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.
Utah County
Garfield County, Utah
Bryce Canyon's hoodoos - the most otherworldly landscape in North America - from Bryce Canyon National Park (the amphitheater of orange, red, and white hoodoo formations carved by frost-wedging from the rim of the Paunsaugunt Plateau - whose Thor's Hammer, Silent City, and Queen Victoria formations create a geological fairyland that is simultaneously the most photographed and most surreal landscape in the American national park system - Bryce Canyon is not a canyon at all but a series of natural amphitheaters whose hoodoo density is the greatest in the world) and the Escalante River canyons (the labyrinthine slot canyons and natural bridges of the Escalante River system - the last river drainage to be mapped in the continental United States - whose Peek-a-boo and Spooky slot canyons draw canyoneers from around the world to Garfield County).
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: Garfield County Emergency Management – (435) 676-1160
Alert System: CodeRED (confirm)
FEMA Region: Region 8
Notes: South-Central Utah county, one of the most sparsely populated yet scenically significant counties accessible anywhere in Utah; flash flooding in canyon terrain and wildfire risk; Panguitch is the county seat
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-89 and SH-12, the latter frequently ranked among the most scenic byways accessible anywhere in the United States
Transit: No fixed-route transit; a rural county
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Garfield County Building/Permit Office – (435) 676-1100
Services: Building permits for unincorporated areas
Notes: Panguitch and Bryce Canyon City each handle their own limited in-city permitting; tourism-related development near Bryce Canyon National Park drives significant local permitting activity
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Garfield 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 north, though distant)
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Garfield County Library System, Panguitch branch
Services: Books; e-books; public computers; Wi-Fi
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Bryce Canyon National Park, one of the most visually distinctive national parks accessible anywhere in the United States, famous for its dense concentration of hoodoo rock spires; Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, one of the largest and most geologically diverse national monuments accessible anywhere in the country; Capitol Reef National Park (partially in county)
Notes: Garfield County contains a remarkable concentration of nationally significant public lands – Bryce Canyon National Park, one of the most visually distinctive national parks accessible anywhere in the United States, and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, one of the largest and most geologically diverse monuments accessible anywhere in the country – giving the sparsely populated county one of the most significant tourism economies accessible anywhere in Utah relative to its tiny resident population
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Garfield County GIS (confirm URL)
Parcel Search: Garfield County Assessor site
Addressing/911: Garfield County 911 Addressing – via County Commission
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Garfield County Animal Control (confirm current arrangement)
Notes: Bryce Canyon National Park and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument land management, under National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management oversight, are the county’s dominant environmental considerations
NOTES
Garfield County contains one of the most remarkable concentrations of nationally significant public lands accessible anywhere in the United States – Bryce Canyon National Park’s distinctive hoodoo formations and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument’s vast geological diversity – giving this sparsely populated county a tourism economy and national profile far exceeding what its tiny resident population would typically support.
About Garfield County
Garfield County is Bryce Canyon’s hoodoos – the world’s greatest concentration of hoodoo formations in the most otherworldly amphitheater landscape in America, and the Escalante River’s slot canyons – the last mapped river system in the continental US – define a south-central Utah county of extraordinary geological heritage.
Panguitch (the county seat, population ~1,700) and Escalante (population ~800) serve the county’s tourism and ranching communities at the heart of Utah’s national park corridor.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Garfield County Assessor at 55 S. Main Street, Panguitch, UT 84759, phone 435-676-8826. UT primary residential 45% exemption applies.
Courts & Legal
Garfield County District Court at 55 S. Main Street, Panguitch, UT 84759, phone 435-676-8821, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK/AUDITOR
55 South Main St, Panguitch, UT 84759
(435) 676-1100
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Sixth District Court / Garfield County Clerk, Panguitch (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Garfield 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
Sixth District Court, Garfield County 55 South Main Street, PO Box 77, Panguitch, UT 84759 (435) 676-1104
Garfield County is in South Central Utah, seated in Panguitch – home to Bryce Canyon National Park. Utah has NO separate probate court – probate is handled by the District Court. Garfield County is part of the Sixth Judicial District (Sanpete, Sevier, Piute, Wayne, Garfield, Kane), seated in Richfield.
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 Sixth 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 Garfield 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
55 South Main St, Panguitch, UT 84759
(435) 676-2678
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
55 South Main St, Panguitch, UT 84759
(435) 676-1100
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
601 East Center St, Panguitch, UT 84759
(435) 676-8800
DWS Office
55 South Main St, Panguitch, UT 84759
(435) 676-1439
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Southwest Utah Public Health Department (regional district) – (435) 673-3528
Services: Immunizations; WIC at a regional site; environmental health
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: Panguitch
Population: 5,200
Established: 1882
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Garfield County residents.
