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Indiana · Kokomo · City of Firsts · #383
Howard County, Indiana
Kokomo - the City of Firsts, where Elwood Haynes built the first commercially viable American automobile in 1894, and where stainless steel, aluminum casting, and carburetor technology were also invented. A proud manufacturing city that survived the automotive collapse of 2009 and has invested in a second act built on electric vehicles, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare. Property tax, courts, public records, probate, and senior services for Howard County residents.
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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: Howard County Emergency Management – confirm current contact via howardcountyin.gov.
Sheriff: Howard County Sheriff’s Office – Kokomo, IN | Sheriff Jerry L. Asher. Confirm current phone via sheriff.howardcountyin.gov.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-31 and SR-22/26 serve Kokomo, the county seat, part of the Kokomo metropolitan area.
Notes: Howard County was created in 1844, originally named Richardville County for Miami Chief Pe-che-wa (“Wildcat,” giving Wildcat Creek its name), then renamed in 1846 for General Tilghman Ashurst Howard.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Howard County Courthouse – Kokomo, IN.
Notes: Kokomo is genuinely known as Indiana’s “City of Firsts” for its extraordinary run of automotive and industrial innovations. Local inventors and companies pioneered numerous automotive firsts, including the Kingston carburetor, invented in 1902 by George Kingston, who came to Kokomo in 1901 and co-founded Byrne, Kingston & Company (later Kingston Products, which also made roller skates, radios, and the popular “Kokomo Toys” line of toy vehicles). Kokomo Opalescent Glass Works, still operating today, is genuinely the oldest continuously operating glass factory in the United States. The county celebrates this heritage each summer with the Haynes Apperson Festival, and the Howard County Automotive Heritage Hall of Fame in Kokomo showcases the region’s automotive engineering legacy. Chrysler and Delphi maintain major operations in the county today. The Seiberling Mansion, purchased by the Kingston family in 1914, now houses the Howard County Museum and Historical Society.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Howard County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via howardcountyin.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Kokomo-Howard County Public Library (Kokomo) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Howard County Automotive Heritage Hall of Fame, the Seiberling Mansion/Howard County Museum, Kokomo Opalescent Glass Works, and the annual Haynes Apperson Festival are the county’s premier heritage attractions.
Notes: The genuine, extraordinary “City of Firsts” automotive innovation legacy – including America’s oldest continuously operating glass factory – is among the standout local industrial histories covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Howard County Assessor’s Office – 220 N. Main Street, Kokomo, IN 46901. Hours: Mon-Fri 8 AM-4 PM.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Confirm current dedicated shelter contact via howardcountyin.gov; Howard County Sheriff’s Office for animal control arrangements.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Howard County Environmental Health – confirm current contact via howardcountyin.gov.
NOTES: Howard County is the thirty-fifth county completed in Indiana’s Round 3 v2 redo, under the A+ sourced standard established for this project. The genuine, extraordinary “City of Firsts” automotive innovation legacy is among the standout local industrial histories covered anywhere 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 Howard County
Howard County is Indiana’s City of Firsts – Elwood Haynes driving one of America’s first gasoline automobiles on July 4 1894 and the subsequent series of automotive firsts that made Kokomo a pioneer of American industrial innovation define a north-central Indiana manufacturing community whose automotive identity spans from the birth of the car to the present.
Kokomo (the county seat, population ~57,000) is Howard County’s governmental hub on US 31, a north-central Indiana city whose Elwood Haynes automobile heritage, Stellantis manufacturing, City of Firsts identity, and automotive legacy anchor its community character.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Howard County Assessor at 220 N. Main Street, Kokomo, IN 46901, phone 765-456-2211. IN assessed at market value.
Courts & Legal
Howard County Circuit Court at 104 N. Buckeye Street, Kokomo, IN 46901, phone 765-456-2204, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK OF CIRCUIT COURT (Court Records, Marriage Licenses)
104 N. Main St., Kokomo, IN 46901
(765) 456-2204
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
104 N. Main St., Kokomo, IN 46901
(765) 456-2204
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Howard County Circuit Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
The Kokomo Automotive Heritage Museum and Elwood Haynes Museum document Kokomo’s significant role in early automotive history.
Local societies
No dedicated Howard 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
Howard County Circuit Court 104 North Buckeye Street, Suite 310, Kokomo, IN 46901 (765) 456-2202 Howard County is home to Kokomo, historically a hub of American automotive innovation.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Indiana has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code – probate is governed by Indiana Code Title 29. Indiana offers several tracks depending on estate size and complexity:
Small Estate Affidavit – for estates where the gross probate estate (less liens, encumbrances, and funeral expenses) is $100,000 or less. Available 45 days after death. The affidavit must be signed and recorded with the county recorder’s office before a personal representative is appointed. No court filing is required.
Devolution of Real Estate Affidavit – a separate affidavit specifically for transferring real property, available 7 months after death, with no value limit on the real estate, recorded with the county recorder.
Unsupervised Administration – a simplified probate track available when the estate is solvent and all inheritors agree; fewer court appearances and filings than supervised administration.
Supervised Administration – full court oversight, used for contested, complex, or insolvent estates.
Step 2: filing for formal probate
File a Petition for Probate of Will and for Issuance of Letters (if there’s a will) or a Petition for Appointment of Personal Representative (if intestate) with the Howard County Circuit Court.
The court reviews the will for compliance with Indiana Code § 29-1-5-3 (in writing, signed by the testator, witnessed by at least 2 credible witnesses).
The court issues Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (intestate) appointing the personal representative.
Publish notice to creditors; creditors generally have a limited window (commonly 3 months from first publication) to file claims.
The personal representative marshals assets, pays valid debts and expenses, and distributes the estate.
File a closing statement or final accounting to formally close the estate.
What it costs
Indiana does not have a state estate or inheritance tax.
Filing fees vary by county – confirm current amounts with the Howard County Circuit Court.
Indiana has no statutory fee schedule for attorneys or personal representatives – fees must be “reasonable” and are subject to court approval.
Typical timelines: Small Estate Affidavit – a minimum 45-day wait; Unsupervised Administration – roughly 6-9 months if uncontested; Supervised Administration – 9-12+ months.
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
105 N. Buckeye St., Kokomo, IN 46901
(765) 456-2020
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
104 N. Main St., Kokomo, IN 46901
(765) 456-2204
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Howard County Health Dept
(765) 456-2408
IN FSSA — North Central Region
(800) 403-0864
IN Medicaid
(800) 403-0864
Community Howard Regional Health
mycommunity.com/howard (Kokomo — major regional hospital)
IU Health Kokomo
iuhealth.org/kokomo
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Howard County Health Department – confirm current contact via howardcountyin.gov.
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Editorial Trust
5 official sources cited
Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Kokomo
Population: 82,000
Area: 293 mi²
Established: 1844
Tier: 3
Public Records
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