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.
Idaho County
Elmore County, Idaho
Mountain Home AFB and Three Island Crossing - from Mountain Home Air Force Base (the home of the 366th Fighter Wing - Mountain Home AFB's F-15E Strike Eagles and the vast Idaho airspace of the Snake River Plain make it one of the most important tactical air combat training installations in the US Air Force, and the base is the dominant economic force in Elmore County) to Three Island Crossing State Park at Glenns Ferry (the site of the most important Oregon Trail river crossing on the Snake River - where emigrants had to decide whether to risk the dangerous three-island ford or continue on the more difficult south bank route - Three Island Crossing is the most historically significant Oregon Trail landmark in Idaho).
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: Elmore County Sheriff’s Office – 2255 East 8th North, Mountain Home, ID 83647 | (208) 587-3370 | Fax (208) 587-2118 | Jail (208) 587-9103 | Non-emergency (208) 587-2100; Sheriff Mike Hollinshead. Chief Deputy Kyle Moore, Chief of Administration Greg Berry. Glenns Ferry Substation also serves the county. Hours: Mon-Fri 8 AM-4 PM.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-84 and SR-20/51/67 serve Mountain Home, the county seat and largest city; SR-67 connects directly to Mountain Home Air Force Base.
Notes: Elmore County was named for the Ida Elmore mines. It covers more than 3,000 square miles in southwestern Idaho, roughly 60% mountainous terrain and 40% Snake River Plain, with nearly 70% of the land managed by federal agencies. Before European and American settlement, the area was long home to the Shoshone and Bannock Tribes, who wintered along the Snake River.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Elmore County Courthouse – 150 South 4th East Street, Mountain Home, ID (built 1916, Classical Revival, architects Wayland & Fennell, builder C.E.; National Register of Historic Places since 1987) | (208) 587-2130.
Notes: Elmore County’s economy weathered the Great Depression before rebounding significantly during World War II with the construction of Mountain Home Air Force Base, which remains the county’s largest employer today and has significantly shaped local economic development and cultural diversity. Glenns Ferry, within the county, preserves an important Oregon Trail river crossing with historic wagon ruts and educational exhibits.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Elmore County Veterans Services – confirm current contact via elmorecounty.org.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Mountain Home Public Library (Mountain Home) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Glenns Ferry Oregon Trail crossing site (historic wagon ruts), C.J. Strike Reservoir, and the Elmore County Courthouse (National Register of Historic Places) are the county’s premier heritage and recreational attractions.
Notes: The genuine, significant role of Mountain Home Air Force Base – the county’s largest employer since WWII – alongside the preserved Oregon Trail crossing at Glenns Ferry, are among the standout local facts covered in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Elmore County Assessor’s Office – confirm current contact via elmorecounty.org.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Confirm current dedicated shelter contact via elmorecounty.org; Elmore County Sheriff’s Office for animal control arrangements.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Elmore County Solid Waste / Planning & Zoning – confirm current contact via elmorecounty.org.
NOTES: Elmore County is the twentieth county completed in Idaho’s Round 3 v2 redo, under the A+ sourced standard established for this project. The genuine, significant role of Mountain Home Air Force Base and the preserved Oregon Trail crossing at Glenns Ferry 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 Elmore County
Elmore County is Idaho’s Air Force and Oregon Trail county – Mountain Home AFB’s F-15E Strike Eagles train in the vast Snake River Plain airspace while Three Island Crossing at Glenns Ferry preserves the most important and dangerous river crossing on the entire Oregon Trail.
Mountain Home (the county seat, population ~14,000) is an Air Force community – the base’s employment and the surrounding high desert landscape define a south-central Idaho county between Boise and Twin Falls.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Elmore County Assessor at 150 S. 4th East Street, Suite 8, Mountain Home, ID 83647, phone 208-587-2130. ID homeowner’s exemption up to $125,000.
Courts & Legal
Elmore County District Court at 150 S. 4th East Street, Mountain Home, ID 83647, phone 208-587-2130, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK / ADMINISTRATOR
150 S. 4th E., Mountain Home, ID 83647
(208) 587-2130
CLERK OF COURT (Records, Marriage Licenses)
150 S. 4th E., Mountain Home, ID 83647
(208) 587-2130
ELECTIONS / CLERK
150 S. 4th E., Mountain Home, ID 83647
(208) 587-2130
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Elmore County Magistrate Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Elmore 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
Elmore County Magistrate Court 150 South 4th East, Suite 3, Mountain Home, ID 83647 (208) 587-2130 Elmore County is home to Mountain Home Air Force Base.
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 Elmore 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 Elmore 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
2255 E. 8th N., Mountain Home, ID 83647
(208) 587-2100
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS / CLERK
150 S. 4th E., Mountain Home, ID 83647
(208) 587-2130
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Idaho Dept of Health & Welfare — Southwest
(208) 334-5500
Idaho Medicaid
(800) 926-2588
Elmore Medical Center
elmoremedicallcenter.org (Mountain Home)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Central District Health (serving Elmore County) – confirm current contact via cdh.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: Mountain Home
Population: 27,000
Area: 3,105 sq mi
Established: 1889
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Elmore County residents.
