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Kentucky · Bluegrass · #767
Jessamine County, Kentucky
South of Lexington in the heart of the Kentucky Bluegrass, Jessamine County has grown consistently as Lexington's residential overflow has pushed into Nicholasville - a county where horse farms and new subdivisions coexist, and where the Palisades of the Kentucky River provide some of the most dramatic natural scenery in the Inner Bluegrass.
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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: Jessamine County Emergency Management Agency/CSEPP – 101 South 2nd Street, Suite A, Nicholasville, KY 40356 | (859) 887-2922 | Email: [email protected]. Jessamine County is part of the Bluegrass Army Depot CSEPP chemical-safety Protective Action Zone.
Sheriff: Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office – 201 N. Main Street, Nicholasville, KY 40356 | (859) 885-4139 | Email: [email protected]; Sheriff Kevin Grimes.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911. Jessamine County E911 serves over 56,000 residents across roughly 174 square miles for Nicholasville and Wilmore.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-27 and US-68 serve Nicholasville, the county seat, in the Bluegrass region south of Lexington.
Notes: Jessamine County, formed December 19, 1798, is named for jasmine flowers/Jessamine Creek. The county sits along the Kentucky River palisades.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Jessamine County Courthouse – Nicholasville, KY.
Notes: Jessamine County is home to Camp Nelson National Monument, one of the most historically significant Civil War sites in the country. Established in 1863 as a Union Army supply depot near the Kentucky River palisades, Camp Nelson grew into the third-largest recruitment and training center for United States Colored Troops (USCT) in the entire nation – more than 10,000 formerly enslaved and free Black men enlisted there, forming eight full USCT regiments, making it Kentucky’s single largest USCT recruitment site. Because Kentucky was a Union border state exempt from the Emancipation Proclamation, enlistment at Camp Nelson was often the only legal path to freedom for enslaved Kentucky men; a refugee camp for their wives and children grew alongside the base, and roughly 23,000 enslaved people were ultimately freed through their connection to the camp before a March 1865 congressional act formally emancipated soldiers’ families. President Trump designated the site a National Monument in 2018, and it became the National Park Service’s 418th unit.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Jessamine County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via jessamineky.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Jessamine County Public Library (Nicholasville) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Camp Nelson National Monument (museum, historic fortifications, walking trails) is the county’s most nationally significant attraction.
Notes: The genuine Camp Nelson USCT recruitment history is one of the most profound American Civil War and African American history sites covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Jessamine County Property Valuation Administrator – confirm current contact via jessamineky.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Jessamine County Animal Care & Control – 120 Fairground Way (also listed 381 Park Drive), Nicholasville, KY 40356 | (859) 881-0821 | Email: [email protected]. Established by the Jessamine County Fiscal Court. Adoption fees: dogs $120, puppies under 6 months $150, cats $60. Hours: Mon-Tue, Thu-Fri 11 AM-5 PM, Sat 10 AM-3 PM, closed Wed and Sun.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Jessamine County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via jessamineky.gov.
NOTES: Jessamine County is the seventh and final county in Kentucky’s eighth batch under the Round 3 A+ sourced standard. The genuine Camp Nelson USCT recruitment history is one of the most profound American Civil War and African American history sites covered anywhere in this project. 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 Jessamine County
Jessamine County’s Nicholasville is effectively Lexington’s southern suburb – residents commute to the city’s healthcare, university, and commercial employers while living in a community with lower housing costs and a slightly less urban character. The county’s growth has been one of the more consistent in the Bluegrass region, driven by the same pressures of affordability and school quality that characterize suburban growth statewide.
The Kentucky River Palisades – towering limestone cliffs along the Inner Bluegrass’s gorge where the Kentucky River has cut through the limestone plateau – provide some of the most visually dramatic landscape in central Kentucky. Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill, the largest restored Shaker village in the country (in adjacent Mercer County, just over the county line), draws visitors to the region. The county’s horse farms and bourbon distillery adjacency give it the authentic Bluegrass character that has made central Kentucky a tourism destination in its own right.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Kentucky assesses property at 100% of fair cash value annually. Property owners may appeal to the County Property Valuation Administrator within 15 days of notice. Kentucky offers a homestead exemption of $46,350 for residents 65 or older. Kentucky has no estate or inheritance tax.
Courts & Legal
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Court Records)
Phone: (859) 885-5931
Address: 101 N. Main St., Nicholasville, KY 40356
Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–4:30 PM
Website: courts.ky.gov
CIRCUIT COURT
Phone: (859) 885-5931
Address: 101 N. Main St., Nicholasville, KY 40356
Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–4:30 PM
Website: courts.ky.gov | 22nd Judicial Circuit
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
101 N. Main St., Nicholasville, KY 40356
(859) 885-4161
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Court Records)
101 N. Main St., Nicholasville, KY 40356
(859) 885-5931
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
101 N. Main St., Nicholasville, KY 40356
(859) 885-4161
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Jessamine County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Jessamine 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
Jessamine County District Court 107 North Main Street, Nicholasville, KY 40356 (859) 885-4531
Jessamine County was founded December 19, 1798, named for jasmine flowers/Jessamine Creek. Its seat, Nicholasville, is also its largest city, part of the Lexington metro area.
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
101 N. Main St., Nicholasville, KY 40356
(859) 885-5704
SHERIFF / TAX COLLECTOR
101 N. Main St., Nicholasville, KY 40356
(859) 885-5704
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
101 N. Main St., Nicholasville, KY 40356
(859) 885-4161
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
101 N. Main St., Nicholasville, KY 40356
(859) 885-4161
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Jessamine County Health Dept
(859) 885-9786
KY CHFS — Bluegrass Region
(859) 246-2090
KY Medicaid
(855) 306-8959
UK HealthCare (Lexington)
uky.edu/healthcare (Level I Trauma; elite academic medical center)
Baptist Health Lexington
baptisthealthlexington.com
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Jessamine County Health Department – confirm current contact via chfs.ky.gov local health department directory.
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Editorial Trust
5 official sources cited
Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Nicholasville
Population: 54,000
Area: 173 sq mi
Established: 1798
Tier: 4
Inmate Services
Care Packages
Send care packages to inmates in Jessamine County facilities via Amazon.
