What to Do When Someone Dies in St. Charles County, Missouri

How probate works in St. Charles County: the Circuit Court - Probate Division record, what the process costs, and how to file there.

What probate costsHow to fileDeath certificatesTransferring propertyLocal attorneys

Probate Court Record

St. Charles County Circuit Court - Probate Division

St. Charles County · 11th Judicial Circuit

Hours

Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM

Office

300 North Second Street, Room 517, St. Charles, MO 63301

Self-represented filing

Allowed

Self-help forms

Court forms packet

Open in Google Maps

E-filing

Required for attorneysAttorneys file probate cases through the statewide Missouri eFiling System, with a copy of the death certificate in every decedent case. Original wills and codicils, commissions and bonds are then filed on paper with the probate division, and a will is accepted only once the original is filed. On paper: Self-represented filers file original pleadings and documents with the clerk of the probate division; the eFiling system is open to Missouri attorneys and approved agency filers.

Self-represented filing

AllowedAn attorney handles probate matters except refusal of letters for a spouse, creditor or unmarried minor child, small estates, limited guardianships, minor conservatorships with both parents serving, and filing or admitting a will. Estates of $40,000 or more need an attorney. Probate clerks may explain some forms and procedures but do not give legal advice.

Accepted payment

  • At the counterCash, Money order, Credit card, Debit card.The probate court accepts cash, money orders, debit and credit cards, attorney checks and title company checks. Card payments carry an additional service fee.

Verified October 16, 2026 · Source

How Probate Works in St. Charles County

Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In St. Charles County, probate runs through the Circuit Court - Probate Division at 300 North Second Street, Room 517, St. Charles. The court sits in the 11th Judicial Circuit.

The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under Missouri intestacy law when there is no will.

Most Missouri estates take 12 months to 18 months to move through this process. Creditors have 6 monthsRSMo §§ 473.033, 473.360, 473.380, 473.397, 473.403, 473.444Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.

What Probate Costs in St. Charles County

What probate costs in St. Charles County, Missouri comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the Circuit Court - Probate Division at 300 North Second Street, Room 517, St. Charles. The court is part of the 11th Judicial Circuit.

Procedures at this court that affect cost: The inventory is filed within 30 days after letters are issued, with the legal description of any real estate; An annual settlement is filed on the anniversary of the letters, and the final settlement on the first court day after six months and ten days from first publication of notice of letters.

The Circuit Court - Probate Division charges $115 - $565 (based on estate value)Mo. Sup. Ct. Op. R. 21.01(a)(12)-(13); RSMo §§ 488.012, 483.580Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open a probate case. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.

Estimate the costs for this estate:

Missouri sets attorney fees by statute — a percentage of the estate's gross value. Every attorney charges the same schedule, so the decision to hire one comes down to complexity, not price.

Missouri sets executor compensation by statute — about $14,050 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 2.8%RSMo § 473.153(1) (statutory minimum: 5% first $5K, 4% next $20K, 3% next $75K, 2.75% next $300K, 2.5% next $600K, 2% over $1M, on personal property administered and court-ordered real estate sales)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.

Missouri requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.

A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%Industry surety premium estimate; the bond itself under RSMo §§ 473.157 (requirement), 473.160 (waiver by will)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.

Probate in Missouri typically runs 12 months to 18 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.

How to File Probate at the Circuit Court - Probate Division

Probate cases in St. Charles County, Missouri are filed at the Circuit Court - Probate Division. The court sits in the 11th Judicial Circuit.

Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for Circuit Clerk.

Can You File Without an Attorney?

Missouri has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is availableRSMo §§ 473.023 (court or clerk grants letters), 473.073 (clerk or court admits the will and grants letters), 473.047 (judge or clerk grants a certificate of probate), 473.065 (self-proved will)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.

For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the St. Charles County Self-Filing Assessment.

St. Charles County Filing Requirements

These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.

Before You File

The filing information sheet carries the full Social Security number, date of birth and address of each party, or a sworn affidavit explaining why it cannot.

The decedent, spouse, heirs and legatees are among the parties listed.

Source

Document Requirements

A copy of the death certificate is filed in every decedent case, and a minor's birth certificate in every case about a minor.

Source

An estate administration does not close without a MO HealthNet waiver from the State of Missouri.

No waiver is needed for a small estate affidavit, a refusal of letters or a petition to determine heirs.

Source

What to Bring

Filed with the opening petition at the Circuit Court - Probate Division: Copy of the death certificate; Original will and any codicils, delivered to the probate division after death (RSMo 473.043); OSCA: "the Original Will must be filed with Probate (RSMo 473.043) before Letters will be granted"; Application for Letters Testamentary / of Administration stating decedent, heirs/devisees, probable value of the estate, the attorney for the applicant, and whether supervised or independent administration is sought (RSMo 473.017.1(1)-(10)); Bond, unless waived by the will or excused by the court (RSMo 473.157, 473.160)RSMo 473.017 (application for letters - content); 473.020 (who may apply / time limits); 473.023 (court or clerk to grant letters); 473.073 (proof required for probate and grant of administration); 473.110 (priority for letters); 473.780-.843 (independent administration)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.

Death Certificates and the Medical Examiner in St. Charles County

In Missouri a death is registered locally, and in St. Charles County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by St. Charles County Department of Public Health, Vital Records Program as well as by Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services - Bureau of Vital Records.

Vital Records Office Record

Local Health Department

St. Charles County · St. Charles County Department of Public Health, Vital Records Program

Hours

Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM

Office

1650 Boone's Lick Road, St. Charles, MO 63301

Certified copies

At the counter

Order online

VitalChek

Open in Google Maps

Mail

St. Charles County Government Department of Public Health Attn: Vital Records 1650 Boone's Lick Road St. Charles, MO 63301

Verified November 2, 2026 · Source

Coroner or Medical Examiner Record

Medical Examiner

St. Charles County · Office of the Regional Medical Examiner

Hours

Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM

Office

1650 Boone's Lick Road, Suite 210, St. Charles, MO 63301

Open in Google Maps

Mail and offices

Fax

1-636-949-1847

Verified November 2, 2026 · Source

Transferring Property in St. Charles County

Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the Recorder of Deeds.

Deeds and other real property documents for St. Charles County are recorded with the Recorder of Deeds at 201 North Second Street, Suite 338, St. Charles, MO 63301. Phone: 1-636-949-7505. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.

The Recorder of Deeds charges $23 for the first page plus $3 for each additional page.

St. Charles County accepts electronic recording through CSC, ePN, Hopdox, iCounty and Simplifile.

Recording Office Record

Recorder of Deeds

St. Charles County

Hours

Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM

Office

201 North Second Street, Suite 338, St. Charles, MO 63301

Open in Google Maps

Fax

1-636-949-7512

Verified October 16, 2026 · Source

Forms that put a death on the title

Probate Attorneys Serving St. Charles County

Missouri allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in St. Charles County without hiring an attorney. A probate attorney earns the fee when the estate is contested, includes a business or out-of-state real estate, has unclear or insolvent debts, or when beneficiaries disagree.

Probate attorney fees in Missouri are set by statute as a percentage of the estate's value, so every St. Charles County attorney charges the same schedule. Price isn't the variable — experience with the Circuit Court - Probate Division and responsiveness are.

A probate attorney files the petition with the Circuit Court - Probate Division, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.

FirmSt. Louis, MO

Amen, Gantner & Capriano, Your Estate Matters, L.L.C.

Serves 3 counties

Serves St. Louis County and surrounding metro communities including Ballwin, Chesterfield, and Clayton. Represents executors, personal representatives, and heirs through probate and trust administration, from creditor notification and appraisals to intestate succession and contested will disputes over validity, undue influence, and testator capacity. Runs free public estate planning seminars.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 5 more

Office
10733 Sunset Office Dr, Suite 425St. Louis, MO 63127

Solo PracticeSt. Charles, MO

Fennell Elder Law & Estate Planning, LLC

Serves 3 counties

St. Charles practice serving St. Charles, St. Peters, O'Fallon, Lake St. Louis, Wentzville, Maryland Heights, and St. Louis. Guides personal representatives through Missouri probate and its court filings, and helps successor trustees manage and distribute trust assets. Amy E. Fennell limits her practice to elder law and estate planning; consultations are free.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 4 more

Office
60 Hill Pointe Ct, Suite 106St. Charles, MO 63303
Free consultation

Solo PracticeSt. Louis, MO

Fritz Law LLC

Serves 4 counties

Ladue Road probate practice serving St. Louis County, St. Louis City, St. Charles County, and Jefferson County. Handles probate of wills, refusal of letters, small estate affidavits, determination of heirship, independent and supervised administration, guardianship, conservatorship, and probate and trust litigation. The first conversation with a lawyer is free.

PracticesProbateProbate LitigationTrust LitigationConservatorshipGuardianship

Office
8909 Ladue RdSt. Louis, MO 63124
Free consultation

Solo PracticeSt. Louis, MO

Hoffmann Legal Services

Serves 4 counties

Law Offices of Stephen J. Hoffmann, serving St. Louis County, St. Louis City, Jefferson County, and St. Charles County. Guides executors and administrators through full administration, small-estate procedures, and petitions to determine heirship, and handles will and trust contests and removal of a personal representative. Initial consultations are free.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigation

Office
105 Concord Plaza, Suite 209St. Louis, MO 63128
Free consultation

Solo PracticeSt. Charles, MO

Hollander Legal, LLC

Since 2019 · Serves 1 county

St. Charles practice on Kisker Road, founded in 2019, that focuses all its efforts on estate planning and probate. Attorney Mike Hollander handles probate court administration, small estate affidavits, and petitions to determine heirship, along with guardianship and conservatorship applications for incapacitated adults.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawConservatorshipand 2 more

Office
1585 Kisker Rd, Suite CSt. Charles, MO 63304

FirmSt. Louis, MO

Lake Munro Attorneys at Law

Serves 2 counties

Serves the St. Louis area from Des Peres Road in St. Louis County, with a second office in St. Charles. Handles formal and small-estate probate and intestate estates, from validating the will through notifying creditors and distributing to heirs, plus will contests, guardianships, and conservatorships. Consultations are free, in-office, at home, or by video or phone.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationElder Lawand 4 more

Office
1650 Des Peres Rd, Suite 220St. Louis, MO 63131
Free consultationVirtual consultations
See all 17 firms serving St. Charles County →

Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.

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Legal Sources

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Data sourced from Missouri statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.

Tools for Settling an Estate in Missouri

Free tools for settling an estate in Missouri: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Missouri.

How Do I Settle an Estate?

Settling an estate in Missouri: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 30 daysRSMo §§ 473.233, 473.240Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 6 monthsRSMo §§ 473.033, 473.360, 473.380, 473.397, 473.403, 473.444Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 12 months.

See the Steps

How Do I Settle a Trust?

Settling a trust in Missouri happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeMo. Rev. Stat. § 456.1-101 et seq. (Missouri Uniform Trust Code)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 120 daysRSMo §§ 456.8-813, 456.10-1005Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.

See the Steps

Can I Self-File Probate?

Missouri has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is availableRSMo §§ 473.023 (court or clerk grants letters), 473.073 (clerk or court admits the will and grants letters), 473.047 (judge or clerk grants a certificate of probate), 473.065 (self-proved will)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.

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