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.
Kentucky County
Carroll County, Kentucky
Carrollton's river confluence and the 1988 school bus tragedy - from the May 14, 1988 Carrollton bus crash (the deadliest drunk driving accident in American history - a wrong-way driver struck a school bus carrying youth from the First Assembly of God church in Radcliff, Kentucky, killing 27 people and injuring 34 - the tragedy prompted significant changes to Kentucky's DUI laws and fuel system safety standards for school buses, and the Carrollton community's response defined a generation of Carroll County history) and General Butler State Resort Park at the Kentucky-Ohio river confluence.
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.
Office: Carroll County Emergency Management – 829 Polk Street, Carrollton, KY 41008 | (502) 732-7019. Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 AM-4:30 PM (closed 12-1 PM). Coordinates the county’s Emergency Operations Center, covering Search and Rescue, EMS, and Water Rescue, and serves as the region’s most southern county in Kentucky Emergency Management’s Area 7.
Sheriff: Carroll County Sheriff’s Office – 440 Main Street, 1st Floor Courthouse, Carrollton, KY 41008 | (502) 732-7010 | Email: [email protected]; Sheriff Ryan Gosser.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-71 and US-42 serve Carrollton, the county seat, in north-central Kentucky at the confluence of the Kentucky and Ohio rivers.
Notes: Carroll County was the site of the Carrollton bus collision on May 14, 1988 – the deadliest drunk-driving crash in U.S. history. A pickup truck driver, impaired by alcohol and traveling the wrong way on I-71, struck a church youth-group bus returning from a day trip to Kings Island; the bus’s fuel tank ruptured and caught fire, and 27 of the 67 people aboard were killed, most of them children. The tragedy directly led to nationwide safety reforms in school and charter bus construction – including relocated fuel tanks and additional emergency exits – and several victims’ family members became national leaders of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. A memorial marker stands along I-71 near the crash site.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Carroll County Courthouse – 440 Main Street, Carrollton, KY.
Notes: Carrollton sits at the confluence of the Kentucky and Ohio rivers, a strategically significant river-trade location historically.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Carroll County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via carrollcountygov.us.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Carroll County Public Library (Carrollton) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: General Butler State Resort Park (overlooking the Kentucky River near Carrollton) is the county’s premier attraction.
Notes: The genuine, tragic history of the 1988 Carrollton bus crash is presented here soberly, with an emphasis on the significant road-safety and bus-construction reforms that followed.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Carroll County Property Valuation Administrator (PVA) – confirm current contact via carrollpva.com.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Carroll County Animal Shelter – 290 Deans Ferry Road, Carrollton, KY 41008 | (502) 732-8959 | Email: [email protected]; Contact Theresa Hehe. ⚠️ Houses stray dogs only – the facility is not currently equipped for cats. Hours: Mon-Fri 9 AM-5 PM. Dog licenses required for dogs over 6 months, $5/year, renewed each July 1.
Animal Rescue of Carroll, Inc. – a 501(c)(3) founded 2006 supporting both dog and cat rescue/adoption in the county.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Carroll County Solid Waste – (502) 525-7461.
NOTES: Carroll County is the seventh and final county in Kentucky’s third batch under the Round 3 A+ sourced standard. The genuine, tragic history of the 1988 Carrollton bus crash is presented soberly here, with emphasis on the significant road-safety reforms it prompted nationwide. 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 Carroll County
Carroll County is the site of America’s deadliest drunk driving accident – the 1988 Carrollton bus crash killed 27 people and changed Kentucky DUI law and school bus safety standards, and the community at the confluence of the Kentucky and Ohio rivers carries this history alongside the scenic General Butler State Resort Park.
Carrollton (the county seat, population ~3,800) sits at the confluence of Kentucky’s two most significant rivers – the Ohio and Kentucky river junction defines the county’s geography and heritage.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Carroll County PVA at 440 Main Street, Suite 4, Carrollton, KY 41008, phone 502-732-6971. KY residential assessed at 100% of fair cash value.
Courts & Legal
Carroll County Circuit Court at 440 Main Street, Carrollton, KY 41008, phone 502-732-7005, 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)
440 Main St., Carrollton, KY 41008
(502) 732-7005
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Court Records)
440 Main St., Carrollton, KY 41008
(502) 732-6100
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
440 Main St., Carrollton, KY 41008
(502) 732-7005
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Carroll County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Carroll 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
Carroll County District Court William L. Wheeler Hall of Justice, 802 Clay Street, Carrollton, KY 41008 (502) 732-4305 Carroll County is on the Ohio River in north-central Kentucky, seated in Carrollton.
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
440 Main St., Carrollton, KY 41008
(502) 732-4395
SHERIFF / TAX COLLECTOR
440 Main St., Carrollton, KY 41008
(502) 732-4395
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
440 Main St., Carrollton, KY 41008
(502) 732-7005
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
440 Main St., Carrollton, KY 41008
(502) 732-7005
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Office: Carroll County Health Department – confirm current contact via chfs.ky.gov local health department directory.
Editorial independence: CountyOffices maintains strict editorial independence from our affiliate partners. Our content is researched from official government sources. Affiliate relationships do not influence our recommendations or the information we publish.
Editorial Trust
5 official sources cited
Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Carrollton
Population: 10,500
Area: 131 sq mi
Established: 1838
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Carroll County residents.
