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Charles City County, VA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Charles City County Circuit Court, Ninth Judicial Circuit |
| Courthouse address | 10780 Courthouse Road, Charles City, VA 23030 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 86, Charles City, VA 23030-0086 |
| Phone | Main: (804) 652-2108. The court page also lists Civil Division: (804) 652-2105 and Criminal Division: (804) 652-2107. No separate probate line is published. |
| Fax | (804) 829-5647 |
| Hours | 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Recording stops at 4:00 p.m. |
| Opening cost | The Commonwealth's probate tax is 10 cents per $100 for estates over $15,000 (Va. Code § 58.1-1712, last amended 2003). Virginia law also allows a county to impose a local probate tax equal to one-third of the state tax (Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718, 58.1-3805). Ask the clerk to calculate the total when you call. |
| Local forms | No Charles City County-specific probate packet, checklist or local fee schedule is published on the court page or the county clerk page. Use the statewide Virginia fiduciary forms. |
| VJEFS | Charles City County is listed as a Virginia Judiciary eFiling System participating circuit court for attorney civil filings. VJEFS is not a self-represented route to qualify as personal representative. |
| Case access | No free public web portal displays Charles City County estate files. OCIS does not reach probate. |
| Remote appearance | No current source states that probate qualification can be handled remotely. Call the clerk before traveling. |
| Websites | Virginia Judiciary court page: https://www.vacourts.gov/courts/circuit/charles_city/home. Charles City County clerk page: http://www.co.charles-city.va.us/216/Clerk-Circuit-Court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you call the Charles City clerk, make a working list of the assets, debts, titled property and known heirs. The clerk will need enough information to decide whether the will is being admitted, whether someone needs to qualify as personal representative, and what taxes and recording charges apply.
Sunset can help with the front end of estate settlement by searching across more than 2,300 financial institutions for accounts and assets, then organizing what you need for the clerk and the commissioner of accounts.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Use the Charles City County Circuit Court clerk's office when the decedent had a known place of residence in Charles City County. Virginia venue for a will is the circuit court of the county or city where the decedent had a known place of residence (Va. Code § 64.2-443). If the person was living in a nursing home or similar institution because of age or health, Virginia presumes the legal residence stayed where it was before that move unless the presumption is rebutted.
Charles City County is in the Ninth Judicial Circuit. It is not the same jurisdiction as James City County, and it does not share the Williamsburg and James City County combined clerk's office. A Charles City County estate starts at the clerk's counter in Charles City.
The jurisdiction process
- Call the Charles City County Circuit Court clerk at (804) 652-2108 before going to the courthouse. No published rule says whether an appointment is required, so ask what to bring and whether recording cutoff at 4:00 p.m. affects your visit.
- Gather the original will if there is one, a death certificate, heirs' and beneficiaries' names and addresses, an asset estimate, and the statewide Virginia fiduciary forms the clerk asks you to complete.
- Go to the clerk's office at 10780 Courthouse Road in Charles City. In Virginia, the clerk or a deputy clerk admits the will to probate and qualifies the executor or administrator, which means appointing and swearing in the personal representative (Va. Code § 64.2-444).
- Pay the amounts the clerk calculates. The Commonwealth's probate tax is 10 cents per $100 for estates over $15,000 (Va. Code § 58.1-1712, last amended 2003). A county may also impose a local probate tax equal to one-third of the state tax (Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718, 58.1-3805), so ask the clerk for the Charles City County total.
- Receive the certificate of qualification, usually using CC-1625. This is the document banks and other institutions use to recognize your authority as personal representative.
- Send the required notice regarding estate to the people entitled to notice within 30 days after qualification or admission of the will to probate, then record the affidavit of notice within four months as required by Va. Code § 64.2-508.
- Work with the commissioner of accounts after qualification. The inventory is returned to the commissioner of accounts within four months after the order giving you authority, and the first account is due within 16 months under Va. Code §§ 64.2-1300 and 64.2-1304.
- Finish estate settlement by paying valid debts, distributing property, and closing with the commissioner of accounts through the required account or, when allowed, a statement in lieu.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Charles City County
Charles City County does not publish a county-specific probate packet, checklist or cover sheet on the court page or the county clerk page. Use the statewide Virginia Circuit Court fiduciary forms and call the clerk before your visit to ask which forms the office wants completed in advance.
| Form | Use |
|---|---|
| CC-1650, Probate Information Form | Information the clerk commonly collects for the probate appointment. |
| CC-1651, Probate Tax Return | Used when the estate is subject to the Virginia probate tax under Va. Code § 58.1-1712. |
| CC-1611, List of Heirs | Filed at qualification or when a will is presented and nobody qualifies. |
| CC-1610, Consent of Nonresident Fiduciary for Service of Process | Used when a nonresident qualifies as personal representative under Va. Code § 64.2-1426. |
| CC-1625, Certificate / Letter of Qualification | The authority document issued after qualification. |
| CC-1670, Inventory of Decedent's Estate | Returned to the commissioner of accounts after qualification. |
| CC-1680, Account for Decedent's Estate | Used for the personal representative's account, including the first account due within 16 months under Va. Code § 64.2-1304. |
| CC-1685, Small Estate Affidavit | Used for the statewide small-estate affidavit process when that process applies. It is presented to the asset holder, not filed with the clerk. |
Statewide fiduciary forms are posted at https://www.vacourts.gov/forms/circuit/fiduciary.
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Charles City recording cutoff | The clerk's published hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with recording stopping at 4:00 p.m. |
| VJEFS participation | Charles City County appears on the Virginia Judiciary eFiling System participating circuit court list for attorney civil filings, but that does not create a self-represented probate qualification path. |
Scenarios
| Scenario | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Call the Charles City clerk before going to 10780 Courthouse Road. If someone qualifies, file the list of heirs and ask the clerk to calculate the probate tax under Va. Code § 58.1-1712, because Virginia real estate can matter to the tax calculation even when title does not pass through administration. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts and title information so the spouse can decide what needs a clerk appointment and what may pass outside administration. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Charles City County is a VJEFS court for attorney civil filings, but VJEFS is not a self-represented qualification tool. A nonresident may qualify, but signs CC-1610 and should expect bond and surety questions under Va. Code §§ 64.2-1426 and 64.2-1411. If the statewide small-estate affidavit applies, it is presented to the bank or other holder, not filed at the clerk's office. | Sunset can organize the asset list, help generate the right packet, and help decide whether a local attorney should handle the courthouse visit. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | When a home must be sold through the estate, qualification is usually the route. After the clerk issues authority, the parent works with the commissioner of accounts. The assistant commissioner listed for Charles City has a Charles City mailing address, and the other listed commissioner is in nearby Williamsburg. | Sunset helps collect asset information, prepare for the inventory and account, and connect the parent with counsel when sale authority, heirs or creditor issues are sensitive. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it provides | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Charles City Circuit Court, Virginia Judiciary | Address, mailing address, phone, fax, hours, judges and term dates for the local clerk's office. | https://www.vacourts.gov/courts/circuit/charles_city/home |
| Clerk Circuit Court, Charles City County government | County page describing the clerk's role in recording deeds, wills and estate documents. | http://www.co.charles-city.va.us/216/Clerk-Circuit-Court |
| Circuit Court Fiduciary Forms, Virginia Judiciary | Statewide probate and fiduciary forms used in Virginia circuit court clerk offices. | https://www.vacourts.gov/forms/circuit/fiduciary |
| Commissioners of Accounts directory, Virginia Judiciary | Current commissioner of accounts listings for Charles City County and the statewide commissioner information page. | https://www.vacourts.gov/courts/circuit/resources/coa/home |
| Virginia Judiciary self-help probate forms | Plain-language index for probate-related Virginia forms. | https://selfhelp.vacourts.gov/page/37/probate-forms |
| Central Virginia Legal Aid Society | General civil legal aid for qualifying low-income residents in Charles City County. Use the organization's own intake process to ask whether it can assist with your issue. | https://cvlas.org |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a Virginia probate attorney if family members disagree, the will may be contested, the estate owns real estate that must be sold, the personal representative lives out of state, a creditor dispute is likely, or the commissioner of accounts asks for filings you are not comfortable preparing. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions and helps you build the asset picture before you call the Charles City clerk.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into an organized estate settlement packet, including the details commonly needed for Virginia fiduciary forms and clerk appointments.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal judgment, such as sale authority, a nonresident fiduciary issue or a creditor dispute, Sunset can help connect you with a Virginia probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the work, understand the next step, and move from the clerk appointment to commissioner of accounts supervision with less confusion.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file to probate a will in Charles City County?
File with the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Charles City County at 10780 Courthouse Road in Charles City. Virginia venue is the circuit court of the county or city where the decedent had a known place of residence (Va. Code § 64.2-443).
Is Charles City County the same as James City County?
No. Charles City County is a county in the Ninth Judicial Circuit, but it is not James City County and it does not share the Williamsburg and James City County combined clerk's office. A Charles City County estate starts with the Charles City County clerk.
Do I have to meet with a judge to be appointed?
No. In Virginia, the clerk or a deputy clerk can admit the will and qualify the executor or administrator as personal representative (Va. Code § 64.2-444). A judge becomes involved if there is a contest, an appeal from the clerk's order, or another court matter.
Does the Charles City County clerk have local probate forms?
No Charles City County-specific probate packet, checklist or cover sheet is published on the court page or the county clerk page. Use the statewide Virginia fiduciary forms and call the clerk at (804) 652-2108 before your visit.
Can I use VJEFS for a Charles City County estate?
Charles City County is listed as a VJEFS participating circuit court for attorney civil filings. VJEFS is for Virginia State Bar members and designated staff, and it is not a self-represented path to qualify as personal representative.
Can I view a Charles City County estate file on the web?
No free public web portal displays Charles City County estate files. OCIS does not reach probate, so ask the clerk how to review a recorded will, list of heirs or estate file.
What will it cost to probate a will in Charles City County?
The Commonwealth's probate tax is 10 cents per $100 for estates over $15,000 (Va. Code § 58.1-1712, last amended 2003). Virginia law also allows a county to impose a local probate tax equal to one-third of the state tax (Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718, 58.1-3805). Ask the Charles City clerk to calculate the total when you call.
Where do I send the inventory and accounts after I qualify?
Send them to the commissioner of accounts, not back to the clerk. The inventory is due within four months after qualification, and the first account is due within 16 months under Va. Code §§ 64.2-1300 and 64.2-1304.
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.