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Franklin County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Franklin County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Franklin County, 20th Judicial Circuit |
| Courthouse | Franklin County Judicial Center, 401 East Main Street, Union, MO 63084 |
| Mailing | 401 E. Main St., Room 100A, Union, MO 63084 |
| Probate telephone | (636) 583-6312 |
| Hours | 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding state holidays. No lunch closure or daily filing cutoff is published, so call the probate line before a late-day trip to Union. |
| Court costs | Franklin County publishes its own schedule of fees on the court's Franklin County page. The state component for original letters is $115, plus $50 for each additional $50,000 of final inventory value above $50,000 up to $500,000, capped at $565.00, with one certified copy of the letters included (Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023). Counties add statutory local surcharges, so use Franklin County's schedule or call the probate line for the total collected in Union. |
| Local forms | No Franklin County probate packet is published. Franklin County directs filers to the Missouri Judiciary's statewide probate forms. |
| E-filing | Franklin County's Circuit Court is an e-filing court for attorneys. A self-represented filer is not required to e-file in Missouri and should ask the probate division whether the system opens the particular probate filing they need. |
| Case search | Case.net. Franklin County probate case information is available for public cases pending as of October 14, 1967. |
| Remote appearance | The court decides whether a hearing is in person in Union or in the Missouri Judiciary's Virtual Hearing Room. Not all cases are eligible, and the notice of hearing tells you which setting applies. |
| Websites | Missouri Judiciary Franklin County court page and Franklin County Circuit Court Clerk page |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Franklin County probate path, list what the person owned, how each asset was titled, any beneficiary designations, debts, funeral bills, and whether Franklin County real estate is involved. Missouri estate settlement turns on those details before it turns on forms, because some property passes outside probate and some routes produce an order or certificate that still has to be recorded with the Franklin County recorder of deeds.
Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and helps families assemble account, debt and property information before they call the Union probate line or prepare a packet for the court.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Franklin County serves decedents domiciled in Franklin County, including Union, Washington, Pacific, Sullivan, St. Clair, New Haven and the county's other communities. Missouri venue for probating a will and granting letters is the county where the decedent was domiciled, and later estate proceedings stay in the county where letters were granted (RSMo 473.010).
Franklin County is in the 20th Judicial Circuit with Gasconade and Osage counties. Missouri has forty-six judicial circuits (RSMo 478.011), but a shared circuit is not a shared courthouse. A Franklin County estate is filed at the Franklin County Judicial Center in Union.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the probate property, debts, beneficiary designations and any Franklin County real estate before choosing a path.
- Choose the Missouri route. A full administration appoints a personal representative. A small estate affidavit (RSMo 473.097) or refusal of letters (RSMo 473.090) appoints no personal representative and may fit narrower situations.
- Use the Missouri Judiciary's statewide probate forms, because Franklin County publishes no local probate packet. Include the filing information sheet required on each case and the property listing exhibit when the application calls for it.
- Deliver the original will to the probate division on paper if there is a will, even if other documents are handled electronically.
- File with the clerk of the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Franklin County at the Franklin County Judicial Center, 401 East Main Street, Union, MO 63084, or by mail to 401 E. Main St., Room 100A, Union, MO 63084. The counter closes at 4:30 p.m.
- Pay the court costs collected in Union. Franklin County's own schedule gives the local total, while Court Operating Rule 21.01 sets the state component and the later inventory-value add-on.
- In a full administration, the clerk causes notice of the appointment and notice to creditors to be published once a week for four consecutive weeks (RSMo 473.033). Missouri creditor deadlines then run under the six-month or mailed-notice rule (RSMo 473.360) and the one-year-from-death rule (RSMo 473.444).
- Watch the notice of hearing. It will tell you whether the hearing is in person in Union or in the Missouri Judiciary's Virtual Hearing Room.
- After letters testamentary or letters of administration issue, use the certified copy for banks and title companies, file the inventory within thirty days after letters unless the court extends the time (RSMo 473.233), keep vouchers and account records, follow the docket on Case.net, and complete the estate settlement through the required settlement or statement of account.
- If a small estate certificate or certified refusal order must move Franklin County real estate, record it with the Franklin County recorder of deeds at 400 E. Locust, Room 102, Union, which is a different building from the court.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Franklin County
Franklin County publishes no local probate forms, estate packet, probate cover sheet or local probate checklist. The court's Franklin County page lists local rules and fee-related documents, and Franklin County's Circuit Court Clerk page directs filers to the Supreme Court approved forms on the Missouri Judiciary's website.
The statewide probate forms include FI-50, the confidential case filing information sheet required on each case, PR 23 for a creditor refusal of letters, PR 25 for unmarried minor children, PR 33 for a surviving spouse, PR 16 for an intestate small estate affidavit, PR 28 for determination of heirship, PR 22 Exhibit A for the property listing, and PR 26 Exhibit B for heirs where the form calls for it. PR 16 is for the small estate route where the value of the entire estate, less liens, debts and encumbrances, does not exceed $40,000, effective August 28, 2002 (RSMo 473.097).
Call the Franklin County probate line at (636) 583-6312 before mailing a packet if you are not sure which statewide form the Union counter expects for your situation.
Fees
Franklin County publishes a Franklin County Schedule of Fees on the court's Franklin County page, and the clerk's office provides that schedule on request. Use that county schedule or the probate line, (636) 583-6312, for the total collected in Union for letters, a small estate, a refusal of letters or an heirship filing.
The state component is set by Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023. It includes $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. Counties add statutory local surcharges on top, so the Union counter's total is more than the state component alone.
Franklin County's Circuit Court Clerk page lists copies at $1.00 per page and an additional $1.50 if certification is requested. The same page states that payment must be received before record requests are processed and that a convenience fee is assessed on debit and credit card payments.
Local nuance
Franklin County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in Franklin County |
|---|---|
| Three-county circuit | Franklin, Gasconade and Osage counties share the 20th Judicial Circuit, but a Franklin County estate is filed at the Franklin County Judicial Center in Union. |
| Separate probate telephone line | The court publishes (636) 583-6312 specifically for probate questions, separate from its civil and criminal lines. |
| Counter hours | The Franklin County Judicial Center publishes 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding state holidays. Call before a late-day trip to Union. |
| Three Union buildings | The court is at 401 East Main Street, the recorder of deeds is at 400 E. Locust, and the public administrator is at 15 S. Church Street. A probate matter involving real estate may touch more than one building. |
| Recorder step | A small estate clerk's certificate or certified refusal order that moves Franklin County real estate is recorded with the recorder of deeds at 400 E. Locust, Room 102, not at the courthouse. |
| County public administrator | Franklin County has a public administrator whom the probate division can appoint to act as ordered in probate estates, conservatorships, guardianships or other matters when the court needs that office to serve. |
| Older probate records | Case.net reaches Franklin County public probate cases pending as of October 14, 1967. Some older judgment information must be reviewed through indices at the courthouse. |
| Courtroom technology | Franklin County publishes an in-court audio-visual equipment policy for courtroom presentations. It is not a remote appearance rule. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Franklin County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Call the Franklin County probate line before filing. A surviving spouse may ask whether refusal of letters fits, because that route appoints no personal representative and is keyed to exempt property and the support allowance rather than a fixed dollar limit (RSMo 473.090). If the order affects Franklin County real estate, record a certified copy with the recorder of deeds at 400 E. Locust, Room 102. | Sunset helps identify which assets are probate property, organize the spouse's paperwork and generate a packet using the statewide forms Franklin County points filers to. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Plan on filing at the Judicial Center in Union or by mail, and call (636) 583-6312 before mailing. The small estate affidavit is filed with the clerk and produces the clerk's certificate a bank or title company wants (RSMo 473.097). Any original will must reach the probate division on paper. | Sunset helps find accounts, list debts and assets, prepare the statewide small-estate materials and track the Franklin County docket on Case.net from out of state. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale often points toward full administration. A Missouri personal representative who is not a lawyer cannot appear in court except through an attorney, though the personal representative may prepare and file inventories and settlements (RSMo 473.153.7). Plan for certified copies of letters for the bank, title company and closing. | Sunset helps organize the estate settlement, find account information, prepare the filing packet and connect the family with a local probate attorney. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Missouri Judiciary Franklin County court page | Lists the Franklin County Judicial Center address, probate telephone line, hours, judicial personnel and links to local rules and the Franklin County Schedule of Fees. |
| Franklin County Circuit Court Clerk | Provides the clerk's office address, records request process, copy and certification charges, e-filing statement and links to remote public access information. |
| Case.net | Search a Franklin County estate by the decedent's name, follow the docket and open public documents filed on or after July 1, 2023 when a document link appears. |
| Missouri Judiciary probate forms | Provides the statewide probate forms Franklin County directs filers to, including the filing information sheet, refusal of letters applications, small estate affidavit and heirship materials. |
| Missouri Revisor of Statutes | Official source for Missouri probate statutes, including small estates, refusal of letters, creditor notice, claims and inventory rules. |
| The Missouri Bar Probate Law Resource Guide | A plain-language consumer guide to Missouri probate published by The Missouri Bar. |
| Legal Services of Eastern Missouri | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income and older Missourians. Franklin County residents may contact the Union office at 20 South Church Street, Suite C, (636) 583-7877, or the main office at (314) 534-4200. |
| Franklin County Recorder of Deeds | The office at 400 E. Locust, Room 102 records a small estate certificate or certified refusal order when Franklin County real estate must be transferred through that route. |
When to hire an attorney
In Missouri, 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). Counsel usually makes sense for a Franklin County full administration, especially when real estate must be sold, an heir objects, a creditor claim is disputed or the personal representative lives outside Missouri. A small estate affidavit (RSMo 473.097) or refusal of letters (RSMo 473.090) appoints no personal representative. Sunset connects you to a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families identify bank accounts, investments, insurance, real estate, vehicles, debts and beneficiary-designated property before a filing decision is made in Franklin County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into an organized packet using Missouri's statewide probate forms and the local filing details for the Franklin County Judicial Center in Union.
Find a local probate attorney. When a full administration is needed, Sunset connects families with a vetted Missouri probate attorney who can appear in court for the personal representative.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset supports estate settlement by helping families organize the work, understand the local steps and connect with the right professional help without charging families for Sunset's service.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file to probate a will in Franklin County?
File with the clerk of the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Franklin County at the Franklin County Judicial Center, 401 East Main Street, Union, MO 63084, or by mail to 401 E. Main St., Room 100A, Union, MO 63084. The probate telephone line is (636) 583-6312. The original will goes to the probate division on paper.
Franklin County shares a circuit with Gasconade and Osage counties. Do I have to go to another county's courthouse?
No. The 20th Judicial Circuit includes Franklin, Gasconade and Osage counties, but a Franklin County estate is filed in Union. Venue is the county of the decedent's domicile (RSMo 473.010).
When is the Franklin County Judicial Center open?
The published hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding state holidays. No lunch closure or daily filing cutoff is published, so call the probate line before traveling to Union late in the day.
Can I file a Franklin County probate case myself, or do I have to e-file?
Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System, and Franklin County's court is an e-filing court. A self-represented filer is never required to e-file in Missouri, most self-represented pleadings are filed on paper, and the probate division can tell you whether the system opens the particular probate filing you need.
What does it cost to open an estate in Franklin County?
Franklin County publishes its own Schedule of Fees on the court's Franklin County page, and the clerk's office provides it on request. The state component is $115 for original letters plus $50 for each additional $50,000 of final inventory value above $50,000 up to $500,000, capped at $565.00, with one certified copy of the letters included (Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023). Counties add statutory local surcharges, so ask the probate division for the total collected in Union.
Does Franklin County have its own probate forms?
No. Franklin County publishes no local probate packet, and the county's own clerk page directs filers to the Supreme Court approved forms on the Missouri Judiciary's website. Use the statewide forms and the filing information sheet.
Can I look up a Franklin County estate case online?
Yes. Use Case.net to search by the decedent's name. Franklin County probate case information reaches back to public cases pending as of October 14, 1967, and public documents filed on or after July 1, 2023 can often be opened from the docket entries. Older documents are requested from the clerk's office in Union or viewed at the courthouse public access terminal.
How do I get certified copies of letters in Franklin County?
One certified copy of letters is included in the court cost under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023. Franklin County's Circuit Court Clerk page lists copies at $1.00 per page plus $1.50 for certification, with a convenience fee on debit and credit card payments.
Will I have to appear in person in Union?
The court decides whether a hearing is in person at the Franklin County Judicial Center or in the Missouri Judiciary's Virtual Hearing Room. Not all cases are eligible for a virtual hearing, and the notice of hearing tells you the setting.
Where do I record paperwork to move Franklin County real estate?
Record a small estate clerk's certificate or certified refusal order with the Franklin County recorder of deeds at 400 E. Locust, Room 102, Union, MO 63084. That office is in a different building from the Franklin County Judicial Center.
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.