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Breckinridge County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Breckinridge County District Court, sitting in probate under KRS 24A.120. |
| Filing office | Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Breckinridge County. |
| Courthouse address | Breckinridge County Justice Center, 111 W. 2nd St., Hardinsburg, KY 40143. |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 111, Hardinsburg, KY 40143-0111. |
| Phone | (270) 756-2239. |
| Fax | (270) 756-1129. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Saturday and Sunday. |
| Cost to open | $80 to open a probate case: a $50 filing fee set by Supreme Court rule effective July 1, 2026 (CR 3.03(1)(c)), plus a $10 Access to Justice Fee (KRS 27A.630) and a $20 court technology fee. Breckinridge County may add a $10 court facilities fee if its fiscal court has adopted the ordinance (KRS 24A.185), and a county law library fee where one is in force (KRS 453.060), so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file. |
| Payment | Cash, cashier's check, certified check, money order, and credit and debit cards, with a card fee. Cash is required for bond, when bond is required under KRS 395.130. |
| Forms | Kentucky statewide AOC probate forms are used. Breckinridge County's clerk page does not post a separate county probate packet. |
| Electronic filing | Since January 1, 2024, attorneys must e-file eligible Kentucky probate filings. Self-represented filers may register for the Kentucky Court of Justice eFiling system, but may still file on paper at the Justice Center in Hardinsburg. |
| Court-date lookup | Kentucky's public docket generator at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/ is a court-date lookup with a not-official-docket caveat, not a full probate case search. For estate status, call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (270) 756-2239. |
| Remote court | Kentucky courts have used Zoom since March 2020, and the Kentucky Court of Justice posts statewide remote-court instructions. Breckinridge County does not post local probate login details; contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before assuming whether a probate matter will be in person or remote. |
| Accessibility and parking | Elevator. A wheelchair is available in the lobby on request at the security desk. Parking is available on both sides of the building. |
| Website | https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Breckinridge.aspx |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Breckinridge County, make a list of the person's accounts, real estate, vehicles, debts, funeral expenses, and family contacts. Estate settlement moves faster when you know what property needs court authority and what can pass outside probate.
Sunset can help search for accounts across 2,300 institutions, organize liabilities, and prepare the information you need for the Kentucky probate packet before you contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Hardinsburg.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Kentucky probate is a District Court matter. KRS 24A.120(2) gives District Court exclusive jurisdiction over matters involving probate, and the papers are filed with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Breckinridge County, at the Breckinridge County Justice Center in Hardinsburg. If the estate becomes contested, the dispute is filed fresh in Breckinridge Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding, not as an appeal (KRS 24A.120(2), KRS 394.240).
Kentucky sends the estate to the District Court of the county where the person lived at death (KRS 394.140), and where there is no will, to the same court (KRS 395.030). If the person lived in Breckinridge County, including Hardinsburg, Irvington, Cloverport, or McDaniels, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Justice Center in Hardinsburg.
Breckinridge County shares the 46th Judicial Circuit and 46th Judicial District with Grayson and Meade counties (KRS 24A.030). That shared judicial district context can affect scheduling, so ask the clerk when a Breckinridge County District Court probate matter will be heard.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the Kentucky AOC form that matches the estate. Use AOC-805 to open a probate estate and seek appointment of an executor or administrator (KRS 394.145). Use AOC-830 if you are asking Breckinridge County District Court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455.
- Prepare the required appointment papers. For a full administration, Kentucky now includes the financial disclosure statement, AOC-808, as part of applying for appointment under KRS 395.015.
- File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Breckinridge County at the Justice Center, 111 W. 2nd St., Hardinsburg, KY 40143, or mail filings to P.O. Box 111, Hardinsburg, KY 40143-0111. Attorneys must e-file eligible probate documents through the Kentucky Court of Justice eFiling system because the attorney mandate has applied since January 1, 2024. Self-represented filers may still file on paper.
- Pay the opening cost or confirm the exact total before filing. $80 to open a probate case: a $50 filing fee set by Supreme Court rule effective July 1, 2026 (CR 3.03(1)(c)), plus a $10 Access to Justice Fee (KRS 27A.630) and a $20 court technology fee. Breckinridge County may add a $10 court facilities fee if its fiscal court has adopted the ordinance (KRS 24A.185), and a county law library fee where one is in force (KRS 453.060), so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file.
- Ask about hearing placement and notice. Breckinridge County's page lists District Court Civil on Tuesday at 1 p.m., but it does not list a separate probate docket. The page also says that, to ensure proper notice to all parties, no matter will be docketed except by leave of court within five business days of the scheduled hearing.
- Ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk whether your hearing is in person or remote. Kentucky courts have used Zoom since March 2020, but Breckinridge County does not post local probate login details. The statewide instruction is to contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for the county where you are scheduled to appear.
- If the court appoints you as personal representative, get the authority documents. The Office of Circuit Court Clerk issues a Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807, and a certified copy of the appointment order. Kentucky law also refers to the fiduciary's authority as letters of appointment (KRS 395.105).
- Administer the estate. File the inventory, AOC-841, within 90 days after qualification; the inventory is confidential and filed under seal under KRS 395.250. Give creditor claims the treatment required by KRS 396.011, and do not distribute estate property before the statutory timing allows under KRS 395.190.
- Close the estate. Use AOC-850 for an informal final settlement under KRS 395.605 when that route fits, or AOC-846 for a settlement under KRS 395.610. Estate settlement is not finished until the court accepts the closing papers and discharges the personal representative when discharge is appropriate.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Breckinridge County
Breckinridge County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; there is no separate Breckinridge County form set. AOC-805 opens the estate (KRS 394.145), AOC-830 asks the court to dispense with administration (KRS 395.455), AOC-841 is the inventory (KRS 395.250), and AOC-846 or AOC-850 closes the estate through settlement under KRS 395.610 or KRS 395.605.
The Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Hardinsburg can provide paper copies, and the statewide form catalogue is available through the Kentucky Court of Justice. The clerk can provide forms and tell you the current amount due, but the clerk cannot give legal advice.
Timeline
- Breckinridge County District Court sits in Hardinsburg as part of the 46th Judicial District with Grayson and Meade counties (KRS 24A.030; KRS 24A.120).
- The county schedule lists Juvenile Court on Monday at 9 a.m., District Court Criminal on Tuesday at 9 a.m., and District Court Civil on Tuesday at 1 p.m. It does not list a separate estate docket time, so ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk when a probate matter will be called.
- The county's notice rule says that no matter will be docketed except by leave of court within five business days of the scheduled hearing. For example, the county page explains that a Wednesday hearing must be filed with the circuit court clerk the preceding Wednesday.
- After appointment, track the statewide probate deadlines. The inventory, AOC-841, is due within 90 days after qualification and is filed under seal under KRS 395.250. Creditor claims are governed by KRS 396.011. Closing may use AOC-850 under KRS 395.605 or AOC-846 under KRS 395.610, depending on the settlement route.
Local nuance
Breckinridge County-specific considerations
| Local point | What to do |
|---|---|
| Five-business-day docketing rule | Breckinridge County's page says no matter will be docketed except by leave of court within five business days of the scheduled hearing. Ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk how that rule applies before choosing a filing date. |
| Cash for bond | The county page accepts several payment methods for general payments, but says cash is required for bond. Kentucky no longer requires a bond by default, but the court can require one under KRS 395.130. |
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Breckinridge County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by identifying which assets are jointly owned and which assets are in the decedent's name alone. If court authority is needed, file through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Justice Center in Hardinsburg. If the estate can be handled by a petition to dispense with administration, use AOC-830 under KRS 395.455. | Sunset organizes accounts, property, debts, and beneficiary information so the spouse can see whether a court filing is needed and what documents to bring to Hardinsburg. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Kentucky does not have a small-estate affidavit. A family member asking the court to transfer assets without appointing an executor or administrator files AOC-830 in Breckinridge County District Court under KRS 395.455. Call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk about whether the hearing can be handled remotely before making travel plans. | Sunset helps assemble the estate settlement packet, identify accounts, and coordinate next steps before the adult child mails or files papers. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the home is titled in the child's name alone, the family usually needs a personal representative appointed by Breckinridge County District Court under KRS 24A.120 before a sale can be completed. After appointment, the clerk issues a Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807, and the fiduciary's authority is described as letters of appointment under KRS 395.105. | Sunset helps identify title issues, accounts, debts, and the documents a local probate attorney may need before a home sale moves forward. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Breckinridge County | Filing office for Breckinridge County probate matters under KRS 24A.120. | Breckinridge County Justice Center, 111 W. 2nd St., P.O. Box 111, Hardinsburg, KY 40143; (270) 756-2239; fax (270) 756-1129. |
| Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms | Statewide AOC probate forms, including AOC-805, AOC-830, AOC-841, AOC-846, AOC-850, AOC-807, and AOC-808. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Forms/Pages/default.aspx |
| Kentucky Court of Justice Self-Help Portal | Guided interviews for Probate Estate and Dispense with Administration. AOC-830 relates to KRS 395.455. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Pages/Self-Help-Portal.aspx and https://a2j.org/#Kentucky |
| Legal Aid Society | Civil legal aid program listed for Breckinridge County. Ask the program what help, if any, is available for an estate issue. | 502-584-1254; https://yourlegalaid.org/ |
| Kentucky Free Legal Answers | Online civil legal question service. | https://ky.freelegalanswers.org/ |
| Kentucky Bar Association lawyer referral services | Statewide attorney referral for people who need legal advice or representation. | https://www.kybar.org/page/lawreferserv |
| Guide to Basic Kentucky Probate Procedures | Plain-language AOC introduction to Kentucky probate. Use current Kentucky statutes for 2026 changes, including inventory timing under KRS 395.250 and bond rules under KRS 395.130. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Documents/probateguide.pdf |
When to hire an attorney
Consider talking with a Kentucky probate attorney if the estate has real estate to sell, a dispute among heirs, creditor claims under KRS 396.011, tax questions, missing heirs, a business interest, or uncertainty about whether the court will require bond under KRS 395.130. If a Breckinridge County estate becomes contested, KRS 24A.120 and KRS 394.240 move the dispute to Breckinridge Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding, not an appeal. Sunset connects families with a vetted probate attorney when legal help makes sense.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for financial accounts, helps organize property and debts, and gives families a clearer starting point for estate settlement before filing in Breckinridge County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into a Kentucky probate packet using the statewide AOC forms that match your path, including AOC-805 under KRS 394.145 or AOC-830 under KRS 395.455 when appropriate.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate involves a home sale, a contested issue under KRS 24A.120, creditor claims under KRS 396.011, or a fiduciary problem, Sunset can connect you with a vetted Kentucky probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, locate assets, and understand the next filing step without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Breckinridge County?
File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Breckinridge County at the Breckinridge County Justice Center, 111 W. 2nd St., Hardinsburg, KY 40143. Mail can be sent to P.O. Box 111, Hardinsburg, KY 40143-0111. Probate is in Breckinridge County District Court under KRS 24A.120.
How much does it cost to open a probate case in Breckinridge County?
$80 to open a probate case: a $50 filing fee set by Supreme Court rule effective July 1, 2026 (CR 3.03(1)(c)), plus a $10 Access to Justice Fee (KRS 27A.630) and a $20 court technology fee. Breckinridge County may add a $10 court facilities fee if its fiscal court has adopted the ordinance (KRS 24A.185), and a county law library fee where one is in force (KRS 453.060), so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file.
What payment methods does the Breckinridge County clerk accept?
The Breckinridge County page lists cash, cashier's check, certified check, money order, and credit and debit cards, with a card fee. It also says cash is required for bond, when bond is required under KRS 395.130.
Does Breckinridge County have its own probate forms?
Breckinridge County uses Kentucky's statewide AOC probate forms. The county clerk page does not post a separate county probate packet. Common forms include AOC-805 for opening an estate under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 for a request to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, AOC-841 for the inventory under KRS 395.250, and AOC-850 or AOC-846 for settlement under KRS 395.605 or KRS 395.610.
Can I e-file a Breckinridge County probate case?
Kentucky probate cases are filed through the Kentucky Court of Justice eFiling system when an attorney handles the filing. Since January 1, 2024, attorneys must e-file eligible probate filings. Self-represented filers may register, but they may also file on paper at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Hardinsburg.
Can I appear remotely for a Breckinridge County probate hearing?
Maybe, but do not assume it. Kentucky courts have used Zoom since March 2020, and statewide instructions tell people to contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for login details. Breckinridge County does not post local probate login information, so call (270) 756-2239 before the hearing.
What court days matter for Breckinridge County District Court?
The county schedule lists Juvenile Court on Monday at 9 a.m., District Court Criminal on Tuesday at 9 a.m., and District Court Civil on Tuesday at 1 p.m. It does not list a separate probate docket. The county also states that no matter will be docketed except by leave of court within five business days of the scheduled hearing.
Can I check a Breckinridge County probate court date online?
Kentucky has a public docket generator at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/ for court-date lookup, but it is not a full probate case search. For the status of a Breckinridge County estate, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Hardinsburg at (270) 756-2239.
What authority document do I receive after appointment?
When Breckinridge County District Court appoints you under KRS 24A.120, the Office of Circuit Court Clerk issues a Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807. That certificate, together with a certified copy of the appointment order, is what banks and title companies commonly ask for. Kentucky also calls the fiduciary's authority letters of appointment under KRS 395.105.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.