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Lincoln County, NV Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | Seventh Judicial District Court, Lincoln County (shared with Eureka and White Pine counties); no separate probate court |
| Filing office | Clerk of the District Court (Lisa C. Lloyd, who also serves as County Clerk) |
| Courthouse | Lincoln County Courthouse, 181 North Main Street, Pioche, NV 89043 (Clerk of the District Court in Suite 201; courtrooms in Suite 208) |
| Mailing address | Lincoln County Clerk of the District Court, P.O. Box 90, Pioche, NV 89043 |
| Phone | (775) 962-8000 |
| Fax | (775) 962-5180 |
| Not published; contact the clerk's office by phone | |
| Office hours | Mon-Thu 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM (four-day county office week, effective August 1, 2022); closed Fridays and legal holidays. Court convenes in Pioche on the second and fourth Fridays of each month. |
| Filing fee | No fee where the stated estate value is $2,500 or less (NRS 19.013). The county's posted District Court and County Clerk fee schedule (effective July 1, 2015) lists $150.50 for more than $2,500 but less than $20,000, $249.50 for more than $20,000 but less than $200,000, and $502.50 for $200,000 or more; confirm the current total with the clerk (verified July 2026). See the fees section below. |
| Local probate forms | None; Nevada has no statewide mandatory probate form set and Lincoln County publishes no local probate forms |
| E-filing | Not available; filing is by paper, in person or by mail |
| Online case search | Not available; there is no public docket portal for Lincoln County |
| Website | https://lincolncountynv.org/departments/courts/seventh-judicial-district-court/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Lincoln County, know exactly what is in the estate. The path you take depends entirely on whether there is a will and on the value and type of the assets, and Nevada offers several routes: an affidavit of entitlement for a qualifying small estate with no Nevada real property (NRS 146.080), a set-aside without administration (NRS 146.070), summary administration (NRS Chapter 145), and full general administration. The dollar thresholds that separate these paths are statewide and are explained on the Nevada state page; identify the estate first so you file the right petition once.
Identify every bank and credit-union account, retirement plan, brokerage holding, life-insurance policy, vehicle, and parcel of real property, along with every debt, before you go to the clerk. Whether the decedent owned real property in Nevada is decisive, because the affidavit path is unavailable if there is any Nevada real property. Sunset's asset-discovery work, searching more than 2,300 financial institutions, exists for this step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Seventh Judicial District Court serves Lincoln County together with Eureka and White Pine counties. Within Lincoln County it covers Pioche (the county seat), Caliente, Panaca, Alamo, and the smaller communities of the Pahranagat Valley such as Hiko and Rachel. Lincoln County probate matters are filed with the Clerk of the District Court at the Lincoln County Courthouse in Pioche. The district's two judges, in Department 1 and Department 2, are based in Ely in White Pine County and administer the district from there; they convene court in Pioche on the second and fourth Fridays of each month. The filing point for a Lincoln County estate remains the Pioche clerk.
Venue for a decedent's estate is governed by NRS 136.010. Venue is proper in any district court in Nevada, subject to an interested person's objection on convenience grounds, in which case the court weighs, in priority order, where the decedent resided at death and where the decedent owned real property. In practice, file in Lincoln County for a decedent who lived here. There is no dedicated probate department in the Seventh Judicial District; probate is heard on the court's general docket.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the documents. Collect the original signed will (if any), a certified copy of the death certificate, the proposed personal representative's contact information and photo ID, the names and addresses of the heirs and beneficiaries, and a list of the assets and debts with values.
- Choose the path based on the estate. Depending on whether there is a will and on the value and type of assets, the route may be an affidavit of entitlement for a qualifying small estate with no Nevada real property (NRS 146.080), a set-aside without administration (NRS 146.070), summary administration (NRS Chapter 145), or general administration. The governing thresholds are statewide and are on the Nevada state page.
- Prepare the petition or affidavit. For an administration, prepare the petition for letters testamentary (with a will) or letters of administration (without a will). For a qualifying small estate with no Nevada real property, prepare the affidavit of entitlement instead. The affidavit is presented directly to each bank or asset holder rather than filed with the court, so a qualifying affidavit estate skips the filing and hearing steps below. Nevada has no statewide mandatory form set; the Civil Law Self-Help Center packets and the State Bar of Nevada brochure are the practical starting points.
- For a court administration (set-aside, summary, or general), file with the Clerk of the District Court at Pioche. File the papers in person at 181 North Main Street, Suite 201, or by mail to P.O. Box 90, Pioche, NV 89043. Filing is by paper; there is no e-filing. Pay the filing fee: no fee if the stated estate value is $2,500 or less (NRS 19.013); above that, see the county's posted schedule in the fees section below and confirm the current total with the clerk.
- Give notice and publish. The personal representative mails notice to heirs, devisees, and known creditors and publishes notice as required (NRS 155.020), including the notice to creditors that opens the claim period.
- Attend the hearing on the general docket. The petition is set for hearing before a Seventh Judicial District judge on the court's general docket. Court convenes in Pioche on the second and fourth Fridays of each month, and the district's judges are based in Ely; ask the clerk how the hearing will be calendared and whether remote appearance is available.
- Receive the authority document. On approval the court issues letters testamentary (with a will) or letters of administration (without a will), the proof of the personal representative's authority to act. Request enough certified copies for the banks and institutions involved.
- Administer and close. Inventory and appraise the assets, pay valid claims in statutory priority, and account to the court. A creditor must file its claim with the clerk within 90 days after first publication or mailing of the notice to creditors, reduced to 60 days if summary administration is granted (NRS 147.040). Distribute the remaining assets and close the estate.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Lincoln County
Nevada has no statewide mandatory probate form set, and Lincoln County publishes no local probate forms of its own. The Clerk of the District Court accepts paper petitions and affidavits prepared to Nevada practice; there is no local cover sheet or checklist to download. For self-prepared filings, the most complete free resources are the Civil Law Self-Help Center's probate packets (Clark County-focused but the most thorough free self-service probate resource in Nevada) and the State Bar of Nevada's probate brochure. For questions about local intake, filing in person versus by mail, or what the Pioche clerk needs, call the Clerk of the District Court at (775) 962-8000.
| Resource | What it provides |
|---|---|
| Civil Law Self-Help Center - Probate | Free intro-to-probate guides and estate-administration packets used statewide |
| State Bar of Nevada probate brochure | Plain-language overview of Nevada probate paths and steps |
| Lincoln County Clerk of the District Court | Local intake questions, filing in person or by mail, and hours |
Fees
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Petition for probate, stated value $2,500 or less | No fee | The posted schedule reads less than $2,500; the statewide rule in NRS 19.013 is no fee where the stated value is $2,500 or less |
| Petition for probate, more than $2,500 but less than $20,000 | $150.50 | From the county's posted fee schedule, effective July 1, 2015 |
| Petition for probate, more than $20,000 but less than $200,000 | $249.50 | From the posted schedule |
| Petition for probate, $200,000 or more | $502.50 | From the posted schedule |
| Filing a will (will only, not the petition) | $15.00 | From the posted schedule |
| Certification | $5.00 | From the posted schedule (NRS 19.013) |
| Copy of record, per page | $0.50 | From the posted schedule (NRS 19.013) |
These figures come from the Lincoln County OFFICIAL FEES schedule for the District Court and County Clerk, posted on the county's site and effective July 1, 2015 (verified July 2026). The estate-value brackets on this schedule ($20,000 and $200,000) are the statutory filing-fee tiers under NRS 19.0302; they are not the substantive probate thresholds that decide which path an estate takes, which are statewide and set out on the Nevada state page. The statewide base-fee rule is NRS 19.013 (no fee at $2,500 or less, otherwise a base plus statutory county add-ons). Because the posted schedule dates to 2015, call the clerk at (775) 962-8000 to confirm the exact amount due before filing.
Local nuance
Lincoln County-specific considerations
Filing in Pioche, judges based in Ely. The Seventh Judicial District Court is shared with Eureka and White Pine counties, and its two district judges, in Department 1 and Department 2, are based in Ely in White Pine County. Lincoln County matters are filed at the Pioche courthouse and heard by a Seventh Judicial District judge on the general docket.
Court days are the second and fourth Fridays. The court convenes in Pioche at the Lincoln County Courthouse on the second and fourth Fridays of each month. Ask the clerk how your petition will be calendared and whether a remote appearance is available.
A four-day county office week. Lincoln County offices, including the Clerk of the District Court, are open Monday through Thursday from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM and are closed on Fridays; the county adopted this four-day week effective August 1, 2022. Plan filings and calls around the Monday-through-Thursday schedule.
File by mail or in person, on paper. There is no e-filing in Lincoln County. File in person at 181 North Main Street, Suite 201, in Pioche, or mail your papers to the clerk at P.O. Box 90, Pioche, NV 89043. The post office box is the correct mailing address; the street address is the physical courthouse.
No online case search. Lincoln County has no public docket portal. The court page listed as a case-search link is the court's own web page, not a case-search tool. To check on a filing, contact the clerk's office directly.
Recent updates
| Change | Detail |
|---|---|
| Four-day county office week | Effective August 1, 2022, Lincoln County offices, including the Clerk of the District Court, moved to a Monday-through-Thursday schedule, 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and are closed Fridays (verified July 2026). |
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Lincoln County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | If the Pioche or Caliente home was held in community property with right of survivorship or in joint tenancy, it passes to the surviving spouse outside probate by recording the death certificate and an affidavit of death with the Lincoln County Recorder. If the home was in the decedent's sole name and there is a will, the spouse petitions for letters testamentary and files at the Clerk of the District Court in Pioche. Because there is Nevada real property, the affidavit of entitlement path is not available (NRS 146.080). | Asset discovery to confirm how title is held. Packet generation for the qualifying paperwork. Guidance on recording the survivorship documents with the county recorder. |
| Out-of-state adult child, small estate | For a qualifying small estate with no Nevada real property, an adult child living outside Nevada can often use the affidavit of entitlement (NRS 146.080), which is typically handled by mail without a court appearance once the statutory waiting period has passed. If the estate is larger or holds Nevada real property, such as a house in Panaca, the child files a set-aside, summary, or general administration petition at the Pioche clerk instead. The statewide thresholds that separate these paths are on the Nevada state page. | Asset discovery to confirm the estate qualifies and holds no Nevada real property. Packet generation for the affidavit or petition, prepared and notarized in advance so an out-of-state filer can proceed largely by mail. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Because the estate holds Nevada real property that must be sold, such as a home in Alamo, the affidavit path is unavailable; the parent files a set-aside, summary, or general administration petition (depending on value) at the Clerk of the District Court in Pioche, is issued letters of administration or an order setting the estate aside, and can then convey the home. A Seventh Judicial District judge hears the petition on the general docket on a Pioche court day. | Asset discovery for the child's accounts and property. Packet generation for the administration filing. Attorney referral if the sale or an heir dispute turns contested. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Lincoln County Clerk of the District Court, (775) 962-8000 (lincolncountynv.org) | The filing office for probate; local intake questions, filing by mail or in person, hours, and the fee schedule |
| Nevada Judiciary self-help and court locator (nvcourts.gov) | Statewide self-help resources and the District Courts directory, including the Seventh Judicial District |
| Civil Law Self-Help Center - Probate (civillawselfhelpcenter.org/self-help/probate) | Free intro-to-probate guides and estate-administration packets, the most complete free self-service probate resource in Nevada |
| State Bar of Nevada Lawyer Referral Service (nvbar.org) | Attorney referrals statewide, including for Lincoln County probate matters |
| Nevada Legal Services, (866) 432-0404 (nevadalegalservices.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible Nevadans, serving rural counties including Lincoln |
When to hire an attorney
Most Lincoln County estates are uncontested and can be handled without an attorney: a qualifying small estate with no Nevada real property often moves by affidavit of entitlement and mail, and a straightforward administration is filed on paper with the Clerk of the District Court in Pioche. Consider counsel when the estate holds real property that must be sold, when a will contest or heir dispute is likely, when the estate is insolvent or a formal accounting is demanded, or when the estate includes a business interest or out-of-state property. Because the district's judges are based in Ely and convene in Pioche only on set court days, a lawyer can also help manage hearings and remote appearances. Sunset can connect families to a vetted Nevada probate attorney serving Lincoln County.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and public records to surface bank and credit-union accounts, retirement plans, brokerage holdings, life insurance, Lincoln County real estate, and unclaimed property, so you know the estate's value and which Nevada estate settlement path fits before you file.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the petition or affidavit of entitlement and the supporting paperwork for your path, ready to file on paper with the Clerk of the District Court in Pioche, in person or by mail.
Find a local probate attorney. When a matter is contested or otherwise calls for counsel, Sunset connects families to a vetted Nevada probate attorney serving Lincoln County.
Sunset is free for families. Revenue comes from bank partners that pay Sunset while estate funds sit in an FDIC-insured estate account ($3M coverage).
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file for probate in Lincoln County?
With the Clerk of the District Court at the Lincoln County Courthouse, 181 North Main Street, Suite 201, Pioche, NV 89043, or by mail to P.O. Box 90, Pioche, NV 89043. Lincoln is in the Seventh Judicial District, which it shares with Eureka and White Pine counties. There is no separate probate court in Nevada.
Is there e-filing for probate in Lincoln County?
No. Lincoln County has no e-filing for probate. Filing is by paper, in person at the Pioche courthouse or by mail to the clerk's post office box. E-filing is mandatory in Clark County and Washoe County runs its own eFlex portal, but the rural districts, including the Seventh, file on paper.
What days does the court meet in Lincoln County?
The Seventh Judicial District Court convenes in Pioche at the Lincoln County Courthouse on the second and fourth Fridays of each month. The district's two judges are based in Ely in White Pine County. The Clerk of the District Court office is open Monday through Thursday, 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, so plan filings and calls around that four-day week.
Can I look up a Lincoln County probate case online?
No. Lincoln County has no public online case portal. The court web page sometimes listed as a case-search link is a general information page, not a live docket search. To check on a filing, call the Clerk of the District Court at (775) 962-8000.
What forms do I need for probate in Lincoln County?
Nevada has no statewide mandatory probate form set, and Lincoln County publishes no local probate forms. Petitions and affidavits are prepared to Nevada practice; the Civil Law Self-Help Center probate packets and the State Bar of Nevada brochure are the practical starting points, and the clerk's office can answer local intake questions.
What does it cost to file probate in Lincoln County?
There is no filing fee if the stated estate value is $2,500 or less (NRS 19.013). The county's posted fee schedule (effective July 1, 2015, verified July 2026) lists $150.50 for an estate of more than $2,500 but less than $20,000, $249.50 for more than $20,000 but less than $200,000, and $502.50 for $200,000 or more. Confirm the current amount with the clerk at (775) 962-8000 before filing.
Do I have to travel to Pioche to settle an estate there?
Often not. A qualifying small estate with no Nevada real property can usually be handled by affidavit of entitlement through the mail without a court appearance, and administration papers can be mailed to the clerk at P.O. Box 90, Pioche, NV 89043. Where a hearing is required, ask the clerk whether a remote appearance is available, since court convenes in Pioche only on the second and fourth Fridays and the judges are based in Ely.
Who do I call about probate in Lincoln County?
The Clerk of the District Court in Pioche at (775) 962-8000. Lisa C. Lloyd serves as County Clerk and Clerk of the District Court. The office does not publish an email address, so call during the county's Monday-through-Thursday office hours.
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.