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Hanover County, VA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Hanover County details |
|---|---|
| Court and office | Hanover County Circuit Court, Clerk of the Circuit Court, probate section |
| Courthouse address | Hanover County Courthouse, 7530 County Complex Road, second floor, Hanover, VA 23069 |
| Mailing address | Hanover County Circuit Court Clerk's Office, Probate Division, P.O. Box 39, Hanover, VA 23069 |
| Probate phone | (804) 365-6478 |
| Main clerk phone | (804) 365-6151 |
| Fax | (804) 365-6278 |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. No lunch closure or probate intake cutoff is published. |
| Appointment practice | Probate and qualification are handled by scheduled appointment. Send the Hanover probate Information Checklist and supporting documents first by email, fax, mail or hand delivery, then a deputy clerk contacts you. |
| Probate tax | The Commonwealth's probate tax has been 10 cents per $100 of estate value since 2003, and estates of $15,000 or less pay none (Va. Code § 58.1-1712). A county or city may add a local probate tax equal to one third of the state amount (Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718, 58.1-3805), so ask the probate section for the total that applies before your appointment. |
| Payment at appointment | Cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover are accepted for fees and taxes paid at the probate appointment. |
| Local forms | Yes. Hanover publishes its own Probate Section Information Checklist, also called the Estate Information Checklist. |
| Electronic filing | No electronic filing for probate. Hanover participates in the Virginia Judiciary electronic filing system for Virginia attorneys and their staff in civil cases, but opening an estate is an appointment with the clerk's probate section. |
| Case search | No free public portal shows a Hanover County estate file. Recorded wills and lists of heirs can be read in the clerk's records room or through the clerk's land records subscription for document images. |
| Remote appearance | No remote or mail-in qualification practice is published. The paperwork stage can be handled by email, fax or mail before the appointment, but the original will is brought to the appointment. |
| Website | Hanover County Wills and Administration of Estates |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you call the Hanover probate section, gather the asset list the clerk's checklist asks for. Hanover wants date-of-death values for the personal estate, Virginia real estate in Hanover County, and Virginia real estate in another county or city. The checklist also tells you not to include joint assets with survivorship rights or assets with payable-on-death, transfer-on-death or similar beneficiary designations.
That asset work drives estate settlement in Hanover County because the clerk uses the value information to set the bond and calculate probate tax. Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families find accounts, identify beneficiary designations and assemble date-of-death values before the checklist goes to the clerk.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Hanover County estates are opened at the Hanover County Circuit Court, 7530 County Complex Road, second floor, Hanover, VA 23069. The Clerk of the Circuit Court serves Hanover County only. No independent city shares this clerk's office.
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). The Hanover clerk states the same rule for readers: wills are probated where the deceased person had a known place of residence, and if the person was in a nursing home, the legal residence may be presumed to be where the person lived before entering the facility.
This courthouse serves all of Hanover County, including the Town of Ashland and the county's unincorporated communities. Ashland is a town inside Hanover County, so if the person who died lived in Ashland, the estate is opened at this Hanover County courthouse.
The jurisdiction process
- Start with the Hanover probate Information Checklist. Send the checklist, a copy of the will if there is one, and a copy of the death certificate or other proof of death to the probate section by email at [email protected], fax at (804) 365-6278, mail to P.O. Box 39, or hand delivery to the second floor clerk's office.
- Wait for the deputy clerk to contact you. Hanover's checklist says the deputy clerk contacts you after the clerk's office receives the checklist. The clerk reviews the copy of the will before the appointment to see whether it can be admitted without more from you.
- Bring the required items to the appointment. For an executor, bring the original will, a certified death certificate or other proof of death, the names, ages, addresses and relationships of the heirs at law, the date-of-death values the checklist requests, and payment by cash, check or accepted credit card. If the named executor will not serve, the clerk asks for a notarized letter; if the named executor is deceased, the clerk asks for proof of death.
- Qualify before the clerk. Qualify is Virginia's word for being appointed and sworn in as the personal representative. In an ordinary Hanover County estate, the clerk admits the will to probate and qualifies the executor or administrator without a judge (Va. Code § 64.2-444).
- Pay the probate tax, qualification fee and recording charges that apply. The Commonwealth's probate tax is 10 cents per $100 of estate value, and estates of $15,000 or less pay none (Va. Code § 58.1-1712). A county or city may add a local probate tax equal to one third of the state amount (Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718, 58.1-3805), so ask the probate section for the total that applies before the appointment.
- Receive the certificate of qualification. The certificate of qualification, CC-1625, is the authority document you use with banks, brokerages and other institutions (Va. Code § 64.2-506).
- Send the required probate notice. Within 30 days after qualification or admission of the will to probate, the personal representative or proponent of the will sends notice to the people entitled to notice, then records the affidavit of notice within four months (Va. Code § 64.2-508).
- Work with the Commissioner of Accounts in Mechanicsville. The inventory and accounts go to the Commissioner of Accounts for the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, a private law office in Mechanicsville, not to the courthouse counter. The inventory is due within four months after the order giving authority (Va. Code § 64.2-1300). The first account is due within 16 months from qualification and covers the first 12 months (Va. Code § 64.2-1304).
- Administer and close the estate. Pay valid expenses and claims, distribute under the will or Virginia law, and close through the commissioner of accounts. Estate settlement is complete only after the commissioner settles the required account or accepts a permitted closing filing.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Hanover County
Hanover County has a local probate intake form. The Hanover Circuit Court Clerk's Office Probate Section Information Checklist is the first document to use before the appointment. It asks for the decedent's information, heirs at law, the person seeking to qualify, the copy of the will, proof of death, asset values, real estate values and any attorney information.
The checklist is practical because it tells you how Hanover wants values stated. It asks for date-of-death values, includes partial interests, and tells you not to include assets owned with survivorship rights or payable-on-death, transfer-on-death or similar beneficiary designations.
Statewide Virginia CC forms still supply the core probate documents. Common forms include CC-1611 list of heirs, CC-1616 notice regarding estate, CC-1617 affidavit of notice, CC-1625 certificate of qualification, CC-1670 inventory, CC-1680 account, CC-1681 statement in lieu, CC-1685 small estate affidavit, CC-1686 notice to creditors and CC-1687 affidavit of notice to creditors. Use the Virginia Judiciary forms index for current versions.
| Form or resource | Use in Hanover County | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Hanover probate Information Checklist | Local intake form sent before the appointment. A deputy clerk contacts you after receiving it. | Open checklist |
| Hanover Wills and Administration of Estates page | Local appointment instructions, what to bring, probate phone and commissioner of accounts information. | Open clerk page |
| Virginia Judiciary circuit court forms | Statewide CC probate, fiduciary and notice forms. | Open forms index |
| Virginia Judiciary probate forms self-help page | Self-help access to probate-related statewide forms. | Open probate forms page |
Local nuance
Hanover County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| The checklist goes in first | Hanover asks you to send the Information Checklist, a copy of the will and proof of death before the appointment. A deputy clerk then contacts you. |
| The copy of the will is reviewed before the appointment | The clerk uses the copy to see whether the will can be admitted without more from you. Bring the original will to the appointment. |
| The probate section has its own phone | Use (804) 365-6478 for probate questions. The main clerk number is not the probate line. |
| Email and fax are intake routes | Hanover lets you send the checklist and supporting copies to [email protected] or fax (804) 365-6278 before the appointment. |
| The commissioner of accounts is in Mechanicsville | The inventory and accounts go to the Commissioner of Accounts for the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in Mechanicsville. That office reviews and approves inventories and accounts. |
| The free online land records tier is indexes only | A recorded will or list of heirs can be read in the second floor records room. Online images require the clerk's paid land records subscription. |
Recent updates
| Date | Local update |
|---|---|
| June 2025 | The clerk's probate section published the current Hanover probate Information Checklist, the six-page local form sent before a probate appointment. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | If the home was owned with survivorship rights, Hanover's checklist tells you not to include it in the probate asset values. If there are solely owned accounts or other probate assets, send the checklist, a copy of the will and proof of death to the probate section, then bring the original will and date-of-death values to the appointment. After qualification, the inventory and accounts go to the commissioner of accounts in Mechanicsville. | Sunset helps identify which accounts were solely owned, which had beneficiary designations and which values belong on the Hanover checklist before the appointment. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | A small enough personal estate may avoid qualification under statewide Virginia rules, and the small estate affidavit is presented to the holder of the asset rather than filed at the courthouse. If qualification is needed, an out-of-state personal representative can serve by filing the written consent to service of process and addressing surety under Virginia law (Va. Code §§ 64.2-1426, 64.2-1411). Hanover's paperwork stage can be handled by email, fax or mail, but call (804) 365-6478 before booking travel for the appointment. | Sunset assembles the asset list, beneficiary information and probate packet so an out-of-state child can make the Hanover appointment count. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If selling the house requires a personal representative, start with the Hanover checklist. It asks for the fair market value or assessed value of Virginia real estate and separates land in Hanover County from land in another Virginia locality. If the child died intestate and the only probate issue is real estate, the statewide list of heirs and real estate affidavit route may be the path to discuss with the clerk or an attorney. | Sunset helps document the home value, find financial accounts and connect the parent with a local probate attorney for the sale and estate settlement plan. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact or link |
|---|---|---|
| Hanover County Circuit Court Clerk's Office, probate section | Schedules the probate appointment, provides the local checklist and explains procedure. Staff cannot give legal advice. | Clerk probate page; (804) 365-6478; [email protected] |
| Hanover probate Information Checklist | Local six-page checklist for heirs, asset values, real estate values and appointment preparation. | Open checklist |
| Hanover Circuit Court, Virginia Judicial System | Judiciary page for this court, with address, hours, phone and terms of court. | Open court page |
| Commissioners of Accounts directory | Finds the commissioner of accounts office for Hanover County and explains that the local circuit court controls the fee schedule in effect. | Open directory |
| Virginia Judiciary circuit court forms | Statewide CC probate and fiduciary forms, including qualification, notice, inventory, account and creditor notice forms. | Open forms index |
| Virginia Judicial System Court Self-Help | Self-help site with a probate forms section. It does not give Hanover appointment instructions. | Open self-help site |
| Hanover County land records, clerk's office | Access to recorded wills and lists of heirs through the records room, free index searching and paid image subscription. | Open land records page |
| Central Virginia Legal Aid Society, Richmond office | General civil legal aid for people with low incomes. Its service area includes Hanover County, but estate administration is not listed as a practice area. | CVLAS get help page; (804) 648-1012 or (800) 868-1012 |
| Virginia Lawyer Referral Service | Referral service identified by CVLAS for people who do not qualify for legal aid. A half-hour consultation is offered for a set fee. | Referral information through CVLAS; (804) 775-0808 or 1-800-552-7977 |
When to hire an attorney
The Hanover clerk says each estate is different, expert legal advice is helpful, and clerk's staff can provide procedural information but not legal advice. Counsel makes sense when real estate must be sold, the will is not self-proving, an out-of-state personal representative may need bond or surety guidance, a creditor claim is disputed, or the asset values are uncertain enough to affect bond and probate tax. Sunset connects families with a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across 2,300 institutions to help identify accounts, insurance, investments and other assets that may belong in the Hanover checklist or may pass outside probate by beneficiary designation or survivorship.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset information, heirs, contact details and documents into an organized probate packet so you can send the Hanover checklist and supporting copies before the appointment.
Find a local probate attorney. When an estate has a home sale, a disputed claim, nonresident qualification, bond questions or a will problem, Sunset can connect you with a local probate attorney who understands Virginia qualification and the commissioner of accounts process.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset's estate settlement tools help you organize the work, understand the next step and avoid missing the local details that matter at the Hanover probate counter.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate papers in Hanover County?
Start with the probate section of the Hanover County Circuit Court Clerk's Office at the Hanover County Courthouse, 7530 County Complex Road, second floor, Hanover, VA 23069. The clerk asks you to send the local Information Checklist and supporting copies before the appointment, then a deputy clerk contacts you.
What phone number should I call for Hanover County probate?
Call the probate section at (804) 365-6478. The clerk's main number is (804) 365-6151, but the probate section number is the one published for wills, probate and qualification appointments.
Can I email or fax the Hanover probate checklist?
Yes. Hanover publishes [email protected] and fax (804) 365-6278 for sending the probate Information Checklist and supporting copies before the appointment. Bring the original will to the probate appointment.
Can I open a Hanover County estate electronically?
No. Opening an estate in Hanover County is an appointment with the clerk's probate section, not an online filing. Hanover participates in the Virginia Judiciary electronic filing system for Virginia attorneys and their staff in civil cases, but that system does not reach probate qualification.
Can I attend the Hanover probate appointment remotely?
No remote or mail-in qualification practice is published for Hanover County. Virginia circuit courts may allow telephone or video appearance in a civil proceeding at the court's discretion (Va. Code § 17.1-513.2), but qualifying before the clerk is not that kind of hearing. If travel is difficult, call (804) 365-6478 and ask the probate section what the office can do.
How do I find a Hanover County estate file?
No free public portal shows a Hanover County estate file. The will and list of heirs are recorded in the clerk's will book and can be read in the records room on the second floor of the courthouse. The clerk's land records system gives free index access, and document images require the clerk's paid subscription.
What local probate forms does Hanover County require?
Hanover publishes a local Probate Section Information Checklist, also called the Estate Information Checklist. It is the front door to the process because the clerk asks you to send it with a copy of the will and proof of death before the appointment. Statewide Virginia CC forms are still used for the legal probate and fiduciary documents.
How much probate tax will I pay in Hanover County?
The Commonwealth's probate tax is 10 cents per $100 of estate value, and estates of $15,000 or less pay none (Va. Code § 58.1-1712). A county or city may add a local probate tax equal to one third of the state amount (Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718, 58.1-3805), so ask the Hanover probate section at (804) 365-6478 for the total that applies to your estate before the appointment.
Where do I file the inventory and account after I qualify in Hanover County?
Send them to the Commissioner of Accounts for the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, a private law office in Mechanicsville. The inventory and accounts are not handled at the courthouse counter. The inventory is due within four months after the order giving authority (Va. Code § 64.2-1300), and the first account is due within 16 months from qualification (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.