Putnam County, Missouri Court Filing
Fee Lookup

Court filing fees in Putnam County, Missouri are collected by the Putnam County Circuit Court in Unionville according to Missouri's statutory fee schedule, plus any local surcharges authorized by county ordinance. With 4,696 residents and ranked in the lower quarter of Missouri jurisdictions by population, Putnam County operates within the Circuit Court (all divisions — civil/family/probate) / Associate Division / Small Claims and follows both the state's base fee requirements and its own local additions.

Putnam County is a rural jurisdiction in Missouri where the Putnam County Circuit Court in Unionville handles all case types with a less specialized but accessible approach to court administration. Confirming the current fee schedule with the clerk's office is recommended, as fees can change when new state legislation takes effect or when the county updates its local surcharge schedule.

• Filing fees in Putnam County are based on Missouri's statutory schedule, which applies statewide, plus any local surcharges assessed by the county. For reference, the statewide base fees by case type are: probate and estate filings — $101–$175 (Circuit Court — Probate Division)
• civil complaints and appearances — $121–$200 (Circuit Court)
• family law matters (divorce, custody, support) — $121–$200 (Circuit Court — Domestic Relations Division)
• small claims filings — $20–$45 (Small Claims Court / Associate Division). These figures represent the state-level base
• the total amount due at the Putnam County Circuit Court in Unionville may include additional local charges.

• As a smaller jurisdiction, Putnam County typically operates with modest local surcharges, though the base state filing fees apply uniformly.
• The Putnam County Circuit Court in Unionville may have more flexibility in scheduling and processing than the state's busiest courts.

• Beyond the initial filing fee, Putnam County litigants and estate administrators should budget for recurring court costs throughout the proceeding: fees for filing subsequent motions and responses, charges for certified copies of letters testamentary or court orders (typically $5 to $25 per document in Missouri), jury demand deposits in civil cases, and in probate matters, fees associated with filing the inventory, accountings, and petition for discharge.
• For a complete picture of expected court costs in Putnam County, request the full fee schedule from the Putnam County Circuit Court clerk in Unionville before initiating the proceeding.

Missouri has been expanding electronic filing (e-filing) capabilities across its court system. Putnam County is a jurisdiction where e-filing adoption may be more limited.

In smaller counties like Putnam County, the Putnam County Circuit Court in Unionville may accept or require paper filings for some or all case types, though this is changing as the state's e-filing infrastructure expands. Contact the Putnam County Circuit Court clerk directly to confirm the current e-filing requirements for your specific case type.

When e-filing is available in Putnam County, the system charges a convenience fee per transaction — typically $2 to $8 — in addition to the applicable statutory court fees. This convenience fee is charged by the e-filing service provider rather than the court itself and is generally non-waivable even for litigants who have received a court fee waiver.

Self-represented litigants (pro se filers) are often exempt from mandatory e-filing requirements and may file in paper at the Putnam County Circuit Court clerk's window in Unionville during regular business hours.

For probate and estate matters in Putnam County, e-filing availability may differ from civil cases. Some Missouri probate courts have been slower to adopt e-filing given the document-intensive nature of estate proceedings — original wills, certified death certificates, and original deeds often require in-person or mail submission regardless of whether other case types accept electronic filing.

Verify with the Putnam County Circuit Court in Unionville which documents can be e-filed and which require physical originals before planning your filing strategy.

• Putnam County residents who cannot afford court filing fees may apply for a fee waiver under RSMo § 514.040.
• To apply, file a declaration of financial condition with the Putnam County Circuit Court clerk's office in Unionville at the time of your initial filing.
• The declaration lists all household income sources, monthly expenses, assets, and liabilities.
• A judge or court commissioner reviews the application and issues an order granting or denying the waiver, typically within a few days of submission.

• Eligibility for a fee waiver in Putnam County generally requires that household income fall at or below 125% to 200% of the federal poverty level, or that the applicant is receiving qualifying public benefits — commonly Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, or public housing assistance.
• The specific income thresholds and qualifying programs are defined in RSMo § 514.040 and may have been updated by recent legislation.
• Ask the Putnam County Circuit Court clerk in Unionville for the current income guidelines before completing your declaration.

• A granted fee waiver covers filing fees charged by the Putnam County Circuit Court — including initial filing fees and subsequent filings in the same case — but does not cover costs owed to third parties.
• In Putnam County probate proceedings, a fee waiver does not eliminate the cost of publishing a notice to creditors in a newspaper of general circulation (a statutory requirement in most states), service of process fees paid to process servers or the sheriff's office, or costs for court-ordered appraisals.
• Budget for these additional costs separately even when a fee waiver is in effect.