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St. Louis County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | St. Louis County probate information |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of St. Louis County, 21st Judicial Circuit. The court also uses the shorthand St. Louis County Probate Court. |
| Courthouse address | 105 South Central Avenue, 5th floor, Clayton, MO 63105. |
| Mailing | No separate probate mailing address is published. Use the Clayton courthouse address for the Probate Division. |
| Probate phone | 314-615-2629, then press zero. Certified copies: 314-615-2618. Issue department: 314-615-2616. |
| Fax | Probate records fax for lookup requests: 314-615-8293. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., legal holidays excepted. No lunch closure or filing cutoff is published. |
| Initial cost deposit | Letters testamentary: $190.50 under the St. Louis County Probate Court schedule revised December 1, 2025. Letters of administration: $155.50 under the St. Louis County Probate Court schedule revised December 1, 2025. Refusal of letters and small estate affidavit: $75.50 under the St. Louis County Probate Court schedule revised December 1, 2025. |
| Local forms | Yes. St. Louis County publishes local CCPR probate packets, and Local Rule 72.2(D), dated July 12, 2023, says forms promulgated by the probate division are preferred. |
| E-filing | Attorneys file probate matters through the Missouri eFiling System under Local Rules 4.4 and 72.2, dated July 12, 2023. Self-represented refusal filers file original papers with the clerk of the probate division. |
| Case search | Use Case.net. For older St. Louis County probate cases, search rules differ for cases filed before and after the Probate Division consolidated under the St. Louis County Circuit Court location on May 1, 2009. |
| Remote appearance | The circuit does not publish a standing probate rule for video or phone attendance. Ask the assigned division clerk whether a particular hearing can be handled that way. |
| Website | https://stlcountycourts.com/courts-departments/probate-court/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a St. Louis County form, list the decedent's sole-name assets, beneficiary designations, joint accounts, debts, funeral expenses and any real estate. The court's own refusal of letters guidance turns on that distinction, because assets with a living joint owner, payable-on-death beneficiary or transfer-on-death beneficiary usually do not need to pass through the probate division.
Sunset's estate settlement process helps families start with the asset picture, including discovery across more than 2,300 financial institutions, so the local packet matches what the family actually needs. That is especially important in St. Louis County because the court's refusal of letters thresholds, attorney requirement for small estate affidavits and e-filing rules are local.
Which court handles jurisdiction
St. Louis County is served by one probate location: the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of St. Louis County at 105 South Central Avenue in Clayton. The 21st Judicial Circuit is a single-county circuit for St. Louis County only. Missouri is divided into forty-six judicial circuits (RSMo 478.011).
Missouri venue is based on the decedent's domicile: the will is probated and letters are granted in the county where the decedent was domiciled (RSMo 473.010). The court's own refusal of letters guidance makes the same point: file in the county where the person lived at death, not where the hospital was. A decedent domiciled in the City of St. Louis does not file in Clayton, and a decedent domiciled in St. Louis County does not file in the City of St. Louis.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the estate assets first. Separate sole-name assets from joint property, payable-on-death accounts, transfer-on-death assets and beneficiary-designated assets. This decides whether a St. Louis County refusal of letters, small estate affidavit, full administration or another route fits.
- Choose the local route. The court says the three refusal of letters applications for a surviving spouse, unmarried minor children or a creditor can be filed without an attorney. The court's small estate affidavit packets say they cannot be filed pro se in St. Louis County, and a non-attorney personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153.7).
- Use the court's local CCPR packet. Local Rule 72.2(D), dated July 12, 2023, prefers forms promulgated by the probate division. For a will, the Petition for Letters Testamentary packet includes the will application, petition, heir and legatee exhibits, consent forms where needed, resident agent form where needed, bond documents where needed, death certificate filing and Missouri HealthNet waiver.
- File in the correct format. Attorneys file electronically through the Missouri eFiling System under Local Rules 4.4 and 72.2, dated July 12, 2023. A self-represented person filing a refusal of letters files original pleadings and documents with the clerk of the probate division on the 5th floor in Clayton under Local Rule 72.2(C).
- Deliver the original will on paper. Local Rule 72.2(B), dated July 12, 2023, says final acceptance of a will or codicil does not occur until the original is physically filed with the probate division. The court's CCPR158-W checklist, revised September 2019, gives 48 business hours to deliver the original will after electronic filing.
- Pay the required cost deposit. The St. Louis County Probate Court schedule revised December 1, 2025, says a required cost deposit must accompany the initial application or petition, and a filing without the required deposit may be rejected. Credit and debit cards are accepted in person only, while e-filed cases use credit card, debit account or e-check.
- Watch Case.net for the deficiency checklist. Local Rule 72.2(N), dated July 12, 2023, says the division reviews new estate filings and posts any deficiencies on Case.net with a due date. If corrections are not filed by the due date or another date set by the division, the matter may be dismissed for failure to prosecute.
- Handle publication when required. For full administration, the clerk causes notice of letters to be published once a week for four consecutive weeks (RSMo 473.033). St. Louis County no longer collects publication charges as of March 1, 2022; the publisher is paid directly under the county schedule revised December 1, 2025.
- Receive letters and administer the estate. After appointment, the clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of administration. Extra certified and authenticated copies are charged under the St. Louis County schedule revised December 1, 2025.
- Settle the accounts and close. Local Rule 72.3, dated July 12, 2023, governs electronic filing of interim, annual and final settlements and statements of account, including vouchers, verification of accounts and settlement corrections. No administration concludes without the Missouri HealthNet waiver required by Local Rule 72.2(J), dated July 12, 2023.
- Record real estate paperwork when a shortcut transfers title. For St. Louis County real estate, a small estate affidavit with the clerk's certificate or a certified refusal order is recorded with the St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds at 41 South Central Avenue in Clayton.
Executor duties
St. Louis County adds local administration duties on top of Missouri's statewide personal representative duties. Local Rule 72.2(J), dated July 12, 2023, says no chapter 473 or 474 administration concludes without a Missouri HealthNet waiver, while the rule says that waiver is not required for small estate affidavits, refusal of letters or petitions to determine heirs.
Local Rule 72.3, dated July 12, 2023, controls estate settlement filings. Interim, annual and final settlements and statements of account are e-filed; verification of accounts is filed as a separate document; vouchers are filed as a numbered attachment in the order of the listed disbursements; and settlement corrections use the court's Settlement Corrections Submission form. If more than seventy-five vouchers are filed on paper with the auditing department, they must be retrieved within ninety days after approval of the settlement or they may be destroyed after notice.
Local Rule 72.4, dated July 12, 2023, lists routine supervised-estate expenditures that do not need a petition to expend funds, including accountant fees up to $750 for annual tax preparation, appraisals of estate real or personal property up to $500, safe deposit boxes up to $150 annually and copies of bank statements up to $10 per statement. The same rule allows brokerage fees up to 1.2 percent of the brokerage account value.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in St. Louis County
St. Louis County publishes its own CCPR probate packets at its Probate Forms page, and Local Rule 72.2(D), dated July 12, 2023, says attorneys and registered users should use the probate division's forms or substantially similar forms. Use the county packets first for St. Louis County matters.
| Local packet | What it is used for | Local note |
|---|---|---|
| Petition for Letters Testamentary packet, CCPR157-W and checklist CCPR158-W | Opening a testate estate when letters testamentary are requested. | The CCPR158-W checklist revised September 2019 requires the original will to be delivered within 48 business hours and includes bond, consent, resident agent and Missouri HealthNet items where needed. |
| Petition for Letters of Administration packet | Opening an intestate estate when letters of administration are requested. | Use the St. Louis County packet rather than starting from a generic form. |
| Petition for Probate of Will packet, CCPR141 | Admitting a will when no letters are being requested at that time. | The court schedule revised December 1, 2025, lists a $75.50 cost deposit for an application to admit a will to probate with no other proceedings. |
| Small Estates With Will packet, CCPR145-W, revised June 2023 | Small estate affidavit where a will is involved. | The packet says the filing cannot be done pro se and must be completed by an attorney. |
| Small Estates Without Will packet, CCPR152-W, revised June 2023 | Small estate affidavit where there is no will. | The packet says the filing cannot be done pro se and must be completed by an attorney. |
| Spouse's Refusal packet, CCPR117-W, revised June 2023 | Surviving spouse refusal of letters. | The court's local guidance uses a $24,000 property figure from the June 2023 packet to decide when extra support proof is needed. |
| Minor Children Refusal packet, CCPR109-W, revised June 2023 | Unmarried minor children refusal of letters. | The court's local guidance uses an $8,000 per minor child property figure from the June 2023 packet to decide when extra support proof is needed. |
| Creditor's Refusal packet, CCPR112-W, revised June 2023 | Creditor refusal of letters. | The court's local packet uses the statutory creditor path in RSMo 473.090 and can apply when a funeral-expense payer qualifies as a creditor under that statute. |
| Statement of Account packet, CCPR171, and Final Settlement packet, CCPR308 | Estate settlement and closing filings. | Local Rule 72.3, dated July 12, 2023, controls settlement filing format, vouchers and corrections. |
The Missouri Judiciary also publishes statewide probate forms, including refusal of letters and determination of heirship forms, but the St. Louis County local rule prefers the county's own probate division forms for filings in Clayton.
Fees
St. Louis County publishes cost deposits and copy charges in its St. Louis County Probate Court filing fee schedule, CCPR306, revised December 1, 2025. The schedule says the required cost deposit must accompany the initial application or petition, and a filing without the required deposit may be rejected.
| Matter | Amount and date |
|---|---|
| Letters testamentary applied for, testate | $190.50 under the St. Louis County Probate Court schedule revised December 1, 2025. |
| Letters testamentary where the will was previously admitted | $155.50 under the St. Louis County Probate Court schedule revised December 1, 2025. |
| Letters of administration applied for, intestate | $155.50 under the St. Louis County Probate Court schedule revised December 1, 2025. |
| Refusal of letters for spouse, unmarried minor child or creditor, including one certified copy of the order | $75.50 under the St. Louis County Probate Court schedule revised December 1, 2025. |
| Small estate affidavit, including one certified copy of the completed Certificate of Clerk | $75.50 under the St. Louis County Probate Court schedule revised December 1, 2025. |
| Small estate affidavit with an Application to Admit Will | $110.50 under the St. Louis County Probate Court schedule revised December 1, 2025. |
| Determination of heirship | $75.50 under the St. Louis County Probate Court schedule revised December 1, 2025. |
| Application to admit will to probate with no other proceedings | $75.50 under the St. Louis County Probate Court schedule revised December 1, 2025. |
| File decedent's will with no other proceedings | No charge under the St. Louis County Probate Court schedule revised December 1, 2025. |
| Deposit of will for safekeeping during the testator's lifetime | $3.00 under the St. Louis County Probate Court schedule revised December 1, 2025. |
| Copies | $1.00 per page under the St. Louis County Probate Court schedule revised December 1, 2025. |
| Certified copies | $1.50 certification plus $1.00 per page under the St. Louis County Probate Court schedule revised December 1, 2025. |
| Authenticated copies | $4.50 authentication plus $1.00 per page under the St. Louis County Probate Court schedule revised December 1, 2025. |
The statewide inventory value charge is separate. Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, assesses $50 for each additional $50,000 of final inventory value above $50,000 up to $500,000, with total fees under that section capped at $565.00. St. Louis County's local schedule does not publish a separate county tier table.
Publication charges are paid directly to the publisher rather than collected by the court as of March 1, 2022, under the county schedule revised December 1, 2025. St. Louis County Sheriff service fees are paid directly to the Sheriff's office as of January 1, 2026, under the same schedule.
Timeline
- Will timing. The Application for Probate of Will must be filed within one year of the date of death. Where the will was already admitted within one year of death, the petition for letters may be filed at any time, under CCPR158-W, revised September 2019.
- Original will delivery. The original will, or the physical copy used for a lost-will request, must be delivered to the probate division within 48 business hours after electronic filing under CCPR158-W, revised September 2019. Local Rule 72.2(B), dated July 12, 2023, says the e-filed will is only conditionally accepted until the original is physically filed.
- New-estate review. After a new estate filing, the division posts any deficiency checklist on Case.net with a due date. Local Rule 72.2(N), dated July 12, 2023, allows dismissal for failure to prosecute if corrections are not filed.
- Inventory or bond extensions. A written request for more time to file an inventory or bond must be e-filed, must state the reason and may ask for no more than thirty days beyond the division's deadline under Local Rule 72.2(N), dated July 12, 2023.
- Settlement extensions. A written request for more time to file a settlement or statement of account must be e-filed with a suggested due date of not more than thirty days per request under Local Rule 72.3(E), dated July 12, 2023.
- Settlement audit corrections. After a settlement audit, the court posts a deficiency checklist on Case.net with a due date. If corrections are not completed and no extension is requested, an order to show cause issues under Local Rule 72.3(E), dated July 12, 2023.
- Refusal processing. The spousal and minor children refusal packets, revised June 2023, state that typical processing time is 60 days and that a motion to expedite may be filed.
- Paper vouchers. Vouchers filed on paper with the auditing department must be retrieved within ninety days after the settlement is approved, or they may be destroyed after notice under Local Rule 72.3(B), dated July 12, 2023.
Local nuance
St. Louis County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in St. Louis County |
|---|---|
| County and city are separate | St. Louis County files in Clayton in the 21st Judicial Circuit. The City of St. Louis is a separate independent city with its own probate division. |
| Local Rule 72 controls probate practice | Rule 72, dated July 12, 2023, covers e-filing, paper originals for wills and codicils, local forms, confidential probate documents, Missouri HealthNet waivers, extension requests, settlements and statements of account. |
| Refusal of letters has local working thresholds | The court's June 2023 spousal refusal packet uses $24,000 as the property figure below which no additional support information is needed. The June 2023 minor children packet uses $8,000 per minor child. Above those figures, the court asks for added support proof. |
| Only refusal applications are published as pro se options | The court's Probate General FAQ says most probate matters require an attorney under RSMo 473.153.7, and says applications for refusal of letters for a spouse, creditor or unmarried minor child can be filed without an attorney. The small estate packets say they cannot be filed pro se. |
| Case.net has a local search quirk | For probate cases filed between July 12, 2004 and May 1, 2009, search the location labeled Probate St. Louis County. For later cases, search St Louis County, or search all locations with case type Probate. |
| Adversary probate matters get their own number | Local Rule 72.5, dated July 12, 2023, treats listed probate disputes as adversary probate proceedings, opened as separate cases with their own case numbers. |
Small-estate Alternatives
Missouri's small estate affidavit route applies only when the net value of the entire estate does not exceed $40,000 (RSMo 473.097, effective August 28, 2002), after the statutory waiting period and other requirements. St. Louis County adds an important local practice point: both the testate and intestate small estate packets revised June 2023 say the affidavit cannot be done pro se and must be completed by an attorney.
The St. Louis County cost deposit for a small estate affidavit is $75.50 under the county schedule revised December 1, 2025, and it includes one certified copy of the completed Certificate of Clerk. If an Application to Admit Will is submitted with the small estate, the cost deposit is $110.50 under the county schedule revised December 1, 2025.
The St. Louis County small estate packets revised June 2023 say publication is required when assets are over $15,000 and the decedent died within the last year (RSMo 473.097). The packets also say the attorney is responsible for sending the publication request to an approved publication company and filing the affidavit of publication.
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Probate cost deposits | The St. Louis County Probate Court filing fee schedule, CCPR306, was revised December 1, 2025. |
| Sheriff service fees | As of January 1, 2026, service fees for the St. Louis County Sheriff are no longer collected by the court and must be paid directly to the Sheriff's office. |
| Circuit deposit schedule | The circuit's Schedule of Deposits and Fees, CCOPR101-WS, Rev. 01/2026, took effect January 1, 2026 and lists a $70.00 appeal deposit for probate appeals under RSMo 483.500. |
| Probate contact sheet | The court's Probate Court Contact Information sheet was revised November 13, 2025 and routes probate questions by division and function. |
| Publication charges | As of March 1, 2022, publication charges are no longer collected by the court and are paid directly to the publisher. |
| Local probate rule | Rule 72, the circuit's probate rule, carries the date July 12, 2023, and the current Rules of Court index is dated January 14, 2026. |
| Refusal packets | The spousal, minor children and creditor refusal packets were revised June 2023. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely St. Louis County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start with title and beneficiary designations. The court's refusal guidance excludes joint right-of-survivorship assets and assets with a living beneficiary. If what remains in the decedent's sole name is below the court's $24,000 figure in the spousal refusal packet revised June 2023, the spouse may use the Application of Surviving Spouse for Refusal of Letters. The $75.50 cost deposit under the December 1, 2025 county schedule includes one certified copy of the order, and the June 2023 packet states typical processing is 60 days. | Sunset helps identify which accounts and property are sole-name assets, which pass outside probate and whether the spousal refusal packet fits before the family spends time on the wrong estate settlement route. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Two local rules matter. First, the St. Louis County small estate packets revised June 2023 say the affidavit cannot be filed pro se and must be completed by an attorney. Second, if a non-resident applicant seeks letters, the local letters packet includes a resident agent form. The attorney can file electronically, but the original will still must reach the probate division on paper within 48 business hours under CCPR158-W revised September 2019. | Sunset gathers the account and asset picture, prepares the information needed for the attorney's packet and helps the family avoid travel to Clayton when local counsel can file electronically. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home that must be sold usually points to administration rather than a creditor refusal. If a will exists, the Application for Probate of Will must be filed within one year of death under CCPR158-W revised September 2019. St. Louis County's checklist revised September 2019 states that in a supervised administration the corporate surety bond is based on personal property rounded up to the next thousand, with $1,000 where personal property is shown as zero and $40,000 where it is unknown. Local Rule 72.4, dated July 12, 2023, allows an appraisal of estate real or personal property up to $500 without a petition to expend funds. | Sunset helps find the home, accounts, debts and funeral payments, then connects the family with a St. Louis County probate attorney when an administration or sale is needed. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis County Probate Court | Local probate page, forms, fees, FAQs, refusal of letters guidance and contact sheet. | https://stlcountycourts.com/courts-departments/probate-court/ |
| St. Louis County probate forms | Local CCPR packets preferred by Local Rule 72.2(D), dated July 12, 2023. | https://stlcountycourts.com/forms/probate-forms/ |
| Case.net | Missouri public case lookup for probate dockets. Use a browser lookup, not bulk searching. | https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/ |
| St. Louis County Law Library | Legal research library open to lawyers and the public on the 6th floor of the courthouse. The library does not replace legal advice. | 314-615-4726, [email protected]. Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. Monday through Friday. |
| Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis Lawyer Referral Service | Lawyer referral resource listed on the court's Probate Division Resources sheet. | www.stllawyersearch.org, 314-421-4134. |
| The Missouri Bar Find a Lawyer | State bar lawyer search listed on the court's Probate Division Resources sheet. | missourilawyershelp.org, 573-636-3635. |
| Legal Services of Eastern Missouri | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income people in St. Louis County. Let intake decide whether the matter fits. | https://lsem.org/get-help/, 314-534-4200 or 1-800-444-0514. |
| Missouri Free Legal Answers | Online question-and-answer resource listed on the court's Probate Division Resources sheet. | https://missouri.freelegalanswers.org/ |
When to hire an attorney
Counsel makes sense in St. Louis County when a full administration is needed, when real estate must be sold, when heirs disagree, when a bond or settlement problem arises, or when a small estate affidavit is the route, because the court's own small estate packets say that filing cannot be done pro se here. Missouri also provides that 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). Sunset connects families to a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps identify bank accounts, investment accounts, insurance, retirement benefits, real estate clues and debts so the family can decide whether St. Louis County's refusal of letters, small estate affidavit or full administration path is realistic.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset and family information into an organized estate settlement workspace, so the attorney or family has names, addresses, account details, debts and documents ready for the St. Louis County CCPR packet.
Find a local probate attorney. St. Louis County publishes that most probate matters require attorney representation and that its small estate affidavit packets cannot be filed pro se. Sunset can connect the family with a vetted St. Louis County probate attorney at no cost.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, discover assets and get matched with local help without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in St. Louis County?
File St. Louis County probate matters with the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of St. Louis County on the 5th floor of the Courts Building, 105 South Central Avenue, Clayton, MO 63105. Venue is based on the decedent's domicile (RSMo 473.010), so a person who lived in the City of St. Louis does not file in Clayton.
What phone number should I use for the St. Louis County Probate Division?
Use 314-615-2629, then press zero, for probate general information. The courthouse-wide general information number is different and is not the probate-specific line.
Can I file electronically in St. Louis County probate?
Attorneys file probate matters through the Missouri eFiling System under Local Rules 4.4 and 72.2, dated July 12, 2023. Self-represented refusal filers file original pleadings and documents with the clerk of the probate division under Local Rule 72.2(C), dated July 12, 2023.
Can I file a St. Louis County small estate affidavit without a lawyer?
The St. Louis County small estate packets revised June 2023 say the affidavit cannot be done pro se and must be completed by an attorney. The statewide small estate ceiling is net value not exceeding $40,000 (RSMo 473.097, effective August 28, 2002), but this county's packet adds the local attorney requirement.
Which St. Louis County probate filings can be made without an attorney?
The court's Probate General FAQ says applications for refusal of letters for a spouse, creditor or unmarried minor child can be filed without an attorney. The spousal and minor children packets revised June 2023 also give a typical processing time of 60 days.
How much does it cost to start a St. Louis County probate matter?
Under the St. Louis County Probate Court schedule revised December 1, 2025, letters testamentary cost $190.50, letters of administration cost $155.50, refusal of letters costs $75.50 and a small estate affidavit costs $75.50. A small estate with an Application to Admit Will costs $110.50 under the same December 1, 2025 schedule.
Do I have to bring the original will to the St. Louis County court?
Yes. Local Rule 72.2(B), dated July 12, 2023, says final acceptance of a will or codicil does not occur until the original is physically filed with the probate division. The court's checklist CCPR158-W, revised September 2019, gives 48 business hours to deliver the original will after electronic filing.
Can I look up a St. Louis County probate case online?
Yes. Use Case.net. For cases filed between July 12, 2004 and May 1, 2009, search the location labeled Probate St. Louis County. For later cases, search St Louis County, or leave location set to all and choose probate as the case type. Public Case.net usually shows the docket, not every document.
Are St. Louis County probate hearings remote?
The circuit does not publish a standing probate rule for video or phone attendance. If a hearing is set, ask the division clerk for the assigned division whether that particular hearing can be attended by video or telephone.
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.