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Alabama County
Walker County County Government Offices
County SeatJasper
Population64,000
Founded1823
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
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.
Shelter Info: Multiple shelter locations; contact EMA; tornado shelters important
FEMA Region: Region 4
Notes: North-central Alabama coal country county; Jasper is county seat; tornado corridor; Black Warrior River watershed; coal mining history creates unique underground subsidence and mine safety emergency planning considerations; April 2011 tornado outbreak significantly impacted Walker County
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Road Dept: Walker County Highway Department – (205) 384-7000
Public Transit: Limited demand-response; Walker Area Community Transit available; Jasper some local service
Road Conditions: ALDOT – algotraffic.com
Notes: US-78 corridor connects Jasper to Birmingham; US-43 is north-south route; Walker County is within the Birmingham metro influence zone; many residents commute to Birmingham; coal haul routes are significant infrastructure consideration
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Walker County Building Department – (205) 384-7000
Address: 1803 3rd Ave, Jasper, AL 35501
Services: Building permits for unincorporated areas
Notes: City of Jasper and municipalities have separate permits; coal mining related permits historically significant; residential growth as Birmingham bedroom community increasing
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Walker County Veterans Service Office – (205) 384-7000
Address: 1803 3rd Ave, Jasper, AL 35501
VA Medical: Birmingham VA Medical Center – (205) 933-8101
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare enrollment, pension/compensation
Notes: Relatively close proximity to Birmingham VA; active veteran community in former coal mining communities
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Walker County Library System
Jasper: 2005 2nd Ave N | (205) 221-2568
Branches: Cordova, Dora, Sumiton, Carbon Hill
Services: Books, e-books (Alabama Digital Library), public computers, Wi-Fi, children’s programs
Notes: Multi-branch system serving dispersed coal country communities; important community resources in economically challenged former mining towns
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Lewis Smith Lake (Sipsey Fork of Black Warrior River – one of Alabama’s clearest and deepest lakes; 21,000 acres); William B. Bankhead National Forest (southwestern portion); Sipsey Wilderness access; hunting and fishing on public and private lands
Notes: Lewis Smith Lake is Walker County’s premier recreation asset – crystal clear, deep, cold water; excellent fishing (largemouth and smallmouth bass, striped bass); scuba diving; Smith Lake Dam; Bankhead National Forest provides hiking and outdoor recreation; coal heritage sites and museums reflect county’s industrial history
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Walker County GIS – walkercountyal.gov or through state GIS
Notes: Mid-sized coal country county; functional GIS; mining parcel and subsidence mapping historically important
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Walker County Humane Society / Animal Control – (205) 384-7000
Services: Stray intake, adoptions, animal control
Notes: Walker County Humane Society active; Jasper city animal control operates separately; rural county with high stray animal populations
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Walker County Solid Waste – (205) 384-7000
Recycling: Limited; some options in Jasper area
Environmental: Black Warrior River watershed; coal mining legacy (acid mine drainage, subsidence, reclamation); ADEM – adem.alabama.gov; OSMRE (Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement) for abandoned mine lands
Notes: Walker County’s coal mining legacy creates significant environmental management needs; acid mine drainage from abandoned underground and surface mines affects Black Warrior River tributaries; black lung disease was historically prevalent; ADEM and federal OSMRE oversee ongoing reclamation of abandoned mine lands; Lewis Smith Lake water quality maintained through careful watershed management despite mining history upstream
About Walker County County
Walker County is northwest Alabama’s coal heritage and Lewis Smith Lake county – the century of bituminous coal mining that powered Birmingham’s steel furnaces and the crystal-clear reservoir carved into the Bankhead National Forest terrain define a county whose working-class mining past and spectacular natural assets give it a distinctive northwest Alabama identity.
Jasper (the county seat, population ~14,000) is Walker County’s governmental and commercial hub, a northwest Alabama city whose coal heritage, Bankhead Forest proximity, and Lewis Smith Lake access anchor the county’s identity between Birmingham and Tuscaloosa.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
DHR / SNAP / Medicaid: Via dhr.alabama.gov/county-office-contact/
Recommended
Search Walker County public records for Jasper, Jasper, Carbon Hill, Dora, and Walker County residents.
Courts & Legal
Walker County Probate Court at 1803 3rd Avenue, Jasper, AL 35501, phone 205-384-7281, 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)
1803 3rd Ave., Jasper, AL 35501
(205) 384-7268
CIRCUIT CLERK (Court Records)
1803 3rd Ave., Jasper, AL 35501
(205) 384-7270
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Walker County Probate Court (marriage licenses, will and estate files, land deeds – see Probate section above)
Local societies
Walker County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 3408, Jasper, AL 35502-3408
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
Walker County Probate Office 1900 3rd Avenue South, Jasper, AL 35501 Mailing address: P.O. Box 502, Jasper, AL 35502-7005 (205) 384-7284 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 Walker 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 Walker 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)
1803 3rd Ave., Jasper, AL 35501
(205) 384-7268
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
2001 Industrial Access Rd., Jasper, AL 35504
(205) 384-7241
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
BOARD OF REGISTRARS (Voter Registration)
1803 3rd Ave., Jasper, AL 35501
(205) 384-7267
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
1803 3rd Ave., Jasper, AL 35501
(205) 384-7278
Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–4:30 PM
Health Dept
Walker County Health Dept
DHR / SNAP / Medicaid
dhr.alabama.gov 211
WIC
Up to 185% FPL — call Health Dept
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Walker County Health Department – (205) 221-7696
Address: 1400 US Hwy 78 E, Jasper, AL 35501
Website: alabamapublichealth.gov/walker
Services: Immunizations, WIC, family planning, STI testing, environmental health, vital records
Notes: Walker Baptist Medical Center provides hospital services; coal mining legacy creates unique occupational health considerations (black lung disease historically significant in Walker County mining communities); rural healthcare access challenges persist
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Jasper
Population: 64,000
Area: 805 sq mi
Established: 1823
Public Records
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Search public records for Walker County County residents.
