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Kentucky · Bluegrass Region · #477
Madison County, Kentucky
In the outer Bluegrass between Lexington and the Cumberland foothills, Madison County's Richmond has grown around Eastern Kentucky University into a regional hub that serves the counties of central Appalachian Kentucky while maintaining its own Bluegrass character - horse farms, bourbon limestone, and all.
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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: Madison County Emergency Management/CSEPP – 560 S. Keeneland Drive, Richmond, KY 40475 | (859) 624-4787. Hours: Mon-Fri 8 AM-4:30 PM.
Sheriff: Madison County Sheriff’s Office – 135 W. Irvine Street, Suite B01, Richmond, KY 40475 | (859) 623-1511 | Email: [email protected]. Non-emergency dispatch (859) 624-4776.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-75 and the Mountain Parkway serve Richmond, the county seat; Berea, home to Berea College, is also a major city in the county.
Notes: Madison County was formed in 1785, one of Kentucky’s original counties.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Madison County Courthouse Annex – Richmond, KY.
Notes: Madison County is home to Berea College, founded in 1855 by abolitionist minister John G. Fee as the first interracial and coeducational college in the American South – Black and white students studied and lived together at Berea even before the Civil War, and by 1872 the college had adopted a policy permitting interracial dating and marriage among students, radical for its era. Kentucky’s 1904 “Day Law” forced Berea to segregate; the college fought the law to the U.S. Supreme Court and lost in 1908, funding the Lincoln Institute near Louisville to continue educating Black students during the segregation era. When the Day Law was amended in 1950, Berea became the first college in Kentucky to reopen its doors to Black students. Today Berea remains tuition-free for every student (funded through its endowment since 1892) and is among the most racially diverse private liberal arts colleges in the country. Madison County was also the site of the 1862 Civil War Battle of Richmond, a major Confederate victory.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Madison County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via madisoncountyky.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Madison County Public Library – branches in Richmond and Berea; confirm current addresses/phones via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Berea College’s historic campus, the Battle of Richmond Civil War battlefield sites, and Eastern Kentucky University (also based in Richmond) are the county’s premier institutions.
Notes: The genuine Berea College civil rights history is one of the most historically significant American higher-education and civil-rights facts covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Madison County Property Valuation Administrator – confirm current contact via madisoncountyky.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Madison County Animal Shelter – 1386 Richmond Road N, Berea, KY 40403 | (859) 624-4744 | Email: [email protected]. Operated by the county’s Animal Care & Control Department (two full-time Animal Control Officers), a Petco Love and BISSELL Pet Foundation partner.
Humane Society A.L.L. of Madison County – 128 Big Hill Avenue, Suite C, Richmond, KY 40475 | (859) 626-5600 | Email: [email protected]; separate nonprofit offering low-cost spay/neuter and TNR programs.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Madison County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via madisoncountyky.gov.
NOTES: Madison County is the second county in Kentucky’s eleventh batch under the Round 3 A+ sourced standard. The genuine Berea College civil rights history is one of the most historically significant American higher-education and civil-rights 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 Madison County
Madison County is Kentucky’s outer Bluegrass at its most characteristic – the limestone soils, the horse farm landscape, and the rolling terrain that defines the region persist throughout the county’s countryside, while Richmond has grown into a city of genuine regional importance anchored by Eastern Kentucky University. EKU, with about 14,000 students and a particular strength in criminal justice, nursing, occupational therapy, and public safety programs, produces a significant share of Kentucky’s law enforcement, corrections, and healthcare workforce. The university’s economic impact on Madison County is substantial.
The county’s history is a compressed version of Kentucky’s larger story: the Battle of Richmond in August 1862 was one of the Confederacy’s most complete victories of the Civil War, and the battlefield (now a preserved state historic site) lies just north of town. White Hall State Historic Site preserves the home of Cassius Marcellus Clay, the Kentucky abolitionist and diplomat who was a significant if complicated figure in the antislavery movement. The county’s position on I-75 between Lexington and London makes it accessible as both a commuter community and a regional service hub. Berea, the county’s second city, is home to Berea College – the tuition-free institution that admits only Appalachian-heritage students and requires them to work – one of the most distinctive educational institutions in the United States.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Kentucky assesses property at 100% of fair cash value annually; the PVA sets assessments. Property owners may appeal to the Board of Assessment Appeals by May 20. Kentucky has no estate or inheritance tax.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
SENIOR SERVICES
Bluegrass Area Development District – Area Agency on Aging
699 Perimeter Drive, Lexington, KY 40517
Phone: (859) 269-8021
Senior transportation, Meals on Wheels, caregiver support, and long-term care counseling for Madison County residents.
Senior Services
Bluegrass Area Development District – Area Agency on Aging
699 Perimeter Drive, Lexington, KY 40517
Phone: (859) 269-8021
Senior transportation, Meals on Wheels, caregiver support, and long-term care counseling for Madison County residents.
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 W. Main St., Richmond, KY 40475
(859) 624-4703
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Court Records)
101 W. Main St., Richmond, KY 40475
(859) 624-4798
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
101 W. Main St., Richmond, KY 40475
(859) 624-4703
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Madison County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
The Madison County Courthouse (1850, Greek Revival, National Register of Historic Places), part of the Downtown Richmond Historic District, is a significant local landmark.
Local societies
No dedicated Madison 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
Madison County District Court 101 West Main Street, Richmond, KY 40475
Madison County was founded December 15, 1785, named for James Madison, one of Kentucky’s nine original counties (formed while still part of Virginia). Its seat, Richmond, is also its largest city, the state’s seventh-largest.
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 W. Main St., Richmond, KY 40475
(859) 624-4776
SHERIFF / TAX COLLECTOR
101 W. Main St., Richmond, KY 40475
(859) 624-4776
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
101 W. Main St., Richmond, KY 40475
(859) 624-4703
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
101 W. Main St., Richmond, KY 40475
(859) 624-4703
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Office: Madison 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: Richmond
Population: 93,000
Area: 440 sq mi
Established: 1786
Tier: 3
Inmate Services
Care Packages
Send care packages to inmates in Madison County facilities via Amazon.
