St. Louis County, Missouri Court Filing
Fee Lookup

Court filing fees in St. Louis County, Missouri are collected by the St.

Louis County Circuit Court in Clayton according to Missouri's statutory fee schedule, plus any local surcharges authorized by county ordinance. Missouri's court structure — Circuit Court (all divisions — civil/family/probate) / Associate Division / Small Claims — determines which courthouse accepts which case types and what fees apply.

The St. Louis County Circuit Court operates as a high-volume court with structured calendars.

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.

For the full Missouri court filing fee schedule, see our Missouri Court Filing Fees.

The St. Louis County Circuit Court, Probate Division is located at 7900 Carondelet Ave, Clayton MO 63105.

The court clerk can be reached at (314) 615-8029.

Visit the court's website for current forms, fee schedules, and filing instructions. Electronic filing is available.

Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–5:00 PM.

• Filing fees in St. Louis 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 St. Louis County Circuit Court in Clayton may include additional local charges.

• As a high-volume jurisdiction, St.
• Louis County may assess higher local surcharges than smaller counties, reflecting the greater administrative cost of operating a busy court in Clayton.

• Beyond the initial filing fee, St.
• Louis 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 St.
• Louis County, request the full fee schedule from the St.
• Louis County Circuit Court clerk in Clayton before initiating the proceeding.

Missouri is expanding e-filing across its court system. The St.

Louis County Circuit Court in Clayton likely participates in the state system — represented parties in civil and family matters may be required to file electronically. Contact the clerk directly to confirm requirements for your case type and whether a convenience fee (typically $2–$8 per transaction) applies.

For full statewide e-filing details, see our Missouri Court Filing Fees.

• St.
• Louis 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 St.
• Louis County Circuit Court clerk's office in Clayton 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 St.
• Louis 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 St.
• Louis County Circuit Court clerk in Clayton for the current income guidelines before completing your declaration.

• A granted fee waiver covers filing fees charged by the St.
• Louis County Circuit Court — including initial filing fees and subsequent filings in the same case — but does not cover costs owed to third parties.
• In St.
• Louis 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.