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Guthrie County, IA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Guthrie County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Iowa District Court for Guthrie County |
| Filing office | Clerk of the district court, Guthrie County Courthouse |
| Courthouse address | 200 North 5th Street, Guthrie Center, IA 50115 |
| Mailing | No separate post office box is posted for the clerk. Address mail to the clerk of the district court at the courthouse street address and call before mailing originals. |
| Phone | 641-747-3415 |
| Fax | 641-747-2420. Fax is not a filing channel. |
| [email protected]. Email is not a filing channel. | |
| Hours | Counter hours are not posted in the online court contact listing. Call 641-747-3415 before traveling to Guthrie Center. |
| Judicial district | Iowa's Fifth Judicial District. The district is administrative only, so Guthrie County filings stay in Guthrie Center. |
| Filing fee | Iowa Code 633.31 uses a statewide court-cost formula: 0.2% of the probate assets listed in the report and inventory, plus statutory flat items. Ask the clerk how costs will be collected in your case. |
| Local forms | No Guthrie County local probate packet is linked from the court contact listing. Call the clerk to ask whether a local cover sheet or checklist is currently used. |
| E-filing | EDMS e-filing is required for attorneys and self-represented filers, with one-time and case-long exceptions available through the clerk or court order for good cause (Iowa Ct. R. 16.302). |
| Case search | Iowa Courts Online provides free public docket search with no registration. The docket is an index of filings and proceedings. Public case documents are viewed at a courthouse terminal in the county where the case was filed. |
| Remote appearance | Iowa proceedings are presumed in person. A party asks for remote appearance by motion, and the judge decides case by case (Iowa Ct. R. 15.302). |
| Website | Use the Iowa Judicial Branch contact listing for the Guthrie County clerk of the district court. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing anything in Guthrie County, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, account holders, real estate, beneficiary designations and likely heirs. The right route for estate settlement depends on what is actually in the probate estate and whether real estate is involved.
Sunset can help search across more than 2,300 financial institutions so families do not start probate with an incomplete asset picture. That information helps you decide whether to call the Guthrie County clerk about a court filing, talk to counsel first or use a noncourt transfer route allowed by Iowa law.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Guthrie County is filed with the clerk of the district court at the Guthrie County Courthouse, 200 North 5th Street, Guthrie Center, IA 50115. The Iowa District Court for Guthrie County sits in Iowa's Fifth Judicial District, but the district number does not move the filing to Polk County, Des Moines or any other county.
Iowa venue is based on the county where the decedent lived at death. If the decedent was not an Iowa resident, venue is in the county where the Iowa property is located or later brought (Iowa Code 633.12). For a Guthrie County decedent, start with the Guthrie County clerk in Guthrie Center.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the death certificate, the original will if one exists, account information, deeds, vehicle titles, debts and beneficiary designations. A person holding the will must deliver it to the court with jurisdiction after learning of the death (Iowa Code 633.285).
- Choose the Iowa route before preparing papers. The affidavit under Iowa Code 633.356 is presented to the holder of personal property and is not a court filing. A chapter 635 small estate is a court case. A will may sometimes be admitted without administration. A full chapter 633 administration is used when the estate needs ordinary probate authority.
- Prepare the petition and related probate papers. Iowa does not publish a statewide probate form packet for decedent estates, so many families use an attorney when drafting the petition, notices, report and inventory.
- Register and file through EDMS, or ask the Guthrie County clerk how to request an exception if electronic filing is not reasonably possible. EDMS applies to self-represented filers as well as attorneys (Iowa Ct. R. 16.302).
- File in the Iowa District Court for Guthrie County through the clerk of the district court in Guthrie Center. If there is an original will, scan and e-file it, keep the paper original until the estate concludes, and ask the clerk whether to submit it for preservation (Iowa Ct. R. 16.411).
- After the court or clerk authorizes administration, the clerk issues the correct authority document. In a chapter 633 estate, the clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of administration after the oath and any required bond (Iowa Code 633.178). In a chapter 635 small estate, the clerk issues letters of appointment for administration (Iowa Code 635.1).
- Give notice. The personal representative publishes notice once each week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the estate is pending and mails notice to known creditors and required interested persons (Iowa Code 633.230, 633.304).
- File the report and inventory within 120 days after qualification unless the court allows more time (Iowa Code 633.361). Iowa Code 633.31 then applies the 0.2% court-cost formula to the probate assets listed in the report and inventory.
- Handle claims, taxes, assets and distributions. Claims are filed with the clerk and are barred only 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 addressed separately in the statute (Iowa Code 633.410).
- Close the case. A chapter 635 small estate closes by closing statement and clerk discharge when the statutory steps are complete (Iowa Code 635.8). A chapter 633 estate closes through the final report and the court's order approving the report and discharging the personal representative.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Guthrie County
Iowa does not publish a statewide probate form packet for decedent estates, and its free interactive court forms do not cover probate petitions, estate inventories or closing papers. A self-represented Guthrie County filer must draft papers from the Iowa probate statutes or work with an attorney.
No Guthrie County local probate packet is linked from the online court contact listing. Because local form use and counter hours are not posted there, call the Guthrie County clerk of the district court at 641-747-3415 before preparing or submitting a probate filing.
Local nuance
Guthrie County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Guthrie County family |
|---|---|
| Fifth Judicial District | Guthrie County shares Iowa's Fifth Judicial District with Polk County and Adams County, but probate is filed in Guthrie Center. Do not send a Guthrie County estate filing to Des Moines because Polk County is in the same district. |
| Recovered contact options | The Guthrie County clerk's phone is 641-747-3415, fax is 641-747-2420 and office email is [email protected]. Fax and email are contact tools, not filing channels. |
| Hours and local forms | The online court contact listing does not post counter hours or link a Guthrie County probate packet. Call the clerk before traveling, mailing papers or relying on a local checklist. |
Recent updates
| Change | What changed | Why it matters in Guthrie County |
|---|---|---|
| Affidavit for distribution of property | The ceiling for the affidavit under Iowa Code 633.356 is $100,000, effective July 1, 2026, and the probate assets must consist only of personal property with no interest in real estate. | A Guthrie County family with only personal property may be able to use the affidavit route instead of opening a court case, but the affidavit is presented to the holder of the property, not filed with the clerk. |
| Report and inventory deadline | The report and inventory deadline is 120 days after qualification, effective July 1, 2026 (Iowa Code 633.361). | The personal representative should calendar this early because Iowa Code 633.31 court costs are based on the probate assets listed in the report and inventory. |
| Iowa inheritance tax | Iowa imposes no inheritance tax on the estate of a person who died on or after January 1, 2025 (Iowa Code 450.98). | For a recent Guthrie County death, families should not use older inheritance-tax instructions written for pre-2025 deaths. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Guthrie County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start with the deed and account titles. Joint tenancy property is outside the Iowa Code 633.31 court-cost base. If a probate filing is still needed, file through EDMS with the Guthrie County clerk in Guthrie Center (Iowa Ct. R. 16.302). | Sunset helps identify accounts, beneficiary designations and title issues before the spouse spends time opening an estate settlement that may not cover every asset. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | If the estate has only personal property and no real estate interest, the affidavit under Iowa Code 633.356 may apply at $100,000, effective July 1, 2026, after the statutory waiting period. If a court case is needed, chapter 635 may apply at $200,000, effective July 1, 2020, under Iowa Code 635.1, and a nonresident personal representative needs a court order under Iowa Code 633.64. | Sunset helps sort assets into probate and nonprobate categories, then can help generate the packet or connect the family with Iowa counsel. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Real estate means the Iowa Code 633.356 affidavit route is not the answer. The family should expect a Guthrie County court case, authority from the clerk and court costs based on the report and inventory under Iowa Code 633.31 rather than a flat opening charge. | Sunset helps organize the estate settlement, locate financial accounts and connect the parent with a probate attorney when a sale, title work or creditor issue is involved. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How to use it |
|---|---|
| Clerk of the district court, Guthrie County | Call 641-747-3415 or visit the Guthrie County Courthouse, 200 North 5th Street, Guthrie Center, IA 50115. The office can answer procedural questions, accept filings through the allowed process and explain local counter practices, but it cannot choose a probate route or draft papers for you. |
| Iowa Legal Aid | Call 1-800-532-1275 on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Iowa Legal Aid provides civil legal help for income-eligible Iowans, subject to eligibility and case priorities. |
| Iowa Free Legal Answers | Use iowa.freelegalanswers.org to post a civil legal question for a volunteer Iowa attorney. It is a question-and-answer service, not representation in the probate case. |
| Iowa Find-A-Lawyer | Use the Iowa State Bar Association directory at iowabar.org to search by practice area, county and city. Participating lawyers offer a reduced-fee initial consultation. |
| Application to Defer Costs | If you cannot afford court costs, file an Application to Defer Costs with the clerk of the district court. A judge decides whether payment is postponed. Iowa's free interactive form program includes this fee-waiver interview. |
| Iowa Courts Online | Search the public docket at https://www.iowacourts.state.ia.us/ESAWebApp/DefaultFrame for free with no registration. Public case documents are viewed at a courthouse terminal in the county where the case was filed. |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer is especially useful in Guthrie County when the estate includes real estate, a creditor dispute, a will contest, a nonresident personal representative, missing heirs or uncertainty about which Iowa route applies. Iowa does not provide a statewide probate form packet for decedent estates, so even a cooperative family may want counsel to draft the petition, notices, report and closing papers correctly. Sunset connects families with a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions and helps families build a clearer inventory before filing in Guthrie County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the information needed for an Iowa estate settlement, including heirs, assets, debts, notices and documents for the local clerk process.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate has a house, a contested issue or an out-of-state personal representative, Sunset can connect the family with Iowa probate counsel.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the estate settlement path, gather information and decide what help they need before spending money on avoidable steps.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for Guthrie County?
File with the clerk of the district court for the Iowa District Court for Guthrie County at the Guthrie County Courthouse, 200 North 5th Street, Guthrie Center, IA 50115. Guthrie County is in Iowa's Fifth Judicial District, but the filing stays in Guthrie Center.
Does Guthrie County use EDMS for probate filing?
Yes. EDMS e-filing is required in Iowa for attorneys and self-represented filers (Iowa Ct. R. 16.302). If electronic filing is not reasonably possible, ask the Guthrie County clerk how to request a one-time paper exception or a case-long exception by court order.
What are the Guthrie County clerk's hours?
The online court contact listing for Guthrie County does not post counter hours. Call 641-747-3415 before traveling to the courthouse, mailing papers or planning around a filing deadline.
Are there Guthrie County probate forms?
No Guthrie County local probate packet is linked from the online court contact listing. Iowa also does not publish a statewide probate form packet for decedent estates, so call the clerk about local cover sheets and consider counsel for drafting the petition and notices.
How much does probate cost in Guthrie County?
Iowa uses a statewide probate court-cost formula, not a Guthrie County flat opening charge. Iowa Code 633.31 charges 0.2% of the probate assets listed in the report and inventory, plus statutory flat items. The clerk can explain how costs are collected in a particular case.
Can I appear remotely for a Guthrie County probate hearing?
Iowa proceedings are presumed in person, and most probate matters are handled on papers unless an objection, court order or contested issue creates a hearing. If a hearing is set, a party requests remote appearance by motion and the judge decides case by case (Iowa Ct. R. 15.302).
Can I look up a Guthrie County probate case online?
Yes. Iowa Courts Online provides free public docket search with no registration. The docket shows an index of filings and proceedings. Public case documents are viewed at a courthouse terminal in the county where the case was filed.
Do I have to travel to Guthrie Center if I live out of state?
Not always. EDMS filing under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302 may let you file electronically, and many Iowa probate matters are handled on papers. If a hearing is set, ask counsel or the clerk about a motion for remote appearance under Iowa Ct. R. 15.302.
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.