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Arizona County
La Paz County, Arizona
Quartzsite's winter RV gathering - the world's largest temporary city - from the Quartzsite phenomenon (every January and February, Quartzsite - a desert town of 3,500 permanent residents - becomes the largest temporary city in the United States, as an estimated 1-2 million snowbirds, gem and mineral collectors, and RV enthusiasts converge on the Sonoran Desert for the Quartzsite Gem and Mineral Show and the surrounding swap meets that spread across the desert for miles - the extraordinary temporary city has been one of America's most remarkable seasonal migrations for over 50 years) to the Colorado River Recreation Area's Parker Strip (the 16-mile stretch of the Colorado River between Parker Dam and Headgate Rock Dam - one of the most intensively used water recreation corridors in the American Southwest, where boating, water skiing, and swimming draw millions of visitors each year).
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Alert System: AZ Alert; CodeRed; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Contact county EMA; Parker community facilities; Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) emergency management coordinates separately
FEMA Region: Region 9
Notes: Western Arizona county along the Colorado River; Colorado River flooding (historically; now managed by dams but flash flooding from local washes); extreme summer heat (Parker among the hottest cities in the US – regularly exceeds 115°F); dust storms (haboobs); Colorado River Indian Tribes Reservation occupies a significant portion; Parker Strip (river recreation corridor) generates large seasonal visitor population
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Road Dept: La Paz County Public Works – (928) 669-6115
Public Transit: Very limited; rural auto-dependent county
Road Conditions: ADOT – az511.gov
Notes: US-95 is the main north-south corridor along the Colorado River; AZ-72 connects to Blythe, CA and I-10; Parker is the county seat; Quartzsite (famous for winter RV rally) is on I-10; seasonal population in Quartzsite swells to hundreds of thousands in winter (RV rally – possibly the largest annual gathering in Arizona)
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: La Paz County Development Services – (928) 669-6115 | co.la-paz.az.us
Services: Building permits for unincorporated areas; Parker, Quartzsite, Salome, Wenden have separate; CRIT lands governed by tribe
Notes: Colorado River front development permits significant; seasonal RV park and resort development near Quartzsite; CRIT (Colorado River Indian Tribes) has separate building authority on reservation; Quartzsite winter RV community generates unique infrastructure demands
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: La Paz County Veterans Services – (928) 669-6115
VA Medical: Carl T. Hayden VAMC – Phoenix; very distant; telehealth important
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare enrollment; CRIT Veterans Services for tribal veterans
Notes: Rural isolated county; VA access requires significant travel to Phoenix; winter RV population includes significant veteran community
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: La Paz County Library District – (928) 669-6115
Branches: Parker, Quartzsite, Salome, Wenden
Services: Books, e-books, public computers, Wi-Fi, children’s programs
Notes: Library system serves both permanent residents and winter RV community; Quartzsite branch very active in winter months (RV community is library-friendly); internet access important for seasonal RV residents
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Colorado River (boating, fishing, swimming, water sports – Parker Strip is one of Arizona’s premier water recreation areas); Buckskin Mountain State Park – azstateparks.com | (928) 667-3231; River Island State Park; Alamo Lake State Park; Quartzsite Rock and Mineral Shows (January-February – draws hundreds of thousands of mineral enthusiasts); Bill Williams River NWR; Cibola National Wildlife Refuge
Notes: Parker Strip on the Colorado River is extremely popular for boating and water sports – peak summer weekends draw massive crowds; Quartzsite’s winter rock and gem shows are among the largest in the world and transform this small town into a temporary city of hundreds of thousands; Alamo Lake is an excellent bass fishing destination; the Bill Williams River is an important riparian corridor and migratory bird habitat
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: La Paz County GIS – co.la-paz.az.us; BLM GIS for extensive public lands; CRIT GIS separate
Notes: County GIS for non-tribal areas; BLM manages enormous public land areas around Quartzsite; CRIT (Colorado River Indian Tribes) maintains GIS for reservation; Colorado River management through Bureau of Reclamation mapping
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: La Paz County Animal Control – (928) 669-6115
Notes: Winter seasonal population brings large numbers of pets; feral cat and dog management; desert wildlife (rattlesnakes, Gila monsters, coyotes) creates unique animal control situations; CRIT manages wildlife on reservation; feral burros (wild donkeys) present in desert areas – managed by BLM
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: La Paz County – (928) 669-6115; Parker and Quartzsite have separate operations
Environmental: Arizona DEQ – azdeq.gov; EPA Region 9; BLM (vast public lands around Quartzsite); Bureau of Reclamation (Colorado River); CRIT Environmental Office; Colorado River water quality and management
Notes: Colorado River water rights are among the most contested in Western water law (Arizona-California-Nevada-Mexico compact); the river at Parker is managed by Parker Dam (Mohave reservoir) and Palo Verde Diversion Dam; agricultural irrigation from the Colorado is a major water use issue; Quartzsite’s RV rally generates enormous waste management challenges temporarily each winter; BLM manages vast desert public lands around Quartzsite that absorb the camping impact of the rally; feral burro management on BLM lands is an ongoing issue (burros are protected under federal law but impact desert vegetation)
About La Paz County
La Paz County is Arizona’s Quartzsite winter gathering county – the world’s largest temporary city materializes in the Sonoran Desert each January as up to two million RV travelers and gem collectors descend on a town of 3,500 permanent residents.
Parker (the county seat, population ~3,100) on the Colorado River serves the county’s year-round population and the Parker Strip’s recreation economy. Quartzsite’s annual transformation is one of the most remarkable seasonal phenomena in the American West.
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Browse every category and topic available for this county.
La Paz County Assessor at 1112 Joshua Avenue, Suite 204, Parker, AZ 85344, phone 928-669-6165. AZ residential assessment ratio 10% of limited cash value.
Courts & Legal
La Paz County Superior Court at 1316 Kofa Avenue, Suite 609, Parker, AZ 85344, phone 928-669-6131, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
RECORDER (Deeds, Marriage Licenses)
1112 Joshua Ave., Parker, AZ 85344
(928) 669-6136
Genealogy
County-level record sources
La Paz County Superior Court (marriage licenses, will and estate case files – see Probate section above)
Local societies
Parker Area Historical Society, Parker, AZ
Bouse Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 52, Bouse, AZ 85325-0625
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
La Paz County Superior Court 1316 S. Kofa Avenue, #607, Parker, AZ 85344 (928) 669-6131 Fax: (928) 669-2186 Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Arizona recently made this decision much easier for most families – a 2025 law dramatically raised the small-estate thresholds, so many more estates now qualify to skip full probate entirely.
Small Estate Affidavit (personal property) – no court case needed. Effective September 26, 2025 under House Bill 2116 (amending A.R.S. § 14-3971), this applies when personal property is worth $200,000 or less (net of liens), at least 30 days have passed since the death, and no probate case has been opened. Present the signed affidavit directly to the bank or institution holding the property.
Small Estate Affidavit (real property) – for real property with equity of $300,000 or less (net of liens), available after a 6-month wait. Must be filed with the Superior Court and then recorded with the County Recorder.
Informal Probate – the default track for uncontested estates above the small-estate thresholds. Reviewed by a court registrar, not a judge.
Formal Probate – used when the will is contested, there’s no original will, heirs are disputed, or the matter otherwise needs judicial involvement.
Supervised Administration – rare; used only when ongoing court oversight is needed to protect the estate or beneficiaries.
Arizona is a community property state – a surviving spouse already owns their half of community property outright.
If using the small estate affidavit (personal property)
Wait at least 30 days after the death.
Confirm no probate case has already been opened and total personal property (net of liens) is $200,000 or less.
Complete the affidavit under A.R.S. § 14-3971.
Present the signed affidavit with a certified death certificate directly to whoever holds the property.
If using the small estate affidavit (real property)
Wait at least 6 months after the death.
Confirm the real property’s equity is $300,000 or less.
File the affidavit with the La Paz County Superior Court.
Record the certified affidavit with the La Paz County Recorder.
If filing informal probate
Gather the original will (if any), a list of assets/debts/heirs, and identifying information.
File an Application for Informal Probate and Appointment of Personal Representative with the Clerk of the Superior Court.
Notice to known heirs must comply with A.R.S. § 14-3306.
The registrar reviews the application; if complete and unopposed, issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration – no hearing required.
Notice to creditors must be published once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county.
Creditors then have a 4-month claim window (A.R.S. § 14-3801) – the practical floor on how fast even a simple probate can close; most run 6–12 months.
After debts are resolved, the personal representative distributes the estate and closes it with a final accounting.
If formal probate is required
File a Petition for Formal Probate with the Superior Court.
A judge holds a hearing rather than a registrar reviewing on paper.
The same inventory, creditor-notice, and closing steps apply from there, under direct court supervision.
What it costs
Small estate affidavits: no court filing fee for the personal-property affidavit; the real-property affidavit carries a county recording fee.
Informal or formal probate filing fee: varies by county, typically $250–$400 statewide (confirm current fee with the La Paz County Clerk).
Creditor notice publication: typically $75–$300 depending on the newspaper.
Personal representative compensation: “reasonable compensation” standard – no fixed statutory percentage.
Attorney fees: not fixed by statute; a straightforward, uncontested probate commonly runs $2,000–$7,500.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
1050 Acoma Blvd. S., Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403 (main office)
(928) 669-6141
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Dept
(928) 669-6191
DES / SNAP / Medicaid
(855) 432-7587
Tribal Health
Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) — critonline.com; Chemehuevi Indian Tribe
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: La Paz County Health Department – (928) 669-6132 | co.la-paz.az.us
Services: Immunizations, WIC, STI testing, environmental health, vital records
Hospital: La Paz Regional Hospital (Parker) – (928) 669-9201; very limited services; critical access hospital
Notes: La Paz Regional Hospital is a small critical access hospital; extreme heat-related illness is a major public health concern (heat stroke, dehydration); Colorado River Indian Tribes Health Service provides tribal healthcare; seasonal population surge in Quartzsite creates demands exceeding local healthcare capacity
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Parker
Population: 21,000
Area: 4,513 sq mi
Established: 1983
Tier: 3
Public Records
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