Idaho
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in Idaho — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in Idaho
Idaho's Court Self-Help center walks you through divorce step by step — separate paths for cases with and without children. Start there before anything else.
Idaho Court Self-Help — Divorce
Step-by-step divorce forms for cases with and without children, from the courts.
courtselfhelp.idaho.gov — divorce →Find a divorce lawyer
Idaho State Bar — Lawyer Referral Service
$35 referral fee; the initial up-to-half-hour consultation is free: (208) 334-4500.
isb.idaho.gov — lawyer referral →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
Idaho Legal Aid Services
The statewide nonprofit law firm (7 offices). Legal Advice Hotline: (208) 746-7541.
idaholegalaid.org →Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Call 855-552-KIDS (5437) statewide — Treasure Valley 208-334-KIDS; or dial 2-1-1 or local law enforcement. Everyone in Idaho must report known child abuse or neglect.
healthandwelfare.idaho.gov — report abuse →Idaho Housing and Finance Association — Foreclosure Prevention
Idaho Housing's Housing Counseling and Foreclosure Prevention department: local 208-331-4700, toll free 855-505-4700 ext. 8601.
idahohousing.com →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Idaho Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence
(208) 384-0419 — the coalition does prevention and education, not direct victim services, and directs survivors to the National DV Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
idvsa.org →Unpaid wages in Idaho
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in Idaho.
Where to go
Idaho Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Section
Time limit to file
2 years
What the floor is
federal $7.25 applies
Changing your name in Idaho
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in Idaho.
How it works
petition the district court in your county
Typical court fee
~$166
Newspaper notice required?
yes
Small claims court in Idaho
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in Idaho.
Maximum claim
$15,000
Filing fee
$69
Can you bring one?
yes — allowed
Clearing your criminal record in Idaho
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where Idaho stands.
Can records be cleared?
very limited — expungement
What qualifies
arrests not charged, acquittals, dismissed cases (not convictions)
Waiting period
varies by offense
Child support in Idaho
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in Idaho.
How it's figured
income shares Idaho Standard Child Support Worksheet; guidelines in Idaho Rules of Family Law Procedure Rule 120
When it ends
age 18, or high school graduation or age 19 if still in high school
Lemon law in Idaho
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? Idaho's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new motor vehicles purchased or leased in Idaho; vehicles transferred while the express warranty is in effect
When it's legally a lemon
4+ repair attempts of the same defect, 30+ business days out of service, or 1 failed brake/steering repair likely to cause death or serious injury, within 2 years or 24,000 miles
What you get
replacement with a comparable new vehicle or full refund (less a reasonable use allowance)
Tenant rights in Idaho
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in Idaho.
Notice before eviction
30 days (one month) to end month-to-month; 3-day notice to pay or quit for nonpayment
Deposit limits & return
No cap; returned within 21 days (30 if lease allows); itemized deduction list required
When the landlord won't fix things
No repair-and-deduct statute (smoke-detector installation exception only)
DUI / DWI in Idaho
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how Idaho handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08; enhanced penalties at 0.20
Typical penalties
Up to 6 months jail, up to $1,000 fine, 90-180 day license suspension
How far back DUIs count
10-year lookback
Gun laws in Idaho
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Permitless carry (constitutional carry), 18+
Carrying openly
Generally allowed without permit
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: Not required No waiting period.
Extreme risk protection
No red flag law on the books here.
Reciprocity
Honors permits from all other states; 18+ may carry permitless
Filming the police: your rights in Idaho
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
One-party consent
If you are part of a conversation, you may record it — including with police. (Idaho Code § 18-6702(2)(d))
No buffer-zone law
Idaho has no law setting a minimum distance for filming police. You still must not interfere with officers doing their jobs.
Idaho is a one-party consent state; a participant may record without telling others, but recording a conversation you are not part of is barred. No Idaho-specific court ruling on recording police was found, and no state buffer-zone law was found. The First Amendment right recognized by federal courts applies.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in Idaho
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in Idaho
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in Idaho
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
Homelessness help in Idaho
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in Idaho
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →