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Alabama County
Randolph County, Alabama
Lake Wedowee and the Talladega National Forest highlands - from Lake Wedowee (the 10,800-acre Randolph County reservoir on the Tallapoosa River - one of east Alabama's finest recreation lakes, with excellent water clarity and a scenic Appalachian foothill setting that draws boaters, anglers, and lakefront homeowners from across the region) to Randolph County's position in the Talladega National Forest's eastern highlands (the Talladega National Forest's Shoal Creek Ranger District covers significant portions of Randolph County, providing hiking, OHV trails, and primitive camping in the Appalachian Mountain terrain near the Georgia border).
County SeatWedowee
Population21,967
Founded1832
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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: Randolph County Emergency Management Agency
Address: 1 Main St, Wedowee, AL 36278
Phone: (256) 357-4551
Alert System: AL Alert statewide; CodeRed
Shelter Info: Contact EMA for shelter locations
FEMA Region: Region 4
Notes: East Alabama mountain county on Georgia border; tornado corridor; Tallapoosa River watershed; Wedowee is county seat; Randolph County Lake (Harris Lake area) provides recreation; rural Appalachian foothills
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Road Dept: Randolph County Highway Department
Phone: (256) 357-4551
Public Transit: Very limited; demand-response only; rural mountain county on Georgia border
Road Conditions: ALDOT – algotraffic.com
Notes: US-431 corridor; Georgia border proximity; Wedowee is small rural county seat; limited transit
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Randolph County Commission
Address: 1 Main St, Wedowee, AL 36278
Phone: (256) 357-4551
Services: Basic building permits for unincorporated areas; lakefront development on Harris Lake
Notes: Very limited development activity; lakefront property on Harris Lake generates some permit activity; most municipalities have separate permits
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Randolph County Veterans Service Office
Address: 1 Main St, Wedowee, AL 36278
Phone: (256) 357-4551
VA Medical: Birmingham VA – (205) 933-8101
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare enrollment
Notes: Rural mountain county; Birmingham VA requires significant travel
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Randolph County Public Library
Address: 50 Library Dr, Wedowee, AL 36278
Phone: (256) 357-4951
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, Alabama Digital Library
Notes: Small rural library serving dispersed population; important internet access point
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Harris Lake (R.L. Harris Reservoir on the Tallapoosa River – major fishing and water recreation destination); Randolph County Lake Park; hunting on private timberlands; Georgia border recreation access
Notes: Harris Lake is Randolph County’s premier outdoor asset; excellent bass fishing; the Tallapoosa River above Harris Lake provides additional recreation; rural Appalachian terrain creates scenic beauty and wildlife habitat
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Limited; Alabama state GIS – alabamamaps.ua.edu
Notes: Small rural county; basic GIS through state resources; lake property mapping important
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Randolph County Animal Control
Phone: (256) 357-4551 (County Commission)
Services: Basic animal control
Notes: Very limited shelter resources
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Randolph County Solid Waste – (256) 357-4551
Recycling: Minimal
Environmental: Tallapoosa River/Harris Lake watershed; ADEM – adem.alabama.gov; Alabama Power manages Harris Lake as hydroelectric reservoir
Notes: Harris Lake is an Alabama Power hydroelectric reservoir; Alabama Power has environmental responsibilities for the reservoir; Tallapoosa River water quality monitoring important for downstream communities and lake recreation
About Randolph County
Randolph County is east Alabama’s Lake Wedowee and national forest highlands county – the clear Appalachian foothill reservoir and the Talladega National Forest’s eastern reach define a rural community near the Georgia border.
Wedowee (the county seat, population ~900) is one of Alabama’s smaller county seats, situated on the lake that bears the town’s name. Roanoke (population ~6,000) is the county’s largest commercial community.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Randolph County Revenue Commissioner at 1 Main Street S., Suite 103, Wedowee, AL 36278, phone 256-357-4407. AL residential assessed at 10% of market value.
Search Randolph County public records for Wedowee, Roanoke, and Randolph County residents.
Courts & Legal
Randolph County Probate Court at 1 Main Street S., Wedowee, AL 36278, phone 256-357-4551, 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)
1 Main St., Wedowee, AL 36278
(256) 357-4551
CIRCUIT CLERK (Court Records)
1 Main St., Wedowee, AL 36278
(256) 357-4551
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Randolph County Probate Court (marriage licenses, will and estate files, land deeds – see Probate section above)
Local societies
No dedicated Randolph County genealogical or historical society was confirmed in available directories. Randolph falls under Alabama Genealogical Society District 5 (with Calhoun, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Etowah, St. Clair, and Talladega counties).
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
Randolph County Probate Office 1 Main Street, Wedowee, AL 36278 Mailing address: P.O. Box 249, Wedowee, AL 36278 (256) 357-4933 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 Randolph 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 Randolph 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)
1 Main St., Wedowee, AL 36278
(256) 357-4551
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
40 County Rd. 2040, Wedowee, AL 36278
(256) 357-2111
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
BOARD OF REGISTRARS (Voter Registration)
1 Main St., Wedowee, AL 36278
(256) 357-4551
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
411 County Rd. 42, Wedowee, AL 36278
(256) 357-4551
Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–4:30 PM
Health Dept
Randolph County Health Dept
DHR / SNAP / Medicaid
dhr.alabama.gov 211
WIC
Up to 185% FPL — call Health Dept
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Randolph County Health Department
Address: 193 Main St, Wedowee, AL 36278
Phone: (256) 357-2194
Website: alabamapublichealth.gov/randolph
Services: Immunizations, WIC, family planning, STI testing, environmental health, vital records
Notes: Very rural county; limited local healthcare; health department serves as primary care access for many residents
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Editorial Trust
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Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Wedowee
Population: 21,967
Area: 581 sq mi
Established: 1832
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Randolph County residents.
