Back to Missouri
Pulaski County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Pulaski County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Pulaski County |
| Courthouse address | 301 Historic Route 66 East, Suite 318, Waynesville, MO 65583 |
| Mailing | No probate-only mailing address is posted. Call the clerk before mailing papers. |
| Phone | (573) 774-4755 |
| Fax | (573) 774-6967 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Call before traveling because no separate probate-counter schedule or lunch closure is posted. |
| Initial court cost | No Pulaski County total is posted. Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, sets a $115 state component when original letters are applied for in a decedent estate, with an inventory-value add-on capped at $565.00. Ask the Pulaski County clerk for the current total collected at the counter. |
| Local forms | No Pulaski County local probate packet or cover sheet is posted. Use the Missouri Judiciary statewide probate forms. |
| 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). Ask the clerk whether the system currently accepts the Pulaski County probate filing you need. |
| Case search | Case.net, https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/ |
| Remote appearance | No Pulaski-specific remote probate practice is posted. Follow the hearing notice and ask the clerk before the hearing date. |
| Website | Missouri Judiciary Pulaski County Local Rules and Filing Information page |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Pulaski County probate path, make a practical list of the decedent's assets, debts, titled property, beneficiary designations and co-owners. That list determines whether the family needs letters testamentary or letters of administration, a small estate affidavit, a refusal of letters, or another Missouri procedure.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families find accounts before they file, so the estate settlement plan matches what actually exists. That matters in Pulaski County because the clerk can process the papers only after you choose the correct Missouri path and bring the right supporting information.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Pulaski County probate filings are handled at the Pulaski County Courthouse in Waynesville by the clerk of the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Pulaski County. The 25th Judicial Circuit also includes Maries, Phelps and Texas counties, but each county keeps its own courthouse and probate counter.
Venue usually belongs in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. If the decedent had no Missouri domicile, Missouri venue can depend on where Missouri property is located, with special treatment for real estate (RSMo 473.010). A Pulaski County resident's estate is filed in Waynesville.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the Missouri path before filing. A full administration asks for letters testamentary or letters of administration. A small estate affidavit (RSMo 473.097) or refusal of letters (RSMo 473.090) does not appoint a personal representative.
- Collect the will, death certificate, asset list, creditor list, addresses for heirs or devisees and information about Pulaski County real estate. If there is an original will, deliver the original paper will to the probate division even if other documents are prepared electronically.
- Use the Missouri Judiciary statewide probate forms unless the Pulaski County clerk gives you a local instruction. No Pulaski County local probate packet or cover sheet is posted.
- File with the clerk of the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Pulaski County at 301 Historic Route 66 East, Suite 318, Waynesville, MO 65583. Attorneys use the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers should call (573) 774-4755 before mailing or trying to file electronically.
- Bring payment for the current Pulaski County court cost. No Pulaski County total is posted. Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, supplies the state fee structure, and the clerk can tell you the total collected in Waynesville.
- After letters are issued in a full administration, the clerk causes notice of the appointment and creditor notice to be published once a week for four consecutive weeks (RSMo 473.033). Missouri creditor deadlines include the six-month and mailed-notice rule in RSMo 473.360 and the separate one-year bar in RSMo 473.444.
- Follow the court's hearing notice. No Pulaski County remote-appearance rule for probate hearings is posted, so do not assume a hearing is virtual unless the notice or clerk says so.
- Once the court grants authority, use the letters testamentary or letters of administration to collect assets, pay valid claims and complete the estate settlement. In Missouri, a personal representative who is not a lawyer 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).
- Close the estate according to the Missouri procedure that applies. If Pulaski County real estate is transferred by a small-estate certificate or refusal-of-letters order, record the required probate document with the Pulaski County Recorder of Deeds after the probate division issues it.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Pulaski County
No Pulaski County local probate forms, cover sheet or checklist are posted. Use the Missouri Judiciary statewide probate forms page and ask the Pulaski County clerk whether the court wants any additional local information with your filing.
If the decedent left a will, the original will is delivered on paper to the probate division. Do not record a will with the Recorder of Deeds to start probate. Real estate recording comes later only when a Missouri probate order, certificate or beneficiary deed needs to be placed in the land records.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Pulaski County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by separating nonprobate property from estate property. If the home passed by co-ownership or beneficiary deed, the probate filing may focus on assets still in the decedent's name. If court authority is needed, file in Waynesville. | Sunset helps identify accounts, titles and beneficiary designations before the spouse spends time on the wrong estate settlement path. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Call the Pulaski County clerk before mailing papers. A small estate affidavit may avoid letters if the Missouri requirements are met, and it does not appoint a personal representative. | Sunset organizes the asset list and helps prepare the probate packet so an out-of-state child can reduce unnecessary trips to Waynesville. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the home is still titled in the child's name, the family usually needs court paperwork from the Pulaski County probate division before a sale or recording step can proceed. The correct filing depends on whether letters, a small estate certificate, refusal of letters or another order fits. | Sunset helps find financial accounts, generate documents and connect the parent with a Missouri probate attorney when court appearances or a real estate sale make counsel important. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Website or phone |
|---|---|---|
| Missouri Judiciary Pulaski County Local Rules and Filing Information | Provides the Judiciary page for Pulaski County and the 25th Judicial Circuit local rules link. | Missouri Judiciary website |
| Case.net | Search Pulaski County public probate dockets in the Missouri statewide case lookup. | https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/ |
| Missouri Judiciary probate forms | Statewide probate forms for Missouri probate divisions. | Missouri Judiciary website |
| Missouri Revisor of Statutes | Official text of the Missouri probate statutes and the Missouri Constitution. | https://revisor.mo.gov/ |
| The Missouri Bar Probate Law Resource Guide | Consumer probate guide published by The Missouri Bar. | https://missourilawyershelp.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Probate-Guide-Updated-2024.pdf |
| Legal Services of Southern Missouri, Rolla office | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Missourians in Pulaski County. Intake decides whether help is available for a particular issue. | https://www.lsosm.org/ and (573) 341-3655 |
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 is especially important for full administration, disputes, real estate sales, creditor problems, missing heirs or any hearing where a personal representative must appear. Sunset connects families to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families build a clearer inventory before filing in Pulaski County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family intake into organized estate settlement documents and checklists, so you know what to bring or mail to the Waynesville courthouse.
Find a local probate attorney. When Missouri law or the facts make counsel important, Sunset connects the family with a vetted probate attorney familiar with Missouri estate settlement.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize assets, prepare for probate and connect with professional help at no cost.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for a Pulaski County resident?
File with the clerk of the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Pulaski County at the Pulaski County Courthouse in Waynesville. The courthouse address is 301 Historic Route 66 East, Suite 318, Waynesville, MO 65583.
Does Pulaski County share probate with Phelps, Maries or Texas County?
No. Pulaski County is in the 25th Judicial Circuit with Maries, Phelps and Texas counties, but a shared circuit is not a shared courthouse. A Pulaski County estate is filed in Pulaski County.
Can I e-file a Pulaski County probate case if I am self-represented?
Self-represented filers are not required to e-file under Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4). Attorneys use the Missouri eFiling System. If you are filing without a lawyer, call the Pulaski County clerk at (573) 774-4755 to ask whether the system accepts the specific probate filing you need, or whether you should file in person or by mail.
What is the court cost to open a Pulaski County estate?
No Pulaski County total is posted. Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, sets the state component at $115 when original letters are applied for in a decedent estate and caps that rule's inventory-value charges at $565.00. Ask the clerk for the current Pulaski County total before bringing payment.
Does Pulaski County have its own probate forms?
No Pulaski County local probate packet, cover sheet or checklist is posted. Use the Missouri Judiciary statewide probate forms and ask the clerk whether any local information should be included.
Can I look up a Pulaski County probate case online?
Yes. Case.net is Missouri's statewide public case search and covers Pulaski County probate dockets. Public case lookup generally shows docket information, not every document in the file.
Can I appear remotely for a Pulaski County probate hearing?
No Pulaski County remote probate rule is posted. Follow the hearing notice. If travel is difficult, call the clerk before the hearing date and ask what the judge has allowed for that hearing.
Do I have to travel to Waynesville if I live out of state?
Not always. Some papers may be prepared and mailed, and an attorney can handle many court-facing steps. Call the clerk before mailing anything, and remember that a non-lawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153.7).
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.