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Ohio County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court and filing office | Ohio County District Court, filed through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Ohio County. KRS 24A.120 gives District Court probate jurisdiction. |
| Filing location | Ohio County Community Center, 130 E. Washington St., Hartford, KY 42347 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 67, Hartford, KY 42347-0067 |
| Phone | (270) 298-3671 |
| Fax | (270) 298-9565 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 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. Ohio County has adopted an additional $10 court facilities fee on each District Court probate filing under its own fiscal court ordinance (KRS 24A.185), so confirm the exact total, likely $90, with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file. |
| Payment | Cash, cashier's check, money order, and credit or debit card, with a card fee. The county page also links Pay online with ePay. |
| Forms | Statewide AOC probate forms only. No separate Ohio County probate form set was published on the county page. |
| Electronic filing | For attorneys, e-filing in eligible Kentucky probate case types has been required since January 1, 2024. Self-represented filers may register but can file on paper with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Hartford. |
| Online lookup | The state court access portal is a login portal, not a free public case search. A free court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/ covers Ohio County, but it is not a full case-record search. For case status, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Appearance format | No Ohio County probate login information was published. Ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk whether your event is in person or remote before the date. |
| Website | https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Ohio.aspx |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Hartford, make a working list of the assets, debts, beneficiary information, and any will. That determines whether you are asking Ohio County District Court under KRS 24A.120 to appoint a personal representative, or whether a narrower Kentucky filing such as a petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455 may fit.
Sunset helps families start estate settlement with asset discovery across 2,300 institutions, then uses what is found to organize the probate packet for the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Ohio County.
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 Ohio County, Kentucky, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Ohio County Community Center in Hartford.
That Hartford filing office serves Ohio County from one location: 130 E. Washington St., Hartford, KY 42347, with mail to P.O. Box 67, Hartford, KY 42347-0067. Ohio County is in the 38th Judicial District, shared with Butler, Edmonson and Hancock counties (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 Ohio County, Kentucky, at the Ohio County Community Center in Hartford. If the estate becomes contested, the dispute is filed fresh in Ohio 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, will status, and family contacts before filing. If there is a will, the opening petition is AOC-805 under KRS 394.145. If the family is asking the judge to dispense with administration, use AOC-830 under KRS 395.455.
- Prepare the statewide AOC forms for the path you are using. A full administration packet commonly starts with AOC-805 (KRS 394.145), AOC-808 financial disclosure under KRS 395.015, and any oath or order forms the court requires.
- File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Ohio County at the Ohio County Community Center, 130 E. Washington St., Hartford, KY 42347, or mail the packet to P.O. Box 67, Hartford, KY 42347-0067. Kentucky probate is filed in District Court under KRS 24A.120, through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
- Pay the opening cost and 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. Ohio County has adopted an additional $10 court facilities fee on each District Court probate filing under its own fiscal court ordinance (KRS 24A.185), so confirm the exact total, likely $90, with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file. The office accepts cash, cashier's check, money order, and credit or debit cards, with a card fee.
- Ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk what notices or waivers are needed for your filing and when your matter will be called. Ohio County publishes general court sitting days, but not a probate-specific hearing day.
- If an attorney represents the estate, eligible probate filings must be e-filed through Kentucky's eFiling system because the attorney mandate has applied since January 1, 2024. If you are self-represented, you may register for e-filing, but you may also file on paper at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Hartford.
- Ask about appearance details before the hearing. Kentucky courts have used Zoom for some proceedings since March 2020, but Ohio County does not publish local probate login information, so contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before assuming the matter is in person or remote.
- After appointment, get the authority document. When the District Court appoints you under KRS 24A.120, 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 the estate. File the inventory on AOC-841 within 90 days after qualification, and remember that the inventory is confidential and filed under seal under KRS 395.250. Handle creditor claims under KRS 396.011 before distributing property under KRS 395.190.
- Close the estate when the administration is ready to close. 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.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Ohio County
Ohio County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms. No separate Ohio County probate form set, probate checklist, or probate fee schedule was published on the Ohio County page.
| Form | Use |
|---|---|
| AOC-805 | Petition for Probate of Will and/or Appointment of Executor or Administrator, used to open a full estate under KRS 394.145. |
| AOC-808 | Financial Disclosure, the disclosure connected to appointment under KRS 395.015. |
| AOC-807 | Certificate of Qualification, the clerk-issued proof of authority after appointment. |
| AOC-830 | Petition to Dispense with Administration, the Kentucky court petition tied to KRS 395.455. |
| AOC-841 | Inventory and Appraisement of Estate, due within 90 days and filed under seal under KRS 395.250. |
| AOC-846 | Settlement of Estate, used for settlement practice under KRS 395.610. |
| AOC-850 | Application for Informal Final Settlement, used when an informal final settlement is available under KRS 395.605. |
| AOC-860 | Affidavit for Probate Fee Exemption, used only for the line-of-duty probate fee exemption under AOC-860. |
The forms are free through the Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms page, and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Hartford can provide paper copies. The clerk can provide forms and filing information, but cannot give legal advice.
Fees
Ohio County has a local fee fact that matters for estate settlement. In addition to the statewide Kentucky opening cost, Ohio County Fiscal Court Ordinance No. 2019-2 says: "In probate cases in District Court, a fee of $10.00 shall be added to each filing fee." The ordinance relies on KRS 24A.185 for District Court probate filings.
Use this filing-cost framing for Ohio 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. Ohio County has adopted an additional $10 court facilities fee on each District Court probate filing under its own fiscal court ordinance (KRS 24A.185), so confirm the exact total, likely $90, with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file.
The county page lists these payment options: cash, cashier's check, money order, and credit or debit cards, with a card fee. It also links Pay online with ePay.
Timeline
- Use the published court schedule only as orientation. Ohio County lists general court sitting days, but it does not label any day as a probate-specific docket.
- For general District Court scheduling under KRS 24A.120, Ohio County lists Division I on Monday at 9:00 a.m. and Division II on Thursday at 9:00 a.m.
- The same county page lists Family Court matters on Wednesdays, including DVO/IPO at 8:30 a.m., civil at 11 a.m., juvenile on the first, third and fourth Wednesday at 1 p.m., adoptions on the second Wednesday at 1 p.m., and child support on the second Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.
- The county page lists Circuit Court motion days on the first and third Tuesday, with civil at 9 a.m. and criminal at 10 a.m. If a probate dispute becomes a contested original adversary proceeding, KRS 24A.120 and KRS 394.240 place that dispute in Circuit Court.
- Ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk when your Ohio County estate matter will be called. Do not assume the general schedule gives your hearing date.
Local nuance
Ohio County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Local court facilities fee | Ohio County has adopted its own $10 court facilities fee under a 2019 fiscal court ordinance and KRS 24A.185, on top of the statewide $80 opening cost tied to CR 3.03 effective July 1, 2026. The likely opening total is $90, but you should confirm the current amount with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Community Center filing location | The filing office is in the Ohio County Community Center at 130 E. Washington St. in Hartford. The county page uses that building name, so do not look only for a building named courthouse. |
| General schedule, not a probate day | Ohio County publishes general District, Family and Circuit Court sitting days. KRS 24A.120 makes probate a District Court matter, but the published schedule is not labeled as a probate hearing calendar. |
| Mailing option | The filing office publishes a mailing address of P.O. Box 67, Hartford, KY 42347-0067. If you mail a filing, call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk to confirm the current cost and any hearing or notice instructions. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed locally |
|---|---|
| Ohio County local court facilities fee | Ohio County Fiscal Court Ordinance No. 2019-2 adds a $10 court facilities fee to District Court probate filings under KRS 24A.185. The statewide opening cost remains tied to CR 3.03 effective July 1, 2026, so confirm the likely $90 total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Filing location wording | The Kentucky Court of Justice county page identifies the filing location as the Ohio County Community Center in Hartford. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by identifying what passed outside probate and what still needs Ohio County District Court under KRS 24A.120. If a filing is needed, use the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Ohio County Community Center in Hartford and confirm the opening cost, likely $90 because of the local KRS 24A.185 fee. | Sunset organizes the estate settlement asset list, flags accounts that may not need court authority, and helps assemble the filing packet if court authority is needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Kentucky does not use a bank affidavit for this path. If the facts fit, the filing is a petition to dispense with administration on AOC-830 under KRS 395.455, filed with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Hartford or mailed to P.O. Box 67. | Sunset helps collect account information remotely, prepares a packet checklist, and can help you decide whether to file yourself or work with a Kentucky probate attorney. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually requires clear authority from Ohio County District Court under KRS 24A.120. After appointment, the clerk issues the Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807, and Kentucky authority may also include letters of appointment under KRS 395.105. | Sunset helps surface accounts, organize real-estate and debt information for the attorney, and keep estate settlement tasks in one place while the home sale moves forward. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Ohio County | The local filing office for Ohio County estates. The office can provide forms, accept filings, give court-date information, and tell you the current filing amount under CR 3.03 effective July 1, 2026, including the local KRS 24A.185 add-on. The clerk cannot give legal advice. | Ohio County Community Center, 130 E. Washington St., Hartford, KY 42347. Mail to P.O. Box 67, Hartford, KY 42347-0067. Phone: (270) 298-3671. Fax: (270) 298-9565. |
| Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms | Free statewide probate forms, including AOC-805 under KRS 394.145, AOC-807, AOC-830 under KRS 395.455, AOC-841 under KRS 395.250, AOC-846 under KRS 395.610, AOC-850 under KRS 395.605, 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 under KRS 395.455 and Probate Estate interviews. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Pages/Self-Help-Portal.aspx and https://a2j.org/#Kentucky |
| Kentucky Legal Aid | The civil legal aid program listed for Ohio County. Ask the program directly what help is available for your situation. | 270-782-1924 or 800-782-1924. https://klaid.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 way 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 AOC's plain-language introduction to Kentucky probate. Use current statutes and current forms for deadlines and KRS 395.130 bond questions, because the booklet predates the July 15, 2026 statutory changes. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Documents/probateguide.pdf |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets
Sunset searches for accounts, policies, and property clues so the family can begin estate settlement with a clearer asset list before filing in Hartford.
Generate the probate packet
Sunset turns the information you provide into an organized Kentucky probate packet, including the local Ohio County filing details, the Office of Circuit Court Clerk address, and the forms that match the path you choose.
Find a local probate attorney
If the estate involves a home sale, creditor conflict, a contested will issue, or a filing you do not want to handle alone, Sunset can connect you with a Kentucky probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families
Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools at no cost.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Ohio County, Kentucky?
File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Ohio County at the Ohio County Community Center, 130 E. Washington St., Hartford, KY 42347. Mail goes to P.O. Box 67, Hartford, KY 42347-0067. Kentucky probate is a District Court matter under KRS 24A.120, and venue generally follows where the person lived at death under KRS 394.140.
Is Ohio County probate filed with the county clerk?
No. Probate papers for Ohio County District Court under KRS 24A.120 are filed with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Hartford. The office name includes Circuit Court Clerk even though probate itself is in District Court.
How much does it cost to open probate in Ohio 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. Ohio County has adopted an additional $10 court facilities fee on each District Court probate filing under its own fiscal court ordinance (KRS 24A.185), so confirm the exact total, likely $90, with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file.
What payment methods does the Ohio County clerk accept?
The Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Hartford takes cash, cashier's check, money order, and credit or debit cards, with a card fee. The county page also links Pay online with ePay. Confirm the current amount under CR 3.03 effective July 1, 2026 before paying.
Does Ohio County have local probate forms?
Ohio County uses Kentucky's statewide AOC probate forms. No separate Ohio County probate form set was published on the county page. Common forms include AOC-805 under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 under KRS 395.455, AOC-841 under KRS 395.250, AOC-846 under KRS 395.610, and AOC-850 under KRS 395.605.
Can I e-file an Ohio County probate case?
If an attorney handles the estate, eligible Kentucky probate filings must be e-filed because the attorney e-filing mandate has applied since January 1, 2024. If you are self-represented, you may register for e-filing, but you are not required to do so and may file on paper with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Hartford.
When are probate hearings in Ohio County?
Ohio County publishes general court sitting days, including District Court Division I on Monday at 9:00 a.m. and Division II on Thursday at 9:00 a.m. under KRS 24A.120. The schedule is not labeled as a probate-specific docket, so call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (270) 298-3671 for your estate's actual date.
Can I appear remotely for an Ohio County probate matter?
Ohio County does not publish probate-specific remote login information. Kentucky courts have used Zoom for some proceedings since March 2020, but whether your matter is in person or remote is case-specific. Contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before assuming either way.
Can I look up an Ohio County probate case online?
The state court access portal is a login portal, not a free public case search. A free court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/ covers Ohio County, but it is not a full case-record search. For probate case status, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Hartford.
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.