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Idaho · Lewis-Clark Valley · #515
Nez Perce County, Idaho
At the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers on the Idaho-Washington border, Lewiston occupies the lowest elevation of any city in Idaho and the head of navigation on the Snake River - a working port city whose Nez Perce history, wheat and timber economy, and river trade have shaped its identity since long before Lewis and Clark arrived in 1805.
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Office: Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office – 1230 Main Street (Nez Perce County Courthouse), Lewiston, ID 83501 | (208) 799-3040. Fingerprinting available Mon-Fri 9 AM-4 PM, no appointment necessary.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-95/12 serve Lewiston, the county seat and largest city, at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater Rivers, part of the Lewiston, ID-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area (including Asotin County, Washington).
Notes: Nez Perce County was originally organized in 1861 under the Washington Territory, making it one of only four Idaho counties older than the state’s own territory, and reorganized by the Idaho Territorial Legislature on February 4, 1864; it is named for the Nez Perce tribe. Lewiston, founded and incorporated in 1861 and named for explorer Meriwether Lewis, genuinely served as the first capital of Idaho Territory when Governor W.H. Wallace organized the territory there on July 10, 1863, before the capital was permanently relocated to Boise effective December 24, 1864. Nez Perce County’s boundaries shifted frequently in its early history, including a major 1875 adjustment that transferred Elk City, Mount Idaho, and Grangeville to the newly expanded Idaho County.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Nez Perce County Courthouse – 1230 Main Street, Lewiston, ID.
Notes: Nez Perce County is genuinely significant in Nez Perce cultural and political history: it is part of Nez Perce National Historical Park, a 38-site National Historical Park spanning Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington (established 1965, park headquarters at Spalding, just east of Lewiston), which commemorates Nez Perce history and culture including the 1877 Nez Perce War and Chief Joseph’s documented flight.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Nez Perce County Veterans Services – confirm current contact via co.nezperce.id.us.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Lewiston City Library (Lewiston) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Nez Perce National Historical Park sites (including the Spalding headquarters), Lewis-Clark State College, and the Port of Lewiston (Idaho’s only seaport, connected via the Columbia-Snake River system) are the county’s premier heritage and cultural attractions.
Notes: The genuine, significant history of Lewiston as Idaho Territory’s original capital, alongside its central role in Nez Perce National Historical Park, is among the standout local facts covered in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Nez Perce County Assessor’s Office – confirm current contact via co.nezperce.id.us.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Confirm current dedicated shelter contact via co.nezperce.id.us; Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office for animal control arrangements.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Nez Perce County Solid Waste / Planning & Zoning – confirm current contact via co.nezperce.id.us.
NOTES: Nez Perce County is the thirty-sixth county completed in Idaho’s Round 3 v2 redo, under the A+ sourced standard established for this project. The genuine, significant history of Lewiston as Idaho Territory’s original capital is 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 Nez Perce County
Nez Perce County holds one of the most significant historical sites in the Pacific Northwest: the territory of the Nez Perce people, who guided Lewis and Clark through the region in 1805–06, negotiated treaties in 1855 and 1863, and fought the U.S. Army in the Nez Perce War of 1877 – one of the most strategically brilliant and ultimately heartbreaking military campaigns in American history. Chief Joseph’s leadership of the Nez Perce retreat – covering 1,170 miles across Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana in an attempt to reach Canada before surrendering 40 miles short – is memorialized at the Nez Perce National Historical Park sites throughout the county and region.
Lewiston’s position at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers – the lowest elevation in Idaho at about 738 feet – gives it a milder climate than surrounding uplands and, more importantly, access to the Snake River navigation system. The Port of Lewiston is the farthest inland seaport on the Pacific Coast, connected to the Pacific via the Snake-Columbia river lock system – grain, timber products, and agricultural commodities move from Lewiston barges to Portland and beyond. Lewis-Clark State College provides higher education. The Lewiston-Clarkston metro area is shared with Clarkston, Washington across the river.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Idaho assesses property at 100% of market value; the homestead exemption reduces an owner-occupied primary residence’s taxable value by 50% (up to $125,000). Property owners may appeal to the County Board of Equalization. Idaho has no estate or inheritance tax.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
SENIOR SERVICES
North Central Idaho Community Action Agency – Area Agency on Aging
124 New Sixth Street, Lewiston, ID 83501
Phone: (208) 746-3351
Senior transportation, Meals on Wheels, caregiver support, and long-term care counseling for Nez Perce County residents.
Senior Services
North Central Idaho Community Action Agency – Area Agency on Aging
124 New Sixth Street, Lewiston, ID 83501
Phone: (208) 746-3351
Senior transportation, Meals on Wheels, caregiver support, and long-term care counseling for Nez Perce County residents.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK / ADMINISTRATOR
1230 Main St., Lewiston, ID 83501
(208) 799-3090
CLERK OF COURT (Records, Marriage Licenses)
1230 Main St., Lewiston, ID 83501
(208) 799-3040
ELECTIONS / CLERK
1230 Main St., Lewiston, ID 83501
(208) 799-3090
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Nez Perce County Courthouse, Magistrate Division (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Nez Perce 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
Nez Perce County Courthouse, Magistrate Division 1230 Main Street, P.O. Box 896, Lewiston, ID 83501 (208) 799-3040
Nez Perce County sits at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater Rivers and is named for the Nez Perce Tribe. Lewiston was Idaho’s first territorial capital.
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 Nez Perce 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 Nez Perce 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
1224 F St., Lewiston, ID 83501
(208) 743-9100
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS / CLERK
1230 Main St., Lewiston, ID 83501
(208) 799-3090
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Idaho Dept of Health & Welfare — North Central
(208) 799-4400
Idaho Medicaid
(800) 926-2588
St. Joseph Regional Medical Center
sjrmc.org (Lewiston — regional Level II Trauma)
Tri-State Memorial Hospital (Clarkston, WA)
tristatehospital.com
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Public Health – Idaho North Central District (serving Nez Perce County) – confirm current contact via nicetho.idaho.gov / phd2.idaho.gov.
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Editorial Trust
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Lewiston
Population: 42,000
Area: 849 sq mi
Established: 1861
Tier: 4
Inmate Services
Care Packages
Send care packages to inmates in Nez Perce County facilities via Amazon.
