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Hardin County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Hardin County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Hardin County District Court. KRS 24A.120 gives District Court exclusive jurisdiction over matters involving probate. |
| Filing office | Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Hardin County |
| Courthouse address | Hardin County Justice Center, 120 E. Dixie Ave., Elizabethtown, KY 42701 |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing box is published for the court office. Use the Justice Center address. |
| Probate phone | (270) 766-5000, Option 5 |
| Probate fax | (270) 766-5184 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; phones are answered until 3:30 p.m. Closed Saturday and Sunday. |
| Opening cost | $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. Hardin 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. |
| Forms | Hardin County uses Kentucky's statewide AOC probate forms. No separate Hardin County probate form set is published on the county court page. |
| Electronic filing | Kentucky probate cases are e-filed through the Kentucky Court of Justice's eFiling system. 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. If you are handling the estate yourself, you may register as a self-represented party, but you are not required to e-file. |
| Court-date lookup | The free Kentucky court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets includes Hardin County and states that it is not an official docket and is subject to change. For estate status, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Video appearance | Hardin County posts District Court Zoom instruction sheets, revised August 1, 2023. Whether a probate matter is heard in person or by video is up to the judge; call (270) 766-5000, Option 5 before assuming either way. |
| Parking and access | Free parking is published at the back of the building. The county page lists ramps, elevators and equipped bathrooms. |
| Website | https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Hardin.aspx |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Elizabethtown, make a working list of the assets, debts, beneficiaries, and accounts that may need court authority. Hardin County's clerk can provide forms and court-date information, but the filing office cannot decide which assets pass outside probate or which Kentucky form fits your estate settlement.
Sunset starts estate settlement by helping families find accounts and assets across 2,300 institutions, then organize the information needed for the probate packet, the court filing, and any attorney review.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Kentucky sends a will to the District Court of the county where the person lived at death (KRS 394.140), and an intestate estate goes to that same court (KRS 395.030). If the person lived in Hardin County, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Hardin County Justice Center in Elizabethtown.
Hardin County has one published court filing location: Hardin County Justice Center, 120 E. Dixie Ave., Elizabethtown, KY 42701. The 9th Judicial District consists of Hardin County alone under KRS 24A.030, and Hardin County District Court sits in two divisions.
The Hardin County court serves communities including Elizabethtown, Radcliff, Vine Grove, West Point, Glendale, Colesburg, White Mills, Cecilia, Rineyville, Eastview, Howe Valley, Big Spring, Sonora, Stephensburg, Summit, Upton, and the Fort Knox area.
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 Hardin County, at the Hardin County Justice Center in Elizabethtown. If the estate becomes contested, the dispute is filed fresh in Hardin Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding, not as an appeal (KRS 24A.120(2), KRS 394.240).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the Kentucky AOC probate form that matches the filing. Use AOC-805 to probate a will or ask for appointment under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 to ask the court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, and include the financial disclosure required by KRS 395.015 when appointment is requested.
- File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Hardin County Justice Center, 120 E. Dixie Ave., Elizabethtown, KY 42701. If you are handling the estate yourself, paper filing at the counter is available; an attorney must use Kentucky eFiling for eligible probate filings from January 1, 2024.
- Pay the opening cost or confirm the exact total before you travel. $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. Hardin 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.
- Use the payment methods the Hardin County court page publishes. The Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Hardin County publishes its payment options as cash, check, and money order, and the county court page also links Pay online with ePay.
- Ask the clerk for the court date and division assigned to the estate. The Hardin District Court division sheets revised August 1, 2023 list probate dockets on Monday afternoon, Division 1 at 2 p.m. and Division 2 at 3 p.m., but you should call (270) 766-5000, Option 5 for the current date, division, and instructions.
- Ask about video before the hearing. Hardin County District Court posts Zoom instruction sheets for each of its two divisions on the county court page. Those sheets, revised August 1, 2023, say the divisions' dockets should be attended in person and that a person who is on quarantine, in jail, in a treatment bed, or out of state may ask to appear by video, with the link requested from that division by email. Whether a particular Hardin County District Court probate matter is heard in person or by video is up to the judge, so call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (270) 766-5000, Option 5 and ask before you assume either way.
- If the court appoints you, get the authority document from the clerk. The Office of Circuit Court Clerk issues a Certificate of Qualification on AOC-807, and KRS 395.105 calls the fiduciary's authority letters of appointment.
- Administer the estate under the Kentucky deadlines. File the inventory on AOC-841 within 90 days under KRS 395.250, handle creditor claims under KRS 396.011, and keep records of payments and distributions.
- Close the estate using the Kentucky settlement path that fits the case. AOC-850 is used for an informal final settlement under KRS 395.605, while AOC-846 is used for a settlement of estate under KRS 395.610.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Hardin County
Hardin County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; there is no separate Hardin County form set published on the county court page. You file AOC-805 to open the estate under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 if you are asking the court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, AOC-841 for the inventory under KRS 395.250, and AOC-846 or AOC-850 to close under KRS 395.610 or KRS 395.605.
The forms are free through the Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms page, and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Elizabethtown can provide paper copies. Call (270) 766-5000, Option 5 before you travel if you need the current filing total, a court date, or the division assigned to the estate.
Timeline
- Before filing, call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (270) 766-5000, Option 5 during phone hours, which end at 3:30 p.m., to ask how the estate will be assigned to a District Court division.
- After filing, ask for the current court date. The Hardin County District Court division sheets revised August 1, 2023 list probate dockets on Monday afternoons: 2 p.m. for Division 1 and 3 p.m. for Division 2.
- Do not treat those Monday times as a guaranteed slot. They are the published division schedule, but the clerk should give you the current date, division, and appearance instructions for your own estate.
- If video attendance is an issue, ask before the court date. The August 1, 2023 division sheets describe limited situations in which a person may ask to appear by video, and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk is the contact point before you assume the format.
Local nuance
Hardin County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Hardin County filing |
|---|---|
| Use the right clerk | Probate filings go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Hardin County Justice Center, 120 E. Dixie Ave. The Hardin County Clerk at 150 N. Provident Way is a different office and handles services such as vehicle registration, real estate recordings, elections, delinquent taxes, marriage licences and notaries. |
| Use the probate option | The court page routes District Court probate, domestic violence, mental health and juvenile matters to (270) 766-5000, Option 5, with probate fax (270) 766-5184. |
| Call before 3:30 p.m. | The counter hours run to 4:30 p.m., but the published phone hours end at 3:30 p.m. |
| Two District Court divisions | Hardin County District Court has two divisions. The division sheets revised August 1, 2023 list probate dockets on Monday at 2 p.m. for Division 1 and Monday at 3 p.m. for Division 2. |
| Payment methods | The Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Hardin County publishes its payment options as cash, check, and money order, and the county court page also links Pay online with ePay. |
| Building access | The county page lists free parking at the back of the building and accessibility features described as ramps, elevators and equipped bathrooms. |
| Judicial district | Hardin County is the 9th Judicial District, and KRS 24A.030 lists that district as Hardin County alone. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Hardin County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by separating what passes outside the estate from what needs court authority. If a court filing is needed, file with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Hardin County Justice Center in Elizabethtown. AOC-830 may fit some requests to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, but a co-owned home usually needs deed and title review. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, and property questions so the spouse can see whether estate settlement needs a full filing, a dispense-with-administration request under KRS 395.455, or attorney review. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Hardin County publishes no separate mailing box, so papers go to 120 E. Dixie Ave., Elizabethtown, KY 42701. A self-represented child is not required to e-file; an attorney must e-file eligible probate documents from January 1, 2024. Call before 3:30 p.m. at (270) 766-5000, Option 5. | Sunset organizes the asset list, account information, and probate packet so an out-of-state child can decide what must be filed in Elizabethtown and what can be handled before travel. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Selling real property usually means opening a full estate and being appointed personal representative. File AOC-805 under KRS 394.145 in Elizabethtown, then use the Certificate of Qualification on AOC-807 with a certified copy of the appointment order for banks and title companies. If a dispute arises, it goes to Hardin Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding under KRS 24A.120 and KRS 394.240. | Sunset helps gather financial information, generate forms for attorney review, and connect the parent with a Kentucky probate attorney when title, sale proceeds, or family conflict make the estate settlement more complex. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Hardin County | The filing office for Hardin County estates. It can provide statewide forms, take filings, tell you the current amount to pay, and give court-date information. The clerk's office cannot give legal advice. | Hardin County Justice Center, 120 E. Dixie Ave., Elizabethtown, KY 42701; (270) 766-5000, Option 5; fax (270) 766-5184 |
| Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms | Free statewide probate forms, including AOC-805, AOC-807, AOC-808, AOC-830, AOC-841, AOC-846, AOC-850 and AOC-860. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Forms/Pages/default.aspx |
| Kentucky Court of Justice Self-Help Portal | Free guided interviews for self-represented people, including Dispense with Administration and Probate Estate interviews. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Pages/Self-Help-Portal.aspx and https://a2j.org/#Kentucky |
| Legal Aid Society | The civil legal aid program listed for Hardin County. Ask the program directly what help is available for your situation. | 502-584-1254; https://www.yourlegalaid.org/ |
| Kentucky Free Legal Answers | Income-eligible Kentuckians can post a civil legal question online for a volunteer Kentucky attorney to answer. | https://ky.freelegalanswers.org/ |
| Kentucky Bar Association lawyer referral services | A statewide place to look for a Kentucky attorney when the estate involves a home sale, family conflict, or tax and title issues. | https://www.kybar.org/page/lawreferserv |
| Guide to Basic Kentucky Probate Procedures | The Administrative Office of the Courts' plain-language introduction to Kentucky probate. Use current statutes and current forms for the inventory deadline under KRS 395.250 and for bond under KRS 395.130, because the booklet predates the July 15, 2026 changes. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Documents/probateguide.pdf |
| Kentucky court-date lookup | A free no-login tool that lists court dates by county and includes Hardin. It states that it is not an official docket and can change, and it is a court-date tool only. | https://kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/ |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a Kentucky probate attorney if the estate includes real estate to sell, a business, taxable beneficiaries, missing heirs, creditor disputes under KRS 396.011, a will challenge, disagreement among family members, or uncertainty over whether AOC-830 under KRS 395.455 is enough. If the matter becomes contested, KRS 24A.120 and KRS 394.240 send the dispute to Hardin Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding, not an appeal. Sunset connects families with a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families locate bank, investment, insurance, retirement and other financial accounts so the estate settlement starts with a clearer asset picture.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you gather into an organized probate packet for Kentucky forms, attorney review, and filing with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Hardin County estate involves a home sale, conflict, creditor issues under KRS 396.011, or a court hearing, Sunset can connect you with a vetted Kentucky probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, prepare next steps, and understand what to take to the Hardin County Justice Center without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Hardin County, Kentucky?
File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Hardin County Justice Center, 120 E. Dixie Ave., Elizabethtown, KY 42701. Kentucky probate is handled in District Court, and KRS 24A.120 gives District Court exclusive jurisdiction over matters involving probate.
Which Elizabethtown clerk handles an estate?
Use the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Justice Center on E. Dixie Ave. The Hardin County Clerk at 150 N. Provident Way is a different office that handles services such as vehicle registration, real estate recordings, elections, delinquent taxes, marriage licences and notaries.
What number do I call about a Hardin County estate?
Call (270) 766-5000, Option 5. Phones are answered until 3:30 p.m., even though the counter is open until 4:30 p.m.
How much does it cost to open an estate in Hardin 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. Hardin 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.
How can I pay the Hardin County court?
The Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Hardin County publishes its payment options as cash, check, and money order, and the county court page also links Pay online with ePay. Confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you travel.
Are there Hardin County probate forms?
Hardin County uses Kentucky's statewide AOC probate forms. 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 for informal final settlement under KRS 395.605.
Can I e-file a Hardin County probate case?
Kentucky probate cases are e-filed through the Kentucky Court of Justice's eFiling system. Since January 1, 2024, an attorney handling a Kentucky probate, intestate or dispense-with-administration case must file electronically. If you are self-represented, you may register for the system, but you are not required to e-file and may file on paper at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Elizabethtown.
When is the probate docket in Elizabethtown?
The Hardin County District Court division sheets revised August 1, 2023 list probate dockets on Monday afternoon: 2 p.m. for Division 1 and 3 p.m. for Division 2. Call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (270) 766-5000, Option 5 for the current date and division assigned to your estate.
Can I ask about video for a Hardin County probate hearing?
Hardin County District Court posts Zoom instruction sheets for each division. Those sheets, revised August 1, 2023, say dockets should be attended in person and that a person who is on quarantine, in jail, in a treatment bed, or out of state may ask to appear by video. Whether a particular Hardin County District Court probate matter is heard in person or by video is up to the judge, so call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (270) 766-5000, Option 5 before you assume either way.
Can I look up a Hardin County estate online?
Kentucky does not publish a free public docket search for District Court probate cases. The Kentucky Court of Justice's CourtNet system runs behind an account portal at kcoj.kycourts.net, which requires an account, and the Administrative Office of the Courts states that it does not hold trial-court case records at all. To find out where a Hardin County estate stands, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Elizabethtown at (270) 766-5000, Option 5. A separate free court-date lookup includes Hardin County, but it states that it is not an official docket and can change.
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.