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Nelson County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Nelson County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Nelson County District Court. Kentucky probate is a District Court matter under KRS 24A.120(2). |
| Filing office | Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Nelson County |
| Courthouse address | Nelson County Justice Center, 200 Nelson County Plaza, Bardstown, KY 40004 |
| Mailing | Use the courthouse address. Nelson County's court page does not give a separate mailing address. |
| Phone | (502) 348-3648. Nelson County's court page gives one Office of Circuit Court Clerk number, with no separate probate, Circuit or District line. |
| Fax | Not listed on Nelson County's court page. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Saturday and Sunday. No lunch closure or filing cutoff is listed. |
| 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. Nelson 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 under KRS 453.060 where one is in force, so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file. |
| Payment | In person, the Office of Circuit Court Clerk accepts cash, money order, check, and credit or debit card, with a processing fee for cards. Nelson County also links to Pay online with ePay. Ask the office before relying on the drop box for a probate filing fee under CR 3.03, because the posted drop-box instructions describe citation payments. |
| Forms | Nelson County uses Kentucky's statewide AOC probate forms and does not list a separate Nelson County probate packet on its court page. |
| Electronic filing | Since January 1, 2024, attorneys handling Kentucky probate, intestate or dispense-with-administration cases must use the Kentucky Court of Justice eFiling system. Self-represented filers may register, but may still file on paper at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Bardstown. |
| Court-date lookup and records | A free court-date lookup is available at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/. It is a court-date lookup only. For District Court probate case status under KRS 24A.120, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Bardstown. |
| Remote option | Nelson County's page posts judge-specific Zoom sign-in links. Because those links are tied to sitting judges, check the current county page or call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (502) 348-3648 before a hearing. |
| Website | https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Nelson.aspx |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Bardstown, make a working list of what the person owned, what they owed, and which assets already have a joint owner or beneficiary. Nelson County's page does not list a local probate checklist or fee schedule, so you will save time by taking a clear asset and debt summary to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
Sunset's estate settlement process searches across 2,300 institutions to help families find accounts, insurance, retirement plans and other assets before choosing the right Kentucky probate path. That preparation also helps you decide whether you need a full appointment or a petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455.
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 Nelson County, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Nelson County courthouse in Bardstown.
The filing location is the Nelson County Justice Center at 200 Nelson County Plaza, Bardstown. That one courthouse serves estates for people who lived anywhere in Nelson County, including Bardstown, Bloomfield, Fairfield, New Haven, Boston, Chaplin, New Hope and Howardstown.
Nelson County is the 57th Judicial District by itself (KRS 24A.030). 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 Nelson County, at the Nelson County courthouse in Bardstown. If the estate becomes contested, the dispute is filed fresh in Nelson Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding, not as an appeal (KRS 24A.120(2), KRS 394.240).
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the assets, debts and likely heirs before you choose a filing. Nelson County's court page does not give a probate checklist, so bring your own estate settlement summary when you contact the clerk.
- Get the Kentucky AOC forms. AOC-805 opens an estate and cites KRS 394.145. AOC-830 is used when asking the court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455. AOC-808 is the financial disclosure required under KRS 395.015. AOC-841 is the inventory form under KRS 395.250. AOC-846 closes by settlement under KRS 395.610, and AOC-850 is for informal final settlement under KRS 395.605.
- File at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Nelson County Justice Center, 200 Nelson County Plaza, Bardstown, KY 40004. Since January 1, 2024, an attorney must file eligible Kentucky probate papers through eFiling; a self-represented filer may register but may still file on paper at the Bardstown clerk's office.
- Pay the 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. Nelson 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 under KRS 453.060 where one is in force, so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file.
- Use a confirmed payment method. Nelson County's page says the clerk accepts cash, money order, check, and credit or debit card in person, with a processing fee for cards, and links to Pay online with ePay. Ask the office whether the posted drop box can be used for a probate filing fee under CR 3.03 before relying on it, because the drop-box instructions describe citation payments.
- Ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for the court date. Nelson County's page does not list a separate probate docket. A free court-date lookup is available at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/, but for District Court probate case status under KRS 24A.120, contact the Bardstown clerk's office.
- Ask about appearance format before the hearing. Nelson County's page posts judge-specific Zoom links, but the current login details should be checked on the county page or with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
- If the District Court appoints you, the Office of Circuit Court Clerk issues a Certificate of Qualification, form AOC-807. That certificate shows the appointment order is in force. Kentucky law also uses letters of appointment for the fiduciary's authority under KRS 395.105.
- Administer and close the estate. Handle creditor claims under KRS 396.011, file the AOC-841 inventory under KRS 395.250, make any distribution under KRS 395.190, and close with AOC-846 under KRS 395.610 or AOC-850 under KRS 395.605 when the estate is ready.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Nelson County
Nelson County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; there is no separate Nelson County form set. 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-808 for the financial disclosure under KRS 395.015, AOC-841 for the inventory under KRS 395.250, and AOC-846 under KRS 395.610 or AOC-850 under KRS 395.605 to close.
The forms are available through kycourts.gov, and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Bardstown can provide paper copies. The clerk can provide forms and tell you the filing fee under CR 3.03 effective July 1, 2026, but the clerk cannot give legal advice or tell you which legal choice to make.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Local path in Nelson County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by separating the home documents from the accounts and personal property that may need court action. If a Nelson County filing is needed, use the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Nelson County Justice Center in Bardstown. | Sunset helps organize the estate settlement asset list, locate accounts, and prepare the information needed before deciding whether a court filing is needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Call the Bardstown clerk at (502) 348-3648 before traveling. If the family is asking the court to dispense with administration, AOC-830 is the Kentucky form tied to KRS 395.455; if appointment is needed, use AOC-805 under KRS 394.145. | Sunset helps collect asset information remotely, generate a probate packet from Kentucky forms, and connect the family with local counsel if travel or signatures become difficult. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | File in Nelson County if the child lived there at death under KRS 394.140 and KRS 395.030. A sale involving estate authority may require a personal representative appointed through Nelson County District Court under KRS 24A.120. | Sunset helps turn the estate settlement facts into an organized packet for the clerk, the title company and any attorney reviewing the sale. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | Contact | How it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Nelson County | Nelson County Justice Center, 200 Nelson County Plaza, Bardstown, KY 40004; (502) 348-3648 | The filing office for Nelson County probate matters. The office can provide forms, tell you the filing fee under CR 3.03 effective July 1, 2026, and give court-date information. |
| Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Forms/Pages/default.aspx | Statewide probate forms, including AOC-805, AOC-807, AOC-830, AOC-841, AOC-846, AOC-850 and AOC-860. |
| Kentucky Court of Justice Self-Help Portal | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Pages/Self-Help-Portal.aspx and https://a2j.org/#Kentucky | Free guided A2J interviews, including Probate Estate and Dispense with Administration under KRS 395.455. |
| Legal Aid Society | 502-584-1254; https://yourlegalaid.org/ | The civil legal aid program listed for Nelson County. Ask the program directly about eligibility and whether help is available for your issue. |
| Kentucky Free Legal Answers | https://ky.freelegalanswers.org/ | Free online civil legal questions answered by a volunteer Kentucky attorney. |
| Kentucky Bar Association lawyer referral services | https://www.kybar.org/page/lawreferserv | Statewide lawyer referral information for finding a Kentucky attorney. |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a Kentucky probate attorney if the family disagrees, a home must be sold, creditors may dispute payment under KRS 396.011, the will may be challenged as an original Circuit Court action under KRS 394.240 and KRS 24A.120, or you are acting from outside Nelson County. Sunset connects you to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for accounts, policies and property clues so the family has a clearer estate settlement picture before filing in Bardstown.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps turn the information you provide into Kentucky probate forms and a filing checklist for the Nelson County Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate needs legal help, Sunset can connect the family with a Kentucky probate attorney familiar with District Court probate under KRS 24A.120.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset for estate settlement organization, document preparation support and attorney matching without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Nelson County?
File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Nelson County Justice Center, 200 Nelson County Plaza, Bardstown, KY 40004. Kentucky sends the estate to the District Court where the person lived at death under KRS 394.140, and an intestate estate goes to that same court under KRS 395.030.
Is Nelson County probate handled by District Court?
Yes. Kentucky probate is a District Court matter. KRS 24A.120(2) gives District Court exclusive jurisdiction over matters involving probate, except contested matters that become an original adversary proceeding in Circuit Court under KRS 24A.120 and KRS 394.240.
How much does it cost to open a probate case in Nelson 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. Nelson 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 under KRS 453.060 where one is in force, so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file.
Does Nelson County have its own probate forms?
Nelson County uses Kentucky's statewide AOC forms. Use AOC-805 to open an estate under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 to ask the court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, AOC-841 for the inventory under KRS 395.250, AOC-846 for settlement under KRS 395.610, and AOC-850 for informal final settlement under KRS 395.605.
Can I use a small estate process in Nelson County?
Kentucky's small estate path is a court petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, not a bank affidavit. In Nelson County, that petition is filed with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Bardstown using AOC-830 under KRS 395.455.
Do attorneys have to use eFiling for Nelson County probate?
Yes. Since January 1, 2024, attorneys handling eligible Kentucky probate matters must use the Kentucky Court of Justice eFiling system. Self-represented filers may register for the system, but may still file on paper at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Bardstown.
Can I appear remotely for a Nelson County probate hearing?
Do not assume either way. Nelson County's page posts judge-specific Zoom links, and the Kentucky Court of Justice tells people to contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for court-event login details. Call (502) 348-3648 or check the current Nelson County court page before the hearing.
Can I look up a Nelson County probate case online?
A free court-date lookup is available at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/. It is a court-date lookup only. For District Court probate case status under KRS 24A.120, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Bardstown at (502) 348-3648.
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.