Missouri Guardianship Forms

There Is No Single Statewide Guardianship Packet

Missouri's judicial circuits maintain their own adult guardianship petition packets. The probate division of the circuit court where your adult child resides controls which forms you use, what deposits you pay, and how you serve notice. A packet downloaded from St. Louis County may not be accepted in Greene County — and vice versa.

Your starting point is always the probate clerk's office in the correct county. Clerks cannot give legal advice, but they will hand you the approved petition packet, tell you the current cost deposit, and confirm accepted payment methods.

What a Typical Missouri Guardianship Petition Packet Contains

Despite county-level variation, the core filings required under RSMo Chapter 475 are consistent:

• Petition for Appointment of Guardian and/or Conservator — the formal request naming the proposed guardian, the respondent, their residential history, and the specific behaviors demonstrating incapacity
• Physician's Affidavit or Medical Interrogatories — a licensed medical professional's evaluation documenting the respondent's cognitive and functional limitations (must be based on an evaluation performed within the preceding 30–60 days of filing)
• Notice of Hearing — the petition and citation personally served on the respondent, with written notice mailed to close relatives within three days of filing
• Background Check Consent Forms — MSHP criminal record review, DHSS/DMH/DSS disqualification lists, and child/adult abuse registry checks (required for non-exempt nominated fiduciaries); non-exempt nominated conservators also submit to a credit investigation under § 475.050.4
• Oath of Office — filed after the court grants the petition, before Letters are issued
• Surety Bond Application — required for conservators managing the protectee's estate

Where to Get Forms by County

St. Louis County (21st Circuit): Forms available online at stlcountycourts.com under Probate Forms. Total advance cost deposit is approximately $700, which covers court costs, filing fees, and court-appointed counsel. Sheriff service is $36 per person served.

St. Louis City (22nd Circuit): Cost deposit is approximately $200. The court maintains standardized forms including the Physician's Affidavit (Form 35) and Guardian's Annual Status Report (Form 15) through their online portal.

Jackson County (16th Circuit): Base filing fee of $115.50. The circuit uses standardized electronic filing for attorneys; verify the current adult-guardianship packet and self-represented filing procedure with the clerk.

Greene County (31st Circuit): Total advance deposit of $610 (includes court-appointed counsel deposit). Physical packets available at the Springfield probate clerk's office.

Barry County (24th Circuit): Integrated flat-fee deposit of $358.50, which includes the initial guardian ad litem deposit but excludes sheriff service and publication fees.

Jefferson County (23rd Circuit): Explicitly permits self-represented filing and provides printed physical packets at the Clerk's Office without requiring electronic filing.

The "Least Restrictive Alternative" Requirement Shapes Your Filing

Under RSMo § 475.075(13), every petition must address why less restrictive alternatives — supported decision-making agreements, durable powers of attorney, representative payees, trusts — cannot meet the respondent's needs. If your petition skips this analysis, the court-appointed attorney representing your adult child will raise it, and the judge must consider it before granting any appointment.

This means your physician's evaluation needs to document what your adult child can do with support, not just list diagnoses. A functional evaluation that only states "Down syndrome — needs full guardian" will not satisfy the statutory standard.

Forms You Might Not Need

Before filing a full guardianship petition, consider whether your family's actual needs can be met by simpler documents that don't require court involvement:

• A HIPAA release lets you access medical records
• A Healthcare Power of Attorney gives you medical decision-making authority
• A Durable Financial Power of Attorney covers banking and contracts
• A FERPA consent maintains access to educational records
• A Supported Decision-Making Agreement formalizes your support role

These private documents can avoid court involvement; SDM preparation is reported at $0–$500 and attorney-prepared powers of attorney at $300–$1,500. They preserve your adult child's civil rights when the signer has the required capacity.

If you need help determining whether full court guardianship is necessary or whether private alternatives will work for your family's situation, the Missouri Adult Guardianship & Alternatives Guide walks through the complete decision framework with county-specific cost comparisons.

See more Missouri guides →