Back to Missouri
Dade County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Dade County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Dade County |
| Courthouse address | Dade County Courthouse, 300 W. Water Street, Greenfield, MO 65661 |
| Mailing address | 300 W. Water Street, Greenfield, MO 65661 |
| Phone | (417) 238-2400 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Circuit Clerk's Office observes state holidays. Refusal-of-letters filings are accepted Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except holidays. |
| Filing fee | Dade County schedule current August 21, 2026: decedent estate, $148.50, plus $35.00 if admitting a will at the same time. Refusal of letters and small estate affidavit matters are $68.50 under the same schedule. Additional inventory-based state charges under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, may apply when letters are issued. |
| Local forms | Dade County's Circuit Clerk site publishes refusal-of-letters application packets, creditor, and surviving spouse or unmarried minor child, with instructions on its File a Refusal of Letters page; it publishes no small estate packet and no full-administration packet, so use Missouri Judiciary probate forms or attorney-prepared pleadings for other filings. |
| E-filing status | Attorneys use the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers are not required to e-file under Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4), effective October 1, 2019. Dade County states that documents sent as e-mail attachments to the Circuit Clerk are not valid filings. |
| Case search | Case.net is the statewide public case search. Public case documents filed on or after July 1, 2023 may be available from the Docket Entries tab; older documents must be requested from the Greenfield court. |
| Remote appearance | No Dade County probate hearing rule is published. Missouri's Virtual Hearing Room is used only when the notice of hearing or the Scheduled Hearings and Trials tab says the case is set there. |
| Website | https://www.dadecountymo.gov/circuit-clerk |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Dade County, identify the assets, debts, title documents and beneficiary designations. A jointly owned home, a beneficiary deed, a payable-on-death account or a small bank balance can change whether the family needs letters, a refusal of letters, a small estate affidavit or no probate filing at all.
Sunset's estate settlement platform searches more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families find accounts, insurance, retirement assets and debts before they choose a Missouri probate path. That asset inventory makes the Greenfield filing more accurate and helps avoid opening the wrong type of estate.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Dade County Courthouse in Greenfield serves Dade County probate matters, including estates connected to Greenfield, Arcola, Dadeville, Everton, Lockwood and South Greenfield. Dade County is part of the 28th Judicial Circuit with Barton, Cedar and Vernon counties, but each county keeps its own courthouse and probate filing office.
Missouri venue starts in the county where the deceased person was domiciled when they died. A will is probated and letters are granted in that county, and later estate orders and settlements stay in the county where letters were granted (RSMo 473.010). For a Dade County decedent, that usually means filing with the Circuit Clerk's Office at 300 W. Water Street in Greenfield.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the filing path. For a refusal of letters, start with the creditor or surviving spouse or unmarried minor child packets on Dade County's File a Refusal of Letters page. For a small estate affidavit, application for letters or other probate filing, use Missouri Judiciary probate forms or attorney-prepared pleadings, and deliver any original will on paper.
- File with the Circuit Clerk's Office at the Dade County Courthouse, 300 W. Water Street, Greenfield, MO 65661. Dade County states that documents sent as e-mail attachments to the Circuit Clerk are not valid filings, so a self-represented filer should file in person or by mail unless the clerk gives a different case-specific instruction.
- Pay the Dade County court cost shown on the county schedule. Current August 21, 2026 amounts include $148.50 for a decedent estate, plus $35.00 if admitting a will at the same time, and $68.50 for a refusal of letters or small estate affidavit. Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, also sets the state letters 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, with total fees under that rule capped at $565.00.
- Complete the required notice. In a full administration, the clerk causes notice of letters to be published once a week for four consecutive weeks, and creditors use the Missouri claims deadlines tied to that notice (RSMo 473.033, RSMo 473.360). If a small estate notice is required under RSMo 473.097, the clerk follows the publication procedure in that statute.
- Watch the hearing notice and Case.net. Dade County does not publish a probate hearing day or remote-appearance rule. If the court sets a hearing, the notice of hearing and the Scheduled Hearings and Trials tab show whether the case is in person or in Missouri's Virtual Hearing Room.
- Receive the authority document if the judge grants letters. With a will, the authority document is letters testamentary. Without a will, it is letters of administration. Depending on the county, the judge who signs letters is a circuit judge assigned to the probate division or an associate circuit judge exercising probate jurisdiction (Mo. Const. art. V, § 27).
- Administer and close the estate. A personal representative files the inventory within thirty days after letters are granted unless the court gives more time (RSMo 473.233), handles creditor claims under RSMo 473.360 and RSMo 473.444, distributes property, and completes the settlement or closing steps that fit the estate settlement path.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Dade County
The Dade County Circuit Clerk's forms list includes a probate section with refusal-of-letters applications. The site's File a Refusal of Letters page hosts the county's downloadable creditor and spousal refusal packets with general information, and states that refusal filings are accepted Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except holidays.
For a small estate affidavit, application for letters or other probate filing, no county packet is published. Use the statewide Missouri Judiciary probate forms or attorney-prepared pleadings, and deliver any original will on paper to the probate division.
Fees
| Item | Amount | Date tied to amount |
|---|---|---|
| Decedent estate | $148.50, plus $35.00 if admitting a will at the same time | Dade County schedule current August 21, 2026 |
| Incapacitated or disabled estate | $108.50 | Dade County schedule current August 21, 2026 |
| Minor's estate | $93.50 | Dade County schedule current August 21, 2026 |
| All other probate matters | $68.50 | Dade County schedule current August 21, 2026 |
| Receiving a will | $3.00 | Dade County schedule current August 21, 2026 |
| Admitting a will with no other proceeding | $68.50 | Dade County schedule current August 21, 2026 |
| Refusal of letters | $68.50 | Dade County schedule current August 21, 2026 |
| Small estate affidavit | $68.50 | Dade County schedule current August 21, 2026 |
| Copy charges | $0.25 per page, $5.00 per certified copy, $3.00 per non-certified copy, plus postage at United States Postal Service rates | Effective July 18, 2025 |
Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, also sets the statewide letters component at $115 when original letters are applied for in a decedent's estate, plus $50 for each additional $50,000 of final inventory value above $50,000 up to $500,000, with total fees under that provision capped at $565.00 and one certified copy of the letters included at no additional cost.
Local nuance
Dade County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in Dade County |
|---|---|
| Shared circuit, separate courthouse | Dade County is in the 28th Judicial Circuit with Barton, Cedar and Vernon counties, but a Dade County estate is filed at the Greenfield courthouse. |
| E-mailed documents | The Circuit Clerk states that documents received as e-mail attachments are not a valid means of filing with the court. Use the counter, mail or attorney e-filing as appropriate. |
| Refusal-of-letters window | The county's File a Refusal of Letters page says refusal filings are accepted at 300 W. Water Street, Greenfield, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except holidays. |
| Recorder of deeds step | If a small estate certificate or refusal-of-letters order must be recorded for Dade County real estate, the Dade County Recorder of Deeds is the local office that handles that recording step. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Dade County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by checking whether the home passes outside probate because of the title. If probate authority is still needed and the spouse path fits, a refusal of letters may be considered under RSMo 473.090. Dade County publishes a spousal refusal-of-letters packet and instructions on its Circuit Clerk site, and the Dade County refusal cost is $68.50 under the county schedule current August 21, 2026. | Sunset helps identify accounts, title issues and debts before the spouse chooses a refusal packet, small estate filing or full administration. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If the Missouri small estate affidavit path fits under RSMo 473.097, the Dade County small estate cost is $68.50 under the county schedule current August 21, 2026. Because Dade County says e-mailed attachments are not valid filings, an out-of-state filer should mail the signed paperwork or arrange an in-person filing with the Greenfield office. | Sunset organizes asset information, helps generate a filing packet, and can help coordinate with a local attorney if the small estate path is not enough. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of real estate usually points toward full administration. In Missouri, a personal representative who is not a lawyer cannot appear in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153.7). Dade County's decedent estate cost is $148.50, plus $35.00 if admitting a will at the same time, under the county schedule current August 21, 2026. | Sunset supports estate settlement by finding assets and liabilities, preparing information for counsel, and connecting the family with a vetted probate attorney. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Dade County Circuit Clerk | Local courthouse information, hours, court costs, refusal-of-letters packets and the e-mail filing caution. | https://www.dadecountymo.gov/circuit-clerk |
| Case.net | Statewide public case search for Missouri circuit court cases, including probate division matters. | https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/ |
| Missouri Judiciary probate forms | Statewide probate form page for Missouri probate division filings. Use it for matters where Dade County does not publish a local packet. | https://www.courts.mo.gov/ |
| Legal Services of Southern Missouri | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Missourians. Dade County is served through the Springfield office, 3130 S. Delaware, Springfield, MO 65804, (417) 881-0533 or (800) 444-4863. | https://www.lsmo.org/page/951/offices |
| Missouri Revisor of Statutes | Official Missouri statutes and constitutional provisions, including the probate statutes cited on this page. | https://revisor.mo.gov/ |
| The Missouri Bar Probate Law Resource Guide | A consumer guide from The Missouri Bar about Missouri probate basics. | https://missourilawyershelp.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Probate-Guide-Updated-2024.pdf |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions to help locate bank accounts, retirement accounts, life insurance, debts and other assets before the Dade County estate settlement path is chosen.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset and family information into an organized packet for a refusal of letters, small estate affidavit or attorney review, depending on what Missouri law and the Dade County filing office require.
Find a local probate attorney. When full administration, a real estate sale or a court appearance is involved, Sunset connects the family with a vetted Missouri probate attorney familiar with estate settlement work.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate, find assets, prepare next steps and connect with counsel without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Dade County, Missouri?
File with the Circuit Clerk's Office at the Dade County Courthouse, 300 W. Water Street, Greenfield, MO 65661. The probate venue is the county where the deceased person was domiciled when they died (RSMo 473.010).
Can I e-mail probate documents to the Dade County Circuit Clerk?
No. Dade County states that documents received as e-mail attachments through the Circuit Clerk's e-mail are not a valid means of filing with the court. Self-represented filers should file in person or by mail unless the clerk gives a case-specific instruction.
Does Dade County have local probate forms?
Yes for refusal of letters. The Circuit Clerk site hosts creditor and surviving spouse or unmarried minor child refusal-of-letters packets, general information and filing instructions on its File a Refusal of Letters page. Dade County does not publish a county packet for small estate affidavits or full administration, so use statewide Missouri Judiciary probate forms or attorney-prepared pleadings for those filings.
How much does a Dade County probate filing cost?
Under the Dade County schedule current August 21, 2026, a decedent estate is $148.50, plus $35.00 if admitting a will at the same time. Refusal of letters and small estate affidavit filings are $68.50 under the same schedule. Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, also adds inventory-based state charges when original letters are issued.
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Dade County?
For full administration, 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). A small estate affidavit or refusal of letters does not appoint a personal representative, so those routes are different.
Can I look up a Dade County probate case online?
Use Case.net, Missouri's statewide public case search. Public case documents filed on or after July 1, 2023 may be available from the Docket Entries tab; for documents filed before that date, request copies from the Greenfield court.
Are Dade County probate hearings remote?
Dade County does not publish a probate-specific remote-appearance rule. If a hearing is set, check the notice of hearing and the Scheduled Hearings and Trials tab to see whether the matter is in person or in Missouri's Virtual Hearing Room.
Do I have to travel to Greenfield to handle a Dade County estate?
Not always. Some self-represented filings can be mailed to the Circuit Clerk's Office, attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System, and some hearings may be handled only as the court orders. Because e-mailed attachments are not valid filings in Dade County, call (417) 238-2400 before relying on mail for a deadline-sensitive filing.
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.