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.
Maryland County
Kent County, Maryland
Chestertown colonial heritage and Washington College - from Chestertown's extraordinary colonial preservation (Chestertown is one of the best-preserved 18th-century port towns in America - the city's High Street and Chester River waterfront contain one of the finest concentrations of Georgian and Federal architecture in the Mid-Atlantic, virtually unchanged since the prosperous colonial tobacco export era that made Chestertown one of Maryland's most important port cities) to Washington College (the tenth-oldest college in the United States, Washington College was chartered with the personal blessing of George Washington in 1782 - the only college to use Washington's name during his lifetime - and the small liberal arts college's Chester River campus anchors Chestertown's academic identity).
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: Kent County Office of Emergency Services (OES) – 104 Vickers Drive, Unit D, Chestertown, MD 21620 | (410) 778-1241 | Fax (410) 778-4601 | Email: [email protected]; manages 911 Communications, Emergency Medical Services, and preparedness for hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, winter storms, hazmat releases, and terrorism; offers Everbridge emergency alerts and Text-to-911.
Sheriff: Kent County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) – 104 Vickers Drive, Unit B, Chestertown, MD 21620 | (410) 778-2279; Sheriff Dennis Hickman; CALEA-accredited full-service agency; formed in 1648; serves roughly 279 square miles and 20,000 residents with 22 deputies including the sheriff; divisions include Patrol (K-9, Community Policing, Bicycle Patrol units), Victim Services, School Resource, Services Division, and the Kent Bureau of Investigation (relies on Maryland State Police for extensive crime scene investigation). Patrols 24/7.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-213 and MD-291 serve Chestertown, the county seat, on the Chester River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
Notes: Kent County, founded December 30, 1642, is genuinely Maryland’s oldest county.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Kent County Courthouse – Chestertown, MD.
Notes: Chestertown is home to Washington College, chartered in 1782 and genuinely the first college established in the United States after independence. George Washington personally consented to having the college named in his honor – the only institution of higher learning to bear his name during his lifetime – pledging 50 guineas to its founding and serving on its Board of Visitors and Governors. The college evolved from the earlier Kent County Free School (dating to 1723). Five additional U.S. Presidents have since visited campus: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and George H.W. Bush.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Kent County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via kentcounty.com.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Kent County Public Library – 408 High St, Chestertown, MD 21620 | confirm current phone via kentcountylibrary.org.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Washington College’s historic campus, downtown Chestertown’s colonial waterfront district, and Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge are the county’s premier attractions.
Notes: The genuine George Washington namesake connection to Washington College – the only institution he personally allowed to bear his name – is one of the most nationally distinctive local facts covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Kent County Department of Planning – confirm current contact via kentcounty.com.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Animal Care Shelter for Kent County (ACSKC, dba Humane Society of Kent County) – 10720 Augustine Herman Hwy, Chestertown, MD 21620 | (410) 778-3648; a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit (not a county agency, though it provides contracted Animal Control services and receives roughly a third of its budget from the county); an open-admission shelter serving Kent County since 1962, accepting all domesticated animals including dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and pot-bellied pigs, never euthanizing for space or length of stay; offers a food pantry and rehoming support in addition to adoption services.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Kent County Department of Public Works – (410) 778-3758.
NOTES: Kent County is the third county in the third batch of the Maryland v2 A+ sourced redo, and Maryland’s oldest county overall (founded 1642). The genuine George Washington namesake connection to Washington College – the only institution he personally allowed to bear his name – is one of the most nationally distinctive local 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 Kent County
Kent County is Maryland’s upper Eastern Shore colonial preservation and Washington College county – Chestertown’s extraordinary Georgian streetscapes and the nation’s tenth-oldest college make Kent County one of the Mid-Atlantic’s most remarkable concentrations of 18th-century American heritage along the Chester River and Chesapeake Bay.
Chestertown (the county seat, population ~5,300) is Kent County’s governmental, academic, and heritage hub, a Chester River port town whose colonial architecture, arts community, and Washington College campus define one of Maryland’s most distinctive small cities.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Kent County Assessor at 103 N. Cross Street, Chestertown, MD 21620, phone 410-778-7478. MD assessed at percentage of full cash value.
Courts & Legal
Kent County Circuit Court at 103 N. Cross Street, Chestertown, MD 21620, phone 410-778-7460, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Land Records & Court Filings)
103 N. Cross St., Chestertown, MD 21620
(410) 778-7460
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Kent County Register of Wills (estate/probate case files – see Probate section above).
“Abstracts of Kent County, Maryland Wills,” “Index to Kent County, Maryland Wills, 1642-1777,” and “Orphans, Minors and Heirs of Kent County, Maryland 1778-1812” are specific published resources for this county.
Local societies
No dedicated Kent 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
Kent County Register of Wills Kent County Courthouse, 103 North Cross Street, Chestertown, MD 21620
Kent County was founded December 30, 1642, named for the English county of Kent, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Its seat, Chestertown, is also its largest town. Kent County is Maryland’s least populous county.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Maryland is NOT a Uniform Probate Code state – it follows its own framework under the Maryland Estates and Trusts Article, administered through the Register of Wills rather than a traditional probate court in most cases.
Small Estate Administration – for a gross probate estate of $50,000 or less, or $100,000 or less if the surviving spouse is the sole heir or legatee. Filed as a Petition for Administration of a Small Estate. There is no filing fee for small estates opened on or after October 1, 2022. Small estates typically close in 2 to 4 months.
Modified Administration – available for Regular Estates when the residuary legatees consist of the personal representative and non-taxable recipients of property (spouse, children, parents, grandparents, siblings), the estate is solvent, and all consent. The personal representative must elect this within 3 months of appointment, files a verified Final Report within 10 months, and must complete final distribution within 12 months of appointment.
Regular Estate (Administrative Probate) – required when probate assets exceed $50,000 (or $100,000 with spouse as sole heir). Requires a formal Inventory (due within 3 months) and Account (first account due within 9 months, can be filed as early as 6 months), with a fee based on estate value.
Judicial Probate – conducted by the Orphans’ Court rather than administratively through the Register of Wills, required when the will’s validity is questioned, the will is damaged, or more than one qualified person petitions to serve as personal representative.
Step 2: filing for probate
File a Petition for Administration (Form 1103, plus Schedule B/Form 1137 as needed) with the Register of Wills in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death.
The Register of Wills reviews the petition and, following the statutory order of priority, appoints a personal representative and issues Letters of Administration.
Notice to creditors is published by the Register in a newspaper; creditors have 6 months from the date of death (or 2 months after being mailed notice, whichever is later) to file a claim, or they’re barred from collecting.
The personal representative pays valid debts, files the required Inventory and/or Account (or Final Report under Modified Administration), pays any inheritance tax due, and distributes the remaining assets – the surviving spouse or domestic partner is entitled to a $10,000 family allowance, and $5,000 for each unmarried minor child.
What it costs
No filing fee for small estates opened on or after October 1, 2022.
Regular estates pay a probate fee based on the total gross estate value, per a published fee schedule.
Maryland imposes both a state estate tax (threshold around $5 million) and a separate inheritance tax.
Maryland does not require an attorney for probate, but complex or contested estates commonly benefit from one.
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
350 High St., Chestertown, MD 21620
(410) 778-1800
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
400 High St., Chestertown, MD 21620
(410) 778-7507
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Kent County Health Dept
(410) 778-1350
Dept of Social Services
(410) 810-2400
MD Medicaid
(800) 492-5231
Chester River Health Foundation
chesterhospital.org (Chestertown — quality community hospital)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Kent County Health Department – confirm current phone via kentcounty.com.
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.
