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Utah County
Grand County, Utah
Moab - the adventure capital of the American West - from Arches National Park (the concentration of over 2,000 natural sandstone arches in the red rock canyon country above Moab - including Delicate Arch, the most iconic geological formation in Utah and the state's symbol - makes Arches one of the most visually extraordinary national parks in America) to Canyonlands National Park (the vast Colorado and Green river canyon system whose Island in the Sky mesa and the Maze's labyrinthine canyon country represent the most rugged and remote national park landscape in the lower 48 states) and Moab's mountain biking dominance (the Slickrock Trail - the 9.6-mile loop across petrified sand dunes that is considered the birthplace of mountain biking as a sport and still the most famous mountain biking trail in the world).
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Office: Grand County Emergency Management – (435) 259-1361
Alert System: CodeRED
FEMA Region: Region 8
Notes: Southeastern Utah county along the Colorado River; flash flooding in canyon terrain and wildfire risk; Moab is the county seat, one of the most significant outdoor recreation tourism destinations accessible anywhere in the United States
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-191 and SH-128, primary routes; Canyonlands Field Airport serves the region
Transit: Limited; Grand County/Moab local transit connections
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Grand County Building/Permit Office – (435) 259-1343
Services: Building permits for unincorporated areas; floodplain permits
Notes: City of Moab handles its own in-city permitting; Moab’s status as one of the most significant outdoor recreation tourism economies accessible anywhere in the country has driven substantial short-term-rental and hospitality development permitting activity
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Grand 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: Moab Public Library / Grand County Library
Services: Books; e-books; public computers; Wi-Fi
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Arches National Park, one of the most significant concentrations of natural sandstone arches accessible anywhere in the world, home to over 2,000 documented arches; Canyonlands National Park, one of the largest and most rugged national parks accessible anywhere in the United States; Moab’s world-renowned mountain biking trail system, including the Slickrock Trail, one of the most famous mountain biking trails accessible anywhere in the world
Notes: Moab’s combination of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, alongside its status as one of the most significant mountain biking and off-road recreation destinations accessible anywhere in the world, gives Grand County one of the most internationally significant outdoor recreation tourism identities accessible anywhere in the United States
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Grand County GIS – grandcountyutah.net/gis
Parcel Search: Grand County Assessor site
Addressing/911: Grand County 911 Addressing – via County Council
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Moab Valley Humane Society – (435) 259-4652
Notes: Colorado River water quality, tourism-driven infrastructure strain, and legacy uranium mill tailings remediation at the Moab UMTRA Project site, one of the largest ongoing radioactive waste cleanup projects accessible anywhere in the country, are significant local environmental priorities
NOTES
Grand County, anchored by Moab, is home to one of the most internationally significant outdoor recreation tourism economies accessible anywhere in the United States, combining Arches and Canyonlands National Parks with a world-renowned mountain biking and off-road vehicle trail system. The ongoing Moab UMTRA Project, one of the largest radioactive waste cleanup efforts accessible anywhere in the country addressing legacy uranium mill tailings along the Colorado River, remains a significant and closely monitored environmental undertaking for the county.
About Grand County
Grand County is Moab – the adventure capital of the American West where Arches National Park’s 2,000+ natural arches and Canyonlands’ vast canyon system flank a Colorado River town whose Slickrock Trail birthed mountain biking as a sport and whose red rock landscape is the most Instagram-photographed scenery in Utah.
Moab (the county seat, population ~5,300) hosts millions of annual visitors in one of America’s most dramatic population-to-tourism ratios – the adventure economy, the national parks, and the Colorado River define a community under enormous recreational pressure.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Grand County Assessor at 125 E. Center Street, Moab, UT 84532, phone 435-259-1360. UT primary residential 45% exemption applies.
Courts & Legal
Grand County District Court at 125 E. Center Street, Moab, UT 84532, phone 435-259-1350, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK/AUDITOR
125 East Center St, Moab, UT 84532
(435) 259-1321
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Seventh District Court / Grand County Clerk, Moab (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Grand 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
Seventh District Court, Grand County 125 East Center Street, Moab, UT 84532 (435) 259-1349
Grand County was founded March 13, 1890, named after the Grand River (now the Colorado River), in Southeast Utah, seated in Moab. Utah has NO separate probate court – probate is handled by the District Court. Grand County is part of the Seventh Judicial District (Carbon, Emery, Grand, San Juan), seated in Price.
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 Seventh 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 Grand 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
125 East Center St, Moab, UT 84532
(435) 259-8115
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
125 East Center St, Moab, UT 84532
(435) 259-1321
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
575 Kane Creek Blvd, Moab, UT 84532
(435) 259-5602
DWS Office
457 Kane Creek Blvd, Moab, UT 84532
(435) 259-3777
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Southeast Utah Health Department (regional district) – (435) 637-3671
Services: Immunizations; WIC; environmental health
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