Missouri Revised Statutes

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 473.017 (2026)

Application for letters

✓ current as of May 2026

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473.017. Application for letters — content. — 1. An application for letters testamentary or of administration shall state all of the following:

(1) The name, age, sex, domicile, last residence address and the fact and date of death of the decedent;

(2) The names, relationship to decedent, and residence addresses of the surviving spouse, heirs, devisees and legatees of the decedent, if any, and their birth dates, if minors; the names and addresses of the conservators of any minor or disabled heirs, legatees or spouse of the decedent, if known; and if applicant has reason to believe that there are any heirs or devisees who are mentally incapacitated or that there are other heirs or devisees but their names and addresses are unknown to him, he shall so state;

(3) The probable value of the real and personal property;

(4) If decedent had no domicile in this state, the location and the probable value of any land owned by him in this state at the time of his death, if any, and the probable value of the personal property within the state, so far as is known, which may be subject to administration in this state;

(5) If the decedent died testate and the will has not been delivered to the court, the contents of the will, either by attaching a copy of it to the petition, or, if the will is lost, destroyed or suppressed, by including a statement of the provisions of the will so far as known;

(6) The names and residence addresses of the persons, if any, named as executors;

(7) Where letters of administration on the estate of an intestate are sought, the name and residence address of the person for whom letters are prayed, and his relationship to the decedent or other facts, if any, which entitle such person to appointment;

(8) The name and address of the attorney for the applicant;

(9) That if letters are issued, the applicant will make a perfect inventory of the estate, pay the debts and legacies, if any, as far as the assets extend and the law directs, and account for and distribute or pay all assets which come into the possession of the personal representative, and perform all things required by law touching the administration of the estate;

(10) Whether the application is for supervised or independent administration.

2. After letters have been granted on an estate, the personal representative or other interested person, if the information contained in the application required by subsection 1 is not complete or is no longer correct, shall communicate in writing promptly to the clerk such facts known to him as are necessary to complete or correct the same.

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(L. 1955 p. 385 § 32, A.L. 1957 p. 829, A.L. 1980 S.B. 637, A.L. 1981 S.B. 117, A.L. 1983 S.B. 44 & 45)

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 7 cases, 1960–1996 · leading case: Bosworth v. Sewell, 918 S.W.2d 773 (Mo. 1996).

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Bosworth v. Sewell, 918 S.W.2d 773 (Mo. 1996). · cites it 14× “An "heir" is defined as those persons who are entitled to property by intestate succession if a decedent dies without a will.”

Haas v. Haas, 504 S.W.2d 44 (Mo. 1973). · cites it 15× “Defendant coexecutors also moved for dismissal of plaintiff's petition asserting their lack of exact knowledge of plaintiff's whereabouts at the time of decedent's death, sufficiency of the notice in accordance with Section 473.017, RSMo 1969, V.A.M.S., and on the ground the…”

Cole v. Smith, 370 S.W.2d 307 (Mo. 1963). · cites it 2× “In addition, appellants knew or should have known that the file would contain the information necessary to obtain personal service on these two defendants because Section 473.017 provides that an application for letters testamentary shall state “The names, relationship to…”

Est. of Fedina v. Fedina, 491 S.W.2d 552 (Mo. 1973). · cites it 2× “The record before us does not contain the application for letters of administration, which was filed with the above petition, but we may assume that it was verified as required by § 473.017 RSMo 1969, and that it named appellants as the sole heirs.”

Zimmerman v. Preuss, 725 S.W.2d 876 (Mo. 1987). “g„ §§ 473.017, 473.020, 473.030, 473.083.-1, 473.”

Smith v. Maynard, 339 S.W.2d 737 (Mo. 1960). · cites it 2× “But the policy set by the pi-bate code is to dispense with administration when the value of the estate does not exceed the amount allowed as exempt property and to the widow or unmarried minor children, § 473.090, or under certain circumstances when the net estate does not…”

Sweeney v. Eaton, 460 S.W.2d 296 (Mo. Ct. App. 1970). · cites it 3× “Section 473.017, RSMo 1969, V.A.M.S., requires that an application for letters testamentary be verified, and that it state the probable value of the testator’s real and personal property, or if the testator was domiciled elsewhere, that it state the location and probable value…”

— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 473.017(3) — 1 case

Smith v. Maynard, 339 S.W.2d 737 (Mo. 1960). “But the policy set by the pi-bate code is to dispense with administration when the value of the estate does not exceed the amount allowed as exempt property and to the widow or unmarried minor children, § 473.090, or under certain circumstances when the net estate does not…”

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