Buying or selling in Elizabethtown or anywhere in Hardin County? Closing costs here follow Kentucky's statewide rules, with a few local numbers worth knowing, and a lot of buyers here are using VA loans because Fort Knox is right up the road. Here's what each side pays, in plain terms.

The short answer

Buyers in Kentucky should budget roughly 2% to 5% of the price for closing costs. Sellers usually pay around 2% before commission, then the commission. Elizabethtown's median sale price was about $314,792 in August 2026 (Redfin), so a typical buyer here is looking at roughly $6,300 to $15,700. A VA buyer can often get a big chunk of that covered by the seller (see the VA section below).

What sellers pay in Elizabethtown

• Kentucky transfer tax: $0.50 for every $500 of the price under KRS 142.050, or 0.1%, paid by the seller by law. On a $315,000 sale it's $315. Try the Kentucky transfer tax calculator.
• Mortgage payoff, plus $46 to record the release at the Hardin County Clerk.
• Deed preparation, usually by an attorney. Kentucky requires the preparer's name and address on the deed.
• Your share of the year's property taxes (Hardin County bills are paid in arrears for the calendar year, so the seller credits the buyer at closing).
• Commission, and any closing costs you agree to pay for the buyer.

See your bottom line with the Kentucky seller closing cost and net proceeds calculator.

What buyers pay in Elizabethtown

• Lender fees: origination, underwriting, appraisal, credit report and any points.
• Title insurance. Kentucky is a filed-rate state, so each insurer files its own rates. For example, First American's filed Kentucky rate for an owner's policy is about $1,220 on a $300,000 home, with a $200 lender's policy issued at the same time.
• Hardin County Clerk recording fees: $50 for the deed and $80 for the mortgage ($126 if the mortgage is registered with MERS).
• Prepaids: the first year of homeowners insurance and a few months of taxes and insurance for escrow.
• Local insurance premium tax on your homeowners policy: 8% inside Elizabethtown and 11% in Radcliff, per the Kentucky Department of Insurance's 2026-2027 schedule.

The Kentucky buyer closing cost calculator totals your cash to close, including VA and FHA fees.

Hardin County property taxes and proration

Kentucky property taxes are billed to whoever owned the home on January 1 and cover that calendar year. Hardin County bills are paid in arrears, so at closing the seller credits the buyer for the part of the year the seller owned the home. The Hardin County Sheriff's schedule: discount if paid November 1 through 30, face amount in December, a 5% penalty in January, and a 21% penalty from February 1 to April 15.

Your rate depends on where the house sits. Using 2025 rates for a home inside Elizabethtown city limits, the total works out to about $1.22 per $100 of assessed value in the Elizabethtown Independent Schools district and about $1.02 per $100 in the Hardin County Schools district. That's the state rate (10.6 cents), Hardin County (15 cents), the city (about 11 cents) and the school district rate. Fire district levies can add to it, so check the actual bill for the property you're buying.

VA loans and Fort Knox buyers

If you're buying with a VA loan, here's what changes at closing:

• The VA funding fee, for a purchase: 2.15% of the loan on first use with less than 5% down (3.3% after first use), 1.5% with 5% or more down, and 1.25% with 10% or more down. Veterans receiving VA disability compensation, and active-duty service members who received a Purple Heart, don't pay it.
• The funding fee can be rolled into the loan. Other closing costs can't.
• The seller can pay concessions up to 4% of the home's reasonable value (the VA appraisal), on top of normal closing costs, and discount points paid for you don't count toward that 4%.
• On a purchase, the veteran can't be charged for the termite inspection report.

Run the numbers on the VA loan calculator for Kentucky, and read how we work with veterans.

Down payment help

Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) offers up to $12,500 in down payment and closing cost assistance as a second loan repaid over 15 years, for buyers using a KHC first mortgage. It's statewide, so it works in Hardin County. More in our Kentucky down payment assistance guide.

More Kentucky closing cost guides

• Kentucky closing costs: who pays what
• Lexington, KY closing costs
• How to get pre-approved for a mortgage in Kentucky

Frequently asked questions

Who pays closing costs in Elizabethtown, KY?

Both sides. The seller pays the Kentucky transfer tax, their mortgage payoff and release, deed preparation and commission. The buyer pays lender fees, title insurance, recording fees and prepaids. Everything else is negotiable in the contract.

Can the seller pay VA closing costs?

Yes. On a VA loan, the seller can pay the buyer's closing costs, and seller concessions beyond normal closing costs can go up to 4% of the home's appraised value. Discount points don't count toward that 4%.

How much is the VA funding fee in 2026?

For a purchase, 2.15% of the loan on first use with less than 5% down, 3.3% for later use with less than 5% down, 1.5% with at least 5% down, and 1.25% with at least 10% down. Veterans receiving VA disability compensation are exempt.

Is KHC down payment assistance available in Hardin County?

Yes. KHC's program is statewide. It offers up to $12,500 as a second loan for buyers who use a KHC first mortgage.

How much is the transfer tax on an Elizabethtown home?

$0.50 for every $500 of the price, or 0.1%. On a $315,000 home it's $315, paid by the seller.