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Howard County, NE Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Howard County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Howard County Court |
| Courthouse address | 612 Indian Street, Suite #6, St. Paul, NE 68873 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 47, St. Paul, NE 68873 |
| Phone | 308-754-4192 |
| Fax | 308-754-4266 |
| [email protected], for questions, not filings. Nebraska court case documents are not accepted by email (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-212). | |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, open through the lunch hour, closed weekends and holidays. Call the clerk before you go. |
| Filing fee | As of the statewide fee schedule effective July 1, 2026, the statutory base is $22 for a probate proceeding commenced and closed informally, with another $22 for each later petition or application in an informal proceeding. A formal probate is charged on a schedule keyed to the gross value of the Nebraska estate at death, from $22 on estates of $1,000 or less to $1,500 over $5,000,000 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125). Confirm the current counter total with the clerk of the Howard County Court before you file. |
| Local forms | Howard County does not publish an added local probate packet. Use the Nebraska Judicial Branch estate materials, affidavit forms, and the uniform fax cover sheet when they fit the filing. |
| E-filing | Nebraska attorneys must use electronic filing (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-202). A person filing without a lawyer may file in person, by mail, or by fax with the uniform cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B), which remains in place until July 1, 2028. Ask the clerk before relying on Neb. Ct. R. § 2-216 registration as a person without a lawyer. |
| Case search | Statewide trial court case search is through Nebraska.gov on the Judicial Branch JUSTICE system at https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/case.cgi. As of August 2026, a general search for a list of cases is free; viewing case details is $2, with no extra charge for document images; frequent users can open a Nebraska.gov subscriber account for an annual $100. The same case information is free at any courthouse kiosk or law library. |
| Remote appearance | Nebraska law allows all nonevidentiary hearings, and evidentiary hearings approved by the county court with the stipulation of all appearing parties, to be heard by telephone or videoconference (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704). Howard County is in the eighth county judge district, and Rule 8-2 adds motion deadlines for remote hearing requests. |
| County judge district | Eighth county judge district (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-503). |
| Website | https://nebraskajudicial.gov/courts/howard-county-court and https://howardcounty.ne.gov/county-court/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a filing path in Howard County, list the decedent's assets, debts, account titles, beneficiaries, real estate, vehicles, and known creditor issues. Nebraska probate turns on what must be transferred, whether a personal representative needs Letters, and whether an affidavit route can be used for a particular asset.
Sunset's estate settlement process starts with asset discovery across more than 2,300 financial institutions, then helps organize what belongs in a Howard County court filing, what may be handled outside court, and what needs attorney review.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Howard County is filed with the clerk of the Howard County Court at 612 Indian Street, Suite #6, St. Paul, NE 68873. Mail goes to P.O. Box 47, St. Paul, NE 68873. The court serves St. Paul and communities in Howard County.
Nebraska district courts do not hear probate; a will is proved and letters are issued in the county court, which has exclusive original jurisdiction of all matters relating to decedents' estates (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-517).
Howard County sits in Nebraska's eighth county judge district, which is how county judges and local rules are assigned; the estate case itself is filed at this county's own courthouse (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-502, § 24-503). Venue for the first informal or formal testacy or appointment proceeding is in the county where the decedent had domicile at death, or, for a nonresident decedent, in any Nebraska county where the decedent had property at death (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2410).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the opening track. Informal probate uses an application to the registrar, and the registrar's acts are performed by a county judge or by a person designated by the court in a written order (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2216). Formal probate uses a petition to the court and proceeds with notice.
- Gather the death certificate, the original will if there is one, asset information, debt information, names and addresses for interested persons, and any facts needed to show Howard County venue under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2410.
- File with the clerk of the Howard County Court at 612 Indian Street, Suite #6, St. Paul, NE 68873, mail the filing to P.O. Box 47, St. Paul, NE 68873, or, if you are filing without a lawyer, fax it to 308-754-4266 with the uniform cover sheet required for fax filing under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). Nebraska attorneys must use electronic filing (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-202).
- Pay the filing fee. As of the statewide fee schedule effective July 1, 2026, the statutory base is $22 for a proceeding commenced and closed informally, and formal probate is charged by the gross value of the Nebraska estate at death under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125. Ask the clerk for the current counter total before you file.
- For informal probate, wait for the 120 hours required before the registrar may issue the written statement of informal probate (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2415). If the registrar declines informal handling, a formal petition may be needed.
- After appointment, the clerk publishes notice to creditors once a week for three successive weeks, with first publication within thirty days after appointment (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2483). Claims are generally barred if not presented within two months after the date of first publication when notice is properly given (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2485).
- Give any required Department of Health and Human Services notice if the decedent was fifty-five or older or resided in a medical institution, because Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2483 makes that notice part of the creditor-notice process.
- Obtain Letters. Nebraska uses letters testamentary for a will and letters of administration when there is no will; one certified copy of letters of appointment is included without added charge in a formal probate fee (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125).
- Administer the estate: collect assets, protect property, address claims, prepare any required inventory, and handle Nebraska inheritance tax. The Howard County Court determines the inheritance tax, and the tax is due twelve months after the date of death (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2010, § 77-2018.01, § 77-2004).
- Ask early if a hearing can be handled by phone or video. District 8 Rule 8-2 generally requires a motion at least 5 days before a nonevidentiary remote hearing, at least 3 days before joining a nonevidentiary hearing not already set as remote, and at least 7 days before an evidentiary hearing without oral testimony, subject to Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704.
- Distribute property when legally ready and close the estate with the proper closing statement under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,128.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Howard County
Howard County does not publish an added local probate packet or local cover sheet for decedent estates. The filing office is the clerk of the Howard County Court, but the clerk cannot draft the application, petition, inventory, or legal instructions for an estate settlement.
| Form or resource | Use |
|---|---|
| CC 15:40, Affidavit for Transfer of Personal Property without Probate | Used for qualifying personal property after the statutory waiting period and value conditions are met. The form was revised July 2022, and the $100,000 ceiling was raised by 2022 Neb. Laws LB 1124, signed April 18, 2022 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125). |
| CC 15:41, Affidavit for Transfer of Real Property without Probate | Used for qualifying Nebraska real property interests and recorded with the register of deeds, not filed as the court opening paper. The form was revised October 2025, and the $100,000 ceiling was raised by 2024 Neb. Laws LB 1195, signed April 15, 2024 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129; Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125). |
| Uniform fax cover sheet | Required as the first page for a fax filing by a person without a lawyer under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). |
| Informal-probate flowchart with a will | The Nebraska Judicial Branch flowchart is for an uncontested testate informal probate. It does not cover estates with no will, a contested will, or contested estate distribution. |
The Nebraska Judicial Branch does not publish a fill-in application for informal probate, a fill-in petition for formal probate, a fill-in Letters request, or a fill-in inventory for every estate situation. If the estate needs a court opening paper, prepare the correct application or petition before filing with the Howard County Court.
Local nuance
Howard County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| County-published hours | The Howard County site lists court hours as 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, open through the lunch hour, closed weekends and holidays. Call before visiting because courthouse hours can affect in-person estate settlement filings. |
| Register of deeds in the same building | The Howard County Register of Deeds is at 612 Indian St., St. Paul, with phone 308-754-4343 and the same fax number as the court. A qualifying real-property affidavit is recorded there under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129; the personal-property affidavit under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125 is a separate route. |
| District 8 remote-hearing deadlines | Rule 8-2 uses different deadlines depending on the hearing type: 5 days for a nonevidentiary remote hearing request, 3 days to join a nonevidentiary hearing not already set as remote, and 7 days for an evidentiary hearing without oral testimony. All remote hearing requests remain subject to Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704 and court approval. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Howard County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start with the deed and account titles. Some jointly owned assets may pass outside a court estate, while other assets may require filing with the clerk of the Howard County Court. Qualifying personal property may use CC 15:40 under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125, with the $100,000 figure raised by LB 1124, signed April 18, 2022. Qualifying real property may use CC 15:41 and recording with the Howard County Register of Deeds under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129, with the $100,000 figure raised by LB 1195, signed April 15, 2024. | Sunset helps identify accounts, flag beneficiary and co-owner questions, and organize the estate settlement path before a court filing is prepared. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If only qualifying personal property needs transfer, the claiming successor may use the affidavit under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125 and present it to the holder rather than opening a court estate. If Letters are needed, mail the filing to P.O. Box 47, St. Paul, NE 68873, or fax it to 308-754-4266 with the cover sheet required by Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). Ask about District 8 Rule 8-2 before travel if a hearing is set. | Sunset helps sort assets by transfer method, prepare the family for bank and court questions, and connect the family with local counsel when filing from another state is impractical. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually means opening an estate in the Howard County Court if an affidavit route is not enough. A clerk magistrate may hear noncontested estate and inheritance-tax matters, but may not determine title to real estate or authorize the sale or mortgaging of real estate (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-519; Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-507). Those issues go to a county judge. | Sunset helps locate accounts, gather property information for the attorney, track creditor and inheritance tax tasks under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2004, and keep the estate settlement organized through closing. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Clerk of the Howard County Court | 612 Indian Street, Suite #6, St. Paul, NE 68873. Mail: P.O. Box 47, St. Paul, NE 68873. Phone 308-754-4192. Fax 308-754-4266. Email [email protected] for questions, not filings. Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, open through lunch. |
| Howard County Court website | https://howardcounty.ne.gov/county-court/ lists local contact information, hours, and county court case categories including probate, guardianship, conservatorship, and adoption. |
| Howard County Register of Deeds | 612 Indian St., St. Paul, NE 68873. Phone 308-754-4343. The real-property affidavit is recorded with the register of deeds under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129; personal-property affidavits use Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125. |
| Nebraska Online Legal Self-Help Center | https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help explains self-represented filing basics, including fax filing under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B) and the rule that case filings are not accepted by email. |
| Nebraska Judicial Branch estates pages | https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help/estates and https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help/estates/additional-information-estates explain estate processes, claims, deposit of wills, affidavit routes, and why many estates need legal help. |
| Affidavit forms | CC 15:40 for personal property under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125 and CC 15:41 for real property under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129 are available through the Nebraska Judicial Branch forms pages. |
| Uniform fax cover sheet | Use the Nebraska Judicial Branch uniform cover sheet as the first page of a fax filing under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). |
| Informal-probate flowchart | The Nebraska Judicial Branch flowchart at https://nebraskajudicial.gov/sites/default/files/AD-2-26.pdf is for informal probate with a will and does not cover contested estates or estates with no will. |
| Statewide case search | https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/case.cgi searches Nebraska.gov JUSTICE trial court case information. As of August 2026, viewing case details costs $2, and a Nebraska.gov subscriber account is annual $100. |
| Legal Aid of Nebraska | Statewide AccessLine 1.877.250.2016, with phone screening Monday and Wednesday 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and Tuesday and Thursday 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Central. ElderAccessLine 1.800.527.7249 serves people 60 and over in all 93 counties. Published practice areas are family, debt, housing, and benefits rather than estate administration. Start at https://legalaidofnebraska.org/. |
| Nebraska Free Legal Answers | https://ne.freelegalanswers.org/ lets qualifying users post civil legal questions for volunteer Nebraska lawyers. Its published topic list does not include estates, and volunteers do not represent users in court. |
| Limited Scope Representation | https://nebraskajudicial.gov/self-help/limited-scope-representation/people-wanting-limited-legal-assistance explains hiring a lawyer for part of a case through Nebraska Judicial Branch materials. |
When to hire an attorney
Nebraska does not require a personal representative to hire a lawyer, and the Judicial Branch estate materials say the law allows self-representation. The same materials say filing an estate will most often require an attorney's help, and Howard County does not publish a local fill-in probate packet to fill that gap. Limited Scope Representation through nebraskajudicial.gov may be a middle option, and income-eligible families can call Legal Aid of Nebraska at 1.877.250.2016 even though estate administration is not among its published practice areas. Sunset connects families to a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families find accounts, insurance, retirement assets, and other property that may affect a Howard County estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information families need for a Nebraska probate filing, including assets, debts, interested persons, and the questions that determine whether an application, petition, affidavit, or attorney-prepared document is the right next step.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate involves real estate, creditor issues, inheritance tax, a contested will, or a filing gap that court forms do not cover, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Nebraska probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the estate settlement work ahead, organize documents, and decide what to do next without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Howard County?
File with the clerk of the Howard County Court at 612 Indian Street, Suite #6, St. Paul, NE 68873, or mail filings to P.O. Box 47, St. Paul, NE 68873. Nebraska district courts do not hear probate; the county court has exclusive original jurisdiction over decedents' estates (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-517).
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Howard County?
Nebraska law allows self-representation, but the Nebraska Judicial Branch estate materials say filing an estate will most often require an attorney's help. The clerk can accept filings and answer procedural questions, but cannot give legal advice or draft the application or petition.
How much does Howard County probate cost?
As of the statewide fee schedule effective July 1, 2026, Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125 sets a $22 statutory base for a probate proceeding commenced and closed informally, with another $22 for each later petition or application in an informal proceeding. Formal probate uses a gross value schedule under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-125, running from $22 to $1,500. Ask the clerk for the current counter total before you file.
Can I avoid probate in Howard County with an affidavit?
Possibly, depending on the asset. The Affidavit for Transfer of Personal Property without Probate, CC 15:40, applies to qualifying personal property, with the $100,000 ceiling raised by 2022 Neb. Laws LB 1124, signed April 18, 2022 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125). The Affidavit for Transfer of Real Property without Probate, CC 15:41, is recorded with the Howard County Register of Deeds for qualifying Nebraska real property interests, with the $100,000 ceiling raised by 2024 Neb. Laws LB 1195, signed April 15, 2024 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,129; Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125).
Is there a Nebraska inheritance tax, and who do I pay in Howard County?
Nebraska is one of the few states with an inheritance tax, and it is a county tax. The Howard County Court determines it, and the tax is paid to the county, with the tax due twelve months after the date of death (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2010, § 77-2018.01). Rates and exemptions depend on the beneficiary's relationship to the decedent and on whether the death was before or on or after January 1, 2023 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2004).
Can I appear by phone or video for a Howard County probate hearing?
Ask the clerk and file the request required by District 8 Rule 8-2. Nebraska law allows nonevidentiary hearings, and evidentiary hearings approved by the court with all appearing parties' stipulation, to be heard telephonically or by videoconference (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704). District 8 Rule 8-2 generally requires a motion at least 5 days before a nonevidentiary remote hearing, 3 days to join one not already set as remote, and 7 days for an evidentiary hearing without oral testimony.
Can I file Howard County probate papers by fax or email?
A person filing without a lawyer may file in person, by mail, or by fax to 308-754-4266 with the uniform cover sheet under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B), which remains in place until July 1, 2028. Nebraska attorneys must use electronic filing (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-202). Nebraska court case documents are not accepted by email (Neb. Ct. R. § 2-212).
How do I look up a Howard County probate case?
Use the statewide Nebraska.gov JUSTICE case search at https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/case.cgi. As of August 2026, a general search list is free, viewing case details is $2, and frequent users can open a Nebraska.gov subscriber account for an annual $100. The same case information is free at courthouse kiosks and law libraries.
What are the Howard County Court clerk's hours?
The Howard County site lists the clerk's hours as 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, open through the lunch hour, closed weekends and holidays. Call 308-754-4192 before you go.
Do I have to travel to St. Paul to start an estate?
Not always. A person filing without a lawyer may mail papers to P.O. Box 47, St. Paul, NE 68873, or fax them to 308-754-4266 with the cover sheet required by Neb. Ct. R. § 6-601(B). If a hearing is scheduled, ask about a remote hearing request under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2704 and District 8 Rule 8-2 before making travel plans.
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.