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Perry County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Perry County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Perry County District Court, probate division, under KRS 24A.120 |
| Courthouse | Perry County Hall of Justice, 545 Main St., Hazard, KY 41702 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 7433, Hazard, KY 41702-7433 |
| Phone | District Court, probate matters: 606-435-6002. Circuit line: 606-435-6000. |
| Fax | The Perry County Court of Justice page does not publish a fax line. Ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before trying to fax probate papers. |
| 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. Perry 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 | Cash, check, money order. Cash required for bond under KRS 395.130. Photo ID required to pick up released bond. Pay online with ePay. |
| Forms | Kentucky statewide AOC probate forms apply. No separate Perry County probate form set appears on the county court page. |
| E-filing | Since January 1, 2024, an attorney handling eligible Kentucky probate filings must use the Kentucky Court of Justice eFiling system. Self-represented filers may register, but may still file on paper at the Hazard clerk's office. |
| Court dates and case information | The Kentucky Court of Justice court-date lookup lists Perry County. It is a court-date tool, not a full probate case-file search. For CourtNet or Kentucky electronic filing portal questions, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Hazard. |
| Remote appearance | Kentucky courts use Zoom instructions statewide, but no Perry County probate login is posted locally. Contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before assuming a hearing will be remote. |
| Parking | Free parking in a lot and a parking structure. Two-hour parking on Main Street. |
| Website | https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Perry.aspx |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Hazard, make a practical list of the decedent's assets, debts, titled property, bank accounts, vehicles, and any jointly owned property. That list drives whether the family is asking for appointment of a personal representative or asking Perry County District Court under KRS 24A.120 to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455.
Estate settlement moves faster when the asset search is complete before the first filing. Sunset can search across 2,300 institutions, organize what is found, and turn the results into a probate packet you can take or mail to the Perry County Hall of Justice.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Kentucky sends the estate to the District Court of the county where the person lived at death, under KRS 394.140, and where there is no will, to the same court, under KRS 395.030. Probate jurisdiction is in District Court under KRS 24A.120. If the person lived in Perry County, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Perry County Hall of Justice in Hazard.
The Perry County filing location is 545 Main St., Hazard, KY 41702. Mail probate papers to P.O. Box 7433, Hazard, KY 41702-7433. The court serves all of Perry County, including Hazard, Buckhorn, Chavies, Combs, Cornettsville, Krypton, Typo, Viper, and other Perry County communities.
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 Perry County, at the Perry County courthouse in Hazard. If the estate becomes contested, the dispute is filed fresh in Perry Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding, not as an appeal (KRS 24A.120(2), KRS 394.240).
The jurisdiction process
- Start with the assets and debts. Identify bank accounts, vehicles, real estate, jointly owned property, debts, funeral costs, and known creditor claims under KRS 396.011 before choosing a filing path.
- Choose the starting form. Use AOC-805 for probate of a will or appointment of an executor or administrator, with KRS 394.145. If the family is asking the court to dispense with administration, use AOC-830 with KRS 395.455. The new financial disclosure form AOC-808 is tied to KRS 395.015.
- Get the forms from the Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms page or from the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Hazard. Perry County uses the statewide AOC forms rather than a separate county probate packet.
- File at the Perry County Hall of Justice, 545 Main St., Hazard, KY 41702, or mail to P.O. Box 7433, Hazard, KY 41702-7433. If an attorney is handling the filing, eligible probate papers must be e-filed through the Kentucky Court of Justice eFiling system since January 1, 2024. A self-represented filer may use paper filing.
- Pay the opening amount. $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. Perry 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. The Perry County page lists cash, check, money order, and ePay. Cash is required for bond under KRS 395.130.
- Ask for the court date and appearance instructions. Perry County does not publish a probate motion-hour schedule on its court page, so call the District Court line, 606-435-6002. If a remote appearance may be needed, ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for the current instruction before the hearing.
- Receive authority after appointment. When the District Court under KRS 24A.120 appoints a personal representative, the Office of Circuit Court Clerk issues a Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807. Kentucky law also uses letters of appointment under KRS 395.105 and lets the clerk issue formal letters under seal under KRS 395.110.
- Administer the estate. File the inventory 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, pay allowed expenses, and keep receipts.
- Close the estate. Use AOC-850 for an informal final settlement under KRS 395.605 when the statutory conditions are met, or AOC-846 for settlement of estate under KRS 395.610.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Perry County
Perry County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; there is no separate Perry County form set. You file form AOC-805 with KRS 394.145 to open the estate, AOC-830 with KRS 395.455 if you are asking the court to dispense with administration, AOC-841 with KRS 395.250 for the inventory, and AOC-846 with KRS 395.610 or AOC-850 with KRS 395.605 to close. All of them are free at kycourts.gov and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Hazard will also hand you paper copies.
| Form | Use |
|---|---|
| AOC-805 | Petition for probate of will or appointment of executor or administrator, with KRS 394.145 |
| AOC-808 | Financial disclosure, with KRS 395.015 |
| AOC-807 | Certificate of Qualification after appointment |
| AOC-830 | Petition to dispense with administration, with KRS 395.455 |
| AOC-841 | Inventory and appraisement, with KRS 395.250 |
| AOC-846 | Settlement of estate, with KRS 395.610 |
| AOC-850 | Application for informal final settlement, with KRS 395.605 |
Local nuance
Perry County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Perry County filing |
|---|---|
| Use the District line for probate | The county court page lists District: 606-435-6002 and Circuit: 606-435-6000. Because probate is handled in District Court under KRS 24A.120, start with the District line for probate questions. |
| Payment methods are limited on the page | The Perry County page lists cash, check, money order, and ePay. It does not list card payment. Cash is required for bond under KRS 395.130, and photo ID is required to pick up released bond. |
| Perry is a single-county district | Perry is the 33rd Judicial District under KRS 24A.030. The county page names the 33rd Judicial Circuit and 33rd Judicial District for Perry without naming another county. |
| Parking is published locally | The county page lists free parking in a lot and a parking structure, plus two-hour parking on Main Street. |
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Person | Likely local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by separating jointly owned property from assets that need court authority. If the home must be sold or retitled through the estate, file AOC-805 with KRS 394.145 at the Perry County Hall of Justice or by mail. If only transfer of remaining personal property is needed, ask whether AOC-830 with KRS 395.455 fits. | Sunset helps identify accounts, title issues, and debts before the first Hazard filing, then helps organize the estate settlement packet. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Kentucky uses a court petition, not an affidavit, when a family asks to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455. Mail papers to P.O. Box 7433, Hazard, KY 41702-7433, and call the District line at 606-435-6002 about payment and any court date. | Sunset helps collect asset information remotely, prepare the AOC-830 with KRS 395.455 when appropriate, and flag when a local attorney should review the filing. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually requires opening a full estate with AOC-805 under KRS 394.145, then using the Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807, for banks and title companies. If the matter becomes contested, KRS 24A.120 and KRS 394.240 send the dispute to Perry Circuit Court as an original action. | Sunset helps find accounts, assemble sale-related probate documents, and connect the family with a Kentucky probate attorney when title or family disputes make estate settlement more complex. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Perry County | Filing office for Perry County estates. The office can provide forms, take filings, give the current court cost total with CR 3.03 effective July 1, 2026, and provide court-date information. The clerk cannot give legal advice. | Perry County Hall of Justice, 545 Main St., Hazard, KY 41702. Mail: P.O. Box 7433, Hazard, KY 41702-7433. District: 606-435-6002. Circuit: 606-435-6000. |
| Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms | Free statewide probate forms, including AOC-805 with KRS 394.145, AOC-807, AOC-830 with KRS 395.455, AOC-841 with KRS 395.250, AOC-846 with KRS 395.610, AOC-850 with KRS 395.605, and AOC-860 for the probate fee exemption. | 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 with KRS 395.455 and Probate Estate. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Pages/Self-Help-Portal.aspx and https://a2j.org/#Kentucky |
| AppalReD Legal Aid | The civil legal aid program listed for Perry County. Ask directly what help is available for your situation. | 866-277-5733; https://ardfky.org/ |
| Kentucky Free Legal Answers | Income-eligible Kentuckians can post a civil legal question online for a volunteer attorney to answer. | https://ky.freelegalanswers.org/ |
| Kentucky Bar Association lawyer referral services | A statewide place to look for a Kentucky attorney. | 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 bond, because the booklet predates the July 15, 2026 changes. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Documents/probateguide.pdf |
When to hire an attorney
Consider getting legal advice if the Perry County estate includes a home sale, disagreement among heirs, unclear title, creditor claims under KRS 396.011, inheritance tax questions under KRS 140.070, a requested bond under KRS 395.130, or a filing that may become contested under KRS 24A.120 and KRS 394.240. Sunset connects you to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for financial accounts, insurance, retirement assets, and other property so the family can understand what belongs in the Perry County estate settlement before filing.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for Kentucky AOC forms, including AOC-805 with KRS 394.145, AOC-808 with KRS 395.015, AOC-830 with KRS 395.455 when appropriate, AOC-841 with KRS 395.250, and the closing forms used later.
Find a local probate attorney. When a sale, dispute, tax question, or creditor issue makes the estate harder to handle alone, 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 to make estate settlement more organized, reduce missed assets, and prepare for the Perry County Hall of Justice without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Perry County, Kentucky?
File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Perry County Hall of Justice, 545 Main St., Hazard, KY 41702, or mail papers to P.O. Box 7433, Hazard, KY 41702-7433. Probate is a District Court matter under KRS 24A.120.
Which Perry County phone number should I call for probate?
Call the District Court line, 606-435-6002, for probate because probate is handled in District Court under KRS 24A.120. The Circuit line is 606-435-6000.
How much does it cost to open a Perry County probate case?
$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. Perry 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.
What payment methods does the Perry County court page list?
The Perry County page lists cash, check, money order, and ePay. It also says cash is required for bond under KRS 395.130 and photo ID is required to pick up released bond.
Are there Perry County probate forms?
Perry County uses Kentucky's statewide AOC probate forms. No separate Perry County probate form set appears on the county court page. Common forms include AOC-805 with KRS 394.145, AOC-830 with KRS 395.455, AOC-841 with KRS 395.250, AOC-846 with KRS 395.610, and AOC-850 with KRS 395.605.
Can I e-file a Perry County probate case?
An attorney handling eligible Kentucky probate filings must e-file through the Kentucky Court of Justice eFiling system since January 1, 2024. If you are self-represented, you may register for eFiling, but you may still file paper forms with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Hazard.
Can I look up a Perry County probate date online?
The Kentucky Court of Justice court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets lists Perry County. It is a court-date tool, not a full case-file search. CourtNet runs behind the Kentucky electronic filing portal, and for probate case-file questions you should contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Hazard.
Can I appear remotely for a Perry County probate hearing?
Kentucky courts have used Zoom proceedings since March 2020, and the statewide instruction is to contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in the county where you are scheduled to appear. No Perry County probate Zoom login is posted on the county page, so call 606-435-6002 before assuming the hearing format.
Do I have to travel to Hazard to start estate settlement?
You can ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk whether your papers may be mailed to P.O. Box 7433, Hazard, KY 41702-7433, and how to handle payment. If a hearing is scheduled, ask the District Court line, 606-435-6002, about the court date and whether any remote option is available through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
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.