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.
What to Do When Someone Dies in St. Louis City, Missouri
How probate works in St. Louis City: the Circuit Court - Probate Division record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
St. Louis City Circuit Court - Probate Division
St. Louis City · 22nd Judicial Circuit
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-5:00 PM
Office
10 North Tucker Boulevard, 10th Floor, St. Louis, MO 63101
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
Required for attorneysAttorneys file probate cases through the statewide Missouri eFiling System. The original will is filed on paper with the probate division. On paper: Self-represented filers file with the Clerk of the Probate Division on the 10th floor, in person or by secure email after registering through the court's Represent Myself page.
Self-represented filing
AllowedSelf-represented filers file with the Clerk of the Probate Division in person or through the court's secure email filing. The court sends the Probate Law Resource Guide on request at 314-622-4238.
County forms
- Schedule of probate case filing feesThe probate division's fee schedule, including letters, refusals, small estates, inventory-based fees and annual fees.
Fax
1-314-622-4498
Departments
- Circuit Court main line1-314-622-4500
- Circuit Clerk1-314-622-4044
- Legal Counsel1-314-622-4676Legal counsel to the probate division.
About the court
- St. Louis City is an independent city with its own circuit court, separate from St. Louis County. The Probate Division is on the 10th floor of the Civil Courts Building at 10 North Tucker, and its email takes questions but not filings.
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in St. Louis City
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. Louis City, probate runs through the Circuit Court - Probate Division at 10 North Tucker Boulevard, 10th Floor, St. Louis. The court sits in the 22nd 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. Louis City
What probate costs in St. Louis City, 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 10 North Tucker Boulevard, 10th Floor, St. Louis. The court is part of the 22nd Judicial Circuit.
Procedures at this court that affect cost: Newspaper publication is invoiced by the publisher the filer chose and paid directly to it.
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. Louis City, Missouri are filed at the Circuit Court - Probate Division. The court sits in the 22nd Judicial Circuit.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Circuit Court main line, Circuit Clerk, and Legal Counsel.
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. Louis City Self-Filing Assessment.
St. Louis City 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
A few short probate filings may be sent by fax or email: continuance requests for bonds, inventories and settlements, continuances in adversary proceedings, and requests for copies or final cost computations.
The filing may run to ten pages at most, and no other pleading is accepted by fax or email.
SourceWhat 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. Louis City
In Missouri a death is registered locally, and in St. Louis City certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Recorder of Deeds and Vital Records Registrar, Vital Records Department, St. Louis City as well as by Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services - Bureau of Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
County Recorder
St. Louis City · Recorder of Deeds and Vital Records Registrar, Vital Records Department
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
1200 Market Street, City Hall Room 128, St. Louis, MO 63103
Certified copies
At the counter
Order online
Local rule
- Death certificates are issued at City Hall, Room 127, for deaths in the city or of city residents. In person, the address on the photo ID must match the address on the application.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $14 |
| Each additional copy ordered at the same time | $11 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Medical Examiner
St. Louis City · Office of the Medical Examiner
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
1300 Clark Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63103
Website
Release of remains
1-314-622-4977 · Morgue release scheduling · Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-3:00 PM; Saturday 8:00 AM-noon
Mail and offices
Fax
1-314-622-4933
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in St. Louis City
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. Louis City are recorded with the Recorder of Deeds at 1200 Market Street, City Hall Room 128, St. Louis, MO 63103. Phone: 1-314-622-4610. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM (land records recording).
The Recorder of Deeds charges $25 for the first page plus $5 for each additional page.
St. Louis City accepts electronic recording through CSC.
Recording Office Record
Recorder of Deeds
St. Louis City · Recorder of Deeds and Vital Records Registrar
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM (land records recording)
Office
1200 Market Street, City Hall Room 128, St. Louis, MO 63103
E-recording
available via CSC
Fees
Recording fees
| Base fee (first page) | $25 |
| Each additional page | $5 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | No transfer tax applies to TOD deeds |
RSMo 59.313.6(1), 59.319, 59.321, 59.800
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Forms that put a death on the title
- Free forms: Affidavit of Heirship Form
Probate Attorneys Serving St. Louis City
Missouri allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in St. Louis City 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. Louis City 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.
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.
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.
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.
Brentwood Boulevard office appearing in the St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County probate courts. Handles decedent estate administration, trust administration and trustee accountings, guardian and conservator estates, and contested matters such as trustee-beneficiary disputes and breach of fiduciary duty claims.
Founded in Ste. Genevieve, with additional offices in Festus and Perryville reaching Jefferson and Perry counties. Handles trust and probate administration for families settling an estate, along with revocable trust planning, wills, powers of attorney, asset protection, estate tax and Medicaid planning, and business succession. James M. Kreitler directs the estate planning practice.
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.
Legal Sources
(9)·
- Mo. Sup. Ct. Op. R. 21.01(a)(12)-(13); RSMo §§ 488.012, 483.580
- 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)
- RSMo §§ 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)
- RSMo §§ 473.033, 473.360, 473.380, 473.397, 473.403, 473.444
- 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)
- RSMo 59.313.6(1), 59.319, 59.321, 59.800
- St. Louis City Circuit Court - Probate Division, official page
- St. Louis City Recorder of Deeds, official page
- St. Louis City vital records and death investigation offices, official page
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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