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Clark County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Clark County probate information |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Clark County |
| Courthouse address | Clark County Courthouse, 111 E. Court Street, Suite 210, Kahoka, MO 63445-1268 |
| Mailing address | 111 E. Court Street, Suite 210, Kahoka, MO 63445-1268 |
| Phone | (660) 727-3292 |
| Fax | (660) 727-6919 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Closed for all state holidays. |
| Court cost | Clark County does not post a local probate cost schedule. For original letters, Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, sets the state component at $115 when original letters are applied for, plus $50 for each additional $50,000 of final inventory value above $50,000 up to $500,000, capped at $565, with one certified copy of the letters included. Ask the Kahoka clerk for the total collected for your filing. |
| Local forms | No Clark County probate forms, cover sheet or checklist are posted. Use the statewide Missouri Judiciary probate forms and file them with the Kahoka office. |
| E-filing | Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers are never required to e-file under Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4). Ask the Kahoka clerk whether a self-represented probate filing can be submitted electronically or by email. |
| Case search | Case.net, Missouri's statewide public case search |
| Remote appearance | No current Clark County probate remote-appearance rule is posted. Use the hearing notice and Case.net hearing entries to see whether a specific matter is set in a virtual hearing room. |
| Website | Clark County Circuit Clerk, http://clarkcountymo.org/county-offices/circuit-clerk/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Missouri probate path, list what the person owned, how each asset was titled, known debts, funeral expenses, and whether a beneficiary designation, joint ownership, trust or beneficiary deed already transfers property outside probate. That inventory drives whether a Clark County estate needs full administration, a small estate affidavit, a refusal of letters, or no court filing for a particular asset.
Sunset's estate settlement tools help families search across more than 2,300 financial institutions, organize accounts and debts, and prepare a clearer plan before calling the Kahoka courthouse or a lawyer.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Clark County Courthouse in Kahoka serves probate matters for Clark County, including Kahoka, Alexandria, Revere, Wayland and Wyaconda. Clark County is in Missouri's 1st Judicial Circuit with Schuyler and Scotland counties, but a shared circuit is not a shared courthouse. A Clark County estate is filed in Kahoka.
Missouri venue for probating a will and granting letters is generally the county where the decedent was domiciled at death (RSMo 473.010). If the decedent was domiciled in Clark County, start with the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Clark County.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the assets and the right Missouri path. Separate probate assets from nonprobate transfers, then decide whether the estate needs full administration, a small estate affidavit under RSMo 473.097, a refusal of letters under RSMo 473.090, or another Missouri procedure.
- Prepare the forms. Clark County does not post local probate forms. Use the statewide Missouri Judiciary probate forms and include the death certificate, the original will if there is one, asset information, addresses for interested persons, and any bond or consent documents the chosen path requires.
- File at the Kahoka courthouse. Submit the packet to the Circuit Clerk's Office, Suite 210, Clark County Courthouse, 111 E. Court Street, Kahoka, MO 63445-1268. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., except state holidays.
- Pay the court cost or ask for the total before mailing. For original letters, Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, sets the state component at $115 when original letters are applied for, plus $50 for each additional $50,000 of final inventory value above $50,000 up to $500,000, capped at $565, with one certified copy of the letters included. Clark County does not post a local probate cost schedule, so call (660) 727-3292 for the total collected at the Kahoka counter.
- Handle required notice. In a full administration, the clerk causes notice of letters to be published once a week for four consecutive weeks (RSMo 473.033). Missouri creditors then have six months from first publication, or two months from mailed or served notice, whichever is later, subject to the one-year bar from death (RSMo 473.360, RSMo 473.444).
- Attend any hearing the court sets. A nonlawyer personal representative 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). If a hearing is set, check the notice and Case.net to see whether it is in person or in a virtual hearing room.
- Receive authority and administer the estate. If the court appoints a personal representative, the authority document is letters testamentary when there is a will or letters of administration when there is no will. Use the letters to gather assets, protect property, address creditor claims, and file the required inventory within thirty days after letters are granted unless the court allows more time (RSMo 473.233).
- Close the estate settlement. Finish payments and distributions, file the required settlement or statement of account for the Missouri path you are using, and record any small-estate certificate or refusal order with the Clark County Recorder of Deeds if Clark County real estate must be cleared.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Clark County
Clark County does not post a county probate forms packet, cover sheet or checklist. Use the statewide Missouri Judiciary probate forms and file the completed documents with the Circuit Clerk's Office at 111 E. Court Street, Suite 210, Kahoka.
If there is an original will, deliver the original to the probate division rather than relying on a copy. If you are filing by mail, call (660) 727-3292 first to ask how the Kahoka office wants the original will, payment and return copies handled.
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Clark County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by checking the deed and account titles. If the home and accounts pass by joint ownership or beneficiary designation, the probate filing may be limited. If probate property remains, file the appropriate Missouri petition at the Kahoka courthouse. A refusal of letters may fit if the estate does not exceed exempt property plus the RSMo 474.260 support allowance. | Sunset helps identify accounts, ownership, beneficiary designations and debts so the spouse does not open a larger estate settlement than the assets require. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | A small estate affidavit may be available when the value of the entire estate, less liens, debts and encumbrances, does not exceed $40,000, effective August 28, 2002 (RSMo 473.097), and at least thirty days have passed since death. File with the Circuit Clerk's Office in Kahoka and call ahead because the office closes from noon to 1:00 p.m. | Sunset organizes the asset list, creditor information and family details so an out-of-state child can make a focused call to the Kahoka clerk before mailing or traveling. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of real estate often points toward full administration. In Missouri, a nonlawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153.7). Any title-clearing document for Clark County real estate is recorded with the Clark County Recorder of Deeds after the probate division issues the needed order or certificate. | Sunset helps gather property, mortgage, account and debt information, then connects the family with a vetted local probate attorney when full administration is the practical path. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps in Clark County |
|---|---|
| Clark County Circuit Clerk | Local courthouse contact for probate filings at 111 E. Court Street, Suite 210, Kahoka. Phone: (660) 727-3292. Fax: (660) 727-6919. |
| Case.net | Missouri's statewide public case search for circuit court cases, including Clark County probate matters. Public users can view available public case documents filed on or after July 1, 2023 from the Docket Entries tab. |
| Missouri Judiciary probate forms | Statewide Missouri probate forms for estate matters. Clark County does not post a local probate packet. |
| Legal Services of Eastern Missouri | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Missourians. Clark County is in LSEM's service area. Main intake: (314) 534-4200 or (800) 444-0514. Hannibal office: (573) 248-1111 or (800) 767-2018. |
| Missouri Revisor of Statutes | Official source for the Missouri probate statutes, including RSMo chapters 472 through 474. |
| The Missouri Bar Probate Law Resource Guide | A 2024 consumer guide from The Missouri Bar for general background on Missouri probate concepts. |
When to hire an attorney
Legal help is especially important in a Clark County full administration, a real estate sale, a contested will, uncertain heirs, creditor disputes, or any hearing where a personal representative must appear. Missouri law says a personal representative who is not a lawyer cannot appear in court except through an attorney, although the personal representative may prepare and file their own inventories and settlements (RSMo 473.153.7). Sunset connects families to a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for financial accounts, insurance, retirement assets, debts and other estate details so families can understand what exists before choosing a Clark County probate path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the estate settlement information you provide into an organized probate packet, helping you avoid missing names, addresses, asset details and creditor information.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Clark County full administration or court appearance needs counsel, Sunset connects families with a vetted probate attorney who understands Missouri practice.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset helps families organize estate settlement tasks, find assets and connect with legal help at no cost to the family.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Clark County, Missouri?
File with the Circuit Clerk's Office for the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Clark County at 111 E. Court Street, Suite 210, Kahoka, MO 63445-1268. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., except state holidays.
Does Clark County have its own probate forms?
No Clark County probate forms, cover sheet or checklist are posted. Use the statewide Missouri Judiciary probate forms and file them with the Kahoka office.
Can I file a Clark County probate case electronically?
Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers are never required to e-file under Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4). Clark County does not post a separate self-represented probate e-filing policy, so ask the Kahoka clerk whether your filing can be submitted electronically, by email, by mail or in person.
What does it cost to open a probate estate in Clark County?
Clark County does not post a local probate cost schedule. For original letters, Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, sets the state component at $115 when original letters are applied for, plus $50 for each additional $50,000 of final inventory value above $50,000 up to $500,000, capped at $565, with one certified copy of the letters included. Call (660) 727-3292 for the total collected at the Kahoka counter.
Can I use a small estate affidavit in Clark County?
Missouri's small estate affidavit may be available when the value of the entire estate, less liens, debts and encumbrances, does not exceed $40,000, effective August 28, 2002 (RSMo 473.097), and the other statutory requirements are met. File it with the Clark County probate division in Kahoka.
Can I appear remotely for a Clark County probate hearing?
No current Clark County probate remote-appearance rule is posted. If a hearing is scheduled, check the hearing notice and the Scheduled Hearings and Trials information in Case.net to see whether the court has placed that matter in a virtual hearing room.
Can I look up a Clark County probate case online?
Yes. Use Case.net, Missouri's statewide public case search. Public users can view available public case documents filed on or after July 1, 2023 from the Docket Entries tab. For earlier documents, contact the Kahoka court.
Do I have to travel to Kahoka for Clark County probate?
Not always. Some filings may be handled by mail, and attorneys use the Missouri eFiling System. Because Clark County does not post a separate self-represented probate filing policy, call (660) 727-3292 before traveling, especially if you live outside Missouri or need to avoid the noon to 1:00 p.m. lunch closure.
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.