How To File Bankruptcy for Free in Kentucky

5 Steps To File Chapter 7 in Kentucky

If you're feeling overwhelmed by bills, collection calls, or the stress of making ends meet, you're not alone. Many people turn to bankruptcy when they've tried everything else and still can't get ahead. 

Filing Chapter 7 in Kentucky involves a few steps — gathering your financial documents, completing two short courses, filing your paperwork, and attending a brief meeting with a trustee — and many people do it successfully without a lawyer. This guide walks you through each step so you know exactly what to expect.

Step 1: See If You Qualify

Chapter 7 has income limits, but most people who need it meet them. You'll answer a few questions about your household size and income. If you use Upsolve's free tool, it just takes two minutes to see if you qualify. 

Start here →

If your income is below Kentucky’s median for a household your size, you'll likely pass the means test and qualify to file with Upsolve.

Step 2: Gather Your Documents

Before you file, you'll need to pull together a few key documents. One of those is a certificate from a short credit counseling course, which you'll complete online. It takes 1–2 hours and costs $10–$50 (fee waivers available).

See the full document checklist →

Step 3: Complete Your Forms and File 

The forms you'll fill out are federal, so they're the same across the country. You can find them as free fillable PDFs at uscourts.gov. Some courts also require local forms, which we cover later in the Kentucky Bankruptcy Districts section.

If you use Upsolve, your forms are generated for you based on your answers and organized so they’re ready to print and sign.

How filing works with Upsolve →

The Kentucky Bankruptcy Court is divided into two districts: the Eastern District and the Western District. Each one has its own filing requirements. In both districts, you can file in person or by mail. In the Eastern District, filing online is also an option.

📍 You can use the table below to see which court will handle your case.

Filing Fee Information & Fee Waiver Eligibility

There’s a $338 filing fee for Chapter 7. If you can’t afford it, you can ask the court to waive the fee when you file your paperwork.

People whose income falls below 150% of the federal poverty level may be eligible. A bankruptcy judge will review your income and expenses and decide whether to grant the fee waiver.  

If you don’t qualify for a fee waiver, you’ll need to pay the full filing fee or an installment payment (if approved) when you file your forms. 

Payment options vary by district — see the Kentucky Bankruptcy District section below for details on accepted payment methods. 

Step 4: Attend Your 341 Meeting 

About a month after you file, you'll have a short meeting with your bankruptcy trustee on Zoom. It typically takes about five minutes. The trustee will verify your identity and ask a few basic questions about your paperwork.

Upsolve can help you prep for your 341 meeting →

Step 5: Get Your Discharge

After your 341 meeting, you'll need to take one more short course — a debtor education course on budgeting and managing credit. Once that's done and any follow-up is resolved, the court erases your eligible debts. That's your fresh start, usually within 3–4 months of filing.

What debts does Chapter 7 discharge? →

Kentucky Bankruptcy Districts

Each of Kentucky’s two bankruptcy districts has its own filing requirements and payment rules.

🔎 Find your county in the chart below to see which district you’re in. Then, follow the instructions for that district in the next section.

Local Forms/Requirements for the Eastern District

The Eastern District of Kentucky is divided into six divisions. The county you live in determines which division handles your case:

• Ashland: Boyd, Carter, Elliot, Greenup, Lawrence, Lewis, Morgan, and Rowan counties

• Covington: Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, Mason, Pendleton, and Robertson counties

• Frankfort: Anderson, Carroll, Franklin, Henry, Owen, Shelby, and Trimble counties

• Lexington: Bath, Bourbon, Boyle, Breathitt, Clark, Estill, Fayette, Fleming, Garrard, Harrison, Jessamine, Lee, Lincoln, Madison, Menifee, Mercer, Montgomery, Nicholas, Powell, Scott, Wolfe, and Woodford counties

• London: Bell, Clay, Harlan, Jackson, Knox, Laurel, Leslie, McCreary, Owsley, Perry, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Wayne, and Whitley counties

• Pikeville: Floyd, Johnson, Knott, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, and Pike counties

How To File in the Eastern District

You can file your forms online, via mail, or in person at your local division courthouse.

Online filing options for self-represented filers:

• The eSR (Electronic Self-Representation) is an online tool that helps you prepare and file a new Chapter 7 bankruptcy case without a lawyer. It walks you through the forms step by step and gives you 45 days to finish and submit your petition.

• The eDS (Electronic Document Submission) allows filers to email follow-up documents to the court instead of mailing or delivering them. All documents must be signed by hand and sent as a single PDF file. This is for use after you’ve filed your bankruptcy petition with the court.

If you file by mail, you'll send your petition to:

United States Bankruptcy Court Eastern District of Kentucky 100 East Vine Street, Suite 200 Lexington, Kentucky 40507-1430

If you file in person, you’ll go to the courthouse for your local division:

[table goes here]

Local Forms and Filing Fee Information for the Eastern District

The Eastern District requires filers to submit a creditor mailing list with their petition. Check the court’s Local Forms page to see if any additional forms apply to your case.

The court prefers online payment for the $338 filing fee using a bank account (ACH), PayPal, or debit card. You can also pay in person or by mail with a money order or cashier's check made payable to Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, or exact cash if paying in person. 

🕒 If approved to pay in installments, you'll make payments of $84.50 directly to the Clerk's Office. Your first payment may be due when you file or shortly after. 

🚫 Personal checks and credit cards aren’t accepted.

Local Forms/Requirements for the Western District

The Western District of Kentucky is divided into four divisions. The county you live in determines which division handles your case:

• Bowling Green: Adair, Allen, Barren, Butler, Casey, Clinton, Cumberland, Edmonson, Green, Hart, Logan, Metcalf, Monroe, Russell, Simpson, Taylor, Todd, and Warren counties

• Louisville: Serves Breckinridge, Bullitt, Hardin, Jefferson, Larue, Marion, Meade, Nelson, Oldham, Spencer, and Washington counties

• Owensboro: Daviess, Grayson, Hancock, Henderson, Hopkins, McLean, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Union, and Webster counties

• Paducah: Ballard, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Christian, Crittenden, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Livingston, Lyon, McCracken, Marshall, and Trigg counties

How To File in the Western District

If you're filing in this district, you must submit all forms and fees either in person or by mail to the courthouse in Louisville. This is the only location that accepts filings from people who aren’t using a lawyer.

File by mail or in person at: U.S. Bankruptcy Court Gene Snyder Courthouse 601 West Broadway, Suite 450 Louisville, KY 40202

Local Forms and Filing Fee Information for the Western District

You’ll need to include a creditor mailing list — a simple list of everyone you owe money to — with your petition. Be sure to follow the court’s specific formatting instructions. You can find any additional forms you might need on the court’s Local Forms page.

The court also has a useful guide for pro se (self-represented) filers. 

You can pay the filing fee in person or by mail using a cashier’s check or money order payable to Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court. If you’re sending your fee by mail, include a note or copy of your court document so the clerk knows why you’re sending the payment. 

🚫 Personal checks, cash, and credit cards aren’t accepted.

Free Legal Aid in Kentucky

If your case is more complex — or you'd just feel better having an attorney review it — free and low-cost legal help is available across Kentucky.

Appalachian Research and Defense Fund of Kentucky (606) 889-1982 120 North Front Avenue, Prestonsburg, KY 41653

Kentucky Legal Aid (270) 782-1924 1700 Destiny Lane, Bowling Green, KY 42104

Legal Aid of the Bluegrass (859) 431-8200 104 East Seventh Street, Covington, KY 41011

Legal Aid Society (502) 584-1254 416 West Muhammad Ali Boulevard, Suite 300, Louisville, KY 40202

Common Questions About Filing Bankruptcy in Kentucky