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Kentucky · Southeastern Kentucky · #763
Laurel County, Kentucky
On the I-75 corridor in southeastern Kentucky where the Cumberland Plateau meets the Appalachian foothills, Laurel County's London is a commercial hub for a wide swath of south-central Kentucky - anchored by the Daniel Boone National Forest's recreation economy and the I-75 interchange that makes it the most accessible interior county in the region.
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Office: Laurel County Emergency Management – P.O. Box 2405, London, KY 40743; part of the Bluegrass Army Depot CSEPP chemical-safety zone.
Sheriff: Laurel County Sheriff’s Office – 1380 East Hwy 192, London, KY 40741 | (606) 864-6600 | Fax (606) 864-3494; Sheriff John Root (in office since 2010). Hours: Mon-Fri 8 AM-4:30 PM; patrol deputies on duty 24 hours.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911. London/Laurel County 911 Communications Center non-emergency: (606) 878-7000.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-75 and US-25 serve London, the county seat, in southeastern Kentucky within the Daniel Boone National Forest.
Notes: Laurel County was formed in 1825. Daniel Boone reportedly passed through the area that became London in 1776.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Laurel County Courthouse – London, KY.
Notes: Laurel County is genuinely the birthplace of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Colonel Harland Sanders opened his first and original restaurant, Sanders Café, in southern Laurel County (Corbin) in the 1940s – the site is preserved on the National Register of Historic Places as the Sanders Café and Museum, restored and reopened in 2022. London hosts the annual World Chicken Festival each September, one of Kentucky’s largest festivals, featuring the world’s largest stainless steel skillet (10 feet 6 inches in diameter, capable of cooking 600 chicken quarters at once) and a Colonel Sanders look-alike contest. Lee Cummings, founder of Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken, also began his career working for his uncle, Colonel Sanders, in Laurel County.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Laurel County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via Laurel County Fiscal Court.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Laurel County Public Library (London) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Sanders Café and Museum (birthplace of KFC) and the World Chicken Festival grounds in downtown London are the county’s most distinctive attractions, alongside access to the Daniel Boone National Forest.
Notes: The genuine “birthplace of Kentucky Fried Chicken” claim is one of the most widely recognized American food-history facts covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Laurel County Property Valuation Administrator – confirm current contact via Laurel County Fiscal Court.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Laurel County Animal Shelter – 1697 Chris Hamlin Memorial Lane, London, KY 40744 | (606) 864-6319 | Facebook: facebook.com/laurelcountyanimalshelter. Adoption fees: $65/cat, $100/dog. Hours: Mon, Wed, Fri 10 AM-4 PM, Tue, Thu 10 AM-3 PM, Sat 10 AM-2 PM.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Laurel County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via Laurel County Fiscal Court.
NOTES: Laurel County is the sixth county in Kentucky’s ninth batch under the Round 3 A+ sourced standard. The genuine “birthplace of Kentucky Fried Chicken” claim is one of the most widely recognized American food-history facts 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 Laurel County
Laurel County’s London is southeastern Kentucky’s most accessible commercial center, positioned at I-75’s intersection with the Daniel Boone Parkway and US-25. The county’s location makes it a retail, healthcare, and services hub for the surrounding Appalachian counties – people drive from Leslie, Clay, and Jackson counties to shop and receive healthcare in London. Saint Joseph London (KentuckyOne Health) provides regional medical care.
The Daniel Boone National Forest’s northern sections, with their sandstone arches, waterfalls, and Red River Gorge-adjacent terrain, give the county outdoor recreation infrastructure that draws rock climbers, hikers, and weekend visitors from Lexington and Cincinnati. London’s population has grown modestly with the I-75 logistics and commercial economy. The county’s position at the gateway to coal country gives it a transitional economic character between the broader Kentucky economy and the Appalachian coalfield counties to its east.
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: (606) 864-3444
Address: 101 S. Main St., London, KY 40741
Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–4:30 PM
Website: courts.ky.gov
CIRCUIT COURT
Phone: (606) 864-3444
Address: 101 S. Main St., London, KY 40741
Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–4:30 PM
Website: courts.ky.gov | 27th 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 S. Main St., London, KY 40741
(606) 864-5158
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Court Records)
101 S. Main St., London, KY 40741
(606) 864-3444
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
101 S. Main St., London, KY 40741
(606) 864-5158
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Laurel County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Laurel 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
Laurel County District Court Laurel County Judicial Center, 305 South Main Street, London, KY 40741 (606) 330-2079
Laurel County was founded December 21, 1825, named for mountain laurel trees. Its seat, London, is also its largest city.
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 S. Main St., London, KY 40741
(606) 864-6600
SHERIFF / TAX COLLECTOR
101 S. Main St., London, KY 40741
(606) 864-6600
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
101 S. Main St., London, KY 40741
(606) 864-5158
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
101 S. Main St., London, KY 40741
(606) 864-5158
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Laurel County Health Dept
(606) 864-3586
KY CHFS — Lake Cumberland Region
(606) 677-4000
KY Medicaid
(855) 306-8959
Saint Joseph London
saintjosephlondon.org (quality regional hospital)
Baptist Health Corbin
baptisthealthcorbin.com (adjacent Whitley County)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Laurel County Health Department – confirm current contact via laurelcohealthdept.org.
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Editorial Trust
5 official sources cited
Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: London
Population: 62,000
Area: 437 sq mi
Established: 1825
Tier: 4
Inmate Services
Care Packages
Send care packages to inmates in Laurel County facilities via Amazon.
