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Alabama County
Madison County, Alabama
Huntsville - Rocket City USA and the birthplace of the American space program - from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (the center where Wernher von Braun and his German rocket team developed the Saturn V rocket that took Americans to the moon - Marshall Space Flight Center remains NASA's primary propulsion research center and one of the most significant engineering installations in the world) to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center (the largest space museum in the world, housing the only remaining Saturn V rocket displayed horizontally and the Space Camp program that has trained over 900,000 youth since 1982) and Huntsville's explosive growth as a defense, aerospace, and technology hub.
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Office: Madison County Emergency Management Agency
Address: 100 Northside Square, Huntsville, AL 35801
Phone: (256) 532-3591
Website: madisoncountyal.gov/ema
Alert System: CodeRed; Huntsville city emergency alerts; AL Alert statewide; HEMSI (Huntsville Emergency Medical Services) integration
Shelter Info: Extensive shelter network; contact EMA or visit madisoncountyal.gov/ema
FEMA Region: Region 4
Notes: Alabama’s second-largest county by population; Huntsville is home to NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Redstone Arsenal, and major aerospace/defense industry; sophisticated multi-agency emergency management; HEMSI is a nationally recognized EMS system; tornado corridor; Wheeler and Guntersville lakes create flood risk; Space and Missile Defense Command presence adds federal coordination layer
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Road Dept: Madison County Engineering – (256) 532-3570
Public Transit: Huntsville Transit (HuntsvilleAL.gov/transit) – (256) 532-7433; fixed-route bus network expanding with city growth; Tennessee Valley Authority commuter coordination; Huntsville International Airport (HSV – major regional airport)
Road Conditions: ALDOT – algotraffic.com; Huntsville city traffic management
Notes: One of the fastest-growing metros in the Southeast; I-565 connects to I-65; US-72, US-431, US-72A major corridors; Toyota Mazda plant (Limestone County) and aerospace campuses drive commuter patterns; Huntsville’s Rocket City identity attracts high-tech workforce
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Madison County Building Inspections – (256) 532-3626
Address: 100 Northside Square, Huntsville, AL 35801
Services: Building permits, inspections, plan review for unincorporated Madison County; online permit portal
Notes: City of Huntsville (very extensive, high-volume – separate); Madison, Meridianville, New Market, Gurley, Harvest, Triana, and other municipalities have separate permits; explosive residential and commercial growth throughout county; Toyota Research Institute, Google, Facebook data centers generating major commercial permit activity
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Madison County Veterans Service Office – (256) 532-3498
Address: 100 Northside Square, Huntsville, AL 35801
VA Medical: Huntsville VA Clinic – 201 Gov’t St SW, Huntsville | (256) 535-3100; Birmingham VA Medical Center – (205) 933-8101
Services: Full range – benefits claims, VA healthcare enrollment, pension, compensation, disability, education, housing
Notes: Redstone Arsenal and the massive defense/aerospace contractor community mean one of Alabama’s highest concentrations of veterans and active military; robust VSO; American Legion, VFW, DAV posts numerous throughout county
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Huntsville-Madison County Public Library (HMCPL) – hmcpl.org | (256) 532-5940
Main: Huntsville Central Library – 915 Monroe St SW; 8 branches
Services: Books, e-books (Alabama Digital Library), public computers, Wi-Fi, genealogy collection, 3D printers/maker space, recording studio, art gallery, children’s programs, STEAM programs, meeting rooms; extended hours; Sunday open
Notes: HMCPL is one of Alabama’s premier public library systems; reflects Huntsville’s highly educated, tech-oriented population; excellent children’s STEM programming aligned with city’s Space and Rocket identity; Von Braun branch named for Wernher von Braun; extensive digital resources
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
County/City Parks: Huntsville Parks & Recreation – (256) 883-3420; Monte Sano State Park (on the mountain above Huntsville – alapark.com | (256) 534-3757); Hays Nature Preserve; Land Trust of North Alabama trails; Big Spring International Park; U.S. Space & Rocket Center (museum – world-class)
Notes: Madison County has exceptional recreation; Monte Sano State Park has overlooks of Huntsville and Tennessee Valley; U.S. Space & Rocket Center is one of the most-visited attractions in Alabama; Big Spring is a downtown Huntsville landmark; extensive greenway trails; Constitution Village; Huntsville Botanical Garden; Burritt on the Mountain historic museum
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Madison County GIS – madisoncountyal.gov/gis | (256) 532-3573; also Huntsville City GIS – huntsvilleal.gov/gis
Parcel Search: Available through county and city GIS portals
Notes: Sophisticated GIS reflecting Madison County’s tech-oriented workforce and high development activity; excellent online resources; parcel and zoning data regularly updated; aerial imagery updated frequently
Address: 4950 Triana Blvd SW, Huntsville, AL 35805
Services: Stray intake, adoptions, owner surrenders, spay/neuter, microchipping, lost & found, behavior programs; very active adoption program
Notes: Huntsville Animal Services is one of Alabama’s most progressive animal services operations; high live release rate; active foster and rescue partnerships; PAWS (People for Animal Welfare Society) and other rescue groups supplement; Madison County also has county animal control separate from city for unincorporated areas
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: City of Huntsville Sanitation – (256) 427-5300; Madison County solid waste for unincorporated areas – (256) 532-3570
Environmental: Tennessee River/Wheeler Lake (TVA); Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge; Redstone Arsenal environmental compliance (federal); aerospace industry chemical management; ADEM – adem.alabama.gov; also EPA Region 4 involvement due to federal facilities
Notes: Redstone Arsenal is a federal facility with its own environmental management program independent of ADEM; aerospace and defense manufacturing creates hazardous materials management needs; Huntsville has active stormwater management; Wheeler NWR whooping crane and migratory bird habitat protection
About Madison County
Madison County is Alabama’s most economically dynamic county – NASA, the Army’s Redstone Arsenal, and a rapidly growing defense and technology sector have made Huntsville one of the fastest-growing cities in the Southeast and a genuine center of American aerospace and defense engineering.
Huntsville (the county seat, population ~215,000) has grown dramatically from the 1950s German rocket scientist settlement into one of America’s most significant technology cities. The U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Redstone Arsenal, and dozens of aerospace and defense contractors create an economy unlike any other in Alabama.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Madison County Revenue Commissioner at 100 Northside Square, Huntsville, AL 35801, phone 256-532-3498. AL residential assessed at 10% of market value. Appeal to Board of Equalization.
Public Records
Family Planning: (256) 533-8750
HIV/AIDS / STD: (256) 532-1928
Immunizations: (256) 533-8688
Tuberculosis: (256) 533-8707
WIC: (256) 539-3711
Community/Environmental: (256) 533-8726
WIC, environmental, home care, clinical (STD, family planning, vaccines, breast/cervical cancer screening)
DHR / SNAP / Medicaid: Via dhr.alabama.gov/county-office-contact/
Recommended
Search Madison County public records for Huntsville, Madison, and Madison County residents.
Courts & Legal
Madison County Probate Court at 100 Northside Square, Huntsville, AL 35801, phone 256-532-3330, handles probate.
Senior Services
Senior Services: —
Transportation: —
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
PROBATE JUDGE (Deeds, Marriage Licenses, Estates)
100 Northside Square, Huntsville, AL 35801
(256) 532-3330
CIRCUIT CLERK (Court Records)
100 Northside Square, Huntsville, AL 35801
(256) 532-3390
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Madison County Probate Court (marriage licenses, will and estate files, land deeds – see Probate section above)
Huntsville-Madison County Public Library – noted elsewhere as holding one of the best genealogical collections for Alabama families.
Local societies
Huntsville-Madison County Historical Society, P.O. Box 666, Huntsville, AL 35804
Tennessee Valley Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1568, Huntsville, AL 35807
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
Madison County Probate Office 100 North Side Square, Room 108, Huntsville, AL 35801 (256) 532-3553 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 Madison 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 Madison 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)
100 Northside Square, Huntsville, AL 35801
(256) 532-3330
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
100 Sivley Rd. SW, Huntsville, AL 35801
(256) 722-7181
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
BOARD OF REGISTRARS (Voter Registration)
100 Northside Square, Huntsville, AL 35801
(256) 532-3510
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
301 Max Luther Dr. NW, Huntsville, AL 35811
(256) 539-3711
Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–4:30 PM
Health Dept
Madison County Health Dept
DHR / SNAP / Medicaid
dhr.alabama.gov 211
WIC
Up to 185% FPL — call Health Dept
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Madison County Health Department – (256) 539-3711
Address: 301 Max Luther Dr NW, Huntsville, AL 35811
Website: madisoncountyhealth.org
Services: Immunizations, WIC, family planning, STI/HIV testing, environmental health, vital records, restaurant inspections; broader service capacity than most Alabama county HDs
Notes: Huntsville Hospital (flagship – one of Alabama’s largest and most advanced hospital systems) anchors local healthcare; Crestwood Medical Center, Huntsville Hospital for Women and Children; Madison County HD is well-funded reflecting county’s economic strength; rocket/aerospace worker health screening unique service component
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Huntsville
Population: 388,153
Area: 802 sq mi
Established: 1808
Tier: 2
Public Records
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