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Kenton County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Kenton County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Kenton County District Court, probate division. Kentucky probate is a District Court matter under KRS 24A.120. |
| Filing office | Kenton County Office of Circuit Court Clerk, District Civil/Probate. |
| Courthouse address | Kenton County Justice Center, 230 Madison Ave., 3rd Floor, Covington, KY 41011. |
| Mailing | Same as the street address. No separate post office box is published, so call the probate counter before mailing a filing. |
| Phone | (859) 292-6523 for District Civil/Probate. The clerk's general line is (859) 292-6521. |
| Fax | (859) 292-6611. Do not assume fax filing is allowed. |
| Office hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed on court holidays. Bond postings, bond refunds and telephone payments stop at 3:30 p.m. Kentucky's estate bond rule is KRS 395.130. |
| 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. Kenton 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. Kenton uses the statewide Administrative Office of the Courts forms and requires a Civil Case Cover Sheet, form AOC-104, with every filing. |
| E-filing | Mandatory for attorneys since January 1, 2024. Self-represented filers may file on paper at the Covington counter. |
| Case search | A free Kentucky Court of Justice court-date lookup by county and date is available at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/. The state court portal at kcoj.kycourts.net requires an account, and questions about court files go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Remote appearance | Not published for Kenton. Kentucky courts have used Zoom, but contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (859) 292-6523 before your date. |
| Website | kentoncourtclerk.org for the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. The Kentucky Court of Justice county page is at kycourts.gov. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Kenton County filing path, make a practical list of accounts, real estate, vehicles, insurance, debts and funeral expenses. The petition asks for values, and if a personal representative is appointed, the inventory on form AOC-841 is due no later than ninety days after qualification under KRS 395.250.
Sunset searches more than 2,300 institutions to help families find accounts and policies before they file. That asset picture matters for estate settlement in Kenton County because a missed account can change the form packet, the court order you need, or the later inventory.
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 Kenton County, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Kenton County Justice Center in Covington.
Kenton County has two county seats, Covington and Independence, but probate filings are not split between them. Estates from Independence, Erlanger, Edgewood, Covington, Crescent Springs, Crestview Hills, Elsmere, Fort Mitchell, Fort Wright, Bromley and the rest of Kenton County are filed at the Covington Justice Center.
The jurisdiction process
- Work out what the person owned and owed before you file. The petition asks for the estate's value, and the inventory that follows within ninety days of qualifying must list the estate property (KRS 395.250).
- Get the statewide Administrative Office of the Courts forms free at kycourts.gov, through the Kentucky Court of Justice guided interviews, or in paper at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk on the third floor of the Kenton County Justice Center. The Kenton clerk's office says the guided-interview probate forms are accepted at its counter.
- Decide which petition you are filing. Kenton describes a petition to dispense with administration on form AOC-830, which asks the District Judge to order assets transferred without appointing an executor or administrator (KRS 395.455), and a petition to probate the will and appoint an executor or administrator on form AOC-805 (KRS 394.145).
- File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Kenton County Justice Center, 230 Madison Ave., 3rd Floor, Covington, KY 41011, at the District Civil/Probate counter. Every Kenton County estate is filed there, including estates from Independence, Erlanger and Edgewood.
- Bring photo identification, and bring every form to the counter unsigned unless it has already been notarised. Kenton's office asks that AOC forms be signed in the presence of a deputy clerk. Bring the Civil Case Cover Sheet, form AOC-104, which the clerk's office requires on every case.
- Pay the 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. Kenton 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. Kenton's office takes cash, cheque, money order, and credit and debit cards, with a processing fee on cards, and it also takes payment online through ePay.
- If an attorney is handling the estate, the petition is e-filed through the Kentucky Court of Justice system. Since January 1, 2024, attorney e-filing is mandatory for Kentucky probate case types. If you are handling the estate yourself, you may register to e-file, but you are not required to, and you can file on paper at the Covington counter.
- Follow the Kenton scheduling path. A petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455 generally does not get a court date: the clerk processes it and sends it to the judge's office for a ruling, and if it is granted the signed order is certified and mailed to the petitioner. A petition to probate an estate gets a hearing date, time and location when you file. Kenton hears probate petitions on Monday and Wednesday afternoons.
- Ask about remote appearance before relying on it. Kentucky courts have held proceedings remotely by Zoom since March 2020 and the Kentucky Court of Justice publishes statewide remote-court instructions. Whether a particular Kenton County District Court probate matter is heard in person or remotely is up to the judge, and the login details are not published centrally: the Court of Justice's own instruction is to contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in the county where you are scheduled to appear. Call (859) 292-6523 and ask before you assume either way.
- 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.
- File the inventory, form AOC-841, no later than ninety days after you qualify (KRS 395.250). Since July 15, 2026, the inventory is confidential and is filed under seal.
- Pay what the estate owes, distribute what is left after the period allowed by KRS 395.190, then close at the same Covington counter with an informal final settlement on form AOC-850 (KRS 395.605) or a settlement of estate on form AOC-846 (KRS 395.610). Kenton adds an advertisement charge to a periodic or final settlement filing, so ask the counter what the total is before you bring it in.
Executor duties
- Use the same District Civil/Probate counter on the third floor of the Kenton County Justice Center for later filings, including the inventory on form AOC-841 (KRS 395.250) and closing papers on form AOC-850 (KRS 395.605) or AOC-846 (KRS 395.610).
- Bring photo identification, and bring forms unsigned unless they have already been notarised, because Kenton's office asks that AOC forms be signed in front of a deputy clerk.
- If you file a periodic or final settlement required by KRS 395.610, Kenton adds a local advertisement charge to the settlement filing. Ask the counter what the total is before you bring it in.
- If you need copies from the file or a recording of a hearing, the Kenton Office of Circuit Court Clerk is the place to request them.
- Call (859) 292-6523 rather than the general courthouse line. That is the District Civil/Probate counter.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Kenton County
Kenton County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; there is no separate Kenton 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 (KRS 395.610, KRS 395.605). All of them are free at kycourts.gov, and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk on the third floor of the Kenton County Justice Center in Covington will also hand you paper copies.
| Form or item | How Kenton uses it |
|---|---|
| AOC-104 Civil Case Cover Sheet | Kenton requires a Civil Case Cover Sheet with every case. |
| AOC-805 | Petition for Probate of Will and/or Appointment of Executor/Administrator (KRS 394.145). |
| AOC-830 | Petition to Dispense with Administration (KRS 395.455), with the companion order AOC-830.1. |
| AOC-825 | Fiduciary Bond. Since July 15, 2026, no bond is required unless the court orders one (KRS 395.130), but the form remains available when needed. |
| AOC-841 | Inventory and Appraisement of Estate, due no later than ninety days after qualification and filed under seal (KRS 395.250). |
| AOC-846 and AOC-850 | Settlement of Estate and Application for Informal Final Settlement (KRS 395.610, KRS 395.605). |
| Counter signing | Bring photo identification and sign AOC forms in the presence of a deputy clerk unless they were already notarised. |
The Kenton clerk also points families to the Kentucky Access to Justice guided interviews, which produce free probate forms the Kenton counter accepts.
Fees
$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. Kenton 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.
Kenton adds local cost items in two places. A filing with a will can cost more because the will is also recorded with the Kenton County Clerk, and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk collects for that at the counter. When Kenton requires a periodic or final settlement under KRS 395.610, the Office of Circuit Court Clerk also adds a local advertisement charge to that settlement filing. Ask the District Civil/Probate counter what the current total is before you bring in a petition or settlement.
The Kenton clerk's probate instructions also note that a probate petition may be filed with a motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis. Whether costs are relieved is for the District Judge to decide on that motion. The only statewide probate fee exemption identified on the AOC probate form set is AOC-860, which is limited to a line of duty death.
Timeline
- Petition to dispense with administration: Kenton states that these cases generally do not require a court date. After filing, the clerk processes the petition, sends it to the judge's office for a ruling, and mails a certified signed order if the petition is granted (KRS 395.455).
- Petition to probate an estate: Kenton states that these cases require a hearing date, which is provided when you file the petition.
- Typical probate hearing windows: Kenton's District Court schedule lists petitions to probate on Monday from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. and Wednesday from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. The court also states that any District Judge may alter the schedule and that holidays may change it.
- Use the paperwork you receive at filing: the Kenton clerk's probate page tells filers to refer to the filing paperwork for the scheduled date, time and location.
- After appointment: file the inventory on form AOC-841 no later than ninety days after qualification (KRS 395.250), then handle administration and closing at the same Covington counter.
Local nuance
Kenton County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Kenton filing |
|---|---|
| Two county seats, one court counter | Kenton has county offices in both Covington and Independence, but probate filings go to the Kenton County Justice Center in Covington. The Independence office belongs to the Kenton County Clerk, a different office. |
| Legal Help Center in the same building | The Kenton County Legal Help Center is in the law library on the second floor of the Justice Center, one floor below the probate counter. It is staffed Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and covers simple probate matters. |
| Published probate docket days | Kenton publishes probate hearing windows on Monday and Wednesday afternoons, subject to judge changes and holidays. Your filing paperwork gives the date, time and location. |
| Will recording cost | A will admitted to probate is also recorded with the Kenton County Clerk, and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk collects for that at the counter. Call (859) 292-6523 for the current total. |
| Counter mechanics | Bring photo identification, bring AOC forms unsigned unless already notarised, and include Civil Case Cover Sheet AOC-104 with every case. |
Recent updates
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| July 1, 2026 | The probate filing fee became $50 under CR 3.03(1)(c), set by Supreme Court of Kentucky Order 2026-15 effective July 1, 2026. The Kenton County Office of Circuit Court Clerk posted that civil filing fees increased on July 1 for District and Civil cases and directs filers to contact the office with questions. |
| April 2024 | The Kenton County Legal Help Center opened in the law library on the second floor of the Kenton County Justice Center. It is staffed Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and its guided interviews include a petition for probate and a petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Kenton County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | A surviving spouse in Covington or Erlanger brings photo identification, the Civil Case Cover Sheet and the unsigned AOC forms to the District Civil/Probate counter on the third floor at 230 Madison Ave. Depending on the estate assets, the filing may be AOC-830 to dispense with administration (KRS 395.455), which Kenton says generally does not need a court date, or AOC-805 to probate the will (KRS 394.145), which gets a hearing date at filing. | Sunset helps find accounts and policies before filing, so the petition and any later ninety-day inventory under KRS 395.250 are accurate. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | An adult child in Ohio whose parent lived in Independence files in Kenton County because venue follows the person's Kentucky residence at death (KRS 394.140). The filing is at the Covington Justice Center, not in Independence and not in Ohio. A self-represented filer may file on paper; an attorney must e-file under the January 1, 2024 attorney mandate. | Sunset helps assemble the estate settlement packet remotely and identify accounts the child cannot see from another state. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A parent in Fort Mitchell whose child died owning a house typically needs full administration: AOC-805 (KRS 394.145), a hearing on the Monday or Wednesday probate calendar, and then a Certificate of Qualification, form AOC-807, plus a certified order after appointment. The title company will usually want those authority papers. The inventory follows within ninety days (KRS 395.250), and closing papers return to the same Covington counter. | Sunset helps build the asset picture, prepare the packet and connect the family with a vetted local probate attorney if the sale gets complicated. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| Kenton County Legal Help Center | Free legal information for people handling certain matters on their own, including simple probate matters. It is in the law library on the second floor of the Kenton County Justice Center and is staffed Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteers provide information and help with locating and completing forms, not legal advice. | 230 Madison Ave., 2nd Floor, Covington. |
| Kenton County Office of Circuit Court Clerk | The filing counter for probate on the third floor. The office provides forms, gives hearing dates and can tell you the current filing fee under CR 3.03 and any local amount due. It cannot give legal advice. | (859) 292-6523, kentoncourtclerk.org. |
| Kentucky Court of Justice guided interviews | Free online guided interviews for a probate petition and for dispensing with administration under KRS 395.455. The Kenton clerk states that the forms they generate are accepted at its counter. | kycourts.gov Self-Help Portal, delivered through a2j.org. |
| Legal Aid of the Bluegrass | The civil legal aid program for Kenton County. It screens for eligibility. | (859) 431-8200, lablaw.org. |
| Northern Kentucky Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service | Referral to a private attorney. The service is not pro bono and referred attorneys charge their own fees. | (859) 781-1525, nkybar.com/lawyer-referral. |
| Kentucky Free Legal Answers | Free online civil legal questions answered by volunteer Kentucky attorneys. | ky.freelegalanswers.org. |
| Guide to Basic Kentucky Probate Procedures | The Administrative Office of the Courts' statewide plain-language probate booklet. Use it as an overview, but the inventory deadline and bond rule changed in 2026: the inventory is now due within ninety days under KRS 395.250, and no bond is required unless the court orders one under KRS 395.130. | kycourts.gov Legal Self-Help. |
When to hire an attorney
You can file many uncontested Kenton County probate matters without hiring counsel, and the Legal Help Center can point you to forms and legal information. Counsel makes sense if the family disagrees, the will may be challenged, real estate must be sold, creditors are active under KRS 396.011, or the filings affect taxes, title or a business. Sunset connects you with a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families build the asset picture before the first Kenton County filing, so the petition, the inventory under KRS 395.250 and the rest of the estate settlement work from the same information.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset and family information into an organized probate packet using the Kentucky AOC forms Kenton expects, including the petition, cover sheet and follow-up checklist for the Covington counter.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate involves a home sale, disagreement, creditor issue under KRS 396.011 or a filing that should be handled by counsel, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted local probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, find assets, prepare for court and decide whether attorney help is needed without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Kenton County, Kentucky?
File at the Kenton County Office of Circuit Court Clerk, District Civil/Probate counter, Kenton County Justice Center, 230 Madison Ave., 3rd Floor, Covington, KY 41011. The direct District Civil/Probate phone number is (859) 292-6523. Kentucky probate is a District Court matter under KRS 24A.120.
Is probate filed in Covington or Independence?
Covington. Kenton County has two county seats, but probate filings go to the Kenton County Justice Center in Covington. The Independence address belongs to the Kenton County Clerk, a different office that handles items such as deeds, marriage licences and motor vehicles.
What does it cost to open a probate case in Kenton 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. Kenton 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. Kenton also charges more when a will must be recorded with the Kenton County Clerk.
What day are probate hearings held in Kenton County?
Kenton lists petitions to probate on Monday and Wednesday afternoons, generally from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. The court also states that any District Judge may change the schedule and that holidays may affect it. Use the date, time and location on the paperwork you receive when you file.
Do I have to hire a lawyer to file probate in Kenton County?
No local rule in the materials provided requires a lawyer for every uncontested filing. The clerk's office can provide forms and the current filing fee under CR 3.03, but it cannot give legal advice. The Kenton County Legal Help Center gives free legal information on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Sunset can connect you with a vetted probate attorney when counsel is the safer choice.
Can I file probate myself in Kenton County, or do I have to e-file?
If you are self-represented, you may file on paper at the Covington counter. Kentucky probate cases are e-filed through the Kentucky Court of Justice system, and attorney e-filing has been mandatory for probate case types since January 1, 2024, but that attorney mandate does not require a self-represented filer to e-file.
What do I need to bring to the probate counter in Covington?
Bring photo identification, the completed AOC forms left unsigned unless already notarised, Civil Case Cover Sheet AOC-104, and payment. Kenton accepts cash, cheque, money order, and credit or debit cards with a processing fee charged by the card processor. Cheques are made payable to the Kenton Circuit Clerk.
Can I appear remotely for a Kenton County probate hearing?
Kentucky courts have held proceedings remotely by Zoom since March 2020 and the Kentucky Court of Justice publishes statewide remote-court instructions. Whether a particular Kenton County District Court probate matter is heard in person or remotely is up to the judge, and the login details are not published centrally: the Court of Justice's own instruction is to contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in the county where you are scheduled to appear. Call (859) 292-6523 and ask before you assume either way.
How do I look up a Kenton County probate case?
The free Kentucky Court of Justice court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/ can show when a Kenton case is set to be heard. It is not a full case-file search. CourtNet runs behind the state court portal at kcoj.kycourts.net, which requires an account, and the Administrative Office of the Courts states that trial-court case files come from the county Office of Circuit Court Clerk. For a Kenton probate file, call (859) 292-6523.
Does Kenton County have its own probate forms?
Kenton does not publish a Kenton-numbered probate form set. It uses Kentucky's statewide AOC forms, including AOC-805 for probate and appointment (KRS 394.145), AOC-830 for dispense with administration (KRS 395.455), AOC-841 for the inventory (KRS 395.250), and AOC-846 or AOC-850 for closing (KRS 395.610, KRS 395.605). Kenton also requires Civil Case Cover Sheet AOC-104 with every case.
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.