Not a government site. We do not sell records or host personal data. About us

County Records Guide
Menu

Finding a will or probate case in Iowa

Who holds it: Iowa District Court sitting in probate; files kept by the Clerk of District Court in the county.1

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. Fees
  2. More details
  3. Related records in Iowa
  4. Probate and wills in Iowa counties with a full guide
  5. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  6. Sources

Search

Probate (estate) cases are in Iowa Courts Online: the statewide trial-court Case ID search lists an ESTATE case type, and the name search lists probate roles (executor, administrator, deceased individual).2

Fees

Fees
Clerk's probate court costs (Iowa Code 2026 s. 633.31): estate administration costs equal 0.2% (two-tenths of one percent) of the probate assets in the report and inventory (not on joint tenancy property, life insurance, POD/TOD accounts, out-of-state real estate, etc.); probate of a will without administration $15; certificate and seal $10; certifying change of title $20; copies of orders or records $0.50 per 100 words.3

More details

Will deposit
The clerk keeps a safekeeping file for wills deposited by living testators; after death the custodian must deliver the will to the court.1
Courts: court system
Unified statewide Iowa Judicial Branch; district court in every county, with case records kept by the Clerk of District Court in the county where the case is filed.4
Courts: statewide case search
Iowa Courts Online Search (free): the trial-court Case Search (statewide; by name, case ID or citation number) is available to all users; the trial-court Advanced Case Search (by county, up-to-the-minute) and Schedule Search are for registered users only; registered users are limited to 1,000 searches per calendar day. Case documents are viewable at the public terminal in the courthouse.5
Courts: fees
Copies $0.50 per page; certification and seal $50 per court document (Iowa Judicial Branch fee table, updated for 2026 legislative changes).6
Death certificates: who holds it
Iowa HHS Bureau of Health Statistics and County Recorders; county recorders can issue deaths from 1954 to present; earlier deaths from the county of residence or of death.7
Death certificates: fee
$20 per certified copy/search.7

Probate and wills in Iowa counties with a full guide

The local office, its official online search and its own fee, for each county with a full guide. Local fees can differ from the statewide figures above.

CountyOfficeSearch onlineFee
Black Hawk CountyClerk of District Court9Search8—
Dallas CountyDallas County Clerk of District Court10——
Dubuque CountyClerk of Court11——
Johnson CountyClerk of District Court, Johnson County12——
Linn CountyLinn County Clerk of District Court13Search13—
Polk CountyClerk of District Court, Polk County14——
Pottawattamie CountyClerk of Court, Iowa District Court for Pottawattamie County15——
Story CountyClerk of District Court, Story County16——
Woodbury CountyClerk of Court17——

For any other county, see the county list on the Iowa guide.

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any Iowa office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Rules in other states: probate records and wills in every state. Everything else in Iowa: Iowa public records guide.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. Iowa Code ch. 633 Probate CodeIowa Legislaturechecked November 4, 2026
  2. Iowa Courts Online - Trial Court State Wide Search (search form)Iowa Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  3. Iowa Code 633.31 Calendar - court costs in probateIowa Legislaturechecked November 4, 2026
  4. Public Records RequestsIowa Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  5. Iowa Courts Online Search - Search SelectionIowa Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  6. Civil Court FeesIowa Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  7. How to Request a Certified RecordIowa Department of Health and Human Serviceschecked November 4, 2026
  8. Iowa Courts Online SearchIowa Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  9. Black Hawk County (District Court)Iowa Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  10. Dallas | Judicial District 5 (via county 'Clerk of Court (State)' link)Iowa Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  11. Dubuque | Judicial District 1Iowa Judicial Branchchecked November 7, 2026
  12. Johnson County, Iowa (home)Johnson County, Iowachecked November 4, 2026
  13. Linn County (District 6) court pageIowa Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  14. Polk County (Fifth Judicial District)Iowa Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  15. Pottawattamie | Judicial District 4Iowa Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  16. Court DirectoryIowa Judicial Branchchecked November 7, 2026
  17. Woodbury County homeWoodbury County, Iowachecked November 4, 2026