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Alabama County
Franklin County, Alabama
Russellville's poultry industry and Red Bay's Tiffin Motor Homes - from Russellville's significant poultry processing economy (Franklin County's chicken processing operations are among the major employers in northwest Alabama - the county's position in the broader north Alabama poultry belt reflects the industry that has transformed rural Alabama's agricultural economy) to Red Bay's Tiffin Motor Homes (the Red Bay-based manufacturer of premium Class A motorhomes - Tiffin Motorhomes has been building hand-crafted luxury RVs in Red Bay since 1972, and the company's reputation for quality has made Red Bay a pilgrimage destination for RV owners who come for service and customization, creating an entire RV service economy in a small northwest Alabama town).
County SeatRussellville
Population32,113
Founded1818
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What do you need to do?
Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Office: Franklin County Emergency Management Agency
Address: 410 N Jackson Ave, Russellville, AL 35653
Phone: (256) 332-8850
Alert System: AL Alert statewide; CodeRed
Shelter Info: Contact EMA for shelter locations
FEMA Region: Region 4
Notes: Northwest Alabama county; tornado corridor (high risk area); Bear Creek watershed; significant Hispanic/Latino population from poultry industry creates multilingual emergency communication needs
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Road Dept: Franklin County Highway Department
Phone: (256) 332-8850
Public Transit: Very limited; demand-response only; rural northwest Alabama
Road Conditions: ALDOT – algotraffic.com
Notes: US-43 corridor; rural county with chicken/poultry processing industry; limited transit
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Franklin County Building Department
Address: 410 N Jackson Ave, Russellville, AL 35653
Phone: (256) 332-8850
Services: Building permits for unincorporated areas
Notes: Russellville is county seat; poultry processing plants generate industrial permit activity; Phil Campbell and other towns have separate permits
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Franklin County Veterans Service Office
Address: 410 N Jackson Ave, Russellville, AL 35653
Phone: (256) 332-8850
VA Medical: Birmingham VA – (205) 933-8101; Muscle Shoals area VA clinic
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare enrollment
Notes: Rural northwest Alabama; travel required for VA services
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Franklin County Public Library
Address: 101 Jackson Ave NE, Russellville, AL 35653
Phone: (256) 332-1535
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, Alabama Digital Library, children’s programs; Spanish-language materials important
Notes: Library serves diverse community including large Spanish-speaking population from poultry industry
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Bear Creek Lakes (Little Bear Creek, Upper Bear Creek, Lower Bear Creek reservoirs – fishing, boating, camping); Bear Creek Development Authority manages recreation areas; Phil Campbell area outdoor recreation
Notes: Bear Creek lakes system is the primary outdoor recreation draw; excellent fishing; the lakes were created by TVA/Army Corps; growing recreational destination for northwest Alabama
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Limited; Alabama state GIS – alabamamaps.ua.edu
Notes: Rural county; basic GIS through state resources; Bear Creek watershed mapping important
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Franklin County Animal Shelter
Phone: (256) 332-8850 (County Commission)
Services: Stray intake, basic adoptions, animal control
Notes: Limited shelter resources; rural county
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Franklin County Solid Waste – (256) 332-8850
Notes: Poultry processing industry creates wastewater treatment and environmental compliance requirements; Bear Creek water quality monitoring important for recreation lakes; significant ADEM oversight of poultry operations
About Franklin County
Franklin County is northwest Alabama’s luxury RV capital – Tiffin Motorhomes’ Red Bay factory has made a small Franklin County town a national destination for premium motorhome owners and created an entire RV service economy in the northwest Alabama hills.
Russellville (the county seat, population ~9,500) is the county’s commercial and governmental hub. Red Bay (population ~3,000) has been transformed by Tiffin Motorhomes – the manufacturer’s reputation draws RV owners from across the country for factory service.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Franklin County Revenue Commissioner at 410 N. Jackson Avenue, Suite 3, Russellville, AL 35653, phone 256-332-8831. AL residential assessed at 10% of market value.
Public Records
Vital Records: Certified birth and death certificates; adoption info
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
PROBATE JUDGE (Deeds, Marriage Licenses, Estates)
410 N. Jackson Ave., Russellville, AL 35653
(256) 332-8861
CIRCUIT CLERK (Court Records)
410 N. Jackson Ave., Russellville, AL 35653
(256) 332-8841
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Franklin County Probate Court (marriage, probate, and land records from 1890 – see Probate section above)
Local societies
Russellville Heritage Preservation Society, P.O. Box 1095, Russellville, AL 35653
Natchez Trace Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 420, Florence, AL 35631 – regional society covering the Shoals area
Tennessee Valley Historical Society, P.O. Box 149, Sheffield, AL 35660 – regional society covering the Shoals area
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Franklin County Probate Office 410 North Jackson Avenue, Russellville, AL 35653 Mailing address: P.O. Box 70, Russellville, AL 35653 (256) 332-8805 Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (call ahead to confirm, especially around lunch)
Step 1: figure out which path applies
This is the fork in the road that determines everything else – how long it takes, what it costs, and whether you need an attorney.
Small/Summary Distribution – for estates made up of personal property only (no real estate) worth up to roughly $47,000 (the threshold is CPI-adjusted annually; it rose from about $36,000 to ~$47,000 under the Revised Alabama Small Estates Act, effective October 1, 2025). No personal representative is appointed, and there’s no months-long court oversight – just a single verified petition.
Formal Probate – required if the estate includes real property, exceeds the small-estate threshold, or there’s a dispute among heirs. This appoints a personal representative (an executor if there’s a will, an administrator if there isn’t) with legal authority to act for the estate.
If the estate qualifies for summary distribution
Wait at least 30 days after the death before filing – filings submitted earlier will be rejected.
The surviving spouse (if there is one) is the only person who can file; if there’s no surviving spouse, any rightful heir can.
File a verified petition with the Franklin County Probate Court listing the decedent’s assets, debts, and heirs, plus the will if one exists.
Notice must be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county; no distribution can happen until 30 days after publication.
The petitioner must separately notify the Alabama Medicaid Agency by certified mail (Medicaid has 30 days to respond with any claim against the estate – this step is required in every case, not just where Medicaid was involved).
Once both 30-day windows close and the judge approves, the court issues an order you can present to banks or other institutions to claim and distribute the property.
Simple, uncontested cases can wrap up in weeks to a few months. Anything with disputed debts or unclear heirs takes longer.
If formal probate is required
Gather what you’ll need before your first visit: the original will (if any), several certified copies of the death certificate, a list of assets and debts, and names/addresses of all heirs and beneficiaries.
File a Petition for Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Petition for Letters of Administration (without one). Filing fee is a flat $45, plus $3/page for wills over 5 pages, and covers three certified copies of the letters.
Creditor notice must be published once a week for three successive weeks in a Franklin County newspaper of general circulation.
If uncontested with waivers filed, a hearing may not be required; otherwise the judge holds one and, if approved, issues the Letters.
The personal representative then has 2 months to file a full inventory of estate assets, and creditors have 6 months from the grant of letters (or 5 months from first publication, whichever is later) to submit claims.
After debts and taxes are settled, the representative files a final accounting; once approved, assets are distributed and the estate is formally closed.
Alabama requires an estate to stay open a minimum of 6 months, whether or not there’s a will.
A will must be filed for probate within 5 years of the date of death, or it loses effect.
What it costs
Court filing: $45 flat (plus the per-page will fee noted above).
Personal representative compensation: capped by law at 2.5% of the estate’s value received plus 2.5% of disbursements (extra allowed for genuinely extraordinary work).
Attorney fees: not fixed by statute – negotiated between the family and the attorney. Alabama doesn’t require an attorney for probate, but most formal (non-small-estate) cases benefit from one, especially if there’s a dispute or the estate includes real property.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
PROBATE JUDGE (Deeds, Marriage Licenses, Estates)
410 N. Jackson Ave., Russellville, AL 35653
(256) 332-8861
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
1450 Airport Rd., Russellville, AL 35654
(256) 332-8820
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
BOARD OF REGISTRARS (Voter Registration)
410 N. Jackson Ave., Russellville, AL 35653
(256) 332-8831
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
401 2nd Ave. NW, Russellville, AL 35653
(256) 332-4280
Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–4:30 PM
Health Dept
Franklin County Health Dept
DHR / SNAP / Medicaid
dhr.alabama.gov 211
WIC
Up to 185% FPL — call Health Dept
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Franklin County Health Department
Address: 921 N Jackson Ave, Russellville, AL 35653
Phone: (256) 332-4320
Website: alabamapublichealth.gov/franklin
Services: Immunizations, WIC, family planning, STI testing, environmental health, vital records; bilingual Spanish services important given large Hispanic population
Notes: Significant Hispanic/Latino population from poultry industry; bilingual health services critical; WIC heavily utilized
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Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Russellville
Population: 32,113
Area: 634 sq mi
Established: 1818
Tier: 3
Public Records
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