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Giles County, VA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Giles County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Giles County Circuit Court, Clerk of the Circuit Court |
| Courthouse address | 501 Wenonah Avenue, Suite 1, Pearisburg, VA 24134 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 502, Pearisburg, VA 24134 |
| Phone | (540) 921-1722 |
| Fax | (540) 921-3825 |
| Hours | Weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call before going to confirm probate intake timing. |
| Probate tax and clerk fees | The Commonwealth probate tax is 10 cents per $100 of estate value, with estates of $15,000 or less exempt (Va. Code § 58.1-1712). A county may add a local probate tax equal to one-third of the state tax (Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718, 58.1-3805), so confirm the total with the clerk when arranging to probate the will. Qualification and recording fees are statewide under Va. Code § 17.1-275. |
| Local forms | Use the statewide Virginia Circuit Court fiduciary forms. The Judiciary page for Giles Circuit Court does not add a Giles County probate packet. |
| Electronic filing | Giles participates in VJEFS for certain circuit court matters, but VJEFS is for Virginia State Bar members and their staff. Opening an estate and qualifying before the clerk are not available through VJEFS for families. |
| Case access | No free public internet portal shows a Giles County estate file. Ask the clerk how to view the will book or related papers. |
| Remote appearance | No current remote qualification option is posted for Giles County. Qualification before the clerk is normally handled in person. |
| Website | Giles Circuit Court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you call the Giles County clerk, make a first list of the decedent's assets, debts, real estate, beneficiaries, and family contacts. The clerk can explain what the office needs for probate and qualification, but the clerk cannot tell you which assets are probate assets or how to divide the estate.
Sunset helps families begin estate settlement with asset discovery across more than 2,300 institutions, so you are not trying to open an estate in Pearisburg with only a partial financial picture.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Giles County probate is handled at the Giles County Circuit Court clerk's counter in Pearisburg. Giles County is in the Twenty-seventh Judicial Circuit, which includes the Cities of Galax and Radford and the Counties of Bland, Carroll, Floyd, Giles, Grayson, Montgomery, Pulaski, and Wythe (Va. Code § 17.1-506).
Virginia venue is based on the decedent's known place of residence. 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). If the decedent lived in Giles County, file at the Pearisburg clerk's office even if the death occurred somewhere else. The statute also has a nursing home presumption, so a move for advanced age or impaired health does not automatically change the decedent's legal residence.
Pearisburg is the county seat. Giles County also includes the towns of Narrows, Pembroke, and Rich Creek along the New River.
The jurisdiction process
- Call the Giles County Circuit Court clerk at (540) 921-1722 before going to the courthouse. Ask what the office wants you to bring for a probate or qualification appointment, including the original will if there is one, a death certificate, names and addresses of heirs and beneficiaries, and an asset estimate.
- Prepare the statewide Virginia Circuit Court fiduciary forms that fit the estate. Common starting forms include CC-1650, Probate Information Form, CC-1651, Probate Tax Return when required by Va. Code § 58.1-1714, CC-1611, List of Heirs, and CC-1610 if a nonresident fiduciary will qualify.
- Go to the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 501 Wenonah Avenue, Suite 1, Pearisburg. In Virginia, the clerk or a deputy clerk may admit the will to probate and qualify the executor or administrator, which is Virginia's word for appointing and swearing in the personal representative (Va. Code § 64.2-444).
- Pay the amounts the clerk calculates. The Commonwealth probate tax is imposed under Va. Code § 58.1-1712, qualification and recording fees are set by Va. Code § 17.1-275, and a county may add a local probate tax under Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718 and 58.1-3805. Confirm the Giles County total with the clerk at the appointment.
- After qualification or admission of the will, send the required notice of probate to the people entitled to notice within 30 days, then record the affidavit of notice within four months as required by Va. Code § 64.2-508.
- Use the certificate of qualification, CC-1625, to deal with banks, financial institutions, and other holders of estate property. If the clerk assigns a commissioner of accounts, keep that commissioner's contact information with the estate file.
- Send the inventory, CC-1670, to the assigned Giles County commissioner of accounts within four months after qualification. The commissioner of accounts, not the clerk, supervises the fiduciary after qualification and settles accounts (Va. Code §§ 64.2-1200, 64.2-1300).
- Send the first account, CC-1680, to the commissioner of accounts within 16 months after qualification, covering the first 12 months of administration (Va. Code § 64.2-1304). If the estate qualifies for a statement in lieu, use CC-1681 when the statewide requirements are met.
- Consider whether creditor work is needed. Virginia now allows an optional notice to creditors, CC-1686, under Va. Code § 64.2-508.1, but publication is not automatic in every estate.
- Close the estate settlement through the commissioner of accounts, using a final account or statement in lieu when appropriate, then keep copies of the settled papers and distributions.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Giles County
Giles County uses Virginia's statewide Circuit Court fiduciary forms. The Giles Circuit Court page does not add a separate county probate packet, checklist, or cover sheet, so start with the Commonwealth forms and call the clerk before visiting if you are unsure which forms the office wants at the counter.
| Form | Use |
|---|---|
| CC-1650 | Probate Information Form for the clerk's appointment. |
| CC-1651 | Probate Tax Return when the estate value requires it under Va. Code § 58.1-1714. |
| CC-1611 | List of Heirs, filed at qualification or when a will is presented and no one qualifies. |
| CC-1610 | Consent of Nonresident Fiduciary for Service of Process, used when the personal representative is not a Virginia resident. |
| CC-1625 | Certificate / Letter of Qualification, the authority document used after qualification. |
| CC-1670 | Inventory of Decedent's Estate, sent to the commissioner of accounts. |
| CC-1680 | Account for Decedent's Estate, sent to the commissioner of accounts. |
| CC-1681 | Statement in Lieu of Settlement of Account for Decedent's Estate, when the statewide requirements are met. |
| CC-1685 | Small Estate Affidavit for qualifying assets under Va. Code §§ 64.2-600 through 64.2-605. The $75,000 figure is effective July 1, 2025. This affidavit is presented to the asset holder, not filed with the clerk. |
| CC-1686 and CC-1687 | Optional notice to creditors and affidavit of notice to creditors under Va. Code § 64.2-508.1. |
Statewide forms are available from the Virginia Circuit Court fiduciary forms page and the Virginia Judiciary forms index.
Local nuance
Giles County-specific considerations
After qualification in Pearisburg, the fiduciary's ongoing work usually moves outside the courthouse. The Judiciary's commissioner of accounts roster lists two Giles County commissioner offices, one in Pearisburg and one in Narrows. The commissioner of accounts is a private attorney appointed by the circuit court's judges, and that office reviews the inventory and accounts under Va. Code § 64.2-1200.
No Twenty-seventh Judicial Circuit commissioner fee schedule was located for this page, so do not assume the commissioner's charge from a neighboring jurisdiction. Ask the assigned commissioner for the current schedule before submitting an inventory or account.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by checking how the home is titled and whether any probate asset requires qualification. If a will must be admitted or a personal representative must qualify, call the Giles County clerk at (540) 921-1722 and plan for the Pearisburg counter. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, and title clues so the spouse can separate estate settlement tasks from assets that may pass outside administration. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | For assets that fit Virginia's small estate rules, the statewide CC-1685 affidavit may avoid qualification. If qualification is needed, a nonresident can serve, but will sign CC-1610 and should expect surety unless a Virginia resident qualifies too or the clerk waives surety under Va. Code §§ 64.2-1426 and 64.2-1411. | Sunset helps collect institution information and generate a task list before the child decides whether travel to Pearisburg is necessary. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the home must be sold through the estate, qualification is usually the local route. The parent qualifies at the Giles County clerk's counter and then works with the assigned Giles County commissioner of accounts for the inventory and account. | Sunset helps organize the asset picture, prepare the probate packet, and connect the family with legal help when a sale or creditor issue makes counsel important. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Giles Circuit Court, Virginia Judiciary | Clerk address, mailing address, phone, fax, hours, circuit information, and terms of court. | Giles Circuit Court |
| Circuit Court Fiduciary Forms, Virginia Judiciary | Statewide forms for probate, qualification, inventory, accounts, notice, and small estate affidavits. | Fiduciary forms |
| Commissioners of Accounts directory, Virginia Judiciary | Current commissioner of accounts roster searchable by jurisdiction. | Commissioners of Accounts directory |
| Virginia Judiciary self-help probate forms | Plain-language form index for probate-related paperwork. | Probate forms self-help |
| Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Society | General civil legal aid for low-income households in Giles County. Its published practice areas include consumer, family, domestic violence, employment, housing, public benefits, and elder abuse matters. Probate administration is not listed as a practice area. Intake: 1-888-201-2772. | Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Society |
When to hire an attorney
Consider hiring a Virginia probate attorney if the will may be contested, the estate includes real estate that must be sold, a nonresident fiduciary needs surety guidance, creditors are disputed, beneficiaries disagree, or the commissioner of accounts asks for corrections you do not understand. When a Giles County estate settlement needs legal advice, Sunset connects to a vetted attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help families find accounts, insurance, benefits, debts, and other clues that shape the estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into an organized packet for the Giles County clerk, with the statewide Virginia forms and a checklist of what to bring to Pearisburg.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal advice, a real estate sale, a disputed creditor, or help with a nonresident fiduciary, Sunset can connect you with a vetted Virginia probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the work, understand next steps, and move through estate settlement without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file to probate a will in Giles County?
File at the Giles County Circuit Court clerk's office, 501 Wenonah Avenue, Suite 1, Pearisburg, VA 24134. The mailing address is P.O. Box 502, Pearisburg, VA 24134.
Do I have to go before a judge to be appointed in Giles County?
No. In Virginia, the Clerk of the Circuit Court or a deputy clerk may admit the will and qualify the personal representative at the clerk's office (Va. Code § 64.2-444). A circuit court judge becomes involved only if a dispute or appeal requires it.
Does the Pearisburg clerk's office have its own probate forms?
The Giles Circuit Court page does not add a separate county packet. Use the statewide Virginia Circuit Court fiduciary forms and call the clerk at (540) 921-1722 if you need to confirm what to bring.
Can I file probate papers through an electronic system in Giles County?
No electronic route opens an estate for a family filer in Giles County. VJEFS is for Virginia State Bar members and their staff for certain circuit court matters, and qualification before the clerk is not handled that way.
Can I view a Giles County estate file on the internet?
No free public internet portal shows Virginia probate and fiduciary files for Giles County. The statewide OCIS system does not include probate or fiduciary matters. Ask the clerk how to view the will book or related papers.
What will it cost to probate a will in Giles County?
The Commonwealth probate tax is 10 cents per $100 of estate value, with estates of $15,000 or less exempt (Va. Code § 58.1-1712). A county may add a local probate tax equal to one-third of the state tax (Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718, 58.1-3805). Qualification and recording fees are set statewide under Va. Code § 17.1-275, so ask the clerk for the total when you arrange the appointment.
Do I have to come to Pearisburg in person?
No current Giles County source posts a remote qualification option. Because qualification is an appearance before the clerk, plan on going to the Pearisburg clerk's office unless the clerk tells you another procedure is available.
Where do I send the inventory and the accounts?
Send the inventory and accounts to the assigned Giles County commissioner of accounts, not to the clerk's counter. The inventory is due within four months after qualification under Va. Code § 64.2-1300, and the first account is due within 16 months after qualification under Va. Code § 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.