One of the oldest continuously operating law firms in Idaho, established in 1919. Full-service firm in Twin Falls with deep roots in estate planning, probate, trust administration, and agricultural law across the Magic Valley.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Twin Falls County, Idaho
How probate works in Twin Falls County: the Magistrate Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Twin Falls County Magistrate Court
Twin Falls County · 5th Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
427 Shoshone Street North, Twin Falls, ID 83301
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 a probate case, on paper or through iCourt File and Serve. The Idaho Court Assistance Office publishes probate guidance, including Most Frequently Asked Questions About Probate in Idaho, under Wills & Probate on its publications page.
Self-help center
- Twin Falls County Court Facility, 427 Shoshone St North, Twin Falls, ID 833011-208-736-4136 · Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PMThe 5th Judicial District Court Assistance Office in Twin Falls provides court forms, document review and information about the court process to people representing themselves. Its officer also travels to the other county courthouses in the district on set dates.
P.O. Box 126
Twin Falls, ID 83303-0126
Fax
1-208-736-4155
Departments
- Main1-208-736-4004
- Clerk of the District Court1-208-736-4025
- Credit/Debit Card Payments1-208-736-4116 · Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
About the court
- The Twin Falls County Court Facility serves Twin Falls, Buhl, Castleford, Filer, Hansen, Hollister, Kimberly and Murtaugh. Twin Falls County is in the 5th Judicial District, with Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln and Minidoka counties.
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Twin Falls 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 Twin Falls County, probate runs through the Magistrate Court at 427 Shoshone Street North, Twin Falls. The court sits in the 5th 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 Twin Falls County
What probate costs in Twin Falls 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 427 Shoshone Street North, Twin Falls. The court is part of the 5th 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 Twin Falls 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 5th Judicial District.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Main, Clerk of the District Court, and Credit/Debit Card Payments.
The 5th Judicial District Court Assistance Office in Twin Falls provides court forms, document review and information about the court process to people representing themselves. Its officer also travels to the other county courthouses in the district on set dates.
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 Twin Falls 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 Twin Falls County
In Twin Falls 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
Twin Falls 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
Twin Falls County · Twin Falls County Coroner's Office
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
404 Fairfield Street North, Twin Falls, ID 83301
Website
Mail and offices
Fax
1-208-735-0107
Verified November 3, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Twin Falls 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 Twin Falls County are recorded with the County Recorder at 630 Addison Avenue West, 2nd Floor, Twin Falls, ID 83301. Phone: 1-208-736-4004. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 126, Twin Falls, ID 83303-0126.
The County Recorder charges $15 for the first 30 pages plus $3 for each page beyond 30.
Twin Falls County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile.
Recording Office Record
County Recorder
Twin Falls County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
630 Addison Avenue West, 2nd Floor, Twin Falls, ID 83301
Website
E-recording
P.O. Box 126
Twin Falls, ID 83303-0126
Fax
1-208-736-4182
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 Twin Falls County
Idaho allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Twin Falls 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 Twin Falls 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.
Twin Falls attorneys with deep expertise in estate planning, probate, elder law, special needs planning, and trust & estate litigation in Southern Idaho.
Rupert-based law firm serving Minidoka, Cassia, and Twin Falls counties. Both attorneys are trained and certified mediators by the Idaho Supreme Court with over 30 years of combined experience. Se habla espanol.
Provides legal assistance concerning the Idaho probate process and serves clients in and around Twin Falls. Over 70 years of collective legal experience. Accepted into the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers.
Twin Falls firm serving the Magic Valley — Twin Falls, Bannock, Blaine, and Cassia counties, plus Ketchum, Hailey, Burley, and Hagerman. Handles estate planning, wills, probate, special needs and elder-law planning, and guardianships, with a focus on parents of minor children and flat-fee billing.
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.
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.
- Twin Falls County Magistrate Court, official page
- Twin Falls County Recorder, official page
- Twin Falls 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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