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Fayette County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Fayette County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Fayette County District Court, probate division. Kentucky District Court has exclusive jurisdiction over probate matters under KRS 24A.120. |
| Filing office | Fayette County Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Probate Division |
| Courthouse address | Robert F. Stephens District Courthouse, 150 N. Limestone, Suite D-112, Lexington, KY 40507 |
| Mailing | No separate mailing address is posted on Fayette's court pages. Call (859) 246-2242 before mailing probate papers. |
| Phone | (859) 246-2242, Probate Division |
| Office hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Filing fee | $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. Fayette 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. |
| Local forms | None of its own. Fayette County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms. |
| E-filing | Mandatory for attorneys since January 1, 2024. A self-represented filer may register, but the statewide rule does not require self-represented e-filing. Fayette's 2025 District Court rules direct that probate filings be filed electronically, so call (859) 246-2242 first to confirm how a self-represented paper filing will be accepted. |
| Case search | The Kentucky Court of Justice has a free court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/ by county, division and date. Fayette is listed. The separate portal at kcoj.kycourts.net requires an account. |
| Remote appearance | Not published for probate. Fayette County's court page links a Civil & Criminal Zoom Links page for District Court (the link was unavailable when checked); nothing published covers the probate call, so contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (859) 246-2242 before your date. |
| Website | The Court of Justice publishes Fayette's court pages at kycourts.gov, including a District Court division directory. Fayette County District Court has published a weekly schedule placing probate with small claims at 8:30 a.m. in each division's Civil Court block; the schedule page was unavailable when last checked, so confirm the current day and courtroom with the Probate Division at (859) 246-2242. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before choosing a Fayette County probate filing, make a practical list of the assets, debts, account owners, beneficiary designations and real estate issues. Estate settlement starts with knowing what actually passes through court and what does not.
Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 institutions to help families find accounts and property before the first filing. That matters in Fayette County because the Probate Division, the Legal Help Center and the court schedule can help only after you know which estate settlement path fits the facts.
Which court handles jurisdiction
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 Fayette County, the papers go to the Fayette County Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Robert F. Stephens District Courthouse in Lexington. KRS 395.450 puts a proceeding to dispense with administration in the same court (KRS 395.455).
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 Fayette County, at the Fayette County courthouse in Lexington. If the estate becomes contested, the dispute is filed fresh in Fayette Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding, not as an appeal (KRS 24A.120(2), KRS 394.240).
Fayette County is the 22nd Judicial District and 22nd Judicial Circuit under KRS 24A.030. Lexington and Fayette County operate as one urban county government, but Fayette remains a county for Kentucky court purposes. Whether the person lived downtown, at the edge of the county or anywhere between, the probate counter is Suite D-112 at 150 N. Limestone.
The jurisdiction process
- Build the asset and debt list first. The current Kentucky opening packet includes a financial disclosure statement filed under seal (KRS 395.015), so do not pick a filing route until you know what the person owned and owed.
- Get the forms. Fayette County uses the statewide Administrative Office of the Courts forms. Use AOC-805 to open a will or appointment case (KRS 394.145), AOC-830 to ask the court to dispense with administration (KRS 395.455), AOC-841 for the inventory (KRS 395.250), and AOC-846 or AOC-850 to close by formal or informal final settlement (KRS 395.610, KRS 395.605).
- Use Fayette's local help option if you need form help. The Fayette County Legal Help Center is in the Robert F. Stephens Circuit Courthouse, Law Library, Room CB02A, 120 N. Limestone, Lexington. It is open Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and offers guided interviews for a petition for probate and for dispensing with administration. Volunteers provide legal information, not legal advice.
- File in the right building. The probate filing counter is the Probate Division of the Fayette County Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Robert F. Stephens District Courthouse, 150 N. Limestone, Suite D-112, Lexington. The Circuit courthouse is at 120 N. Limestone. Probate starts in District Court under KRS 24A.120.
- Confirm how the papers will be accepted. Since January 1, 2024, an attorney handling a Kentucky probate, intestate or dispense-with-administration case must file electronically, and the circuit clerk will reject paper the attorney could have e-filed. The statewide rule does not require a self-represented filer to e-file, but Fayette's 2025 District Court rules direct that probate filings be filed electronically, so call (859) 246-2242 first to confirm how a self-represented paper filing will be accepted.
- Pay the filing fee. It is $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. Fayette 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 the date, courtroom and payment method before you travel. Fayette County District Court has published a weekly schedule placing probate with small claims at 8:30 a.m. in each division's Civil Court block; the schedule page was unavailable when last checked, so confirm the current day and courtroom with the Probate Division at (859) 246-2242. Fayette's court pages do not list which payment methods the probate counter accepts.
- Do not assume a remote appearance. Fayette County's court page links a Civil & Criminal Zoom Links page for District Court, but the link was unavailable when checked and nothing published covers the probate call. Kentucky has no standing statewide order giving a party the right to appear remotely in a probate matter. Contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (859) 246-2242 before your date.
- Get the authority document after appointment. When the District Court appoints you, the Office of Circuit Court Clerk issues a Certificate of Qualification, form AOC-807, showing that the appointment order is in full force and effect. That certificate, together with a certified copy of the order appointing you, is what banks and title companies accept. Kentucky law also lets you ask the clerk for formal letters in due form under seal (KRS 395.110), and KRS 395.105 calls the fiduciary's authority letters of appointment.
- Administer and close. File the inventory on AOC-841, which is confidential and placed under seal under KRS 395.250. Handle creditor claims under KRS 396.011, distributions under KRS 395.190, then close with AOC-850 for an informal final settlement under KRS 395.605 or AOC-846 for a formal settlement under KRS 395.610. If the matter becomes contested, that dispute is filed as an original action in Fayette Circuit Court under KRS 24A.120(2) and KRS 394.240.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Fayette County
Fayette County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; there is no separate Fayette County form set. You file form AOC-805 to open the estate (KRS 394.145), AOC-830 if you are asking the court to dispense with administration (KRS 395.455), AOC-841 for the inventory (KRS 395.250), and AOC-846 or AOC-850 to close by formal or informal final settlement (KRS 395.610, KRS 395.605).
All of those forms are free through kycourts.gov, and the Probate Division in Suite D-112 can provide paper copies. If you want help completing them, the Fayette County Legal Help Center in the Circuit courthouse law library runs free guided interviews on Thursdays.
| Form | Use |
|---|---|
| AOC-805 | Petition for probate of will and/or appointment of executor or administrator (KRS 394.145) |
| AOC-807 | Certificate of Qualification after appointment |
| AOC-808 | Financial Disclosure, filed under seal as part of applying for appointment (KRS 395.015) |
| AOC-830 | Petition to dispense with administration (KRS 395.455) |
| AOC-841 | Inventory and Appraisement of Estate, confidential and under seal (KRS 395.250) |
| AOC-846 | Settlement of Estate for a formal settlement (KRS 395.610) |
| AOC-850 | Application for Informal Final Settlement (KRS 395.605) |
Timeline
- Call the Probate Division before you plan around a hearing date. Fayette County District Court has published a weekly schedule placing probate with small claims at 8:30 a.m. in each division's Civil Court block; the schedule page was unavailable when last checked, so confirm the current day and courtroom with the Probate Division at (859) 246-2242.
- Ask whether any filing deadline applies to the next probate call. Because the schedule page was unavailable when checked, do not assume the filing cutoff, courtroom or assigned division from an old copy of the calendar.
- Use the statutory clocks after appointment. The inventory is due no later than ninety (90) days from qualifying and is filed under seal (KRS 395.250). Creditor claims are governed by KRS 396.011. Distribution timing is governed by KRS 395.190.
- Close only when the settlement path is ready. An informal final settlement may be filed under KRS 395.605, and a formal settlement uses KRS 395.610. Fayette publishes a local probate call time, but it does not publish a local estimate for how long an estate takes to close.
Local nuance
Fayette County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Two courthouses with similar names | The Robert F. Stephens Circuit Courthouse is at 120 N. Limestone. The Robert F. Stephens District Courthouse is at 150 N. Limestone. Probate is District Court work under KRS 24A.120, so the estate is filed at 150 N. Limestone, Suite D-112. |
| Free help is across the street | The Fayette County Legal Help Center is in the Circuit courthouse law library at 120 N. Limestone, Room CB02A, on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Probate Division filing counter is in the District courthouse at 150 N. Limestone. |
| Probate has a local schedule to confirm | Fayette County District Court has published a weekly schedule placing probate with small claims at 8:30 a.m. in each division's Civil Court block; the schedule page was unavailable when last checked, so confirm the current day and courtroom with the Probate Division. |
| Fayette has its own judicial district | KRS 24A.030 lists Fayette as the 22nd Judicial District. Many Kentucky districts serve multiple counties, but Fayette is listed by itself. |
| Contested estates move to Circuit Court | Fayette's Circuit Civil Division lists contested probate among its case types. Under KRS 24A.120(2) and KRS 394.240, that dispute is filed as an original Circuit Court action, not as an appeal. |
| Local rules point to electronic filing | Fayette's 2025 District Court rules direct that probate filings be filed electronically. The statewide rule makes e-filing mandatory for attorneys beginning January 1, 2024, while self-represented filing should be confirmed with the Probate Division before papers are brought or mailed. |
Recent updates
| Date | Fayette County update |
|---|---|
| September 16, 2025 | The Supreme Court of Kentucky approved the Local Rules of Practice for the 22nd Judicial District, Fayette District Court, by order entered that day. The order states that the rules take effect on the date of the order and remain in effect until further order of the court. |
| July 1, 2026 | The $50 probate filing fee took effect under CR 3.03(1)(c), set by Supreme Court of Kentucky Order 2026-15. With the statewide add-ons, the opening total is $80 before any Fayette County court facilities fee under KRS 24A.185 or county law library fee under KRS 453.060. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Fayette County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | If the home passes outside probate because of co-ownership, the Fayette County question is what was in the deceased spouse's sole name. If the surviving spouse's $30,000 exemption, effective July 15, 2020 under KRS 391.030, together with preferred claims under KRS 396.095, equals or exceeds what would otherwise be distributed, the spouse may ask Fayette County District Court to dispense with administration using AOC-830 (KRS 395.455). Otherwise, the estate opens at Suite D-112 with AOC-805 (KRS 394.145). | Sunset helps find accounts and prepare the filing packet before the spouse chooses between a petition to dispense with administration and a full estate. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the parent lived in Fayette County, filing belongs in Fayette County District Court under KRS 394.140 and KRS 395.030. Call the Probate Division at (859) 246-2242 before booking travel because the court has published an 8:30 a.m. probate and small claims call, the schedule page was unavailable when last checked, and nothing published covers probate remote appearance. If the facts support dispensing with administration, AOC-830 is the petition and KRS 395.455 is the authority. | Sunset helps organize asset information and documents remotely so a trip to Lexington, if needed, is planned around a complete packet. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home that must be sold usually means full administration. The parent opens at the Probate Division with AOC-805 (KRS 394.145), pays the $80 opening total effective July 1, 2026 under CR 3.03, files the inventory under seal on AOC-841 (KRS 395.250), deals with creditor claims under KRS 396.011, and closes with AOC-850 or AOC-846 (KRS 395.605, KRS 395.610). If the sale is disputed, contested probate is filed fresh in Fayette Circuit Court under KRS 24A.120(2). The court may address bond under KRS 395.130. | Sunset helps identify property, account balances and liabilities so the personal representative and attorney can see the full estate settlement picture before filing. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Fayette County Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Probate Division | Probate forms, the filing fee total, case information, and the current probate date and courtroom. The clerk is not an attorney and cannot give legal advice. | Robert F. Stephens District Courthouse, 150 N. Limestone, Suite D-112, Lexington, KY 40507. (859) 246-2242. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Fayette County Legal Help Center | Free legal information and help locating and completing forms, including guided interviews for a petition for probate and dispensing with administration under KRS 395.455. Volunteers do not give legal advice. | Robert F. Stephens Circuit Courthouse, Law Library, Room CB02A, 120 N. Limestone, Lexington, KY 40507. Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. |
| Kentucky Court of Justice self-help portal and A2J guided interviews | Free guided interviews that generate court documents as you answer questions. The topic list includes Probate Estate and Dispense with Administration under KRS 395.455. The forms are a convenience and are not a substitute for legal advice. | kycourts.gov Legal Self-Help, with interviews at a2j.org. |
| Legal Aid of the Bluegrass | The regional civil legal aid program for Fayette County and a partner in the Fayette County Legal Help Center. Its pages describe work on issues such as housing, consumer, family and public benefits matters, so ask directly about any estate question. | Lexington office, 300 E. Main Street, Suite 210, Lexington, KY 40507. (859) 431-8200. lablaw.org. |
| Central Kentucky Lawyer Referral Service | A Fayette County Bar Association service for referral to a Lexington-area lawyer. | (859) 225-8644. fcba.com. |
| Guide to Basic Kentucky Probate Procedures | The Court of Justice's plain-language probate booklet. It is useful, but it predates the July 15, 2026 changes to KRS Chapter 395. The current inventory deadline is ninety (90) days under KRS 395.250, bond is no longer required by default under KRS 395.130, and the current opening packet includes financial disclosure under KRS 395.015. | Available through kycourts.gov Legal Help. |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a Kentucky probate attorney if the estate includes real estate to sell, disputed beneficiaries, creditor claims under KRS 396.011, tax questions, a possible Circuit Court dispute under KRS 24A.120(2), or uncertainty about Fayette's electronic filing rules. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families identify financial accounts, real estate issues, debts and beneficiary-designated assets before filing. That makes Fayette County estate settlement more orderly and helps prevent missed property from surfacing after the Probate Division has already acted.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you gather into the documents and next steps that match Kentucky's statewide forms, including the Fayette County courthouse address, Probate Division phone number and local timing questions to confirm.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal judgment, Sunset can help connect the family with a Kentucky probate lawyer familiar with Fayette County practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, understand the filing path and decide when local legal help is needed.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Fayette County, Kentucky?
File with the Probate Division of the Fayette County Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Robert F. Stephens District Courthouse, 150 N. Limestone, Suite D-112, Lexington, KY 40507. Kentucky probate starts in District Court because KRS 24A.120 gives District Court exclusive jurisdiction over probate matters.
Which Lexington courthouse do I go to for probate?
Go to the Robert F. Stephens District Courthouse at 150 N. Limestone. The Robert F. Stephens Circuit Courthouse is at 120 N. Limestone, one block away. Probate is District Court work under KRS 24A.120, although the Fayette County Legal Help Center is in the Circuit courthouse law library.
What is the phone number for the Fayette County probate clerk?
The Probate Division's direct line is (859) 246-2242. The Office of Circuit Court Clerk publishes separate division numbers, and the number that appears in some listings is the Circuit Civil Division line at the other courthouse.
How much does it cost to open an estate in Fayette 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. Fayette 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 day and time is probate court in Fayette County?
Fayette County District Court has published a weekly schedule placing probate with small claims at 8:30 a.m. in each division's Civil Court block. The schedule page was unavailable when last checked, so confirm the current day and courtroom with the Probate Division at (859) 246-2242.
Can I appear by Zoom for a Fayette County probate hearing?
Not based on anything Fayette publishes for probate. Fayette County's court page links a Civil & Criminal Zoom Links page for District Court, but the link was unavailable when checked and nothing published covers the probate call. Contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (859) 246-2242 before your date.
Does Fayette County have its own probate forms?
No separate Fayette County form set is posted. Fayette uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms, including AOC-805 to open an estate (KRS 394.145), AOC-830 to dispense with administration (KRS 395.455), AOC-841 for the inventory (KRS 395.250), and AOC-846 or AOC-850 to close (KRS 395.610, KRS 395.605).
Where can I get free help filling in Kentucky probate forms in Lexington?
The Fayette County Legal Help Center is in the law library of the Robert F. Stephens Circuit Courthouse, Room CB02A, 120 N. Limestone, Lexington. It is open Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and offers guided interviews for a petition for probate and for dispensing with administration under KRS 395.455. Volunteers provide legal information, not legal advice.
How do I look up a Fayette County court date?
The Kentucky Court of Justice has a free court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/ that asks for a county, division and date, and Fayette is listed. It is a court-date lookup, not a promise that every estate detail will appear there. For a Fayette estate, call the Probate Division at (859) 246-2242.
Do I have to travel to Lexington if I live out of state?
Call before you book travel. No separate mailing address for probate filings is posted, Fayette's 2025 District Court rules direct probate filings to be filed electronically, and nothing published covers probate remote appearance. Ask the Probate Division at (859) 246-2242 how your self-represented filing will be accepted and which court date applies.
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.