The FLDS Church has been led by a succession of men regarded as prophets, who are believed to have been called by God to lead.
The first leader of the FLDS Church was John Y. Barlow, who led the community of Short Creek until his death on December 29, 1949.
He was succeeded by Joseph White Musser, who was the church's leader during a government crackdown on polygamy known as the Short Creek raid, in 1953, in which all the FLDS Church members of Short Creek were arrested, including 236 children.

Musser led the community until a contentious appointment of Rulon Allred to a high position of authority in 1951 angered some members of the Short Creek community.
Musser had appointed Allred to be his successor, but Allred was not accepted as his successor by the Short Creek community.
This led to a schism, with many followers breaking off and joining Allred; this offshoot became known as the Apostolic United Brethren.
The core group in the Short Creek area instead followed Charles Zitting as its leader.

Zitting died in 1954 and Leroy S. Johnson was chosen to lead the church in Short Creek.
Johnson led the FLDS Church until his death in 1986.
He was succeeded by Rulon Jeffs, who assumed the position of prophet, a title his predecessor refused to use.
In Jeffs' later years, his poor health led to his son Warren Jeffs serving as leader of the church in his stead, and upon Rulon's death in September 2002, Warren Jeffs became leader of the FLDS Church.
However, immediately after the state of Utah convicted him of being an accomplice to rape, it was widely reported in the press that Warren Jeffs resigned his leadership of the FLDS Church, though the statement made by his attorneys only addresses Jeffs' resignation from his fiduciary post as "President of the Corporation of the President of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Inc."
In early 2011, Jeffs reasserted his leadership of the church.
Since no public statements had been made by church officials indicating Jeff's successor, it is not known who led the FLDS Church in the interim, although it is possible that Warren Jeffs continued to be leader during this period.

Previous heads
Leroy S. Johnson (died aged 98), 1954–1986
Rulon T. Jeffs (died aged 93), 1986–2002
Current head
The following individuals held (or claimed) high leadership positions as of late 2011.

Warren Jeffs, as living incumbent (disputed), 2002 – c. 2007?;
since February 2011 (jailed in 2007) (with Lyle Jeffs as the designated, future successor)
William E. Jessop, 2007–2010, claimant to the succession
Merril Jessop, 2007–Feb 2011 (de facto leader)
Wendell L. Nielsen, 2010–January 28, 2011 (President of the church's corporate entity)
Lyle Jeffs, brother of Warren Jeffs and former head and bishop of the church until his brother removed him from these posts in 2012 as reported by the Salt Lake Tribune
Bishops as of 2018
James Oler - Canada
In January 2010, Wendell Loy Nielson became president of the FLDS.
The FLDS Church has been led by a succession of men regarded as prophets, who are believed to have been called by God to lead. The first leader of the FLDS Church was John Y. Barlow, who led the community of Short Creek until his death on December 29, 1949. He was succeeded by Joseph White Musser, who was the church's leader during a government crackdown on polygamy known as the Short Creek raid, in 1953, in which all the FLDS Church members of Short Creek were arrested, including 236 children.
Musser led the community until a contentious appointment of Rulon Allred to a high position of authority in 1951 angered some members of the Short Creek community. Musser had appointed Allred to be his successor, but Allred was not accepted as his successor by the Short Creek community. This led to a schism, with many followers breaking off and joining Allred; this offshoot became known as the Apostolic United Brethren. The core group in the Short Creek area instead followed Charles Zitting as its leader.
Zitting died in 1954 and Leroy S. Johnson was chosen to lead the church in Short Creek. Johnson led the FLDS Church until his death in 1986. He was succeeded by Rulon Jeffs, who assumed the position of prophet, a title his predecessor refused to use. In Jeffs' later years, his poor health led to his son Warren Jeffs serving as leader of the church in his stead, and upon Rulon's death in September 2002, Warren Jeffs became leader of the FLDS Church. However, immediately after the state of Utah convicted him of being an accomplice to rape, it was widely reported in the press that Warren Jeffs resigned his leadership of the FLDS Church, though the statement made by his attorneys only addresses Jeffs' resignation from his fiduciary post as "President of the Corporation of the President of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Inc."
In early 2011, Jeffs reasserted his leadership of the church. Since no public statements had been made by church officials indicating Jeff's successor, it is not known who led the FLDS Church in the interim, although it is possible that Warren Jeffs continued to be leader during this period.
Previous heads
Leroy S. Johnson (died aged 98), 1954–1986
Rulon T. Jeffs (died aged 93), 1986–2002
Current head
The following individuals held (or claimed) high leadership positions as of late 2011.
Warren Jeffs, as living incumbent (disputed), 2002 – c. 2007?; since February 2011 (jailed in 2007) (with Lyle Jeffs as the designated, future successor)
William E. Jessop, 2007–2010, claimant to the succession
Merril Jessop, 2007–Feb 2011 (de facto leader)
Wendell L. Nielsen, 2010–January 28, 2011 (President of the church's corporate entity)
Lyle Jeffs, brother of Warren Jeffs and former head and bishop of the church until his brother removed him from these posts in 2012 as reported by the Salt Lake Tribune
Bishops as of 2018
James Oler - Canada
In January 2010, Wendell Loy Nielson became president of the FLDS.
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints