Back to Missouri
Platte County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Platte County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Platte County, 6th Judicial Circuit |
| Courthouse address | Platte County Courthouse, 415 Third Street, Suite 95, Platte City, MO 64079. The courthouse is also published by the county as 328 Main Street because it sits at Third and Main. |
| Mailing | No separate Probate Division mailing address is published. Call the Probate Division before sending original documents. |
| Phone | (816) 858-2232, then press 1 and 2 for the Probate Division |
| Fax | (816) 858-3392, a shared court fax. Do not assume a probate filing may be faxed. |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. No lunch closure or daily cutoff is published. |
| Initial court cost | Platte County publishes $148.50 for supervised or independent administration, with or without a will, effective July 1, 2021. Refusal of letters, small estate affidavit, determination of heirship and will admitted or rejected are listed at $68.50, effective July 1, 2021. |
| Local forms | Yes. The court publishes its own Platte County probate forms, including applications for letters, small estate, refusal of letters, inventory, real property sale and final settlement forms. |
| E-filing | Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers are not required to e-file, and Local Rule 4.3 permits non-attorneys to file papers in the proper clerk's office by case type. |
| Case lookup | Case.net. Platte County associate civil and probate case information covers public cases pending as of January 1, 1991 and later. |
| Remote appearance | The court decides whether a hearing is in person or in the Judiciary's Virtual Hearing Room. Not every case is eligible, and the notice of hearing controls. |
| Website | Platte County Circuit Court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Platte County filing, list what the person owned, how each asset was titled, who is named as beneficiary and what debts are still open. That first asset and liability review decides whether anything belongs in the Platte County probate estate, whether a no-letters route may fit, and whether a full administration is needed for estate settlement.
Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 financial institutions so families can find accounts before they file in Suite 95. That matters in Platte County because the court publishes different forms and court costs for letters, refusal of letters, small estate affidavits and later settlement steps.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Platte County serves Platte County from the Platte County Courthouse in Platte City. Platte County is the 6th Judicial Circuit on its own, and Missouri is divided into forty-six judicial circuits (RSMo 478.011).
Platte County communities published by the county include Platte City, Parkville, Riverside, Weatherby Lake, Weston, Kansas City North, Smithville, Platte Woods, Lake Waukomis, Houston Lake, Northmoor, Dearborn, Edgerton, Tracy, Camden Point, Farley, Ferrelview, Iatan, New Market, Ridgely and Waldron. A Kansas City address can be in Platte County, so start with the decedent's domicile. In Missouri, the will is probated and letters are granted in the county where the decedent was domiciled, and later estate proceedings stay in the county where letters were granted (RSMo 473.010).
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the probate assets, debts and title questions before choosing a Platte County path. Joint ownership, beneficiary designations and other nonprobate transfers may change what belongs in the estate.
- Choose the Missouri route with the state rules in mind. 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.
- Use the Platte County forms page first. The court publishes local forms for letters testamentary, letters of administration, small estate affidavits, refusal of letters, consent for independent administration, inventory, real property sale and annual or final settlement.
- Call the Probate Division at (816) 858-2232, then press 1 and 2, before you travel or send originals. Probate cases are filed in the Probate Division in Suite 95, not in the Circuit Clerk's office (Local Rule 4.1).
- If a will is involved, plan for the paper original. Local Rule 72.5 has a will-admission affidavit or petition filed with a copy of the will and requires the original will to be delivered to the Probate Division within forty-eight hours.
- File the papers with the clerk of the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Platte County. Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System. A non-attorney may file papers in the proper clerk's office by case type, and those papers are scanned into the electronic file (Local Rule 4.3).
- Pay the court cost for the filing. Platte County publishes $148.50 for an administration and $68.50 for refusal of letters, small estate affidavit, determination of heirship or will admitted or rejected, effective July 1, 2021. A self-represented filer pays by card, cashier's check, money order or cash, and personal checks are not accepted under Local Rule 5.1.
- Watch for notice and hearing instructions. In a full administration, the clerk causes notice of letters to be published once a week for four consecutive weeks (RSMo 473.033). Creditor deadlines then run under Missouri's six-month and one-year rules (RSMo 473.360; RSMo 473.444). Platte County publishes no standing probate docket day, so the notice of hearing sets the date, time and place.
- After appointment, use the letters testamentary or letters of administration as the authority document. Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, provides one certified copy of letters at no additional cost when original letters are issued.
- Administer and close the estate. File the inventory within thirty days after letters unless the court extends the time (RSMo 473.233), keep records for the accounting, handle any sale or distribution orders and complete the estate settlement using the court's settlement and distribution forms. Platte County also publishes additional charges tied to the final inventory value above $50,000, effective July 1, 2021.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Platte County
Platte County publishes its own probate form set, which is more useful locally than starting only with the statewide forms page. The court's forms are captioned for the Circuit Court of Platte County, 6th Judicial Circuit, Probate Division, and cover the case from the opening application through inventory, real estate sale, settlement and discharge.
| Form group | Examples published for Platte County | When it comes up |
|---|---|---|
| Opening an administration | Application for Letters Testamentary; Application for Letters of Administration | When a personal representative needs letters testamentary or letters of administration. |
| Will presentment | Petition for Presentment of Instrument for Probate; Certificate and Order of Probate of Last Will and Testament | When a will must be presented and the original will must reach the Probate Division under Local Rule 72.5. |
| Independent administration | Consent for Independent Administration | When the will or the required consents support independent administration under Missouri law. |
| No-letters routes | Petition for Affidavit for a Small Estate; Application Surviving Spouse Refusal of Letters; Application Unmarried Minor Child(ren) Refusal of Letters; Application Creditor Refusal of Letters | When the family is using a small estate affidavit (RSMo 473.097) or refusal of letters (RSMo 473.090). |
| Estate administration | Inventory; Claim Against Estate; Notice of Hearing; Designation of Resident Agent; Verification of Restricted Deposit | When the appointed personal representative is collecting assets, reporting property and handling claims. |
| Real estate sale | Petition for Authority to Take Charge of Real Estate; Petition for Order to Sell Real Property; Report of Private Sale of Real Property; Deed of Personal Representative | When court authority is needed for a sale of estate real property. |
| Closing | Annual or Final Settlement; Petition for Approval of Final Settlement; Notice of Filing Final Settlement; Order Approving Final Settlement and for Distribution | When the estate is ready for final accounting, distribution and discharge. |
| Statewide forms | FI-50 Confidential Case Filing Information Sheet; PR 22 Exhibit A; PR 23, PR 25, PR 28, PR 30 and PR 33 | The statewide forms page says a filing information sheet is required on each case filed, and the filing party is responsible for checking which sheet the court wants. |
Because Platte County publishes local forms and the statewide form set also exists, call Suite 95 before filing if the same filing appears in both places.
Fees
Platte County publishes its own probate court cost schedule, effective July 1, 2021, and the circuit's Local Rule 5.1 ties the probate deposit to Court Operating Rule 21.01. Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, sets the statewide structure, including $115 when original letters are applied for and a total cap of $565.00 under that rule.
| Item | Platte County amount | Authority or date |
|---|---|---|
| Supervised administration with or without a will | $148.50 | Platte County schedule, effective July 1, 2021 |
| Independent administration with or without a will | $148.50 | Platte County schedule, effective July 1, 2021 |
| Application of letters | $148.50 | Platte County schedule, effective July 1, 2021 |
| Creditor, spousal or minor refusal of letters | $68.50 | Platte County schedule, effective July 1, 2021 |
| Small estate affidavit with or without a will | $68.50 | Platte County schedule, effective July 1, 2021 |
| Determination of heirship or will admitted or rejected | $68.50 | Platte County schedule, effective July 1, 2021 |
| Inventory-value charge | $50.00 for $50,001 to $100,000, increasing by $50.00 bands to $450.00 over $450,000 | Platte County deceased-estate closing cost table, effective July 1, 2021 |
| Probate copies | $1.00 per page, plus $1.50 for certification or authentication | 6th Judicial Circuit local court rules, Local Rule 7.2.1 |
Publication charges are separate from court costs. In a full administration, the clerk causes the notice of letters to be published (RSMo 473.033), but Platte County does not publish a newspaper charge on the court site.
Local nuance
Platte County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in Platte County |
|---|---|
| Probate Division counter | Local Rule 4.1 sends probate cases to the Probate Division, while other cases go to the Circuit Clerk's office. Use Suite 95 and the probate phone menu. |
| Separate phone menu | Call (816) 858-2232, then press 1 and 2 for the Probate Division. |
| Original will timing | Local Rule 72.5 requires the original will to reach the Probate Division within forty-eight hours after the will-admission affidavit or petition is filed with a copy of the will. |
| Self-represented payment | Local Rule 5.1 allows card, cashier's check, money order or cash for a self-represented filer and does not accept personal checks. |
| Contested matters | Local Rule 72.4 allows the court to order mediation in a contested probate matter. |
| Hearing settings | The circuit publishes no fixed probate docket day. A hearing notice tells the parties when and where to appear, and a judge may hear a probate matter on assignment by the presiding judge under Local Rule 72.3. |
| Case documents | Case.net shows the docket, and public documents filed on or after July 1, 2023 can often be opened from docket entries. Older documents may require a request to the court or use of the courthouse public access terminal. |
| Recorder of deeds | For Platte County real estate, a small estate certificate under RSMo 473.097 or a certified refusal order under RSMo 473.090 is recorded with the Platte County Recorder's Office in the same courthouse complex. |
| Public administrator | Platte County has an elected Public Administrator whom the court can appoint as personal representative when no suitable private person is serving. |
| Courthouse phone rule | Local Rule 11 says a party may not bring a cell phone into the courthouse without the court's permission. Call before travelling if that affects your visit. |
Recent updates
| Update | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| The Platte County Recorder's Office states that recording fees in that office increase on August 28, 2026 under a statewide statutory increase. | The notice says the increase affects recording documents, marriage licenses and land surveys or plats. It matters if you have to record a small estate affidavit and clerk's certificate under RSMo 473.097, or a certified copy of an order refusing letters under RSMo 473.090, to move Platte County real estate. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Platte County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Call the Probate Division in Suite 95 and ask about the court's Application Surviving Spouse Refusal of Letters. The spouse and unmarried minor children path is governed by exempt property and the support allowance rather than a fixed dollar cap (RSMo 473.090). If the refusal order moves Platte County real estate, a certified copy is recorded with the Platte County Recorder's Office. | Sunset identifies the accounts and title issues before anything is filed, then helps assemble the Platte County packet for the no-letters route or flags when a full administration is needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Use the court's Petition for Affidavit for a Small Estate and call (816) 858-2232, pressing 1 and then 2, before sending originals because no separate mailing address is published. The court lists a small estate affidavit at $68.50, effective July 1, 2021. If a will is involved, plan for the original will to reach the Probate Division under Local Rule 72.5. | Sunset finds the accounts from wherever the child lives, checks whether the asset picture supports the small estate route and prepares the estate settlement packet for Platte City. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale usually points toward full administration. Platte County publishes local forms for taking charge of real estate, petitioning to sell, reporting a private sale, confirming the sale and using a deed of personal representative. Budget for the court's inventory-value charge and expect counsel if a personal representative must appear in court (RSMo 473.153.7). | Sunset builds the asset inventory, prepares the starting packet and connects the parent with a local probate attorney for the appearance, sale and settlement steps. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Platte County Circuit Court | The court's own site with local court rules, probate forms, probate court costs and inventory-value charges. | Platte County Circuit Court |
| Platte County Local Rules and Filing Information | The Missouri Judiciary page for Platte County local rules, cost lists and court information. | Local rules and filing information |
| Case.net | Statewide public case search for Missouri circuit courts, including Platte County probate cases. | Case.net |
| Missouri Judiciary probate forms | Statewide probate forms, including the filing information sheet, refusal of letters forms, small estate materials and heirship forms. | Missouri probate forms |
| Missouri Revisor of Statutes | Official Missouri statutes for small estate affidavits, refusal of letters, notices, claims and inventories. | Missouri Revisor of Statutes |
| Legal Aid of Western Missouri | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Missourians. Platte County applications are taken through the Kansas City offices and online. | Missouri Legal Services offices |
| The Missouri Bar Probate Law Resource Guide | A plain-language probate guide published by The Missouri Bar. | Probate Law Resource Guide |
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 in a Platte County full administration, especially when real estate must be sold, heirs disagree, creditor claims are disputed, the personal representative lives out of state or the court orders mediation in a contested probate matter under Local Rule 72.4. A small estate affidavit (RSMo 473.097) and refusal of letters (RSMo 473.090) appoint no personal representative, and the 6th Judicial Circuit's rules allow non-attorneys to file papers at the proper clerk's office. Sunset connects families to a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts, balances and institutions before the family chooses a Platte County filing path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset uses the asset information and family details to assemble the estate settlement paperwork for the Platte County Probate Division, including the local forms that fit the selected route.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate needs letters, a court appearance, a real estate sale or help with a contested matter, Sunset connects the family with a vetted Missouri probate attorney familiar with Platte County practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's account discovery, document preparation and attorney connection without paying Sunset, so more of the estate can go toward debts, expenses and beneficiaries.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file to probate a will in Platte County?
File in the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Platte County, Suite 95 of the Platte County Courthouse, 415 Third Street, Platte City, MO 64079. Local Rule 4.1 says probate cases are filed in the Probate Division, not in the Circuit Clerk's office. Call (816) 858-2232, then press 1 and 2.
Does Platte County have its own probate forms?
Yes. Platte County publishes its own probate forms for letters testamentary, letters of administration, small estate affidavits, refusal of letters, inventory, real estate sale, settlement and distribution. The statewide Missouri probate forms page also applies, including the filing information sheet and PR-series forms.
What does it cost to open an estate in Platte County?
Platte County's published schedule lists $148.50 for supervised or independent administration, with or without a will, effective July 1, 2021. It lists $68.50 for refusal of letters, small estate affidavit, determination of heirship and will admitted or rejected, effective July 1, 2021. Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, also controls the statewide structure, including $115 when original letters are applied for and a $565.00 cap under that rule.
Do I have to file a Platte County probate case electronically?
Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System. A self-represented filer is not required to e-file under Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4), and Local Rule 4.3 permits a non-attorney to file papers in the proper clerk's office by case type. For an estate, that office is the Probate Division.
What happens to the original will in Platte County?
Local Rule 72.5 has a will-admission affidavit or petition filed with a copy of the will and requires the original will to be delivered to the Probate Division within forty-eight hours. If you are self-represented, call Suite 95 before you file so you know how the division wants the filing and the paper original delivered.
Can I look up a Platte County estate case online?
Yes. Use Case.net to search Platte County probate cases by the decedent's name. Platte County associate civil and probate case information covers public cases pending as of January 1, 1991 and later. Public documents filed on or after July 1, 2023 may appear as links in the docket entries; older documents may require a request to the court or use of the courthouse public access terminal.
Will I have to appear in person in Platte City?
The court decides how a hearing is held. The statewide Virtual Hearing Room exists, but not every case is eligible. If a Platte County probate hearing is set virtually, the notice of hearing and the scheduled hearings information will say so. In a full administration, remember that a non-lawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153.7).
I live in Kansas City. Do I file in Platte County?
Maybe. Part of Kansas City is in Platte County, and the county's own communities list includes Kansas City North. Missouri venue depends on where the decedent was domiciled, not only the mailing city (RSMo 473.010). If the decedent was domiciled in the Platte County part of Kansas City, the estate is filed in Platte City.
Do I need a lawyer for a Platte County estate?
For a full administration, a personal representative who is not a lawyer cannot appear in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153.7). A small estate affidavit (RSMo 473.097) and refusal of letters (RSMo 473.090) appoint no personal representative, and Platte County's local rules allow non-attorneys to file papers at the proper clerk's office. If a hearing, sale, dispute or contested claim is likely, talk with a probate attorney before 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.