Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
What do you need to do?
Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Office: Clark County Sheriff’s Office – 320 W. Main Street, Dubois, ID 83423 | (208) 374-5403; Sheriff Mark McClure, elected 2021. A small office serving a sparse population, with a chief deputy supporting patrol, investigations, and emergency response.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911. Clark County is genuinely Idaho’s least populous county – 790 residents as of the 2020 census, one of the sparsest counties by population density in the entire contiguous United States (about one person for every two square miles).
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-15 serves Dubois, the county seat and only significant incorporated city (along with the small town of Spencer), astride the interstate at nearly 6,000 feet elevation.
Notes: Clark County was carved from Fremont County by the Idaho Legislature on February 1, 1919, named for Sam K. Clark, an early settler on Medicine Lodge Creek who became the area’s first state senator. Dubois is named for U.S. Senator Fred Dubois, a prominent Idaho political figure. Stagecoach stops between Salt Lake City and Montana’s mining towns were established in the area at Beaver Canyon and Dry Creek (now Dubois) as early as 1864. Before Clark County existed, the area passed through Alturas County, then Oneida County (1877), then Bingham County (1885).
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Clark County Courthouse – 320 West Main Street, Dubois, ID | (208) 589-9872.
Notes: Clark County holds genuine Nez Perce War historical significance: the Battle of Camas Creek, a documented engagement between federal troops and the Nez Perce and allied tribes during their forced removal, took place near Kilgore on August 20, 1877 (some sources cite 1872). The Nez Perce National Historic Trail passes through the county today. The county’s population peaked at nearly 1,900 residents in the 1920s before declining significantly by 1970.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Clark County Veterans Services – confirm current contact via clark-co.id.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Clark County Public Library – 21 East Main Street, Dubois, ID | (208) 374-5267.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Camas Meadows Battlefield site, the Nez Perce National Historic Trail, the Heritage Hall Museum (110 South Reynolds Street, Dubois), and the surrounding Targhee National Forest are the county’s premier heritage and recreational attractions.
Notes: The genuine distinction of Clark County as Idaho’s least populous county, alongside its documented Nez Perce War history, are among the standout local facts covered in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Clark County Assessor’s Office – confirm current contact via clark-co.id.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Confirm current dedicated shelter contact via clark-co.id.gov; Clark County Sheriff’s Office for animal control arrangements.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Clark County Solid Waste / Planning & Zoning – confirm current contact via clark-co.id.gov.
NOTES: Clark County is the seventeenth county completed in Idaho’s Round 3 v2 redo, under the A+ sourced standard established for this project. The genuine distinction of Clark County as Idaho’s least populous county, alongside its documented Nez Perce War history, are among the standout local facts covered in this project. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Clark County County
Clark County is Idaho’s least populous county – fewer than 900 residents in the high desert sagebrush and Centennial Mountains near Montana where Dubois serves the county’s sheep and cattle ranching families in one of the Mountain West’s most authentic and most remote livestock ranching landscapes.
Dubois (the county seat, population ~580) is Clark County’s governmental hub on US 22, a remote east Idaho ranching community whose Centennial Mountains setting, sheep ranching heritage, Caribou-Targhee National Forest access, and Continental Divide proximity anchor its identity near Montana.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Clark County Assessor at 320 W. Main Street, Dubois, ID 83423, phone 208-374-5304. ID assessed at market value.
Courts & Legal
Clark County District Court at 320 W. Main Street, Dubois, ID 83423, phone 208-374-5304, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK / ADMINISTRATOR
902 Hwy. 22, Dubois, ID 83423
(208) 374-5304
CLERK OF COURT (Records, Marriage Licenses)
902 Hwy. 22, Dubois, ID 83423
(208) 374-5304
ELECTIONS / CLERK
902 Hwy. 22, Dubois, ID 83423
(208) 374-5304
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Clark County Magistrate Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Clark County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
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
Clark County Magistrate Court 320 West Main Street, Dubois, ID 83423 (208) 374-5304
Clark County is Idaho’s least populous county, established in 1919 and named for Sam K. Clark, a state senator and pioneer.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Idaho has adopted the Uniform Probate Code (Idaho Code Title 15). Idaho is also a community property state. Idaho recognizes four main paths:
Small Estate Affidavit – a non-court process for estates with a total value of $100,000 or less (excluding liens and encumbrances) and no real property. Available 30 days after death. No court filing required (Idaho Code § 15-3-1201).
Summary Administration – available when the value of all the decedent’s property is less than the homestead allowance, exempt property, and last-illness medical expenses combined, or when a surviving spouse is sole beneficiary (Idaho Code §§ 15-3-1203, 15-3-1205).
Informal Probate – the most common track for uncontested estates, handled through the court registrar.
Formal Probate – court-supervised proceedings required when disputes arise or the will is contested.
Step 2: filing
For informal probate with a will, file an Application for Informal Probate of Will and Appointment of Personal Representative with the Magistrate Division.
For formal probate, file a Petition for Probate of Will and Appointment of Personal Representative (or the equivalent for intestate estates).
Idaho does not have a statutory fee schedule for attorneys or personal representatives – fees must be reasonable given the services rendered and complexity.
If formal or informal probate is needed
Determine whether small estate affidavit, summary administration, or full probate applies.
File the appropriate application or petition with the Clark County Magistrate Court.
Under informal proceedings, the registrar reviews the application without a hearing. Under formal proceedings, a judge holds a hearing.
The personal representative accepts the appointment and may need to post a bond.
Once appointed, the court issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration. Obtain several certified copies.
Publish notice to creditors as required.
Mail notice to all heirs, beneficiaries, and interested parties.
Marshal assets, obtain an EIN, open an estate account, pay valid debts and expenses, and prepare any required inventory.
Distribute remaining assets per the will or Idaho’s intestacy statutes, then close the estate.
What it costs
Idaho does not impose its own state estate or inheritance tax.
Idaho does not have a statutory fee schedule for attorneys or personal representatives.
Court filing fees and publication costs are separate – confirm current amounts with the Clark County Magistrate Court.
Probate in Idaho typically takes 6-12 months for uncontested estates.
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
902 Hwy. 22, Dubois, ID 83423
(208) 374-5600
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS / CLERK
902 Hwy. 22, Dubois, ID 83423
(208) 374-5304
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Idaho Dept of Health & Welfare — East
(208) 528-5700
Idaho Medicaid
(800) 926-2588
Madison Memorial Hospital (nearest)
madisonmemorial.org (Rexburg)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Eastern Idaho Public Health (serving Clark County) – confirm current contact via eiph.idaho.gov.
Editorial independence: CountyOffices maintains strict editorial independence from our affiliate partners. Our content is researched from official government sources. Affiliate relationships do not influence our recommendations or the information we publish.
Editorial Trust
5 official sources cited
Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Dubois
Population: 870
Area: 1,765 sq mi
Established: 1919
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Clark County County residents.
