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King George County, VA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | King George Circuit Court, Clerk of the Circuit Court |
| Courthouse address | 10446 Government Center Blvd., Suite 271, King George, VA 22485 |
| Mailing address | 10446 Government Center Blvd., Suite 271, King George, VA 22485 |
| Phone | (540) 775-3322 |
| Fax | (540) 775-5466 |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Recording is noted to end at 3:45 p.m. |
| Appointment policy | Probate is by appointment only. Call (540) 775-3322 to schedule and to get the correct email address for advance document submission. |
| Cost at appointment | The state probate tax is 10 cents per $100 under Va. Code § 58.1-1712, with estates of $15,000 or less exempt, effective July 1, 2003. A county may add a local probate tax under Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718 and 58.1-3805, so confirm the total with the clerk when you schedule. |
| Local forms | Yes. King George County publishes an Application for Probate Appointment, used with the will copy, death certificate and Virginia property assessment or tax bill. |
| E-filing status | King George County Circuit Court is not on the Virginia Judiciary eFiling System participating-courts list. Probate qualification is handled through the clerk appointment process. |
| Case access | No free public internet portal shows King George County estate files. Recorded wills and related records are handled through the clerk's records process. |
| Remote appearance | No King George County remote qualification practice was published. Ordinary qualification is an appointment with the clerk. |
| Websites | King George Circuit Court and King George County Wills & Probate |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you schedule a King George County probate appointment, identify what the decedent owned, what was jointly owned, what had beneficiaries, what debts exist and whether Virginia real estate is involved. The clerk asks for the most recent assessment or tax bill for all Virginia property the decedent owned, so collect that before calling.
Sunset can support estate settlement before the courthouse step by searching across 2,300 institutions for accounts and assets, organizing liabilities and helping you decide which documents belong in the King George County appointment packet.
Which court handles jurisdiction
King George County estates are handled at the King George Circuit Court clerk's counter at 10446 Government Center Blvd., Suite 271, King George, VA 22485. King George County is in the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit and has its own Clerk of the Circuit Court.
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 that residence (Va. Code § 64.2-443). For a King George County resident, start with the King George County clerk. If the decedent died in a nursing home or similar institution elsewhere, Virginia law presumes the legal residence stayed where it was before the move unless that presumption is rebutted (§ 64.2-443).
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm that King George County is the right place to open the estate under Va. Code § 64.2-443. If the decedent was a King George County resident, call the Clerk of the Circuit Court at (540) 775-3322.
- Ask for a probate appointment. King George County states that probate is done by appointment only.
- Prepare the county's Application for Probate Appointment. The county asks applicants to email the application, a copy of the will if there is one, a copy of the death certificate and the most recent assessment or tax bill for all Virginia property the decedent owned. Call the clerk for the correct submission address before sending documents.
- Bring the original will, if there is one, and the documents the clerk requests to the appointment at 10446 Government Center Blvd., Suite 271. In Virginia, the clerk or a deputy clerk may admit the will and qualify the personal representative, which means appoint and swear in the executor or administrator (Va. Code § 64.2-444).
- Pay the charges calculated by the clerk. The state probate tax is 10 cents per $100 under Va. Code § 58.1-1712, with estates of $15,000 or less exempt, effective July 1, 2003. A county may add a local probate tax under Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718 and 58.1-3805, so ask the King George County clerk for the total when you schedule.
- After qualification or admission of the will, send the required notice to heirs and beneficiaries within 30 days and record the notice affidavit within four months as required by Va. Code § 64.2-508.
- If a routine estate is opened at the clerk's counter, no opening hearing is scheduled. A contested matter or appeal follows the Virginia circuit court procedures that apply to disputes.
- Request certified copies of the certificate of qualification, CC-1625, if banks, transfer agents or other institutions need proof of your authority.
- Work with the commissioner of accounts after qualification. The King George commissioner keeps a law office in King George, not at the clerk's counter. File the inventory with the commissioner within four months after the order conferring authority and the first account within 16 months under Va. Code §§ 64.2-1300 and 64.2-1304. That commissioner review is a central part of Virginia estate settlement.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in King George County
King George County uses statewide Virginia circuit court fiduciary forms plus a local intake document. The county's Wills & Probate page publishes an Application for Probate Appointment, and the county asks applicants to submit that application with a copy of the will if there is one, a death certificate copy and the most recent Virginia property assessment or tax bill before the appointment.
Statewide forms are available through the Virginia Judiciary's Circuit Court Fiduciary Forms page. Common forms include CC-1650 for probate information, CC-1611 for the list of heirs, CC-1625 for the certificate of qualification, CC-1670 for the inventory and CC-1680 for the account. The King George County page also points readers to the small-estate affidavit and the List of Heirs / Real Estate Affidavit, CC-1612, but those are statewide forms rather than King George-only forms.
Recent updates
| Change | What it means in King George County |
|---|---|
| Will lodging ended January 1, 2024 | King George County states that it no longer accepts wills for lodging during a testator's lifetime. Wills lodged before that date remain accessible for changes and updates if needed. This is separate from offering a will for probate after death. |
Scenarios
| Scenario | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Call the King George County Clerk of the Circuit Court at (540) 775-3322 for an appointment. Before the appointment, prepare the county Application for Probate Appointment, the will copy if there is one, the death certificate and the most recent Virginia property assessment or tax bill for the property. | Sunset helps identify which accounts, debts and real estate interests are part of estate settlement and helps assemble the appointment packet. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | King George County is not a VJEFS court, and qualification is handled through the clerk appointment process. If you qualify from outside Virginia, expect to sign the nonresident fiduciary consent for service of process, CC-1610, and discuss surety with the clerk under Va. Code §§ 64.2-1426 and 64.2-1411. If the small-estate affidavit route applies, the affidavit is presented to the holder of the asset, not filed at the clerk's counter. | Sunset helps sort the assets first, so you know whether a clerk appointment is needed or whether an institution-facing affidavit may solve the issue. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If a personal representative must be qualified to sell or manage property, start with the appointment-only process at the King George County clerk's office. After qualification, the inventory goes to the commissioner of accounts within four months and the first account is due within 16 months under Va. Code §§ 64.2-1300 and 64.2-1304. If the estate is intestate and real-estate only, the county points readers to the statewide CC-1612 List of Heirs / Real Estate Affidavit route. | Sunset helps gather property information, organize creditor and account information and connect the family with a local probate attorney when a sale or title issue needs legal review. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| King George Circuit Court, Virginia Judiciary | Gives the clerk's address, phone, fax, hours, circuit information and term dates. |
| Wills & Probate, King George County | Gives the appointment-only policy, advance document list, will-lodging update and links to relevant probate materials. |
| Circuit Court Fiduciary Forms, Virginia Judiciary | Provides the statewide CC forms used in Virginia probate and fiduciary administration. |
| Commissioners of Accounts directory, Virginia Judiciary | Lets families find the commissioner of accounts who supervises the inventory and accounts after qualification. |
| Legal Aid Works, Fredericksburg office | Offers general civil legal help for income-eligible residents of King George County and nearby localities. Its listed service categories do not make it a probate administration office. |
When to hire an attorney
A probate attorney can be useful in King George County when the will is disputed, a house must be sold, a nonresident fiduciary needs bond guidance, heirs disagree, creditors are significant or the estate needs court direction. Sunset connects families with a vetted attorney when legal advice is the right next step.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for financial accounts, insurance, retirement assets and other property so families begin estate settlement with a clearer asset list.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the information needed for the King George County appointment, including will status, death certificate details, heirs, beneficiaries, property and debts.
Find a local probate attorney. When a King George County estate involves a real estate sale, disputed will, nonresident qualification issue or creditor problem, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the steps, collect documents and move through estate settlement without paying Sunset for the core service.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file to probate a will in King George County?
File at the Clerk of the Circuit Court for King George County, 10446 Government Center Blvd., Suite 271, King George, VA 22485. Virginia venue starts in the county or city where the decedent had a known place of residence (Va. Code § 64.2-443).
Do I need an appointment to probate a will in King George County?
Yes. King George County states that probate is done by appointment only. Call the clerk at (540) 775-3322 to schedule.
What documents does King George County want before a probate appointment?
The county asks applicants to submit the Application for Probate Appointment, a copy of the will if there is one, a copy of the death certificate and the most recent assessment or tax bill for all Virginia property the decedent owned. Because no public email address is printed for that submission, call the clerk for the correct address before sending anything.
Do I go to a courtroom to be appointed in King George County?
For an ordinary Virginia estate, qualification happens with the clerk or a deputy clerk, not through an opening courtroom proceeding. The clerk may admit the will and qualify the personal representative under Va. Code § 64.2-444.
Can I file King George County probate papers electronically?
No VJEFS route is listed for King George County Circuit Court. Use the clerk's appointment process and the document-submission instructions the clerk gives you.
Can I view a King George County estate file on the internet?
No free public internet portal shows King George County estate files. OCIS is not a probate or fiduciary records system. Ask the clerk how to inspect recorded wills or related records.
What will it cost to probate a will in King George County?
The state probate tax is 10 cents per $100 under Va. Code § 58.1-1712, with estates of $15,000 or less exempt, effective July 1, 2003. A county may add a local probate tax under Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718 and 58.1-3805. Ask the King George County clerk for the total when you schedule, because the appointment cost depends on the estate value, recording, qualification and any county tax.
Where do I send the inventory and accounts after I qualify?
After qualification, the inventory and accounts go to the commissioner of accounts, not to the clerk's counter. The King George commissioner of accounts keeps a law office in King George. The inventory is due within four months after the order conferring authority, 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.