Idaho Falls firm operating across Eastern Idaho since 1963, with offices in Rexburg, Pocatello, and Victor. Its estate planning team handles wills, trusts, probate, trust administration, guardianship matters, and estate tax planning for Bonneville, Madison, Jefferson, Bannock, and Teton county families.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Bonneville County, Idaho
How probate works in Bonneville County: the Magistrate Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Bonneville County Magistrate Court
Bonneville County · 7th Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
605 North Capital Avenue, Idaho Falls, ID 83402
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
OptionalAttorneys must e-file through iCourt File and Serve (I.R.E.F.S. Rule 4(a)). Self-represented individuals may e-file or file on paper; one who chooses to e-file continues to e-file for the life of the case unless the court grants a motion to withdraw (Rule 4(b)). An original will is filed both electronically and on paper, the paper filing within seven business days of the electronic one (Rule 5(a)). On paper: Original wills (must also be filed conventionally within 7 business days).
Self-represented filing
AllowedSelf-represented individuals may file probate. The Idaho Court Assistance Office publishes probate guidance in the Wills & Probate section of its publications page, and the Seventh District Court Assistance Office is in the Bonneville County courthouse.
Self-help center
- 605 North Capital Avenue, Idaho Falls1-208-589-9872 · d7cao@idcourts.gov · Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-noon and 1:00 PM-5:00 PMThe Seventh District Court Assistance Office line takes calls, messages and text messages. The office reviews Idaho Supreme Court-approved forms and holds form workshops; it does not give legal advice.
Fax
1-208-529-1300
Departments
- Seventh District Trial Court Administration1-208-529-1350 ext. 1341 · d7tca@idcourts.govThe administrative office of the Seventh Judicial District, in the same courthouse.
About the court
- The Bonneville County courthouse at 605 North Capital Avenue is also the seat of the Seventh Judicial District, which includes Bingham, Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Custer, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison, and Teton counties.
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Bonneville County
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Bonneville County, probate runs through the Magistrate Court at 605 North Capital Avenue, Idaho Falls. The court sits in the 7th Judicial District.
The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under Idaho intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Idaho estates take 6 months to 12 months to move through this process. Creditors have 4 monthsIdaho Code §§ 15-3-801, 15-3-803, 15-3-804, 15-3-805, 15-3-806Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What Probate Costs in Bonneville County
What probate costs in Bonneville County, Idaho comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the Magistrate Court at 605 North Capital Avenue, Idaho Falls. The court is part of the 7th Judicial District.
Idaho charges $166IRCP Appendix A, Category A (eff. 7/12/2024); Idaho Code § 31-3201A(1)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Idaho are negotiated, typically 1.8%Modeled estimate under Idaho Code § 15-3-721 (court reviews reasonableness of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage) — see also § 15-3-720 (reasonable attorney fees in estate litigation): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.8%Modeled estimate under Idaho Code § 15-3-721 (court reviews reasonableness of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage) — see also § 15-3-720 (reasonable attorney fees in estate litigation): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Idaho allows executors 'reasonable compensation' — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules payIdaho Code § 15-3-719 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Idaho requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
Probate in Idaho typically runs 6 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Magistrate Court
Probate documents in Bonneville County can be filed in person at the Magistrate Court, by mail, or electronically. Most families handling probate themselves prefer paper filing, though e-filing is available. The court sits in the 7th Judicial District.
Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for Seventh District Trial Court Administration.
The Seventh District Court Assistance Office line takes calls, messages and text messages. The office reviews Idaho Supreme Court-approved forms and holds form workshops; it does not give legal advice.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
Idaho has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is availableIdaho Code § 15-3-301Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Bonneville County Self-Filing Assessment.
What to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Magistrate Court: Certified copy of the death certificate (proof of death — I.C. § 15-1-107(a)); Original will and any codicils (filed both electronically and conventionally per I.R.E.F.S. 5); Verified application (informal) or petition (formal) reciting the statutory contents (I.C. §§ 15-3-301, 15-3-402); Acceptance/qualification of the personal representative and statement of informal appointment, or the court order (I.C. § 15-3-103); Renunciations/nominations by persons with higher priority for appointment, if any (I.C. § 15-3-203)Idaho Code §§ 15-3-103 (appointment & letters required), 15-3-301 to 15-3-311 (informal), 15-3-401 to 15-3-414 (formal)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Coroner in Bonneville County
In Bonneville County certified copies of the death certificate come from Idaho Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics; the Local Registrar files the certificate and issues no copies to the public.
Vital Records Office Record
Idaho Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics
Bonneville County · State vital records office
Phone
Website
Certified copies
From Idaho Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics; the Local Registrar files the certificate and issues no copies to the public
Idaho Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0036
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $16 |
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Coroner
Bonneville County · Bonneville County Coroner's Office
Mail and offices
Bonneville County Coroner
605 North Capital Avenue
Idaho Falls, ID 83402
Verified November 3, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Bonneville County
Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the County Recorder.
Deeds and other real property documents for Bonneville County are recorded with the County Recorder at 605 North Capital Avenue, Room 204, Idaho Falls, ID 83402. Phone: 1-208-529-1350 ext. 1350. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
The County Recorder charges $15 for the first 30 pages plus $3 for each page beyond 30.
Recording Office Record
County Recorder
Bonneville County
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
605 North Capital Avenue, Room 204, Idaho Falls, ID 83402
Website
Fax
1-208-529-1311
Recording fees
| Base fee (first 30 pages) | $15 |
| Each page beyond 30 | $3 |
Idaho Code 31-3205 (recorder's fees). Deeds, grants and transfers of title to real property of 30 pages or fewer: $15.00 flat. All other instruments: $10.00 first page + $3.00 each additional page.
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Forms that put a death on the title
- Free forms: Affidavit of Death Form · Affidavit of Heirship Form
Probate Attorneys Serving Bonneville County
Idaho allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Bonneville County without hiring an attorney. A probate attorney earns the fee when the estate is contested, includes a business or out-of-state real estate, has unclear or insolvent debts, or when beneficiaries disagree.
Probate attorney fees in Idaho are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Bonneville County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Magistrate Court, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.
Idaho Falls firm founded in 1896 and one of the largest law firms in eastern Idaho. Settles estates and administers trusts, advising personal representatives and trustees on fiduciary duties and heirs and beneficiaries on what they are owed. Also drafts wills, trusts, and powers of attorney and plans for estate and gift taxes.
Idaho Falls firm established in 1973, serving Bonneville and Bingham counties. Handles estate planning, probate, trust administration, and estate tax planning, with the depth of one of Eastern Idaho's larger and longer-running practices.
East Idaho's Estate Planning and Business Law Center. Serving Southeastern Idaho since 1969, providing highly experienced legal counsel in estate planning, business succession planning, Medicaid long-term care planning, and probate.
Multi-office Idaho firm serving Southern Idaho with estate planning, asset protection, wills, trusts, living trusts, powers of attorney, and advanced healthcare directives. John O. Avery is admitted to the Bar of the United States Supreme Court.
Pocatello firm serving Bannock, Bingham, and Bonneville counties across Southeast and Eastern Idaho since 2009. Focuses on estate planning and small business law, with added depth in elder law, special needs planning, and guardianship of minor children.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Legal Sources
(9)·
- Idaho Code § 15-3-301
- Idaho Code § 15-3-719 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)
- Idaho Code §§ 15-3-103 (appointment & letters required), 15-3-301 to 15-3-311 (informal), 15-3-401 to 15-3-414 (formal)
- Idaho Code §§ 15-3-801, 15-3-803, 15-3-804, 15-3-805, 15-3-806
- IRCP Appendix A, Category A (eff. 7/12/2024); Idaho Code § 31-3201A(1)
- Idaho Code 31-3205 (recorder's fees). Deeds, grants and transfers of title to real property of 30 pages or fewer: $15.00 flat. All other instruments: $10.00 first page + $3.00 each additional page.
- Bonneville County Magistrate Court, official page
- Bonneville County Recorder, official page
- Bonneville County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from Idaho statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Tools for Settling an Estate in Idaho
Free tools for settling an estate in Idaho: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Idaho.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Idaho: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysIdaho Code §§ 15-3-706, 15-3-707, 15-3-708Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsIdaho Code §§ 15-3-801, 15-3-803, 15-3-804, 15-3-805, 15-3-806Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 4 months to 6 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in Idaho happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's trust statuteIdaho Code §§ 15-7-101 to 15-7-701 (UPC Trust Administration); Idaho Code §§ 68-104 to 68-113 (Uniform Trustees' Powers Act); Idaho Code § 32-906A (community property in revocable trusts)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 30 daysIdaho Code §§ 15-7-303, 15-7-307Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
Idaho has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is availableIdaho Code § 15-3-301Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
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