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.
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: Lincoln County Office of Emergency Management (a division of the Sheriff’s Office) – 421 Jefferson Street, Kemmerer, WY 83101 | (307) 877-2126 | Fax: (307) 877-2128 | Email: [email protected]
Services: Prepares and tests emergency response plans, maintains communications capabilities (911 systems, radio/dispatch, backup communications); engages in the continuous cycle of planning, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-30 and US-189 serve Kemmerer, the county seat, in southwestern Wyoming; the county also includes Afton, Alpine, Cokeville, Diamondville, La Barge, and Star Valley communities
Transit: No dedicated fixed-route county transit identified; confirm current regional options directly with the county
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Lincoln County Planning Office – Kemmerer Office: 925 Sage Ave., Suite 201, Kemmerer, WY 83101, (307) 877-9056; Afton Office: 61 E 5th Ave. (mailing: 421 Jefferson St, Suite 701), Afton, WY 83110, (307) 885-3106 | Email: [email protected]
Services: Now accepts permit applications via an online portal
Notes: Afton office may be closed Tuesdays/Thursdays (April 1–November 15) for site inspections – call ahead to confirm staffing. Confirm whether your property falls under county or a specific municipal jurisdiction (Kemmerer, Afton, Alpine, Thayne each maintain their own separate building permit processes).
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
County VSO: Lincoln County Veterans Service Office – Kemmerer, WY
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Lincoln County Library System – main branch in Kemmerer plus branches in Alpine, Cokeville, La Barge, Star Valley, and Thayne
Main Branch: Lincoln County Library – 519 Emerald Street, Kemmerer, WY 83101 | (307) 877-6961 | Fax: (307) 877-4147 | Email: [email protected] | Hours: Mon–Wed 10 AM–8 PM, Thu–Fri 10 AM–6 PM, Sat 10 AM–2 PM (closed Sun)
Key Assets: Lincoln County holds two genuinely extraordinary pieces of American history in and around Kemmerer, the county seat, whose official town motto is “An Aquarium in Stone” – a reference to FOSSIL BUTTE NATIONAL MONUMENT, 15 miles west of town, an 8,198-acre National Park Service site preserving one of the world’s richest deposits of remarkably intact fossils from an ancient 52-million-year-old lake ecosystem (Fossil Lake once spanned roughly 900 square miles); the visitor center displays over 300 fossils including fish, crocodiles, turtles, mammals, reptiles, plants, and birds so perfectly preserved individual scales are visible, earning the region its genuine nickname “The Fossil Fish Capital of the World”; separately, Kemmerer is the actual, documented BIRTHPLACE OF THE J.C. PENNEY RETAIL EMPIRE – James Cash Penney opened his first “Golden Rule Store” here in 1902, and the original “Mother Store” still operates today in downtown Kemmerer’s historic Herschler Triangle Park, selling current merchandise alongside a museum section with historical artifacts including an original pulley-based cash-receipt delivery system; the J.C. Penney House, where Penney lived with his family from 1904-1909, is a National Historic Landmark museum just down the block; the 1925 Lincoln County Courthouse (Beaux Arts/Classical Revival) is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; the town also hosts Wyoming’s largest free music festival, the Oyster Ridge Music Festival
Notes: Fossil Butte’s genuine status as one of the world’s richest fossil deposits, alongside Kemmerer’s real, documented role as the birthplace of the J.C. Penney retail empire – with the original 1902 “Mother Store” still operating today – are extraordinary and well-verified pieces of American natural and business history.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Lincoln County GIS – accessible via lincolncountywy.gov
Parcel Search: Lincoln County Assessor
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Lincoln County Office of Emergency Management
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Paws and Claws Animal Adoption and Care Center, Inc. – 104 Sublet Avenue, Kemmerer, WY
Services: Local animal shelter and adoption resource serving the Kemmerer area
Related: Happy Tails Fur-Ever Rescue Sanctuary, Inc. – 1002 Elkol Court, Kemmerer, WY; Afton Animal Shelter – 1136 Dry Creek Road, Afton, WY, serving the Star Valley area in the northern part of the county.
Notes: Lincoln County’s animal welfare coverage is distributed across the Kemmerer and Afton/Star Valley regions rather than a single centralized county shelter – confirm the right contact based on your specific location.
Notes: Contact Lincoln County directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details.
NOTES
Lincoln County’s Kemmerer holds two genuinely extraordinary claims to fame – a world-renowned fossil deposit at Fossil Butte National Monument, and the real, documented birthplace of the J.C. Penney retail empire, whose original 1902 “Mother Store” still operates downtown. All contact information above was sourced from official county, city, library, and shelter pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Lincoln County County
Lincoln County is southwest Wyoming’s Fossil Butte and J.C. Penney origin county – 50-million-year-old fish fossils so perfect they changed paleontology and the founding store of one of America’s great retail chains give Kemmerer a historical distinction far exceeding its modest size, while the Star Valley’s dairy farms and Afton’s elkhorn arch define the county’s scenic and agricultural character.
Kemmerer (the county seat, population ~2,700) is Lincoln County’s governmental hub and J.C. Penney’s birthplace, a southwest Wyoming coal and trona mining town whose fossil heritage and retail history make it one of Wyoming’s most historically distinctive small cities.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Lincoln County Assessor at 925 Sage Avenue, Kemmerer, WY 83101, phone 307-877-9056. WY assessed at 9.5% of market value.
Courts & Legal
Lincoln County District Court at 925 Sage Avenue, Kemmerer, WY 83101, phone 307-877-9056, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
925 Sage Ave, Kemmerer, WY 83101
(307) 877-9056
CLERK OF DISTRICT COURT
925 Sage Ave, Kemmerer, WY 83101
(307) 877-9056
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Lincoln County Clerk of District Court, Kemmerer (probate case files – see Probate section above); Lincoln County Clerk’s Office (separate office) for recorded deeds, small-estate affidavits, and summary distribution decrees. The Lincoln County Courthouse (1925, Beaux Arts/Classical Revival, designed by Headlund & Watkins) is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Local societies
No dedicated Lincoln 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
Lincoln County Clerk of District Court (Third Judicial District) 925 Sage Avenue, PO Drawer 510, Kemmerer, WY 83101 (307) 877-2053
Lincoln County is in Southwest Wyoming, county seat Kemmerer. Wyoming has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code – it runs its own probate framework under Title 2 of the Wyoming Statutes (“the Wyoming Probate Code”). Probate is filed with the DISTRICT COURT for the county where the decedent lived, administered day-to-day by that county’s Clerk of District Court. Note that Wyoming counties have TWO separate elected clerk offices relevant here: the Clerk of District Court (handles probate case filings) and the County Clerk (a separate office that records deeds, small-estate affidavits, and summary distribution decrees).
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Wyoming Statutes Title 2 governs probate.
Small Estate Affidavit (Wyo. Stat. §2-1-201) – available when the decedent’s entire estate, including personal property (and, per a 2025 update, mineral interests), does not exceed $400,000 (increased from $200,000 effective July 1, 2025, via 2025 Enrolled Act 85/SF0104), less liens and encumbrances. This estate must consist ONLY of personal property (no real estate) for the pure affidavit-to-County-Clerk route. Available 30 days after death; skips court entirely – filed with the County Clerk, who issues a certified copy the claimant presents to banks or other asset holders.
Summary Distribution (Wyo. Stat. §2-1-205) – for small estates up to $400,000 that DO include real property. Requires filing an Application for Decree of Summary Distribution with the District Court (not just the County Clerk); requires 2 consecutive weeks of published notice; the court issues a decree that gets recorded with the County Clerk to clear title.
Full Probate Administration – required for estates exceeding $400,000 or otherwise not eligible for the small-estate or summary paths. File a Petition for Probate with the Lincoln County District Court.
Step 2: filing for administration
File a Petition for Probate with the Lincoln County District Court.
Notice must be published for 3 consecutive weeks (Wyo. Stat. §2-7-201).
Once a personal representative is appointed, creditors have 3 months from the date of first publication to file claims (Wyo. Stat. §2-7-703).
The personal representative pays valid debts and expenses, then distributes remaining assets to heirs/beneficiaries.
Close the estate with a final accounting to the District Court.
Wyoming courts are increasingly moving toward e-filing; check with the Clerk of District Court for current e-filing requirements for pro se (self-represented) filers.
Wyoming does NOT have a statutory percentage fee schedule for personal representatives or attorneys – unlike many states. Fees must be “reasonable” and are subject to court approval (Wyo. Stat. §§2-7-803, 2-7-804).
A bond may be required (Wyo. Stat. §§2-3-102, 2-3-111) unless waived by the will or all beneficiaries.
Wyoming does NOT impose a state estate tax, inheritance tax, or state income tax – one of the most tax-friendly states in the country for estate administration. Only the federal estate tax may apply, with a $15,000,000 per-person exemption for 2026.
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
925 Sage Ave, Kemmerer, WY 83101
(307) 877-3906
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
(307) 877-9056
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Public Health
Lincoln County Public Health, 811 Bridger Ave, Kemmerer, WY 83101
(307) 877-9199
DFS Office
Lincoln County DFS Office, 811 Bridger Ave, Kemmerer, WY 83101
(307) 877-9056
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Lincoln County Public Health – South Lincoln Medical Center provides primary emergency, inpatient, and outpatient services in the Kemmerer area
Services: Immunizations, WIC, environmental health, vital records
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: Kemmerer
Population: 19,500
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Lincoln County County residents.
