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St. Francois County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | St. Francois County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of St. Francois County |
| Courthouse address | St. Francois County Courthouse, 1 North Washington Street, Suite 102, Farmington, MO 63640 |
| Mailing address | Use the courthouse address above. No separate probate mailing address is published for St. Francois County. |
| Probate counter | The circuit clerk, who serves as the clerk of the probate division, takes probate filings for St. Francois County. |
| Phone | (573) 756-4551 |
| Fax | (573) 756-3733 |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday |
| Opening cost | St. Francois County does not publish a local probate cost schedule online. The state component for original letters begins at $115 and total state fees under that provision cannot exceed $565 under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, plus any local posted costs. |
| Local forms | No St. Francois County probate packet or checklist is published. Use Missouri Judiciary probate forms and any document the circuit clerk requests. |
| E-filing | Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System. Under 24th Judicial Circuit Local Court Rules, Rule 4, non-lawyer self-represented parties physically file documents with the circuit clerk in the proper county. |
| Case search | Case.net covers St. Francois County probate matters. Circuit 24 guidance states probate information is available for decedent estates and guardianship or conservator estates pending on or filed after November 6, 2000, with electronic county records available for listed case types beginning March 30, 2015. |
| Remote appearance | Use the hearing notice for any remote instructions. The 24th Circuit local probate rules do not publish a standing remote appearance procedure for St. Francois County probate matters. |
| Website | Missouri Judiciary St. Francois County Local Rules and Filing Information page, plus county circuit clerk page: https://www.sfcgov.org/circuit-clerk/. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Farmington, list the assets, debts, beneficiary designations, jointly owned property, and any real estate. That first inventory shapes the estate settlement path, the court cost structure, the creditor notice work, and whether a no-letters option may fit.
Sunset can search more than 2,300 institutions for accounts and assets, then organize what you find into an estate settlement plan. Bring that asset picture to the St. Francois County circuit clerk or to a Missouri probate attorney before choosing between a full administration, a small estate affidavit, or a refusal of letters.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Farmington courthouse serves probate filings for St. Francois County. St. Francois County is part of the 24th Judicial Circuit with Madison, Ste. Genevieve and Washington counties, but each county keeps its own filing office and probate cases. The 24th Circuit local rules assign all probate cases filed in St. Francois County to Division 4, an associate circuit judge division exercising probate jurisdiction.
Missouri venue generally puts a will and an application for letters in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death (RSMo 473.010). If the decedent was not domiciled in Missouri, venue can depend on where Missouri property is located, with real estate driving venue when the major part of the Missouri estate is real property (RSMo 473.010). Once letters are granted in St. Francois County, later estate proceedings stay in St. Francois County (RSMo 473.010).
The jurisdiction process
- Decide the local filing path. For a full administration, file in the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of St. Francois County through the circuit clerk at 1 North Washington Street, Suite 102, Farmington. For a small estate affidavit or refusal of letters, use the Missouri no-letters path that matches the facts.
- Gather the starting documents. Bring the death certificate, the original will if there is one, asset and debt information, names and addresses of interested persons, and any proposed application or affidavit. An original will should be delivered to the probate division through the circuit clerk counter rather than treated as only an electronic attachment.
- Use the correct filing method. Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System. Under 24th Judicial Circuit Local Court Rules, Rule 4, non-lawyer self-represented parties file physical documents with the circuit clerk in the proper county.
- Pay the posted court cost. St. Francois County does not publish a probate cost schedule online, so call the circuit clerk for the posted local total before submitting payment. The state component for original letters begins at $115 and total state fees under that provision cannot exceed $565 under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023.
- Address publication. For a full administration, the clerk causes the notice of appointment and notice to creditors to be published once a week for four consecutive weeks (RSMo 473.033). The 24th Circuit local probate rule requires the application for letters to designate the newspaper, and states that publication is instituted by the clerk (24th Judicial Circuit Local Court Rules, Rule 72).
- Watch the creditor clocks. Missouri gives creditors six months from the first published notice of letters, or two months from the date a mailed or served notice was sent to that creditor, whichever is later (RSMo 473.360). A separate one-year bar runs from the date of death whether or not an estate was opened (RSMo 473.444).
- Follow the hearing notice. If the court sets a hearing, the notice controls the date, location, and any remote instructions. The 24th Circuit local probate rules do not publish a standing remote appearance procedure for St. Francois County probate hearings.
- Obtain authority if letters are granted. After the court grants the application, the personal representative receives letters testamentary when there is a will or letters of administration when there is no will. Those letters are the authority document banks and other institutions usually request.
- 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). In Missouri, a non-lawyer personal representative 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). Estate settlement then moves through creditor handling, accounting, distribution, and closing under the route ordered by the court.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in St. Francois County
St. Francois County does not publish a local probate packet, local checklist, or county-specific probate forms. The county's court information page lists family-law forms, and the 24th Circuit local rules do not add a St. Francois County probate form set.
Start with the Missouri Judiciary probate forms page and then call the St. Francois County circuit clerk before filing to ask whether the clerk wants any local cover sheet or proposed order with your papers. Do not use another county's packet as if it were a St. Francois County requirement.
Local nuance
St. Francois County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in St. Francois County |
|---|---|
| Shared circuit | St. Francois County is in the 24th Judicial Circuit with Madison, Ste. Genevieve and Washington counties, but probate filings for St. Francois County stay at the Farmington courthouse. |
| Probate assignment | 24th Circuit Local Court Rules, Rule 6.2 assigns all probate cases filed in St. Francois County to Division 4. |
| Filing officer | 24th Circuit Local Court Rules, Rule 72 states that probate matters are filed with the circuit clerk of the county where the case is filed. In St. Francois County, that is the circuit clerk in Farmington. |
| Counter hours | The circuit clerk's office is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Local Rule 2.1 also says the clerk's office is deemed always open for filing papers, which is a filing-deadline rule, not a promise that the public counter is staffed after hours. |
| Attorney and self-represented filing | Local Rule 4 directs attorneys to e-file to the proper county circuit clerk office, while non-lawyer self-represented parties file physical documents with that office. |
| Publication designation | Local Rule 72 requires an application for letters to designate the newspaper for publication, and states that publication is instituted by the clerk. |
| Case.net coverage | Circuit 24 guidance states that probate information is available for decedent estates and minor and adult guardianship and conservator estates pending on or filed after November 6, 2000. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| 24th Circuit local rules approved February 24, 2026 | The current local rules state the St. Francois County clerk hours, assign St. Francois County probate cases to Division 4, state that probate matters are filed with the circuit clerk of the county where the case is filed, and describe the attorney and non-lawyer filing split. |
Scenarios
| Scenario | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by separating nonprobate property from probate property. Joint ownership, beneficiary designations, and any Missouri beneficiary deed can change whether the home or accounts need a St. Francois County probate filing. If a refusal of letters fits the spouse path, file it with the St. Francois County circuit clerk in Farmington. | Sunset identifies accounts, checks for beneficiary designations, organizes home and title information, and helps the spouse decide what to bring to the clerk or a probate attorney. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the Missouri small estate affidavit route fits, wait until thirty days have passed after death and file in the St. Francois County probate division through the circuit clerk. The small estate threshold is a net entire-estate test of $40,000 under RSMo 473.097, effective August 28, 2002, and the clerk's certificate is the document institutions usually need. | Sunset builds the asset list, helps prepare an estate settlement packet, and can connect the adult child with Missouri counsel if the facts do not fit the no-letters route. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the home is in the child's name and no nonprobate transfer applies, a full St. Francois County administration may be needed before a sale can close. File at the Farmington courthouse, expect publication, and plan for attorney involvement if a personal representative must appear in court (RSMo 473.153.7). | Sunset helps locate accounts and debts, organize real estate information for the attorney, and keep the estate settlement moving while the family handles the sale. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| St. Francois County Circuit Clerk | Local filing office for St. Francois County probate matters at the Farmington courthouse. The county page lists the address, phone number, and public counter hours. |
| Missouri Judiciary St. Francois County Local Rules and Filing Information | Entry point for St. Francois County court information, including local rules and filing information for the county. |
| Case.net | Missouri's statewide public case search. Circuit 24 guidance states that St. Francois County probate information is available for listed probate case types beginning with the date ranges described by the Judiciary. |
| Missouri Judiciary probate forms | Statewide probate forms for Missouri filings. St. Francois County does not publish a separate local probate packet. |
| Legal Services of Southern Missouri | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Missourians in the service area that includes St. Francois County. Apply online at https://application.lsosm.org/ or call 1-800-444-4863. |
| Missouri Revisor of Statutes | Official source for the Revised Statutes of Missouri and the Constitution of Missouri, including probate statutes and court-structure provisions. |
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). That makes counsel especially important for full St. Francois County administrations, contested issues, real estate sales, creditor disputes, and any hearing where the personal representative must appear. Small estate affidavits and refusals of letters do not appoint a personal representative, so they can be more practical for families whose facts fit those routes. Sunset connects families to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help families locate bank accounts, investment accounts, insurance, retirement assets, and other property that may affect the St. Francois County estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information you gather into a clear packet for the St. Francois County circuit clerk or for a Missouri probate attorney, including asset summaries, debt lists, interested-person information, and filing-path notes.
Find a local probate attorney. When a full administration or court appearance is needed, Sunset can connect the family with a Missouri probate attorney familiar with estate settlement in the local court system.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the assets, prepare for probate conversations, and get connected to help without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in St. Francois County?
File with the circuit clerk at the St. Francois County Courthouse, 1 North Washington Street, Suite 102, Farmington, MO 63640. The filing is for the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of St. Francois County, and local Rule 72 says probate matters are filed with the circuit clerk of the county where the case is filed.
Does St. Francois County share a probate office with other 24th Circuit counties?
No. St. Francois County shares the 24th Judicial Circuit with Madison, Ste. Genevieve and Washington counties, but St. Francois County probate filings stay at the Farmington courthouse. The local rules separately assign probate cases filed in each county.
Can I e-file a St. Francois County probate case if I am not a lawyer?
Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System. Under 24th Judicial Circuit Local Court Rules, Rule 4, non-lawyer self-represented parties file physical documents in the office of the circuit clerk for the proper county. Statewide electronic filing is not required for self-represented filers (Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4)).
What does it cost to open a probate estate in St. Francois County?
St. Francois County does not publish a local probate cost schedule online. The state component for original letters begins at $115 and total state fees under that provision cannot exceed $565 under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, with additional local posted costs possible. Call the St. Francois County circuit clerk for the posted total before you submit payment.
Does St. Francois County have local probate forms?
No St. Francois County probate packet or checklist is published. Use the Missouri Judiciary probate forms page and ask the circuit clerk whether any local cover sheet, proposed order, or additional document is needed for your filing.
Will I have to travel to Farmington for probate?
If you are a non-lawyer self-represented filer, the 24th Circuit local rules direct physical filing with the circuit clerk in the proper county, which for St. Francois County is Farmington. If a hearing is set, follow the hearing notice for whether attendance is in person or handled another way.
Are St. Francois County probate cases searchable online?
Yes. Case.net is Missouri's statewide public case search. Circuit 24 guidance states that probate information is available for decedent estates and minor and adult guardianship and conservator estates pending on or filed after November 6, 2000, with St. Francois County electronic case records available for listed case types beginning March 30, 2015.
Can I use a small estate affidavit in St. Francois County?
Missouri's small estate affidavit can be used only when the statutory requirements fit. The net value of the entire estate, after liens, debts and encumbrances, must not exceed $40,000 under RSMo 473.097, effective August 28, 2002, and at least thirty days must have passed after death. File the affidavit with the St. Francois County probate division through the circuit clerk in Farmington.
Does a personal representative need a lawyer in St. Francois County?
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 the attorney rule applies differently to those no-letters paths.
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.