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Utah County
Box Elder County, Utah
Promontory Summit - where the transcontinental railroad was completed - from Golden Spike National Historical Park (the site at Promontory Summit in Box Elder County where the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads met on May 10, 1869 - completing the first transcontinental railroad in America - and the driving of the golden spike that connected the continent by rail is one of the most consequential moments in American economic and geographic history, transforming the United States from a continental nation into a truly unified country in a way that was previously unimaginable) and Brigham City's remarkable peach and fruit production on the Wasatch Front's northern fringe.
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Office: Box Elder County Emergency Management – (435) 734-3320
Alert System: CodeRED
FEMA Region: Region 8
Notes: Northern Utah county along the Idaho border, the third-largest county by area accessible anywhere in Utah; winter storm, flash flooding, and wildfire risk; Brigham City is the county seat
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-15 and I-84, both major interstate corridors intersecting near Tremonton, making the county a significant regional transportation hub accessible anywhere in northern Utah
Transit: Cache Valley Transit District connections; limited standalone Box Elder County transit
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Box Elder County Building/Permit Office – (435) 734-3393
Services: Building permits for unincorporated areas; floodplain permits
Notes: Brigham City and Tremonton each handle their own in-city permitting
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Box Elder County Veterans Service Office (shared/regional arrangement)
State VSO: Utah Office of Veterans and Military Affairs – veterans.utah.gov
VA Medical: George E. Wahlen VA Medical Center, Salt Lake City (accessible south)
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Brigham City Library; Tremonton Library
Services: Books; e-books; public computers; Wi-Fi
Notes: Box Elder County is home to significant portions of Hill Air Force Base’s testing ranges and the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, one of the most significant migratory waterfowl habitats accessible anywhere in the western United States
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, one of the most significant migratory bird habitats accessible anywhere in the western United States, hosting hundreds of thousands of birds during peak migration; Golden Spike National Historical Park, the site where the First Transcontinental Railroad was completed in 1869, one of the most historically significant railroad heritage sites accessible anywhere in American history; the Bear River Range and Wellsville Mountains
Notes: Golden Spike National Historical Park’s status as the site of the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 gives Box Elder County one of the most historically significant places accessible anywhere in American railroad and westward expansion history
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Box Elder County GIS – boxeldercounty.org/gis
Parcel Search: Box Elder County Assessor site
Addressing/911: Box Elder County 911 Addressing – via County Commission
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Box Elder County Animal Shelter – (435) 734-3823
Notes: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge conservation and Great Salt Lake wetland management are significant regional environmental priorities
NOTES
Box Elder County holds one of the most historically significant places accessible anywhere in American history at Golden Spike National Historical Park, where the First Transcontinental Railroad was completed in 1869, joining the eastern and western United States by rail for the first time. The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, one of the most significant waterfowl habitats accessible anywhere in the western United States, adds substantial ecological significance to a county whose economy otherwise centers on agriculture and its role as a regional transportation crossroads.
About Box Elder County
Box Elder County is where the transcontinental railroad was completed – the golden spike driven at Promontory Summit on May 10, 1869 connected the continent by rail in one of the most consequential moments in American history, transforming national commerce and migration in ways that defined the modern United States.
Brigham City (the county seat, population ~19,000) serves the county’s agricultural and growing Salt Lake-Ogden metro exurban communities on the Great Salt Lake’s north shore.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Box Elder County Assessor at 01 S. Main Street, Brigham City, UT 84302, phone 435-734-3310. UT primary residential 45% exemption applies.
Courts & Legal
Box Elder County District Court at 43 N. Main Street, Brigham City, UT 84302, phone 435-734-3360, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK/AUDITOR
01 South Main St, Brigham City, UT 84302
(435) 734-3316
Genealogy
County-level record sources
First District Court / Box Elder County Clerk, Brigham City (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Box Elder 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
First District Court, Box Elder County 43 North Main Street, PO Box 873, Brigham City, UT 84302 (435) 734-4600
Box Elder County is in Northern Utah, seated in Brigham City. Utah has NO separate probate court – probate is handled by the District Court. Box Elder County is part of the First Judicial District (Cache, Rich, Box Elder), seated in Logan.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Utah has adopted the Uniform Probate Code (Title 75, Utah Uniform Probate Code) in full – one of about 16 states to do so. This makes Utah’s probate process comparatively streamlined.
Small Estate Affidavit (Utah Code § 75-3-1201) – available when the total estate value (minus liens and encumbrances) is $100,000 or less AND the estate includes NO real property. At least 30 days must have passed since death. This is a true affidavit process – it is NOT filed with the court. The successor fills it out, signs it before a notary, and presents it directly to whoever holds the property (a bank, brokerage, employer, etc.), which is then legally obligated to release the asset. A separate, similar affidavit can transfer title to up to four boats, motor vehicles, trailers, or semi-trailers directly through the Utah Division of Motor Vehicles.
Informal Probate – the most common track in Utah under the UPC. Minimal court involvement; a probate registrar (not a judge) reviews the application and appoints the personal representative administratively when there’s no dispute.
Unsupervised Formal Probate – involves a judge and a court hearing to resolve a specific question (such as confirming a will’s validity) but otherwise proceeds with the same independence as informal probate afterward.
Supervised Formal Administration – full ongoing court supervision, reserved for contested, complex, or high-conflict estates.
Step 2: filing for administration
The personal representative (or an interested party) files an Application for Informal Probate and Appointment of Personal Representative with the First District Court.
The original will (if one exists) and a certified death certificate are submitted with the application.
The court registrar reviews the application; if in order, Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (without one) are issued – often without a hearing.
The personal representative provides notice to creditors and known heirs, and inventories the estate’s assets.
The personal representative pays valid debts, expenses, and taxes from the estate.
Remaining assets are distributed to beneficiaries or heirs, and the estate is closed.
What it costs
District court filing fee: $375 statewide (confirm current fee for Box Elder County directly, as fees can be adjusted).
Utah has NO statutory fee schedule for attorneys or personal representatives – fees must be “reasonable” based on time spent, complexity of the estate, and its value.
Small estate affidavit proceedings cost far less since no court filing is required at all – mainly notary and any professional assistance fees.
Utah does NOT impose a state estate tax or inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax may apply, and only to very large 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
01 South Main St, Brigham City, UT 84302
(435) 734-3820
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
01 South Main St, Brigham City, UT 84302
(435) 734-3316
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
655 East 1300 North, Brigham City, UT 84302
(435) 792-6500
DWS Office
895 West 100 South, Brigham City, UT 84302
(435) 734-6900
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Bear River Health Department (regional district serving Box Elder, Cache, and Rich counties) – (435) 792-6500
Services: Immunizations; WIC; environmental health; vital records
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Brigham City
Population: 57,000
Established: 1851
Tier: 3
Public Records
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