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City of Colonial Heights, VA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | City of Colonial Heights probate information |
|---|---|
| Court | City of Colonial Heights Circuit Court, Twelfth Judicial Circuit |
| Filing officer | Clerk of the Circuit Court |
| Courthouse address | 550 Boulevard, Colonial Heights, VA 23834-3743 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 3401, Colonial Heights, VA 23834-3743 |
| Phone | (804) 520-9364 |
| Fax | (804) 524-8726. The city instructs families to fax the will and death certificate here to start scheduling a probate appointment. |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The clerk's fee page states that no financial payments are accepted after 4:00 p.m., including credit card payments by phone. |
| Probate tax and fees | The state probate tax is 10 cents per $100 for estates over $15,000, an amount last amended in 2003 (Va. Code § 58.1-1712). The City of Colonial Heights tax code does not list the one-third local probate tax authorized by Va. Code § 58.1-1718. |
| Local forms | The city directs families to statewide Supreme Court of Virginia forms. The local step is the fax cover sheet for scheduling, not a city probate packet. |
| E-filing status | Colonial Heights is not listed as a Virginia Judiciary eFiling System participating circuit. Probate qualification is handled through the clerk's appointment process. |
| Case access | No free public website displays City of Colonial Heights estate files. Recorded wills and related will-book records are handled through the clerk's records process. |
| Remote appearance | The city's instructions describe an appointment with the Clerk's Office. No current city instruction states a video qualification option. |
| Websites | Virginia Judiciary court page City will and estate administration page |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you fax or call the clerk, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, real estate, account ownership and beneficiary designations. In Virginia, the clerk will need to understand whether someone must qualify as personal representative, which is Virginia's word for being appointed and sworn in, and whether the will needs to be admitted to probate.
Sunset can support estate settlement before the appointment by helping families identify accounts across more than 2,300 financial institutions, organize the asset picture and prepare for the local clerk's questions. That is especially useful in the City of Colonial Heights because the clerk reviews the will and death certificate before contacting you about the appointment.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The City of Colonial Heights is an independent city, not part of any county. A will is offered for probate in the circuit court of the county or city where the decedent had a known place of residence (Va. Code § 64.2-443). For a City of Colonial Heights resident, that means the Clerk of the Circuit Court's counter at 550 Boulevard in Colonial Heights.
The City of Colonial Heights is in the Twelfth Judicial Circuit with Chesterfield County (Va. Code § 17.1-506), but sharing a circuit does not mean sharing a clerk. Colonial Heights has its own Clerk of the Circuit Court, its own courthouse and its own commissioners of accounts.
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm venue and gather the starting documents. If the decedent was a City of Colonial Heights resident, start with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 550 Boulevard. Gather the original will if there is one, a death certificate, a list of heirs, asset information and debt information.
- Start the appointment process the local way. Fax the will and death certificate to (804) 524-8726, attention Clerk of the Circuit Court, with a cover sheet that includes your contact information. Do not write on the will itself. If you do not have fax access or there is no will, call (804) 520-9364.
- Wait for the clerk's office to review the materials and contact you. The city says probate matters are normally handled by appointment and that appointments generally last about 45 minutes to an hour.
- Attend the appointment at the Clerk of the Circuit Court's Office. In Virginia, the clerk or a deputy clerk may admit the will to probate and qualify the executor or administrator in the same manner and with like effect as the circuit court (Va. Code § 64.2-444).
- Pay the probate tax and statutory clerk charges that apply. The state probate tax is 10 cents per $100 for estates over $15,000, an amount last amended in 2003 (Va. Code § 58.1-1712). The City of Colonial Heights tax code does not list the one-third local probate tax authorized by Va. Code § 58.1-1718.
- Obtain the certificate of qualification if you qualify as personal representative. The certificate of qualification is the document banks and other institutions use to recognize your authority (Va. Code § 64.2-506; CC-1625).
- Send the required notice of probate and record the notice affidavit. Virginia requires notice to the people listed in the statute within 30 days after qualification or admission of the will, and the affidavit of notice is recorded in the clerk's office within four months (Va. Code § 64.2-508).
- Work with the City of Colonial Heights commissioner of accounts after qualification. The inventory is returned to the commissioner of accounts within four months after the order conferring authority, and the first account is due within 16 months from qualification (Va. Code §§ 64.2-1300, 64.2-1304). This is the supervision stage of estate settlement.
- Administer, distribute and close the estate. Keep records of receipts, disbursements, creditor handling and distributions so the commissioner of accounts can settle the account or review the proper closing document.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in the City of Colonial Heights
The City of Colonial Heights does not publish a city-specific probate packet or checklist. Its will and estate administration page points families to the Supreme Court of Virginia forms and gives a local scheduling instruction: fax the will and death certificate with a cover sheet, or call if fax is not available or there is no will.
| Form | Use in the City of Colonial Heights |
|---|---|
| CC-1650, Probate Information Form | Information the clerk commonly needs for the probate appointment. |
| CC-1651, Probate Tax Return | Used when the estate value triggers the state probate tax. The state probate tax applies to estates over $15,000, an amount last amended in 2003 (Va. Code § 58.1-1712). |
| CC-1611, List of Heirs | Filed at qualification or when a will is presented without anyone qualifying, as required by Va. Code § 64.2-509. |
| CC-1610, Consent of Nonresident Fiduciary for Service of Process | Used when a nonresident qualifies as a Virginia fiduciary (Va. Code § 64.2-1426). |
| CC-1625, Certificate / Letter of Qualification | The authority document issued after qualification (Va. Code § 64.2-506). |
| CC-1670, Inventory of Decedent's Estate | Returned to the commissioner of accounts, not the clerk, after qualification (Va. Code § 64.2-1300). |
| CC-1680, Account for Decedent's Estate | Used for the first account due within 16 months from qualification (Va. Code § 64.2-1304). |
| CC-1685, Small Estate Affidavit | A statewide form presented to the asset holder when the Virginia Small Estate Act applies. It is not filed at the courthouse. |
Statewide fiduciary forms are available through the Virginia Judiciary's circuit court fiduciary forms page.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start by faxing the will and death certificate with a contact cover sheet to (804) 524-8726, or call (804) 520-9364 if fax is not available. Bring the original will to the appointment. Ask the clerk how the home affects the probate tax calculation under Va. Code § 58.1-1712. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, beneficiary designations and jointly held property before the appointment, so the spouse can explain what actually needs estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | Colonial Heights schedules by fax and phone, not a public website. A nonresident can qualify in Virginia, but must file the consent to service of process and should expect the clerk to address surety unless an exception or waiver applies (Va. Code §§ 64.2-1426, 64.2-1411). If the statewide small-estate affidavit route fits, the affidavit goes to the asset holder rather than the courthouse. | Sunset helps sort whether there are enough probate assets to justify qualification, prepares the packet for the clerk appointment and helps coordinate with a Virginia attorney if the out-of-state role is complicated. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If a home must be sold through the estate, qualification is usually the practical route. Start with the City of Colonial Heights fax-first appointment process. After qualification, the personal representative works with a City of Colonial Heights commissioner of accounts for the inventory and account. | Sunset helps assemble the asset list, organize sale-related records and keep the estate settlement timeline clear through the commissioner of accounts stage. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it provides |
|---|---|
| City of Colonial Heights Circuit Court, Virginia Judiciary | Clerk's address, phone, fax, hours and court information. |
| Will and estate administration, City of Colonial Heights | The local probate appointment process, including the instruction to fax the will and death certificate with a cover sheet. |
| Fees, City of Colonial Heights Circuit Court Clerk | Published copy and certification charges, plus the 4:00 p.m. payment cutoff. |
| Circuit court fiduciary forms, Virginia Judiciary | Statewide probate and fiduciary forms used by families in Colonial Heights. |
| Commissioners of accounts directory, Virginia Judiciary | Search for the current City of Colonial Heights commissioners of accounts. The directory identifies commissioners who keep offices in the city. |
| Central Virginia Legal Aid Society, Petersburg office | General civil legal help for qualifying low-income residents in the City of Colonial Heights. CVLAS also lists estate administration and estate disputes as advice-only matters on its services page. |
When to hire an attorney
A probate attorney makes sense when the will may be contested, a nonresident fiduciary needs help with bond or surety, a home must be sold, creditors are active, heirs disagree, or the commissioner of accounts raises questions about the inventory or account. 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 families build the asset inventory they need before a City of Colonial Heights probate appointment.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the will, death certificate, heir information, asset list and Virginia forms so the clerk appointment starts from a complete estate settlement picture.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal judgment, such as a home sale, nonresident fiduciary issues, creditor problems or a family dispute, Sunset helps connect the family with a vetted Virginia probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the next steps, prepare for the clerk's fax-first scheduling process and stay organized through estate settlement.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file to probate a will in the City of Colonial Heights?
File with the Clerk of the Circuit Court for the City of Colonial Heights at 550 Boulevard, Colonial Heights, VA 23834-3743. 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).
How do I schedule a probate appointment in Colonial Heights?
The city instructs families to fax the will and death certificate to (804) 524-8726, attention Clerk of the Circuit Court, with a cover sheet that includes contact information. Do not write on the will. If you do not have fax access or there is no will, call (804) 520-9364. The city says probate appointments generally last about 45 minutes to an hour.
Do I have to go before a judge to be appointed in Colonial Heights?
The normal opening step is an appointment with the Clerk of the Circuit Court, not a judge. Virginia law allows the clerk or a deputy clerk to admit wills to probate and qualify executors and administrators (Va. Code § 64.2-444). A circuit court judge is involved when a matter is contested or otherwise brought before the court.
Does the City of Colonial Heights charge a local probate tax?
The state probate tax is 10 cents per $100 for estates over $15,000, an amount last amended in 2003 (Va. Code § 58.1-1712). A city may impose a one-third local probate tax under Va. Code § 58.1-1718, but the City of Colonial Heights tax code does not list a local probate tax provision.
Does Colonial Heights have its own probate forms?
The city does not publish a separate local probate packet. Its will and estate administration page points families to statewide Supreme Court of Virginia forms and gives the local scheduling instruction to fax the will and death certificate with a contact cover sheet.
Can I check a City of Colonial Heights estate through a public website?
No free public website displays City of Colonial Heights estate files. The statewide case information system is not a probate or fiduciary file system. For recorded wills and will-book documents, use the clerk's records process.
What will it cost to probate a will in Colonial Heights?
Expect the state probate tax, any statutory qualification charge and recording or certification charges that apply. The state probate tax is 10 cents per $100 for estates over $15,000, an amount last amended in 2003 (Va. Code § 58.1-1712). The City of Colonial Heights tax code does not list the one-third local probate tax authorized by Va. Code § 58.1-1718.
Do I have to come to Colonial Heights in person?
The city's instructions describe probate matters as normally handled by appointment at the Clerk of the Circuit Court's Office. If you live outside the area, call the clerk after faxing the materials, or call first if you cannot fax or there is no will.
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.