Mercer County Circuit Court probate division Guide

Specific fee amounts are not available for this county. Missouri probate court costs are set by statute, not by a single county filing-fee schedule. When application is made for letters testamentary or letters of administration, the probate division collects a base court-cost deposit that includes local surcharges and so varies modestly by county (roughly $155.50 to $215 for a full decedent’s estate; for example the 16th Circuit base is $155.50 and the 7th Circuit charges $210.50 testate or $170.50 intestate, per Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 488.010 to 488.020 and § 483.580). In addition, the probate division charges a graduated additional court cost keyed to the total inventory value (personal plus real property), which is uniform statewide and is typically collected after the inventory is filed: $0 up to $50,000; $50 for $50,001 to $100,000; $100 for $100,001 to $150,000; $150 for $150,001 to $200,000; $200 for $200,001 to $250,000; $250 for $250,001 to $300,000; $300 for $300,001 to $350,000; $350 for $350,001 to $400,000; $400 for $400,001 to $450,000; and $450 over $450,000 (16th Judicial Circuit Probate Manual Section 5, Rev. 7/2021, matching the 7th Circuit published schedule). A small estate affidavit under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 473.097 carries a short-form court cost of roughly $55.50 to $65.50, plus about $35 if a will is admitted at the same time; a refusal of letters under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 473.090 is roughly $55.50. Personal representative and estate attorney compensation follow the statutory minimum schedule in Mo. Rev. Stat. § 473.153. Missouri imposes no probate tax and currently no separate state estate or inheritance tax. Because the base filing fee and short-form costs vary by county, verify the current amounts with the Mercer County probate division of the circuit court before relying on a figure.