Updated September 7, 2026. Quick answer: In Idaho, idaho follows the Uniform Probate Code pattern: no bond is required of a personal representative appointed in informal proceedings, with limited exceptions; in formal proceedings the court may order bond but is not required to if the will relieves the PR of bond (absent an interested party’s request the court finds desirable).
Does Idaho require an executor to post a bond?
Idaho follows the Uniform Probate Code pattern: no bond is required of a personal representative appointed in informal proceedings, with limited exceptions; in formal proceedings the court may order bond but is not required to if the will relieves the PR of bond (absent an interested party’s request the court finds desirable).
“No bond is required of a personal representative appointed in informal proceedings, except (1) upon the appointment of a special administrator; (2) when an executor or other personal representative is appointed to administer an estate under a will containing an express requirement of bond or (3) when bond is required under section 15-3-605.”
Source: Idaho Code § 15-3-603
Can the will waive it in Idaho?
Yes. Bond is not required of a PR in formal proceedings if the will relieves the requirement, unless bond has been requested by an interested party and the court is satisfied it is desirable; a will-required bond may also be dispensed with by the court for good cause.
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Can the heirs or beneficiaries waive it in Idaho?
No. Idaho Code §15-3-605 lets an interested party demand/request bond, which is the reverse of a waiver mechanism; no provision here lets heirs waive an otherwise-applicable bond.
If a bond is required, how much?
When a bond is required, Idaho sizes it at 100% of the estimated value of the personal estate plus expected annual income, per its own bond-amount statute.
“in an amount not less than the estimate of the value of the personal estate of the decedent and of the income expected from the personal and real estate during the next year”
Source: Idaho Code § 15-3-604
What makes Idaho different
Idaho’s own official legislature site confirms wording nearly identical to Hawaii’s and Maine’s UPC-derived text, but cites Idaho’s own cross-reference (§15-3-605) and separately exempts domestic banks/trust companies and PRs who deposit cash or collateral with a state agency.
| Bond-requirement source | Idaho Code § 15-3-603 |
| Idaho courts (general reference) | Idaho judicial branch |
| Idaho Secretary of State / legislature | Idaho state government |
| Idaho legislature (additional reference) | Idaho legislature |
| Confidence | High |
Every statute quoted on this page was read directly from the state’s own legislature/code site this session, or, where that site blocked automated access, from a reputable legal-citation mirror quoting the same official text with its official citation (disclosed below). General information, not legal advice; a probate court has final discretion over bond in every state; confirm your own case with the court or a local attorney before relying on the default described here.
Related: how long creditors have to file a claim against an estate in Idaho.