The figures on this page are general estimates. Laws, fees, thresholds, and prices differ by state and change often, and your own situation may change the result. Before you act, confirm the current numbers and rules for Missouri with a licensed professional — an attorney, tax advisor, or licensed agent as appropriate. Reading this page does not create a professional relationship.
This page is built to print. Use your browser's Print command and choose "Save as PDF" for a one-page Missouri reference. Every figure below is compiled from the statutes and state authorities listed at the bottom — the same sources cited on our Missouri probate pages.
Missouri probate fees
| Item | Missouri |
|---|---|
| Court filing fee | RSMo §483.580 charges probate court costs against the estate but sets no dollar amount itself; the amounts are 'determined pursuant to sections 488.010 to 488.020' and collected by the clerk of the probate division, so they differ by county. We have not verified current county amounts against a primary source. Newspaper publication of the notice to creditors is a separate cost billed by the newspaper. |
| Attorney fees | Statutory minimum under Mo. Rev. Stat. §473.153: 5% of the first $5,000, 4% of the next $20,000, 3% of the next $75,000, 2.75% of the next $300,000, 2.5% of the next $600,000, and 2% of everything over $1,000,000. The court may allow additional compensation above the minimum where reasonable. |
| Executor / personal representative fees | The personal representative is entitled to the same statutory minimum percentage schedule under Mo. Rev. Stat. §473.153. A representative named in the will may instead take the compensation the will provides, unless renounced. Both representative and attorney fees can apply. |
| Fee basis | percentage |
Worked example
On a $500,000 Missouri estate the statutory minimum executor fee is about $14,050 ($250 on the first $5,000 + $800 on the next $20,000 + $2,250 on the next $75,000 + $8,250 on the next $300,000 + $2,500 on the remaining $100,000). The estate's attorney may be paid a fee on the same schedule separately, so statutory fees can roughly double that figure.
Missouri thresholds and deadlines
| Item | Missouri |
|---|---|
| Small-estate threshold | Mo. Rev. Stat. §473.097(1) measures the threshold on "the value of the entire estate, less liens, debt, and encumbrances" and sets it at forty thousand dollars; (2) requires thirty days to have elapsed with no application for letters or for refusal of letters under §473.090 pending or granted. Under §473.097(5), where the value of the property listed in the affidavit is more than fifteen thousand dollars the clerk must publish a notice to creditors. |
| Creditor claim period | Six months after the date of the first published notice of letters testamentary or of administration, or, where notice was actually mailed to or served upon the creditor, two months after the date that notice was mailed or served, "whichever later occurs" (Mo. Rev. Stat. §473.360(1)). Claims not filed in the probate division within that period, and claims not paid by the personal representative within six months after the first published notice, are forever barred against the estate, the personal representative and the heirs, devisees and legatees. |
| Statutory floor (creditor period) | Six months after the date of the first published notice of letters testamentary or of administration, or, where notice was actually mailed to or served upon the creditor, two months after the date that notice was mailed or served, "whichever later occurs" (Mo. Rev. Stat. §473.360(1)). Claims not filed in the probate division within that period, and claims not paid by the personal representative within six months after the first published notice, are forever barred against the estate, the personal representative and the heirs, devisees and legatees. |
| Simplified real-property transfer | Real estate that passes directly to heirs or by beneficiary deed is excluded from the statutory fee base, since fees apply only to personal property administered and real estate actually sold under court order. |
| Transfer-on-death deed | Missouri allows a beneficiary deed (its version of a transfer-on-death deed) for real estate under Mo. Rev. Stat. §461.025. The owner records a deed naming a beneficiary; the property passes automatically at death without probate, while the owner keeps full control during life. |
What passes outside Missouri probate
These transfers are not part of the estate the fees above are calculated on:
- Beneficiary designations — retirement accounts, life insurance, payable-on-death accounts.
- Joint ownership with right of survivorship.
- Transfer-on-death deed — Missouri allows a beneficiary deed (its version of a transfer-on-death deed) for real estate under Mo. Rev. Stat. §461.025. The owner records a deed naming a beneficiary; the property passes automatically at death without probate, while the owner keeps full control during life.
- Assets titled into a funded living trust.
Sources for this sheet
- Statutes: Mo. Rev. Stat. §473.153 (compensation of personal representatives and attorneys); Mo. Rev. Stat. §473.097 (small estate affidavit); Mo. Rev. Stat. §473.780 (independent administration); Mo. Rev. Stat. §461.025 (beneficiary deed)
- State authority: Missouri Revisor of Statutes (revisor.mo.gov)
- Attorney fees: https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=473.153
- Executor fees: https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=473.153
- Small-estate procedure: https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=473.097
- Transfer-on-death deed: https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=461.025
- Court filing fees: https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=483.580
Compiled August 15, 2026 from the sources listed above. Fee schedules, thresholds, and court costs are amended by legislatures and courts — confirm each figure against the cited statute or the Missouri court before relying on it.
The full Missouri guides
- How Much Does Probate Cost in Missouri? — the full cost breakdown.
- How Much Does an Executor Get Paid in Missouri? — the fee rule in detail.
- How Long Does Probate Take in Missouri? — the timeline and its statutory floor.
- Executor Deadlines in Missouri — inventory deadline, creditor-claim period and outer bar, each quoted from the statute.
- How to Avoid Probate in Missouri — the transfers that pass outside it.
- How Much Does a Will Cost in Missouri? — execution requirements and pricing.
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This sheet sets out Missouri probate figures as published at the time of compilation. It is not legal advice. Figures and statutes change and their application depends on the specific estate. Confirm current figures with the Missouri courts or a licensed Missouri attorney.