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Boone County, IA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Boone County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Iowa District Court for Boone County |
| Filing office | Clerk of the district court, Boone County Courthouse |
| Courthouse address | 201 State Street, Boone, IA 50036 |
| Mailing | Clerk of the district court, 201 State Street, Boone, IA 50036. No separate mailing box is published for the clerk. Call before mailing anything time-sensitive. |
| Phone | (515) 433-0561 |
| Fax | 515-900-1110 |
| [email protected]. This is not a filing channel. Iowa probate filings use EDMS. | |
| Hours | Weekdays, closing at 4:30 p.m. Boone County pages give 8:00 a.m. in the footer and 8:30 a.m. in the hours text as the opening time. Call (515) 433-0561 before an early visit. |
| Filing fee | For decedent's estates, court costs are two-tenths of one percent (0.2%) of the probate assets listed in the report and inventory, plus statutory flat items, under Iowa Code 633.31, effective for filings and probate matters on and after January 1, 2022. Ask the Boone clerk how costs will be collected in your case. |
| Local forms | Boone County publishes no local probate form, cover sheet or checklist. Iowa does not publish a statewide probate packet for decedent estates. |
| E-filing | EDMS e-filing is required for attorneys and self-represented filers under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302. A self-represented filer who cannot reasonably e-file can ask about a one-time paper exception or a case-long exception by court order. |
| Case search | Iowa Courts Online provides free public docket search with no registration or subscription. The docket is an index. Public case documents are viewed on a courthouse terminal in the county where the case was filed. |
| Remote appearance | Iowa proceedings are presumed in person. If a hearing is set, a party asks for remote participation by motion under Iowa Ct. R. 15.302, and the judge decides case by case. |
| Website | Boone County government: boonecounty.iowa.gov. Boone County court contact information is published by the Iowa Judicial Branch. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing in Boone County, list the assets, debts, account holders, real estate, vehicles, taxes, and known creditors. The filing path depends on what is actually in the estate, who owned it, and whether property passes outside probate.
Sunset starts estate settlement by helping families discover accounts and assets across more than 2,300 institutions, then organizes the information needed for the Boone County filing decision.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Boone County is filed with the clerk of the district court at the Boone County Courthouse, 201 State Street in Boone. The Iowa District Court for Boone County is part of Iowa's Second Judicial District, but a Boone County case is filed in Boone, not at another county's courthouse.
Iowa venue is county-based. The court of the county where the decedent resided at death administers that estate. For a nonresident, venue is in the Iowa county where the property is located, or where property is later brought (Iowa Code 633.12).
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the certified death certificate, the original will if there is one, a first inventory of assets and debts, and contact information for heirs, devisees, known creditors, and interested family members. A person holding the will after learning of the death must deliver it to the court with jurisdiction over the estate (Iowa Code 633.285).
- Choose the Iowa path before you file. The Iowa Code 633.356 affidavit can apply to personal property of $100,000 or less, effective July 1, 2026, when the probate assets consist only of personal property and there is no interest in real estate. Other estates may need chapter 635 small estate administration, probate of a will without administration, or full chapter 633 administration.
- Register for EDMS before filing. Iowa Ct. R. 16.302 requires electronic filing for self-represented filers as well as attorneys. If you cannot reasonably e-file, ask the Boone clerk at (515) 433-0561 how to request a one-time paper exception or a case-long exception by court order.
- E-file the petition with the clerk of the district court for Boone County. If there is an original will, scan and e-file it, keep the paper original at least until the estate concludes, and after e-filing you may submit it to the clerk for nonelectronic preservation (Iowa Ct. R. 16.411).
- After the required oath or certification and any required bond, the clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of administration in a chapter 633 estate (Iowa Code 633.178). In a chapter 635 small estate, the clerk issues letters of appointment under Iowa Code 635.1.
- Give notice. After letters issue, the personal representative publishes notice once each week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in Boone County and mails required notices to known creditors and interested people as the statute requires (Iowa Code 633.230, 633.304).
- File the report and inventory with the Boone clerk within 120 days after qualification unless the court extends the time (Iowa Code 633.361). Court costs are then based on the probate assets listed in the report and inventory under Iowa Code 633.31.
- Administer the estate. Claims are filed with the clerk and are barred unless filed by the later of four months after the second publication or one month after mailed notice to a reasonably ascertainable creditor, with the Medicaid rule stated separately in Iowa Code 633.410.
- Distribute and close. A chapter 635 estate closes by closing statement and clerk discharge under Iowa Code 635.8. A chapter 633 estate closes through the final report and the court's order approving it and discharging the personal representative.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Boone County
Boone County does not publish a local probate form, cover sheet or checklist. The Iowa Judicial Branch also does not provide a statewide probate packet for opening and administering a decedent estate, and its interactive court forms do not cover probate filings.
A self-represented filer in Boone County generally drafts the petition, notices, report and inventory, and closing papers from the Iowa statutes or works with a lawyer. Before filing, call the Boone clerk at (515) 433-0561 to ask whether the office wants any local cover page or counter-specific formatting.
Local nuance
Boone County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| One filing counter | Boone County probate is filed at the Boone County Courthouse, 201 State Street in Boone. No second probate filing location is published for Boone County. |
| Opening hour caveat | Boone County pages agree that the courthouse closes at 4:30 p.m., but they give different opening times: 8:00 a.m. in the standard footer and 8:30 a.m. in the hours text. Call the clerk before traveling early in the day. |
| Fax and email | The Boone clerk publishes fax 515-900-1110 and email [email protected]. Use them for office contact only unless the clerk directs you otherwise. Probate filing is through EDMS under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302. |
| Holiday planning | Boone County publishes 2026 courthouse closures that include an afternoon closure on Christmas Eve. Confirm hours with the clerk before filing close to a holiday. |
| No local packet | Boone County publishes no probate form packet. Ask the clerk procedural questions, but use an attorney for legal advice and drafting help. |
Recent updates
| Change | What it means in Boone County |
|---|---|
| Affidavit ceiling changed | The Iowa Code 633.356 affidavit for distribution of property now reaches qualifying personal-property estates of $100,000 or less, effective July 1, 2026. It is not filed as a Boone County court case. |
| Inventory deadline changed | The report and inventory deadline is now 120 days after qualification, effective July 1, 2026 (Iowa Code 633.361). |
| Iowa tax rule changed | Iowa imposes no inheritance tax on the estate of a person who died on or after January 1, 2025 (Iowa Code 450.98). Iowa has no state estate tax. |
Scenarios
| Archetype | Likely Boone County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start with title to the home and beneficiary designations before filing. Joint tenancy property is outside the Iowa Code 633.31 probate cost base, but other Boone County assets may still require an estate case. | Sunset identifies accounts, property, debts, and beneficiary clues so the spouse can see whether a Boone County estate settlement is needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | If the probate assets are only personal property, there is no real estate interest, and the total fits Iowa Code 633.356, the $100,000 ceiling effective July 1, 2026 may allow an affidavit presented to the holder instead of a Boone court case. If court administration is needed, a nonresident personal representative qualifies only on court order under Iowa Code 633.64. | Sunset helps the child work from outside Iowa, organize the asset list, and prepare focused questions for the Boone clerk or an Iowa lawyer. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | The Iowa Code 633.356 affidavit is not the route because real estate is involved. The parent usually needs a Boone County court case, letters, notice, a report and inventory, and sale authority handled through the estate. | Sunset builds the estate settlement picture, prepares the Boone filing details, and connects the family with a local probate attorney for the home sale and closing issues. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Clerk of the district court, Boone County | Receives filings, issues letters, collects court costs, and answers procedural questions. Staff cannot choose your probate route or draft your petition. | Boone County Courthouse, 201 State Street, Boone, IA 50036. Phone (515) 433-0561. Fax 515-900-1110. Email [email protected]. |
| Iowa Legal Aid | Free civil legal help for low-income Iowans, subject to eligibility and case priorities. | Application line 1-800-532-1275. Iowans age 60 and older may call 1-800-992-8161. |
| Iowa Free Legal Answers | Income-eligible Iowans can post a civil legal question for a volunteer Iowa attorney to answer. | iowa.freelegalanswers.org |
| Iowa Find-A-Lawyer | The Iowa State Bar Association's lawyer directory can be searched by practice area, county, and city. Participating lawyers offer a reduced-fee initial consultation of up to thirty minutes. | iowabar.org |
| Application to Defer Costs | If you cannot afford court costs, you can file a written application with the Boone clerk, and a judge decides whether costs are postponed. | Ask the Boone clerk for the current filing method. Iowa's interactive forms include a fee-waiver interview. |
| Iowa Courts Online | Free public docket search for Boone County cases. The docket is an index, not the full document set. | www.iowacourts.state.ia.us/ESAWebApp/DefaultFrame. Technical help desk 1-800-831-1396. |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer makes sense when the estate includes real estate, a business, disputed heirs, creditor problems, a will contest, an insolvent estate, a sale that must close quickly, or a personal representative who lives outside Iowa. Boone County publishes no local probate packet, EDMS filing is required under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302, and the clerk can answer procedure questions but cannot advise you which legal path to take. Sunset connects families with a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help identify bank accounts, investments, insurance, retirement accounts, vehicles, real estate clues, and debts before the family chooses a Boone County probate path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for a Boone County estate settlement, including the courthouse address, clerk contact details, interested people, asset list, and Iowa filing sequence.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal judgment, real estate work, a contested filing, or help with EDMS, Sunset can connect the family with a probate attorney familiar with Iowa practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the estate, prepare for the next step, and decide whether they need attorney help without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Boone County, Iowa?
File with the clerk of the district court for Boone County at the Boone County Courthouse, 201 State Street, Boone, IA 50036. A Boone County estate is filed in Boone even though the county is part of Iowa's Second Judicial District.
Does Boone County have local probate forms?
Boone County publishes no local probate form, cover sheet or checklist. Iowa also does not publish a statewide probate packet for decedent estates, so many families work from the statutes or use an Iowa probate attorney.
Do I have to e-file a Boone County probate case?
Yes. EDMS e-filing is required for self-represented filers as well as attorneys under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302. If you cannot reasonably e-file, ask the Boone clerk how to request a one-time paper exception or a case-long exception by court order.
What are the Boone County clerk hours?
Boone County pages agree that the courthouse closes at 4:30 p.m., but they give different opening times: 8:00 a.m. in the footer and 8:30 a.m. in the hours text. Call (515) 433-0561 before traveling, especially early in the day.
How are Boone County probate court costs calculated?
Iowa uses a statewide statutory formula for decedent estates. Court costs are two-tenths of one percent (0.2%) of the probate assets listed in the report and inventory, plus statutory flat items, under Iowa Code 633.31, effective for filings and probate matters on and after January 1, 2022. The Boone clerk can tell you how those costs are collected in your case.
Will Boone County probate require a hearing?
Most Iowa probate matters are handled on the papers filed with the clerk. A hearing can happen if someone objects, if a contested matter arises, or if the court orders one. Ask the Boone clerk how a specific matter is set.
Can I appear remotely for a Boone County probate hearing?
Iowa proceedings are presumed in person. If a hearing is set and you want remote participation, file a motion stating specific grounds. The judge decides under Iowa Ct. R. 15.302.
Can I look up a Boone County probate case online?
Use Iowa Courts Online for the public docket. It is free and does not require registration or a subscription. The docket is an index of filings and events. Public case documents are viewed on a courthouse terminal in Boone County for a Boone County case.
Do I have to travel to Boone if I live out of state?
Many filings are made through EDMS under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302, so travel is often not needed just to file papers. If a hearing is set, in-person attendance is presumed unless the judge allows remote participation under Iowa Ct. R. 15.302. If you want to serve as personal representative from outside Iowa, ask an Iowa lawyer about the court-order route under Iowa Code 633.64.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.