Back to Missouri
Howell County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Howell County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Howell County, Division III, Probate |
| Courthouse address | Howell County Courthouse, 106 Courthouse, West Plains, MO 65775 |
| Mailing | No separate probate mailing address is listed. Contact Division III before mailing time-sensitive originals. |
| Phone | (417) 256-3741 |
| Fax | No probate fax number is posted by Howell County. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding state holidays |
| Opening court cost | Decedent's estate, $148.50, effective January 1, 2026, under Howell County's 2026 fee schedule. Additional inventory-value charges can apply under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023. |
| Local forms | No Howell County-specific probate packet is posted. Howell County links to the Missouri Judiciary's statewide probate forms page. |
| E-filing | Attorneys use the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers are not required to e-file under Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4). |
| Case search | Case.net, https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/ |
| Remote appearance | Ask Division III about the specific hearing. No Howell County rule gives a standing probate remote option. |
| Website | https://www.howellcountycourts.com/probate |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before any estate settlement filing in Howell County, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, heirs, beneficiaries, real estate, vehicles, bank accounts, retirement accounts, life insurance and any beneficiary deeds. The right path depends on what is actually in the estate and what passes outside probate.
Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 financial institutions so families can see what may need attention before they file in Division III. That preparation helps you decide whether Howell County needs a full administration, a small estate affidavit, a refusal of letters, or no probate filing for a particular asset.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Howell County probate matters are handled at the Howell County Courthouse in West Plains. The filing office is Division III, Probate, within the Circuit Clerk's Office, and Howell County uses its own courthouse even though the 37th Judicial Circuit also includes Oregon and Shannon counties.
Missouri venue generally follows the county where the decedent was domiciled when they died. If the decedent had no Missouri domicile, venue can be based on Missouri property, with special treatment when the major part of the Missouri estate is real estate (RSMo 473.010). Once letters are granted in Howell County, estate proceedings stay in Howell County (RSMo 473.010).
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the assets, debts and probate path before filing. If a full administration is needed, the first-reference court is the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Howell County. If a small estate affidavit or refusal of letters may fit, those routes do not appoint a personal representative.
- Prepare the petition or application and the required statewide probate forms. Deliver the original will to the probate division if there is one, because the will itself must be handled as an original even when other papers are handled electronically.
- File with Division III, Probate, at the Howell County Courthouse, 106 Courthouse, West Plains, MO 65775. Attorneys use the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers are not required to e-file under Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4), so ask Division III how it wants your specific papers delivered.
- Pay the Howell County court cost for the filing. A decedent's estate is $148.50, effective January 1, 2026, under the Howell County 2026 fee schedule, and additional inventory-value charges can apply under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023.
- If letters testamentary or letters of administration are issued, 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 creditors then face the claims deadlines in RSMo 473.360 and RSMo 473.444.
- Work with Division III on hearing placement. Howell County's regular probate docket is the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 9:00 a.m., but a particular matter depends on the court's calendar and any special setting.
- If the court appoints a personal representative, meaning an executor or administrator, the authority document is letters testamentary if there is a will or letters of administration if there is no will. A non-lawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney, although they may prepare and file their own inventories and settlements (RSMo 473.153.7).
- Administer the estate, file the inventory within thirty days after letters are granted unless the court gives more time (RSMo 473.233), handle creditor claims, sell or transfer assets as allowed, and close the estate settlement through the required settlement or independent administration process.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Howell County
Howell County does not post a Howell County-specific probate packet. Its probate page directs filers to the Missouri Judiciary's statewide probate forms page, so use the statewide forms that match the case type unless Division III tells you a local cover sheet or additional paper is needed.
The Howell County materials that are local are the probate page, the 2026 fee schedule and the 37th Judicial Circuit local rules. The clerk's office can assist with procedural filing questions, but Howell County states that the court and clerk's office cannot give legal advice.
Fees
| Probate filing | Howell County court cost |
|---|---|
| Decedent's estate, full administration | $148.50, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Small estate affidavit | $68.50, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Refusal of letters | $68.50, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Admit or file a will | $68.50, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Miscellaneous trusts | $78.50, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Adult guardianship or conservatorship | $108.50, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Minor guardianship or conservatorship | $93.50, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Annual settlement clerk fee, decedent's estate | $30.00, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Annual settlement clerk fee, adult matter | $30.00, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Annual settlement clerk fee, minor matter | $25.00, effective January 1, 2026 |
Howell County's totals are local court-cost totals for 2026. Additional inventory-value charges can apply under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023.
Timeline
- Division III's regular Howell County probate docket is the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 9:00 a.m.
- After you file, wait for Division III to place the matter on the docket or give a special setting. The regular docket day is not a promise that a new matter will be heard on the next available Thursday.
- If a hearing is set, ask Division III whether the appearance must be in person or whether the Missouri Virtual Hearing Room will be used for that specific hearing.
- If letters are granted, the inventory is due within thirty days after letters are granted unless the court gives more time (RSMo 473.233).
Local nuance
Howell County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Shared 37th Judicial Circuit | Howell County shares the circuit with Oregon and Shannon counties, but Howell County probate filings stay at the Howell County Courthouse in West Plains. |
| Division III, Probate | Howell County places probate matters in the Associate Division, Division III, and the regular docket is the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 9:00 a.m. |
| Current local fee schedule | Howell County posts a 2026 probate fee table effective January 1, 2026, so use Howell County's figures rather than another Missouri county's totals. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed locally |
|---|---|
| 2026 Howell County fee schedule | Howell County's Probate Division table is effective January 1, 2026, including $148.50 for a decedent's estate, $68.50 for a small estate affidavit and $68.50 for refusal of letters. |
| 37th Circuit local rules | The local rules place Howell County probate matters in the Associate Division and set Division III's regular probate docket for the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 9:00 a.m. |
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Howell County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | First determine whether the home passed outside probate by title, survivorship language or beneficiary deed. If little remains in the probate estate, a refusal of letters or small estate affidavit may be more appropriate than full administration. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts and title issues so the spouse can see whether Division III needs a filing at all. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If the statewide small estate affidavit requirements fit, the adult child can work with Division III on the statewide forms and Howell County's $68.50 small estate affidavit cost, effective January 1, 2026. If a hearing is needed, ask about the specific appearance method before traveling. | Sunset organizes the asset list and helps generate the packet so the child can avoid repeated trips to West Plains. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of real estate often points toward full administration or another court-supervised path, depending on title and heirs. In Howell County, any hearing would be placed through Division III, which regularly hears probate on the second and fourth Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. | Sunset helps gather the property, debt and heir information and can connect the family with a local probate attorney for the sale and estate settlement. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Howell County Probate Division, https://www.howellcountycourts.com/probate | Local courthouse contact information, hours, links to probate forms, fee schedule and local rules. |
| Case.net, https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/ | Missouri's public case lookup for circuit court cases, including probate matters. Use it as a browser search for a specific case. |
| Missouri Judiciary probate forms page | Statewide probate forms used when Howell County does not provide a local packet. |
| The Missouri Bar Probate Law Resource Guide, https://missourilawyershelp.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Probate-Guide-Updated-2024.pdf | A consumer guide from The Missouri Bar. It is not a Howell County court checklist. |
| Legal Services of Southern Missouri, https://www.lsosm.org/ | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Missourians in the Howell County area. Intake decides whether it can assist with a particular issue. |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets
Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and helps families build a clearer inventory of what the decedent owned and owed. That makes the Howell County estate settlement path easier to choose before papers are filed.
Generate the probate packet
Sunset turns the information you provide into an organized packet for the Missouri probate path that fits the estate. For Howell County, that means aligning the packet with Division III, Probate, the statewide forms and the local fee schedule.
Find a local probate attorney
When a full administration or court appearance requires counsel, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Missouri probate attorney who understands Howell County practice.
Sunset is free for families
Sunset does not charge families to use its estate settlement tools, asset search support or attorney matching. Families can start with organization and decide what level of help they need next.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Howell County?
File Howell County probate matters with Division III, Probate, at the Howell County Courthouse, 106 Courthouse, West Plains, MO 65775. Howell County is in the 37th Judicial Circuit, but Oregon County and Shannon County courthouses do not take Howell County probate filings.
What is the phone number for Howell County probate?
Call Division III through the Howell County courthouse number, (417) 256-3741. The office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding state holidays.
Can I e-file a probate case in Howell County?
Attorneys use the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers are not required to e-file under Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4). Ask Division III how it wants your specific papers delivered, especially if an original will is involved.
When are Howell County probate hearings?
Howell County's regular probate docket in Division III is the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 9:00 a.m. The court may still set a particular matter differently, so rely on the notice or setting from Division III.
Can I appear remotely for a Howell County probate hearing?
Ask Division III about the specific hearing. No Howell County local probate rule gives a standing remote option, and any use of the Missouri Virtual Hearing Room depends on the court's setting for that matter.
How do I look up a Howell County probate case?
Use Case.net at https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/ as a browser lookup. It can show public docket information, but do not assume every probate document can be read online.
Does Howell County have its own probate forms?
Howell County does not post a separate county probate packet. Its probate page links to the Missouri Judiciary statewide probate forms page, and Division III can tell you if a local cover sheet or additional paper is needed for your case type.
How much does a Howell County decedent's estate cost to open?
Howell County's 2026 fee schedule lists a decedent's estate at $148.50, effective January 1, 2026. Additional inventory-value charges can apply under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023.
Do I have to travel to West Plains for every step?
Not always. Many preparation steps can be handled before you go to the courthouse, and an attorney can handle court appearances for a full administration. If a hearing is set, ask Division III whether your appearance must be in person.
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.