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Kentucky County
Breckinridge County, Kentucky
Cloverport's Ohio River heritage and John C. Breckinridge's Kentucky - from John C. Breckinridge's namesake county (the county was named for John Breckinridge - Thomas Jefferson's Attorney General and grandfather of the Confederate general and Vice President - reflecting the deep political heritage of this Ohio River community) to Cloverport's Ohio River history as a significant river port community and Breckinridge County's rolling terrain between the knob country and the Western Coal Field.
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Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Office: Breckinridge County Emergency Management – Hardinsburg, KY; Director Eric Vertrees.
Sheriff: Breckinridge County Sheriff’s Office – 208 South Main Street, #210 (P.O. Box 127), Hardinsburg, KY 40143 | (270) 756-2361 | Fax (270) 756-5444; Sheriff Billy Richardson. Hours: Mon-Fri 8 AM-4 PM (Central).
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: KY-261 and KY-84 serve Hardinsburg, the county seat, in west-central Kentucky along the Ohio River.
Notes: Breckinridge County, established in 1799, is named for John Breckinridge, U.S. Attorney General under Thomas Jefferson (his grandson, John C. Breckinridge, later became a U.S. Vice President and Confederate general). Hardinsburg was named for Captain William Hardin.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Breckinridge County Courthouse – Hardinsburg, KY.
Notes: Breckinridge County is Kentucky’s 6th-largest county by land area (586 square miles). The historic river town of Cloverport (originally called Joe’s Landing) served as a major flatboat and steamboat trading port on the Ohio River in the early 19th century before railroads reduced river commerce. The Rough River, which forms part of the county’s southern boundary area, was dammed in 1961 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, creating the 5,100-acre (summer pool) Rough River Lake – primarily built for flood control in the Green River basin, and now home to Rough River Dam State Resort Park.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Breckinridge County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via breckinridgeky.com.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Breckinridge County Public Library (Hardinsburg) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Rough River Dam State Resort Park and Rough River Lake (220 miles of shoreline, fishing and boating) are the county’s premier recreational attractions.
Notes: The Rough River Lake flood-control project is a notable piece of regional infrastructure history covered in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Breckinridge County Property Valuation Administrator (PVA) – confirm current contact via breckinridgeky.com.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Breckinridge County Animal Shelter – 498 Glen Nash Lane, Hardinsburg, KY 40143 | (270) 580-4299 | Email: [email protected] (also [email protected]). A small rural shelter with only 16-25 runs, so it relies heavily on adoption and rescue partners; requires a state-mandated 5-day stray hold before dogs become available. Offers a charming “dog field trip” program letting community members check out a shelter dog for the day (noon-3:30 PM, must return by 4 PM). Hours: Mon, Tue, Fri 12-4 PM, Wed-Thu 11 AM-4 PM, Sat 11 AM-1 PM, closed Sunday.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Breckinridge County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via breckinridgeky.com.
NOTES: Breckinridge County is the seventh and final county in Kentucky’s second batch under the Round 3 A+ sourced standard. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Breckinridge County
Breckinridge County is western Kentucky’s Ohio River corridor and political heritage county – named for Thomas Jefferson’s Attorney General and situated on the Ohio River between the knob country and the Western Coal Field.
Hardinsburg (the county seat, population ~2,400) is a quiet western Kentucky courthouse community serving the surrounding agricultural and rural population.
Cloverport (population ~1,100) on the Ohio River is one of the county’s oldest communities – the river port’s history reflects the Ohio Valley’s commercial importance in the pre-railroad era.
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Breckinridge County PVA at 208 S. Main Street, Suite 1, Hardinsburg, KY 40143, phone 270-756-2882. KY property assessed at fair cash value.
Courts & Legal
Breckinridge County Circuit Court at 208 S. Main Street, Hardinsburg, KY 40143, phone 270-756-2135, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
208 S. Main St., Hardinsburg, KY 40143
(270) 756-2269
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Court Records)
208 S. Main St., Hardinsburg, KY 40143
(270) 756-5411
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
208 S. Main St., Hardinsburg, KY 40143
(270) 756-2269
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Breckinridge County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Breckinridge County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
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
Breckinridge County District Court Breckinridge County Justice Center, 111 West 2nd Street, P.O. Box 111, Hardinsburg, KY 40143 (270) 756-2239 Breckinridge County is in west-central Kentucky, seated in Hardinsburg.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Kentucky has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code; probate is governed by KRS Chapter 395 (Administration of Estates), handled by the District Court in the county where the decedent resided (KRS 24A.120).
Dispensing with Administration – Kentucky’s simplified small-estate procedure, governed by KRS 395.450, 395.455, and 395.470. Available when the value of the personal estate, less liens and encumbrances, does not exceed $30,000, and the petitioner is a surviving spouse, adult child, or other qualifying heir/preferred creditor. The petitioner files a Petition to Dispense with Administration (Form AOC-830) with an affidavit listing assets, debts, and proposed distribution – no personal representative or full administration is required. Real estate is generally not covered by this procedure.
Regular (Full) Administration – for larger or more complex estates, the District Court appoints a personal representative (executor if named in a will, administrator if intestate), who gathers assets, pays debts, and distributes what remains under court oversight.
Step 2: filing for formal probate
File a Petition for Probate of Will and Appointment of Executor/Administrator (Form AOC-805) with the District Court in the county of residence.
If there’s a will, the court admits it to probate; it is then recorded with the county clerk (KRS 394.140).
The personal representative files an Inventory and Appraisement (Form AOC-841) of estate assets.
Notice to creditors is published; creditors generally have 6 months from appointment to file claims.
The personal representative pays valid debts, taxes, and expenses.
A Settlement of Estate (Form AOC-846) is filed, and the court closes the estate upon approval.
What it costs
Filing fees and publication costs are collected by the clerk and vary somewhat by county.
Kentucky does not require an attorney for probate, though it is commonly recommended, especially for formal administration.
Typical timelines: full probate generally takes 6-12 months; the creditor claims period is 6 months. Dispensing with Administration can move significantly faster once the estate qualifies.
Before distribution, a surviving spouse may petition for release of up to $2,500 from the estate as an exempt charge against estate property.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
208 S. Main St., Hardinsburg, KY 40143
(270) 756-2166
SHERIFF / TAX COLLECTOR
208 S. Main St., Hardinsburg, KY 40143
(270) 756-2166
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
208 S. Main St., Hardinsburg, KY 40143
(270) 756-2269
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
208 S. Main St., Hardinsburg, KY 40143
(270) 756-2269
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Breckinridge County Health Dept
(270) 756-2182
KY CHFS — Green River Region
(270) 687-7000
KY Medicaid
(855) 306-8959
Breckinridge Memorial Hospital
breckinridgemem.org (Hardinsburg — quality community hospital)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Breckinridge County Health Department – confirm current contact via chfs.ky.gov local health department directory.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Hardinsburg
Population: 21,000
Area: 572 sq mi
Established: 1800
Tier: 3
Public Records
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