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City of Norfolk, VA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | City of Norfolk details |
|---|---|
| Office | Norfolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office, Civil, Deeds and Probate Division |
| Address | 150 St. Paul's Boulevard, 7th Floor, Norfolk, VA 23510 |
| Mailing address | Norfolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office, 150 St. Paul's Boulevard, 7th Floor, Norfolk, VA 23510 |
| Probate phone | (757) 578-1454 |
| Main phone | (757) 389-8942, option 1 for the Civil, Deeds and Probate Division |
| [email protected] | |
| Fax | No fax number is published for the clerk's office |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., except the clerk's published holidays and half-day closings |
| Appointment | The clerk requires the probate appointment application to be returned to the Probate Division before an appointment is set |
| Taxes and charges | The Commonwealth probate tax is 10 cents per $100 of value for estates above $15,000, and estates of $15,000 or less pay no Commonwealth probate tax (Va. Code § 58.1-1712). The City of Norfolk imposes a local probate tax equal to one-third of the Commonwealth tax (Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718, 58.1-3805). Fees and taxes are due on the appointment day. |
| Local forms | Yes. The clerk publishes a probate appointment application. Other probate forms are statewide Virginia circuit court CC forms. |
| Electronic filing | No electronic route is published for probate qualification. VJEFS is for Virginia State Bar members and their staff filing most civil cases, and e-Recording is for land records. |
| Online access | No free public website shows a City of Norfolk estate file. The clerk offers paid Secure Remote Access for wills and fiduciary records, plus an online document request form for copies. |
| Remote appearance | Virginia circuit courts may allow remote appearance in a civil proceeding at the court's discretion (Va. Code § 17.1-513.2). Qualification in the City of Norfolk is handled as an in-person appointment with the clerk. |
| Website | https://www.norfolkcircuitcourt.us/civil/probate-process/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you return the City of Norfolk probate appointment application, identify the accounts, real estate, vehicles, debts and beneficiary designations you know about. The clerk asks you to come prepared with knowledge of the deceased person's assets and, as accurately as possible, their values, so asset discovery is a practical first step in estate settlement.
Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families find accounts and assets before they meet with the Norfolk Probate Division. That preparation helps you decide whether someone needs to qualify as personal representative or whether a statewide non-qualification route may fit.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Norfolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office at 150 St. Paul's Boulevard serves the whole City of Norfolk. The city is an independent city, not part of any county, and it is not one of the Virginia cities served by a neighboring county clerk.
Virginia venue is based on the county or city where the decedent had a known place of residence (Va. Code § 64.2-443). If a Norfolk resident died after entering a nursing home, convalescent home or similar institution somewhere else, the law presumes the person's legal residence stayed where it was before entering the facility, unless that presumption is rebutted.
The City of Norfolk is also the entire Fourth Judicial Circuit. Virginia law provides that "The City of Norfolk shall constitute the fourth circuit" (Va. Code § 17.1-506), so the circuit's judges and commissioners of accounts serve this city alone.
The jurisdiction process
- Return the Norfolk probate appointment application to the Probate Division before trying to set the appointment. Use the Probate Division line, (757) 578-1454, or the office mailbox, [email protected], for scheduling questions.
- Gather the original will, a copy of the death certificate, and an asset list with values as accurately as you can determine them. If there is no will, ask the clerk which statewide qualification forms are needed for an administrator.
- Plan for an in-person appointment at 150 St. Paul's Boulevard, 7th Floor, Norfolk. The clerk's courthouse notice prohibits cell phones, smart watches, laptops, tablets, glass containers and weapons of any kind, so make a plan before entering the building.
- At the appointment, the deputy clerk reviews the will if there is one, records the will with the required list of heirs, and qualifies the personal representative if qualification is needed. In Virginia, qualify means being appointed and sworn in by the Clerk of the Circuit Court (Va. Code § 64.2-444).
- Pay the charges due that day, including the Commonwealth probate tax and the City of Norfolk local probate tax (Va. Code §§ 58.1-1712, 58.1-1718). The clerk's appointment page says fees and taxes are due on the day of your appointment.
- Receive the certificate of qualification, CC-1625, if the clerk qualifies you as personal representative. If you live outside Virginia, expect to sign the consent to service of process, CC-1610, and discuss bond or surety issues under Virginia law (Va. Code §§ 64.2-1426, 64.2-1411).
- Send the required inventory, CC-1670, to the commissioner of accounts assigned to the estate within four months after the order conferring authority (Va. Code § 64.2-1300). In Norfolk, the commissioner is a private attorney with an office in the city, not the clerk's counter.
- Send the first account, CC-1680, to the commissioner of accounts within 16 months of qualification (Va. Code § 64.2-1304), unless a permitted statement in lieu or other statewide route applies. The commissioner supervises the accounting side of estate settlement.
- Record the notice affidavit with the clerk when Virginia law requires it, respond to commissioner questions, handle creditor issues as needed, and close the estate through the commissioner of accounts rather than by returning every accounting paper to the clerk.
Executor duties
In the City of Norfolk, the local duty that most often prevents confusion is knowing which office receives which paper. The clerk qualifies the personal representative, records the will and list of heirs, issues the certificate of qualification, and records the notice affidavit. The commissioner of accounts supervises the inventory, accounts and settlement.
The clerk's fee list states that every will recorded in the City of Norfolk must have a list of heirs recorded with it. The statewide list of heirs form is CC-1611, and the duty comes from Virginia's list of heirs statute (Va. Code § 64.2-509).
After qualification, send inventory and account questions to the assigned commissioner of accounts, not to the clerk's probate counter. The inventory is due to the commissioner within four months after authority is conferred (Va. Code § 64.2-1300), and the first account is due within 16 months of qualification (Va. Code § 64.2-1304).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in the City of Norfolk
The City of Norfolk has one mandatory local probate document: the clerk's probate appointment application. The clerk's appointment page says the application must be returned to the Probate Division before an appointment is set.
Other probate forms used in the City of Norfolk are statewide Virginia circuit court forms. Common examples include CC-1650, Probate Information Form; CC-1611, List of Heirs; CC-1610, Consent of Nonresident Fiduciary for Service of Process; CC-1625, Certificate / Letter of Qualification; CC-1670, Inventory of Decedent's Estate; CC-1680, Account for Decedent's Estate; and CC-1685, Small Estate Affidavit.
Use the current statewide forms index for the CC forms. The clerk's site still links an older local small estate affidavit with a superseded figure, so use the statewide CC-1685 for the small estate affidavit and remember that it is presented to the holder of the asset, not filed with the clerk.
Fees
The City of Norfolk imposes the local probate tax. The clerk collects the Commonwealth probate tax and a city probate tax equal to one-third of the Commonwealth tax at the probate appointment (Va. Code §§ 58.1-1712, 58.1-1718, 58.1-3805). The clerk's own appointment page states that fees and taxes are due on the day of the appointment.
| Charge | What the Norfolk clerk lists |
|---|---|
| Commonwealth probate tax | 10 cents per $100 of value for estates above $15,000, with no Commonwealth probate tax for estates of $15,000 or less (Va. Code § 58.1-1712) |
| City of Norfolk probate tax | One-third of the Commonwealth probate tax (Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718, 58.1-3805) |
| Probate only with no real estate | $32.00, as listed by the clerk for August 2026 |
| List of heirs without real estate | $66.00, as listed by the clerk for August 2026 |
| List of heirs with real estate | $67.00, as listed by the clerk for August 2026 |
| Qualification, estate not exceeding $100,000.00 | $25.00, as listed by the clerk for August 2026 |
| Qualification, estate exceeding $100,000.00 | $30.00, as listed by the clerk for August 2026 |
| Recording a will | $14.50 for 1 to 10 pages, $28.50 for 11 to 30 pages, and $48.50 for 31 or more pages, as listed by the clerk for August 2026 |
| List of heirs with a will | The clerk states that all wills must have a list of heirs recorded with them, and lists a $3.00 VSLF charge, as listed by the clerk for August 2026 |
| Copies and certification | $0.50 per page for copies, $2.00 per certification plus $0.50 per page for certified copies, $18.45 per hour for research and retrieval, $12.35 for postal mailing, and a 4 percent card convenience charge for the clerk's document request service, as listed by the clerk for August 2026 |
The clerk does not publish a commissioner of accounts fee schedule for the Fourth Judicial Circuit. Ask the commissioner assigned to the estate about commissioner fees before submitting the inventory or account.
Local nuance
City of Norfolk-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in the City of Norfolk |
|---|---|
| Application before appointment | The clerk requires the probate appointment application to be returned to the Probate Division before an appointment is set, and fees and taxes are due on the day of the appointment. |
| Local probate tax | The City of Norfolk imposes the local probate tax at one-third of the Commonwealth probate tax (Va. Code §§ 58.1-1712, 58.1-1718, 58.1-3805). |
| Courthouse electronics rule | The clerk's Norfolk courthouse notice prohibits cell phones, smart watches, laptops, tablets, glass containers and weapons of any kind. The city's court FAQ also says food and any weapon, including a small pocket knife, may not be carried into the court buildings. |
| Will and list of heirs | The clerk's fee list states that every will recorded in the City of Norfolk must have a list of heirs recorded with it. |
| Wills and fiduciary records by subscription | The clerk's Secure Remote Access system includes wills and fiduciary records from 1894 by paid subscription, at $600.00 a year or $50.00 a month. |
| Online copy requests | The clerk's online document request form lists wills as a document type and gives copy, certification, research, mailing and card convenience charges. |
| Only jurisdiction in the Fourth Circuit | The City of Norfolk is the whole Fourth Judicial Circuit under Va. Code § 17.1-506. |
| Half-day closings | The clerk's calendar includes half-day closings before Thanksgiving and before Christmas, in addition to the listed holidays. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely City of Norfolk path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Return the probate appointment application, then set the appointment with the Probate Division. Bring the original will, a copy of the death certificate and an asset list. A home held with survivorship language may pass outside the estate, so the need to qualify often turns on bank accounts, vehicles and other probate assets. If qualification is needed, the clerk collects the Commonwealth probate tax and the City of Norfolk local probate tax, records the will with a list of heirs and issues the certificate of qualification. | Sunset identifies accounts, helps separate probate and nonprobate assets, and prepares the family for the appointment. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the parent had a known place of residence in the City of Norfolk, venue belongs at the Norfolk clerk's office (Va. Code § 64.2-443), even if death occurred in a facility elsewhere. A nonresident can serve, but must sign CC-1610 and should expect a surety discussion unless a Virginia resident qualifies at the same time or the clerk waives surety (Va. Code §§ 64.2-1426, 64.2-1411). If a statewide small-asset route fits, use the current statewide CC-1685 rather than the older local affidavit still posted on the clerk's site. | Sunset helps determine whether qualification is needed, gathers asset information before travel, and generates the correct statewide forms. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If a Norfolk home must be sold through the estate, the will, list of heirs and land records are all handled by the clerk's Civil, Deeds and Probate Division. If the personal representative has a power of sale, the inventory must include real estate over which that power exists (Va. Code § 64.2-1300). The commissioner of accounts then supervises estate settlement from a private law office in the city. | Sunset helps gather the asset picture, organizes the probate packet and connects the family with a local attorney when title, sale authority or a dispute needs legal work. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Norfolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office, Probate Division | Handles the probate appointment application, appointment scheduling and clerk procedure questions. | (757) 578-1454, [email protected], 150 St. Paul's Boulevard, 7th Floor, Norfolk, VA 23510 |
| Norfolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office probate page | Explains the clerk's local probate process and links the probate appointment application. | https://www.norfolkcircuitcourt.us/civil/probate-process/ |
| Norfolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office fee list | Lists the City of Norfolk probate tax line and the clerk's wills and estates charges. | https://www.norfolkcircuitcourt.us/list-of-fees/ |
| Norfolk Circuit Court, Virginia Judiciary page | Lists the court address, clerk's hours, circuit number, phone numbers and terms of court. | https://www.vacourts.gov/courts/circuit/norfolk/home |
| Commissioners of Accounts directory | Search Norfolk to find the commissioners who supervise inventories and accounts after qualification. | https://www.vacourts.gov/courts/circuit/resources/coa/home |
| Virginia circuit court forms | Statewide CC forms used in Norfolk probate matters. | https://www.vacourts.gov/forms/circuit/home |
| Virginia Judiciary self-help probate forms | Plain-language form index for probate-related CC forms. | https://selfhelp.vacourts.gov/page/37/probate-forms |
| Norfolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office document request | Online request form for copies of recorded wills and other clerk documents, with the clerk's copy and certification charges. | https://www.norfolkcircuitcourt.us/document-request-form/ |
| Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia | General civil legal aid for qualifying low-income residents. Its public materials list estate planning documents, not decedent estate administration, so ask at intake. | Central intake: (757) 827-5078. Norfolk office: 125 St. Paul's Boulevard, Suite 400, Norfolk, VA 23510, (757) 627-5423 |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a Virginia probate attorney for a Norfolk house that must be sold through the estate, a title problem, a contested will, an appeal from the clerk's order, a disputed creditor claim, a nonresident surety issue or a substantial accounting. The clerk's own self-help materials state that the office cannot give legal advice, and the clerk points people to the Virginia State Bar Referral Service at (804) 775-7977 and the Norfolk & Portsmouth Bar Association at (757) 623-0132. Sunset connects you to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts, balances and institutions before you return the Norfolk probate appointment application. That makes estate settlement more organized before you speak with the Probate Division.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps assemble the information needed for the Norfolk appointment and the statewide Virginia forms, including the probate information, list of heirs, nonresident fiduciary consent when needed, and follow-up inventory and accounting forms.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Norfolk estate involves real estate, a sale, a dispute, a nonresident surety issue or a substantial accounting, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Virginia probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate, identify assets and understand the next local step without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in the City of Norfolk?
File with the Norfolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office, Civil, Deeds and Probate Division, at 150 St. Paul's Boulevard, 7th Floor, Norfolk, VA 23510. Venue is proper 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 the City of Norfolk?
Yes. The clerk requires the probate appointment application to be returned to the Probate Division before the appointment is set. The Probate Division phone number is (757) 578-1454, and the probate email is [email protected].
What should I bring to the Norfolk probate appointment?
The clerk's probate page tells families to bring the original will, knowledge of all assets owned by the deceased and their values as accurately as possible, and a copy of the death certificate.
Does the City of Norfolk charge a local probate tax?
Yes. The City of Norfolk imposes the local probate tax at one-third of the Commonwealth probate tax, and the clerk collects it with the Commonwealth probate tax at the appointment (Va. Code §§ 58.1-1712, 58.1-1718, 58.1-3805).
Are there local probate forms in the City of Norfolk?
Yes. The local form is the clerk's probate appointment application, which must be returned before the appointment is set. The probate forms used after that are statewide Virginia circuit court CC forms.
Can I see a City of Norfolk estate file on a public website?
No free public website shows the City of Norfolk estate file. The clerk offers paid Secure Remote Access for wills and fiduciary records by subscription, and the clerk's online document request form can be used to request copies of recorded wills.
Can I file probate documents electronically with the Norfolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office?
No electronic route is published for probate qualification. The clerk publishes VJEFS for Virginia State Bar members and their staff filing most civil cases, and e-Recording for land records, but qualification is handled by appointment with the clerk.
Can I take my phone into the Norfolk courthouse?
The clerk's Norfolk courthouse notice prohibits cell phones, smart watches, laptops, tablets, glass containers and weapons of any kind. Plan ahead before going to the 7th floor appointment.
Where do I send the inventory and accounts after I qualify in the City of Norfolk?
Send them to the commissioner of accounts assigned to the estate. The inventory, CC-1670, is due within four months after authority is conferred (Va. Code § 64.2-1300), and the first account, CC-1680, is due within 16 months of qualification (Va. Code § 64.2-1304).
Do I have to travel to Norfolk if I live out of state?
Plan for travel unless a licensed Virginia attorney or the clerk gives you a different permitted route. The City of Norfolk process is an in-person appointment, and a nonresident fiduciary must file the written consent to service of process, CC-1610 (Va. Code § 64.2-1426).
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.