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Nottoway County, VA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Nottoway Circuit Court, Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Virginia. Probate and qualification are handled by the Clerk of the Circuit Court. |
| Courthouse address | 328 West Courthouse Road, Crewe, VA 23930. The Judiciary labels this as the physical or GPS address. |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 25, Nottoway, VA 23955. Use the mailing town and ZIP when sending papers by mail. |
| Phone | (434) 645-9043. No separate probate line is published. |
| Fax | (434) 645-2201. |
| Hours | 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. No probate intake cutoff or lunch closure is published. |
| Probate tax and clerk charges | The Commonwealth probate tax is 10 cents per $100 of estate value, with estates of $15,000 or less exempt, under Va. Code § 58.1-1712, in this form since July 1, 2003. A county may add a local probate tax equal to one-third of the state tax under Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718 and 58.1-3805, so ask the clerk to calculate the total when you call. |
| Local forms | No Nottoway-specific probate packet, checklist, cover sheet or fee sheet is published. Use the statewide Virginia circuit court fiduciary forms. |
| Electronic filing | Nottoway is listed as a VJEFS participating circuit court for attorney civil filing. VJEFS is for Virginia State Bar members and their staff, not for a self-represented family member to qualify as personal representative. |
| Case information | No free public online portal shows Nottoway County estate files. Will-book materials are handled through the clerk's office. |
| Remote appearance | No current Nottoway source publishes a video or telephone option for probate qualification. Qualification is an appearance before the clerk, not a hearing. |
| Website | Nottoway Circuit Court, Virginia Judiciary |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you call the Nottoway County clerk, make a practical list of the decedent's assets, debts, real estate, vehicle titles, bank accounts and known beneficiaries. Virginia probate depends on what must pass through the estate, so asset discovery is the first estate settlement step, not an afterthought.
Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families find accounts and organize the information needed for the clerk, the commissioner of accounts and the attorney if one is needed.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Nottoway County has its own Clerk of the Circuit Court and its own courthouse. It is part of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit with the City of Petersburg and the Counties of Amelia, Dinwiddie, Nottoway and Powhatan, but Nottoway County estates are opened at the Nottoway clerk's counter.
Virginia venue is based on the decedent's known place of residence. A will is offered in the circuit court for the county or city where the decedent had a known place of residence, and a nursing home or similar facility does not automatically change that residence (Va. Code § 64.2-443). For a Nottoway County resident, use the courthouse at 328 West Courthouse Road, with Crewe for GPS and Nottoway for mail.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the assets, debts and real estate first. Bring the original will if there is one, a certified death certificate, names and addresses of heirs and beneficiaries, and the information needed for the statewide probate information form.
- Call the Clerk of the Circuit Court at (434) 645-9043 before you go. Nottoway County does not publish a probate appointment rule, so use the call to ask what the clerk wants you to bring and how the office is handling qualification that week.
- Go to the clerk's counter at 328 West Courthouse Road. Use Crewe, VA 23930 for GPS or driving, and use P.O. Box 25, Nottoway, VA 23955 for mail.
- Pay the probate tax and clerk charges the clerk calculates. The Commonwealth probate tax is 10 cents per $100 of estate value, with estates of $15,000 or less exempt, under Va. Code § 58.1-1712, in this form since July 1, 2003. A county may add a local probate tax equal to one-third of the state tax under Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718 and 58.1-3805.
- Qualify as personal representative, Virginia's word for being appointed and sworn in. The clerk or deputy clerk may admit the will to probate and qualify an executor, administrator or curator without a judge being involved (Va. Code § 64.2-444).
- Get the certificate of qualification. The certificate is the authority document banks, transfer agents and other institutions use to recognize the personal representative (Va. Code § 64.2-506; CC-1625).
- Send the required notice of probate or qualification within 30 days, then record the affidavit of notice within four months in the clerk's office (Va. Code § 64.2-508). If you are a nonresident fiduciary, be ready to sign the consent to service of process required by Va. Code § 64.2-1426.
- Work with the commissioner of accounts after qualification. Nottoway County's commissioners of accounts have offices in Blackstone, not at the courthouse near Crewe. Return the inventory to the commissioner within four months after the order giving authority, and exhibit the first account before the commissioner within 16 months after qualification (Va. Code §§ 64.2-1300, 64.2-1304). This is where the estate settlement moves from opening the estate to administration and closing.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Nottoway County
Nottoway County does not publish a local probate packet, checklist, cover sheet or fee sheet. Use the Virginia Judiciary's statewide circuit court fiduciary forms and call the clerk before going to the courthouse to confirm which forms the clerk wants for your facts.
| Form | Use in Nottoway County |
|---|---|
| CC-1650 | Probate Information Form, the information the clerk collects for the probate appointment. |
| CC-1651 | Probate Tax Return, used when the estate value requires the tax return under Va. Code § 58.1-1714. |
| CC-1611 | List of Heirs, filed at qualification or when a will is presented and nobody qualifies (Va. Code § 64.2-509). |
| CC-1610 | Consent of Nonresident Fiduciary for Service of Process, required for a nonresident fiduciary under Va. Code § 64.2-1426. |
| CC-1616, CC-1617 and CC-1618 | Notice Regarding Estate, Affidavit of Notice Regarding Estate and Waiver of Notice of Probate or Qualification. |
| CC-1625 | Certificate / Letter of Qualification, the authority document issued after the clerk qualifies the personal representative. |
| CC-1670, CC-1680 and CC-1681 | Inventory, account and statement in lieu forms. These go to the commissioner of accounts, not to the clerk for review. |
| CC-1685 | Small Estate Affidavit under Va. Code §§ 64.2-600 through 64.2-601, current effective July 1, 2025. It 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. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start with the Nottoway County clerk at the courthouse near Crewe. If qualification is needed, file the list of heirs at the clerk's counter, and remember that Virginia real estate can affect the probate tax calculation even if the personal representative never takes control of the property (Va. Code §§ 58.1-1712, 58.1-1713). | Sunset helps identify accounts, organize co-owned property information and prepare an estate settlement checklist before the spouse calls the clerk. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Call before traveling, because Nottoway County does not publish an appointment rule. Use Crewe for GPS, not the mailing town of Nottoway. If you qualify, you will sign CC-1610 as a nonresident fiduciary and should ask about bond and surety under Va. Code §§ 64.2-1426 and 64.2-1411. If the statewide small asset process fits, the small estate affidavit is given to the bank or holder rather than filed at the courthouse. | Sunset helps determine whether there are enough assets to justify qualification, prepares the document list and can connect the child with a Virginia probate attorney if travel or surety questions make the estate settlement difficult. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Qualification happens at the Nottoway County clerk's counter, but the inventory and accounts go to the commissioner of accounts in Blackstone. Plan for two different offices: the courthouse near Crewe for opening the estate, and the commissioner in Blackstone for fiduciary supervision. | Sunset helps gather account information, organize real estate and debt details, generate the probate packet and introduce a local attorney when a sale, creditors or family conflict requires legal judgment. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Nottoway Circuit Court, Virginia Judiciary | Clerk's office hours, phone, fax, mailing address, physical address, judges and term dates. |
| Circuit Court Clerk, Nottoway County government | Local clerk contact information and the county's own listing of the Crewe physical address. |
| Circuit court fiduciary forms, Virginia Judiciary | Statewide probate, qualification, notice, inventory and account forms. |
| Commissioners of Accounts directory, Virginia Judiciary | Searchable directory for the Nottoway County commissioners of accounts, whose offices are in Blackstone. |
| Virginia Legal Aid Society, Farmville office | General civil legal aid for income-eligible residents. The Farmville office lists Nottoway County in its service area and can be reached at (434) 392-8108. |
When to hire an attorney
Consider hiring a Virginia probate attorney if the will is disputed, the estate has real estate to sell, a nonresident fiduciary needs help with bond or surety, creditors are active, a business interest is involved, or family members disagree about who should qualify. 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 picture needed for Nottoway County estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you collect into an organized probate packet for the clerk, including the details needed for Virginia's statewide forms.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal advice, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Virginia probate attorney who understands qualification, commissioner of accounts filings and local practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate settlement process, understand next steps and get matched with help without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file to probate a will in Nottoway County?
File with the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Nottoway County at 328 West Courthouse Road. Use Crewe, VA 23930 for GPS or driving, and P.O. Box 25, Nottoway, VA 23955 for mail. Venue is the circuit court for the county or city where the decedent had a known place of residence (Va. Code § 64.2-443).
Is the Nottoway County courthouse in Crewe or Nottoway?
Both names appear because the physical and mailing addresses use different town designations. For GPS and driving, use 328 West Courthouse Road, Crewe, VA 23930. For mail, use P.O. Box 25, Nottoway, VA 23955.
Do I have to go before a judge to be appointed in Nottoway County?
No. In Virginia, the clerk or a deputy clerk may admit a will to probate and qualify the personal representative in the same manner and with the same effect as the circuit court (Va. Code § 64.2-444). A judge becomes involved only if there is a contest, an appeal from the clerk's order or another disputed court matter.
Does Nottoway County have its own probate forms?
No Nottoway-specific probate packet, checklist, cover sheet or fee sheet is published. Use the statewide Virginia circuit court fiduciary forms, then call the clerk at (434) 645-9043 to confirm what to bring.
Can I use VJEFS for Nottoway County probate?
Nottoway County is listed as a VJEFS participating circuit court, but VJEFS is for Virginia State Bar members and their staff in most civil cases. A self-represented family member qualifies at the clerk's counter, not through VJEFS.
Is there an online portal for Nottoway County estate files?
No free public portal shows Nottoway County estate files. The statewide OCIS case information system is not an estate-file search. Ask the clerk how to view will-book materials in person.
What will it cost to probate a will in Nottoway County?
The Commonwealth probate tax is 10 cents per $100 of estate value, with estates of $15,000 or less exempt, under Va. Code § 58.1-1712, in this form since July 1, 2003. A county may add a local probate tax equal to one-third of the state tax under Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718 and 58.1-3805, so ask the Nottoway County clerk to calculate the total before you come in.
Where do I send the inventory and accounts after qualification?
Send or deliver them to the commissioner of accounts, not the clerk. Nottoway County's commissioners of accounts have offices in Blackstone. The inventory is due to the commissioner within four months after the order giving authority, and the first account is due within 16 months after qualification (Va. Code §§ 64.2-1300, 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.