Back to Nevada
Storey County, NV Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | First Judicial District Court of Nevada, Storey County (shared with Carson City); no separate probate court |
| Filing office | Clerk of the District Court (County Clerk Jim Hindle, who also serves as County Treasurer) |
| Courthouse | Storey County Courthouse, 26 South B Street, Virginia City, NV 89440 |
| Mailing address | Storey County Clerk of the District Court, Drawer D, Virginia City, NV 89440 |
| Phone | (775) 847-0969 |
| Fax | (775) 847-0921 |
| [email protected] | |
| Office hours | Mon-Fri 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM; closed legal holidays |
| Hearing day | Law and Motion Day at the Virginia City courthouse on the third Friday of each month, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, when civil, criminal, probate, and family matters are heard |
| Filing fee | No fee where the stated estate value is $2,500 or less (NRS 19.013). Above that, the fee schedule posted by the county (file dated July 2017, verified July 2026) sets $160.50 for an estate of $2,501 to $20,000, $259.50 for $20,001 to $299,999, and $512.50 for $300,000 or more; confirm the current total with the clerk. See the fees section below. |
| Local probate forms | No probate packet; Nevada has no statewide mandatory probate form set, and the court's District Court Forms page posts general civil forms (including a notice to creditors form) but no probate petition forms |
| E-filing | Not available; filing is by paper, in person or by mail |
| Online case search | Not available; the county's District Court page is a court information page, not a docket search |
| Website | https://www.storeycounty.org/193/District-Court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Storey County, know exactly what is in the estate. The path you take depends entirely on whether there is a will and on the value and type of the assets, and Nevada offers several routes: an affidavit of entitlement for a qualifying small estate with no Nevada real property (NRS 146.080), a set-aside without administration (NRS 146.070), summary administration (NRS Chapter 145), and full general administration. The dollar thresholds that separate these paths are statewide and are explained on the Nevada state page; identify the estate first so you file the right petition once.
Identify every bank and credit-union account, retirement plan, brokerage holding, life-insurance policy, vehicle, and parcel of real property, along with every debt, before you go to the clerk. Whether the decedent owned real property in Nevada is decisive, because the affidavit path is unavailable if there is any Nevada real property. Sunset's asset-discovery work, searching more than 2,300 financial institutions, exists for this step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The First Judicial District Court serves Storey County together with Carson City. It covers the whole of Storey County, including Virginia City (the county seat), Gold Hill, the Virginia City Highlands, Mark Twain, Lockwood, and the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center. Storey County probate matters are filed with the Clerk of the District Court at the Storey County Courthouse in Virginia City. The district's two judges are based in Carson City and travel to Virginia City for Law and Motion Day, so a hearing in a Storey County case is set on that calendar; the filing point for a Storey County estate remains the Virginia City clerk.
Venue for a decedent's estate is governed by NRS 136.010. Venue is proper in any district court in Nevada, subject to an interested person's objection on convenience grounds, in which case the court weighs, in priority order, where the decedent resided at death and where the decedent owned real property. In practice, file in Storey County for a decedent who lived here. There is no dedicated probate department in the First Judicial District; probate is heard on the court's general docket.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the documents. Collect the original signed will (if any), a certified copy of the death certificate, the proposed personal representative's contact information and photo ID, the names and addresses of the heirs and beneficiaries, and a list of the assets and debts with values.
- Choose the path based on the estate. Depending on whether there is a will and on the value and type of assets, the route may be an affidavit of entitlement for a qualifying small estate with no Nevada real property (NRS 146.080), a set-aside without administration (NRS 146.070), summary administration (NRS Chapter 145), or general administration. The governing thresholds are statewide and are on the Nevada state page.
- Prepare the petition or affidavit. For an administration, prepare the petition for letters testamentary (with a will) or letters of administration (without a will). For a qualifying small estate with no Nevada real property, prepare the affidavit of entitlement instead. The affidavit is presented directly to each bank or asset holder rather than filed with the court, so a qualifying affidavit estate skips the filing and hearing steps below. Nevada has no statewide mandatory form set; the Civil Law Self-Help Center packets and the State Bar of Nevada brochure are the practical starting points.
- For a court administration (set-aside, summary, or general), file with the Clerk of the District Court in Virginia City. File the papers in person at 26 South B Street or by mail to Drawer D, Virginia City, NV 89440. Filing is by paper; there is no e-filing. Pay the filing fee: no fee if the stated estate value is $2,500 or less (NRS 19.013); above that, the county's posted schedule runs from $160.50 to $512.50 by estate value (see the fees section below). Confirm the current total with the clerk before filing.
- Give notice and publish. The personal representative mails notice to heirs, devisees, and known creditors and publishes notice as required (NRS 155.020), including the notice to creditors that opens the claim period.
- Attend the hearing on Law and Motion Day. The petition is set for hearing before a First Judicial District judge. Regular civil, probate, and family matters in Storey County are heard at the Virginia City courthouse on Law and Motion Day, the third Friday of each month. Because the judges sit in Carson City, contact the Judges' Chambers to schedule your hearing date, and ask the clerk whether a remote appearance is available.
- Receive the authority document. On approval the court issues letters testamentary (with a will) or letters of administration (without a will), the proof of the personal representative's authority to act. Request enough certified copies for the banks and institutions involved.
- Administer and close. Inventory and appraise the assets, pay valid claims in statutory priority, and account to the court. A creditor must file its claim with the clerk within 90 days after first publication or mailing of the notice to creditors, reduced to 60 days if summary administration is granted (NRS 147.040). Distribute the remaining assets and close the estate.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Storey County
Nevada has no statewide mandatory probate form set, and Storey County publishes no probate petition packet of its own. The court's District Court Forms page does post general district-court forms, including a notice to creditors form and civil cover sheets, and links to the Nevada Supreme Court's standardized self-help forms, but the probate petition or affidavit itself is prepared to Nevada practice. For self-prepared filings, the most complete free resources are the Civil Law Self-Help Center's probate packets (Clark County-focused but the most thorough free self-service probate resource in Nevada) and the State Bar of Nevada's probate brochure. For questions about local intake, filing in person versus by mail, or what the Virginia City clerk needs, call the Clerk of the District Court at (775) 847-0969.
| Resource | What it provides |
|---|---|
| Civil Law Self-Help Center - Probate | Free intro-to-probate guides and estate-administration packets used statewide |
| State Bar of Nevada probate brochure | Plain-language overview of Nevada probate paths and steps |
| Storey County District Court forms | The court's general district-court forms, including a notice to creditors form and civil cover sheets |
| Storey County Clerk of the District Court | Local intake questions, filing in person or by mail, and hearing dates |
| Storey County District Court fee schedule | The county's posted filing fee schedule; confirm current amounts with the clerk |
Fees
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Letters testamentary, letters of administration, or set-aside, stated estate value $2,500 or less | No fee | Matches the statewide rule in NRS 19.013 |
| Letters or set-aside, estate value $2,501 to $20,000 | $160.50 | From the posted First Judicial District Court fee schedule |
| Letters or set-aside, estate value $20,001 to $299,999 | $259.50 | From the posted schedule |
| Letters or set-aside, estate value $300,000 or more | $512.50 | From the posted schedule |
| Objection or cross petition | $102.00 | From the posted schedule |
| Petition to contest a will | $102.00 | From the posted schedule |
| Lodging a last will and testament | $5.00 | From the posted schedule (NRS 19.013) |
| Form packet purchased from the clerk | $3.00 | No charge if downloaded from selfhelp.nvcourts.gov or storeycounty.org |
| Certified copy | $3.00 | Copied from the court file; copies are $0.50 per page |
These figures come from the First Judicial District Court fee schedule that Storey County posts on the court's Court Fees page. The posting is file-dated July 2017 and is still the schedule the county publishes as current (verified July 2026). The estate-value brackets are fee tiers layered on the NRS 19.013 base fee, not the statewide thresholds that decide which probate path applies; those thresholds are on the Nevada state page. Fees can be paid online through the county's court-fee payment portal, and you should call the clerk at (775) 847-0969 to confirm the amount due before filing.
Local nuance
Storey County-specific considerations
One combined clerk's office. In Storey County the County Clerk, Jim Hindle, serves as County Clerk, County Treasurer, and Clerk of the District Court. Probate is filed with that office at the Storey County Courthouse in Virginia City.
File by mail or in person, on paper. There is no e-filing in Storey County. File in person at 26 South B Street or mail your papers to the clerk at Drawer D, Virginia City, NV 89440. The post office drawer is the correct mailing address; the street address is the physical courthouse.
No online case search. Storey County has no public docket portal. The county's District Court page is a court information page, not a case-search tool, and the nvcourts.gov entry for the court is a directory listing. To check on a filing, contact the clerk's office directly. The county does offer an online portal for paying court fees.
Virginia City filing, judges based in Carson City. The First Judicial District Court is shared with Carson City, and its two district judges (Judge Jason Woodbury in Department 1 and Judge Kristin Luis in Department 2) sit in Carson City. They travel to Virginia City for Law and Motion Day, held the third Friday of each month from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, when civil, criminal, probate, and family matters are heard at the Storey County Courthouse. Storey matters are filed at the Virginia City courthouse; contact the Judges' Chambers in Carson City to schedule a hearing date.
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Storey County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | If the Virginia City or Highlands home was held in community property with right of survivorship or in joint tenancy, it passes to the surviving spouse outside probate by recording the death certificate and an affidavit of death with the Storey County Recorder. If the home was in the decedent's sole name and there is a will, the spouse petitions for letters testamentary and files at the Clerk of the District Court in Virginia City. Because there is Nevada real property, the affidavit of entitlement path is not available (NRS 146.080). | Asset discovery to confirm how title is held. Packet generation for the qualifying paperwork. Guidance on recording the survivorship documents with the county recorder. |
| Out-of-state adult child, small estate | For a qualifying small estate with no Nevada real property, the child can often use the affidavit of entitlement (NRS 146.080), which is typically handled by mail without a court appearance once the statutory waiting period has passed. If the estate is larger or holds Nevada real property, the child files a set-aside, summary, or general administration petition at the Virginia City clerk instead. The statewide thresholds that separate these paths are on the Nevada state page. | Asset discovery to confirm the estate qualifies and holds no Nevada real property. Packet generation for the affidavit or petition, prepared and notarized in advance so an out-of-state filer can proceed largely by mail. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Because the estate holds Nevada real property that must be sold, the affidavit path is unavailable; the parent files a set-aside, summary, or general administration petition (depending on value) at the Clerk of the District Court in Virginia City, is issued letters of administration or an order setting the estate aside, and can then convey the home. A First Judicial District judge hears the petition, typically on Law and Motion Day. | Asset discovery for the child's accounts and property. Packet generation for the administration filing. Attorney referral if the sale or an heir dispute turns contested. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Storey County Clerk of the District Court, (775) 847-0969 (storeycounty.org) | The filing office for probate; local intake questions, filing by mail or in person, hours, hearing dates, and the base filing fee |
| Nevada Judiciary self-help and court locator (nvcourts.gov) | Statewide self-help resources and the District Courts directory, including the First Judicial District |
| Civil Law Self-Help Center - Probate (civillawselfhelpcenter.org/self-help/probate) | Free intro-to-probate guides and estate-administration packets, the most complete free self-service probate resource in Nevada |
| Volunteer Attorneys for Rural Nevadans (VARN), (775) 883-8278 (varn.org) | Free pro bono civil legal help for income-eligible residents of rural counties; VARN's pro bono project serves Storey County, and its Lawyer in the Lobby program offers brief free attorney consultations by appointment |
| State Bar of Nevada Lawyer Referral Service (nvbar.org) | Attorney referrals statewide, including for Storey County probate matters |
When to hire an attorney
Most Storey County estates are uncontested and can be handled without an attorney: a qualifying small estate with no Nevada real property often moves by affidavit of entitlement and mail, and a straightforward administration is filed on paper with the Clerk of the District Court in Virginia City. Consider counsel when the estate holds real property that must be sold, when a will contest or heir dispute is likely, when the estate is insolvent or a formal accounting is demanded, or when the estate includes a business interest or out-of-state property. Because the district's judges sit in Carson City and Storey matters are heard on Law and Motion Day, a lawyer can also help manage hearing scheduling and remote appearances. Sunset can connect families to a vetted Nevada probate attorney serving Storey County.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and public records to surface bank and credit-union accounts, retirement plans, brokerage holdings, life insurance, Storey County real estate, and unclaimed property, so you know the estate's value and which Nevada estate settlement path fits before you file.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the petition or affidavit of entitlement and the supporting paperwork for your path, ready to file on paper with the Clerk of the District Court in Virginia City, in person or by mail.
Find a local probate attorney. When a matter is contested or otherwise calls for counsel, Sunset connects families to a vetted Nevada probate attorney serving Storey County.
Sunset is free for families. Revenue comes from bank partners that pay Sunset while estate funds sit in an FDIC-insured estate account ($3M coverage).
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file for probate in Storey County?
With the Clerk of the District Court at the Storey County Courthouse, 26 South B Street, Virginia City, NV 89440, or by mail to Drawer D, Virginia City, NV 89440. Storey County is in the First Judicial District, which it shares with Carson City. There is no separate probate court in Nevada.
Is there e-filing for probate in Storey County?
No. Storey County has no e-filing for probate. Filing is by paper, in person at the Virginia City courthouse or by mail to the clerk's post office drawer. E-filing is mandatory in Clark County and Washoe County runs its own eFlex portal, but the rural districts, including the First, file on paper.
Can I look up a Storey County probate case online?
No. Storey County has no public online case portal. The county's District Court page is a court information page, not a live docket search, and the nvcourts.gov listing is a directory entry. To check on a filing, call the Clerk of the District Court at (775) 847-0969. The county does offer a separate online portal for paying court fees.
What forms do I need for probate in Storey County?
Nevada has no statewide mandatory probate form set, and Storey County publishes no probate petition packet; the court's District Court Forms page posts general forms such as a notice to creditors and civil cover sheets. Petitions and affidavits are prepared to Nevada practice; the Civil Law Self-Help Center probate packets and the State Bar of Nevada brochure are the practical starting points, and the clerk's office can answer local intake questions.
What does it cost to file probate in Storey County?
There is no filing fee if the stated estate value is $2,500 or less (NRS 19.013). Above that, the fee schedule Storey County posts on the court's Court Fees page (file dated July 2017, verified July 2026) sets $160.50 for a petition for letters or a set-aside where the estate is $2,501 to $20,000, $259.50 for $20,001 to $299,999, and $512.50 for $300,000 or more. Confirm the current amount with the clerk at (775) 847-0969 before filing.
When are probate hearings held in Storey County?
Regular civil, criminal, probate, and family matters in Storey County are heard at the Virginia City courthouse on Law and Motion Day, the third Friday of each month. The district's two judges travel from Carson City for that calendar. Contact the Judges' Chambers in Carson City to schedule a hearing date.
Do I have to travel to Virginia City to settle an estate there?
Often not. A qualifying small estate with no Nevada real property can usually be handled by affidavit of entitlement through the mail without a court appearance, and administration papers can be mailed to the clerk at Drawer D, Virginia City, NV 89440. Where a hearing is required, ask the clerk whether a remote appearance is available.
Who do I call about probate in Storey County?
The Clerk of the District Court at (775) 847-0969, or by email at [email protected]. The County Clerk, Jim Hindle, serves as County Clerk, County Treasurer, and Clerk of the District Court.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.