social security numbers, driver's license numbers, taxpayer identification numbers and account numbers must be removed from public filings, and court personnel will not review each document for that before accepting it. In Boone County, careful document preparation is part of the estate settlement job.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Boone County
The Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Boone County has a real local probate forms directory published by the 13th Judicial Circuit. Use Boone County's forms first when they fit your filing.
| Form group | Examples published for Boone County |
|---|---|
| Decedent estate forms | Application for letters testamentary, of administration, with will annexed; application for probate of will; consent to independent administration; designation of resident agent; renunciation of right to administer; inventory and appraisement; claim against the estate; statement of account and schedule of proposed distribution; petition for order of complete settlement; receipt of distributee; compensation of attorney, personal representative; settlement form and instructions; verification of balances. |
| No-letters route forms | Affidavit for Collection of Small Estate without will; Affidavit for Collection of Small Estate with will; Application for Spousal Refusal of Letters; Application for Creditor Refusal of Letters; Application of Unmarried Minor Children For Refusal of Letters; Judgment and Decree Determining Heirship. |
| Administrative forms | Confidential Filing Information Sheet, Probate; Probate Copy Request; Motion and Affidavit in Support of Request to Proceed as a Poor Person; confidential redaction filing forms. |
The 13th Judicial Circuit's Local Court Rule 72.E says the clerk maintains an inventory of forms and that computer-generated forms must comply with the format of approved forms. The rule does not say that only the court's PDF may be used.
Fees
The amounts below come from the 13th Judicial Circuit's published probate cost schedule, which carries the revision date July 1, 2021. Use the Boone County column, not the Callaway County column.
| Probate item | Boone County amount |
|---|---|
| Testate decedent estate | $185.50 plus publication |
| Intestate decedent estate | $150.50 plus publication |
| Annual decedent estate cost | $30.00 |
| Affidavit to establish title, small estate | $70.50, plus $35.00 if a will is admitted at the same time, plus publication when the assets listed exceed $15,000 (RSMo 473.097) |
| Determination of heirship | $70.50 plus publication plus $10.00 per person for certified mail |
| Refusal of letters | $70.50 |
| Admit will with no other proceeding | $70.50 |
| Safe deposit box or will search | $70.50 |
| Trust action | $80.50 |
| Trust registration only | No court cost |
| Deposit of will for safekeeping during testator's lifetime | $3.00 |
| Deposit of will of deceased person for safekeeping | No court cost |
| Certified and authenticated copies | $1.00 per page plus $1.50 per seal |
| Photocopies | $1.00 for the first page and $0.10 for each additional page |
| Clerical time | $0.20 per minute |
Publication is not priced in the schedule. The schedule directs filers to contact the Boone Clerk's Probate Office for the publication rate at the time of filing. Local Court Rule 72.H says the clerk arranges publication of notices required by law or ordered by the court, except the final notice for an independent administration.
Personal checks are not accepted. Under the 13th Judicial Circuit's Local Court Rule 5.1, non-electronic payments may be made by cash, certified check, business check, money order or the equivalent, or by an approved credit or debit card. The court may require an additional cost deposit, and dismissal does not result in a refund.
An additional clerk charge is assessed when the final inventory is filed and is not paid until then, for final inventory value above $50,000:
| Final inventory value | Additional charge |
|---|---|
| $50,001 to $100,000 | $50.00 |
| $100,001 to $150,000 | $100.00 |
| $150,001 to $200,000 | $150.00 |
| $200,001 to $250,000 | $200.00 |
| $250,001 to $300,000 | $250.00 |
| $300,001 to $350,000 | $300.00 |
| $350,001 to $400,000 | $350.00 |
| $400,001 to $450,000 | $400.00 |
| Over $450,000 | $450.00 |
This banded charge is Boone County's version of the additional charge the Supreme Court of Missouri sets under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, whose total is capped at $565.00.
Timeline
- Before filing. Gather the will, death certificate, asset verification, debt information and the Boone County forms that match the path you are using.
- At filing. File in Columbia with the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Boone County. Attorneys file electronically unless a rule requires an original paper document. Someone filing without a lawyer should ask the Probate Division how to submit papers.
- After filing. The court does not set a standard wait between filing and a hearing, so check Case.net or call the Probate Division for the setting in a particular estate.
- Published probate docket days. The docket schedule appended to the 13th Judicial Circuit's local rules sets Boone County probate dockets on Mondays at 9:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and on Fridays at 9:00 a.m. in most weeks, with separate mental-health probate dockets on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:30 a.m.
- Inventory. Local Court Rule 72.F requires the inventory within thirty days after letters are issued unless the court continues the deadline on written request for good cause.
- Settlement. Local Court Rule 72.I sets Boone County's settlement contents, verification and supporting-document rules. For supervised decedent estates, final settlements are filed no later than six months and ten days after first publication unless continued on written request for good cause.
Local nuance
Boone County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in Boone County |
|---|---|
| Boone and Callaway share a circuit, not a counter | The 13th Judicial Circuit includes Boone and Callaway counties, but Boone County estate filings go to the Boone County Courthouse in Columbia. The circuit's cost schedule has separate Boone and Callaway columns. |
| Old probate files have local indices | The Boone County probate page provides indices for 1819 through 1925 and 1925 through 1981. Find the estate file number in the index, then contact the Probate Division to view the file in person at the courthouse, because those files are not online. |
| Real estate recording is a separate step | If a small-estate certificate, refusal order, heirship decree or beneficiary deed needs to affect Boone County real estate, record the certified document with the Boone County Recorder of Deeds at 801 E. Walnut St., Room 132, Columbia, MO 65201, not at the probate counter. |
| Electronic devices are restricted | The 13th Judicial Circuit's Local Court Rule 9.6 prohibits electronic devices in the courthouse without prior court authorization. The court states that cell phones are not permitted in the Boone County Courthouse without prior authorization, with public phone lockers provided. |
| Redaction is the filer's job | The 13th Judicial Circuit's Local Court Rule 72.M says the filer must redact confidential information and that court personnel will not review each document for compliance or refuse a filing on that basis. |
| Public Administrator | Boone County's Public Administrator may be appointed by the Probate Division as personal representative of a deceased estate when no suitable person is known or available. The office is at the Boone County Courthouse and can be reached at (573) 886-4190. |
Small-estate Alternatives
The Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Boone County publishes local forms for both with-a-will and without-a-will small estate affidavits. It also publishes refusal-of-letters forms for a surviving spouse, creditor and unmarried minor children.
The 13th Judicial Circuit's Local Court Rule 72.J gives Boone County's checklist for an Application for Refusal of Letters and for an Affidavit to Establish Title of Distributees. The filing should include the death certificate, verification of the decedent's assets, debt verification if a creditor's order is requested, the will and an application to probate it if the decedent died with a will, and, for a spouse's refusal, a schedule of property and money derived from the decedent and passing to the surviving spouse or unmarried minor children.
Boone County's court cost for an affidavit to establish title, small estate, is $70.50, plus $35.00 if a will is admitted at the same time, plus publication when the assets listed exceed $15,000 (RSMo 473.097). The clerk quotes certified-copy costs. If Boone County real estate is involved, the filed affidavit and clerk's certificate later need to be recorded with the Boone County Recorder of Deeds.
Recent updates
| Date | Local update |
|---|---|
| Effective September 20, 2023 | The 13th Judicial Circuit's Local Court Rule 72.M addresses public access to probate case records and makes redaction of confidential information the filer's responsibility. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Boone County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by confirming how the home was titled and whether a beneficiary deed or joint ownership keeps it outside the estate. If the spouse needs refusal of letters, Boone County publishes an Application for Spousal Refusal of Letters and Local Court Rule 72.J lists the documents to bring. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, title issues and whether a no-letters path may fit before a lawyer or the court is involved. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Use Boone County's with-a-will or without-a-will small estate affidavit form if the statewide small-estate route fits. Ask the Probate Division how to submit papers if you are filing without a lawyer, and plan for the original will to be sent or delivered on paper if there is one. | Sunset organizes the asset list, prepares the family for the Boone County checklist, and connects the family to a local attorney when full administration is needed. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the home is a probate asset, a full administration or a determination of heirship may be needed depending on timing and whether an estate was opened. A personal representative who is not a lawyer cannot appear in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153.7). | Sunset helps find the accounts and title facts, assemble documents for estate settlement, and connect the parent with a vetted Missouri probate attorney. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link or contact |
|---|---|---|
| Boone County Probate Division, 13th Judicial Circuit | Court's probate page with the probate phone line, old probate indices and Public Administrator pointer. | https://www.courts.mo.gov/hosted/circuit13/courtoffices/Probate/bneprobate.htm |
| Boone County probate forms | Local Boone County probate forms for decedent estates, small estates, refusal of letters, heirship, inventories, settlements and copy requests. | https://www.courts.mo.gov/hosted/circuit13/forms/forms.htm |
| 13th Judicial Circuit probate costs | Published Boone County cost schedule for probate filings and copies. | https://www.courts.mo.gov/hosted/circuit13/other/fees.htm |
| Case.net | Statewide public case lookup. The 13th Circuit says its cases update in real time after clerk entry. | https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/ |
| Representing Yourself, Missouri Judiciary | Self-help information linked by the 13th Judicial Circuit. | https://www.selfrepresent.mo.gov/ |
| Missouri Judiciary probate court forms | Statewide probate form set. Use Boone County's local forms when they fit the local filing. | Missouri Judiciary Probate Court Forms page on courts.mo.gov |
| Missouri Revisor of Statutes | Official source for Missouri statutes, including probate statutes. | https://revisor.mo.gov/ |
| Mid-Missouri Legal Services, Columbia | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Missourians in Boone County. Intake decides what the program can take on. | 117 North Garth Avenue, Columbia, MO 65203. (573) 442-0116. https://www.mmls.org/ |
| Boone County Bar Association | Local bar association listed by the 13th Judicial Circuit on its legal resources page. | https://boonecountybar.org/ |
| The Missouri Bar Probate Law Resource Guide | Consumer guide from The Missouri Bar, not a court filing checklist. | https://missourilawyershelp.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Probate-Guide-Updated-2024.pdf |
When to hire an attorney
The Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Boone County can accept forms and answer general procedure questions, but clerks cannot give legal advice. In Missouri, a personal representative who is not a lawyer cannot appear in court except through an attorney, though the personal representative may prepare and file their own inventories and settlements (RSMo 473.153.7). Counsel is especially important for a full administration, a sale of real estate, contested claims, heirship problems, out-of-state family, missing beneficiaries, or any hearing where the personal representative must appear. The 13th Judicial Circuit's Local Court Rule 72.I also makes Boone County settlement filings detailed enough that many families want counsel before the final account. Sunset connects you to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help identify bank accounts, investments, insurance, retirement accounts, real estate leads and debts before the Boone County filing is chosen.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset picture into an organized estate settlement packet, with Boone County court forms, family information, asset summaries and next steps prepared for review.
Find a local probate attorney. Missouri's attorney rule matters in full administrations. Sunset connects families with a vetted local probate attorney when a personal representative needs court representation or when the estate is too complex for a no-letters route.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate settlement, understand the Boone County process and get connected to help without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate papers in Boone County?
File Boone County estate papers with the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Boone County at the Boone County Courthouse, 705 E. Walnut St., Columbia, MO 65201. A Boone County estate is filed in Columbia, not at the Callaway County Justice Center in Fulton.
Does Boone County have its own probate forms?
Yes. The 13th Judicial Circuit publishes Boone County probate forms for letters, probate of a will, small estate affidavits, refusal of letters, heirship, inventories, settlements and copy requests. Local Court Rule 72.E says forms are maintained by the clerk and that computer-generated forms must follow the approved format.
Can I e-file a Boone County probate case without a lawyer?
Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System. The 13th Judicial Circuit's Local Court Rule 4.8 excludes self-represented filers from that local requirement and leaves their filing procedure to the clerk. Ask the Probate Division how to submit your papers if you are filing without a lawyer. Original wills, original codicils and original bonds are not filed electronically under Local Court Rules 72.K and 72.A.
How much does it cost to open a decedent estate in Boone County?
A Boone County testate estate costs $185.50 plus publication. An intestate estate costs $150.50 plus publication. A separate additional clerk charge is assessed later when the final inventory is filed if the inventory value is above the first band set out in the court's schedule.
How much does a Boone County small estate affidavit cost?
The Boone County cost for an affidavit to establish title, small estate, is $70.50, plus $35.00 if a will is admitted at the same time, plus publication when the assets listed exceed $15,000 (RSMo 473.097).
How do I check a Boone County probate hearing date?
Use Case.net's scheduled-hearings search, or search by party or case number. The court does not set a standard wait between filing and a hearing, so check Case.net or call the Probate Division for the setting in a particular estate.
Can I appear by video for a Boone County probate hearing?
The 13th Judicial Circuit publishes WebEx video and audio links by division, and each division posts what must be attended in person. Check the Video Court page for the assigned division and call the Probate Division before relying on a remote appearance.
Can I look up old Boone County probate files online?
The Boone County probate page provides indices for 1819 through 1925 and 1925 through 1981. Use the index to find the estate file number, then contact the Probate Division to view the file in person at the courthouse, because those files are not online.
Do I need to travel to Columbia for Boone County probate?
Many filings can be prepared before a trip, and attorneys use the Missouri eFiling System for filings that may be filed electronically. But original wills, original codicils and original bonds are not filed electronically, and some hearings or document reviews may require in-person action. Call the Probate Division at (573) 886-4090 for the requirements in your estate.
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.