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Pittsylvania County, VA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Local detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Pittsylvania Circuit Court, Twenty-second Judicial Circuit. Probate is handled by the Clerk of the Circuit Court. |
| Courthouse address | One North Main Street, Chatham, VA 24531. For probate appointments and land-records work, use the Bank Street complex entrance. |
| Mailing address | Post Office Drawer 31, Chatham, VA 24531-0031. |
| Phone | Probate appointment line: (434) 432-7890. General clerk line: (434) 432-7887. |
| Fax | (434) 432-7913. |
| Hours | The clerk's office publishes hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. No lunch closure or probate cutoff time is published. |
| Probate tax and qualification fee | State probate tax is 10 cents per $100 of value under Va. Code § 58.1-1712, with estates of $15,000 or less exempt under Va. Code § 58.1-1712, current since July 1, 2003. Pittsylvania County has imposed the local probate tax at one-third of the state tax under Va. Code § 58.1-1718 and County Code § 6-2.1. The statewide qualification fee is $0 for estates of $5,000 or less, $20 for estates above $5,000 through $50,000, $25 up to $100,000, and $30 above $100,000 under Va. Code § 17.1-275(A)(3), effective July 1, 2022. |
| Local forms | No Pittsylvania-specific probate packet, cover sheet or checklist is published. Use the Commonwealth's statewide circuit court fiduciary forms. |
| E-filing | Pittsylvania participates in VJEFS for attorney civil filings, but qualification before the clerk is not handled through VJEFS. Self-represented filers cannot use VJEFS. |
| Case access | No free public web portal shows Pittsylvania estate files. The will book and estate file are handled through the clerk's office in Chatham. |
| Remote appearance | No current Pittsylvania remote-qualification practice is published. Qualifying before the clerk is normally an in-person appointment. |
| Website | Pittsylvania Circuit Court and Pittsylvania County Wills and Probate. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you call the Pittsylvania probate appointment line, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, real estate, jointly owned property, beneficiary designations and account institutions. The clerk will need enough information to determine whether you are probating a will, qualifying as personal representative, or using a narrower Virginia procedure.
Sunset's estate settlement process includes asset discovery across more than 2,300 institutions, which helps families avoid showing up in Chatham without the account and property information the clerk and commissioner of accounts will later need.
Which court handles jurisdiction
File for a Pittsylvania County resident at the Clerk of the Circuit Court's counter at One North Main Street in Chatham. Virginia venue is based on the county or city where the decedent had a known place of residence, with a nursing-home residence presumption that points back to the person's prior legal residence when the move was because of advanced age or impaired health (Va. Code § 64.2-443).
Pittsylvania County has its own elected Clerk of the Circuit Court in the Twenty-second Judicial Circuit. It is not a shared-clerk city arrangement. Estates for Pittsylvania County residents are opened in Chatham.
The jurisdiction process
- Call the dedicated probate appointment line at (434) 432-7890. The county's Wills and Probate page also lists the general clerk line, (434) 432-7887, for scheduling with the office.
- Gather the original will, if there is one, death certificate, names and addresses of heirs and beneficiaries, estimated asset values, debts, and any information the clerk asks you to bring. If a nonresident fiduciary will qualify, expect to sign CC-1610 under Va. Code § 64.2-1426.
- Use the Bank Street complex entrance for the Chatham courthouse when you come for the probate appointment. The Main Street entrance is limited to quick transactions and handgun permit renewals.
- At the appointment, the clerk admits the will to probate when appropriate and qualifies the personal representative, which is Virginia's word for being appointed and sworn in (Va. Code § 64.2-444).
- Pay the applicable state probate tax under Va. Code § 58.1-1712, Pittsylvania County's local probate tax under Va. Code § 58.1-1718 and County Code § 6-2.1, the statewide qualification fee under Va. Code § 17.1-275(A)(3), and any recording charge that applies.
- After qualification, send the required notice of probate or qualification to the people entitled to notice within 30 days, then record the affidavit of notice within four months (Va. Code § 64.2-508).
- Get certified copies of the certificate of qualification, CC-1625, from the clerk so banks, brokerages and buyers can recognize your authority.
- Work with the commissioner of accounts, not the clerk, after qualification. The Pittsylvania commissioners' offices listed by the Judiciary are in Chatham. File the inventory with the commissioner within four months after the order conferring authority, and file the first account within 16 months under Va. Code § 64.2-1304.
- Finish estate settlement by paying valid debts, handling taxes, distributing property, and closing with the commissioner of accounts through the required account or a permitted statement in lieu when Virginia law allows it.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Pittsylvania County
Pittsylvania County does not publish a local probate packet, cover sheet or checklist. The forms are the Commonwealth's statewide circuit court fiduciary forms, and the clerk's office can tell you which forms fit your appointment.
| 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-1610 | Consent of Nonresident Fiduciary for Service of Process, used when a nonresident fiduciary qualifies under Va. Code § 64.2-1426. |
| CC-1611 | List of Heirs, filed at qualification or when a will is presented and nobody qualifies (Va. Code § 64.2-509). |
| CC-1612 | List of Heirs / Real Estate Affidavit for the intestate real-estate route (Va. Code § 64.2-510). |
| CC-1616, CC-1617, CC-1618 | Notice Regarding Estate, affidavit of notice, and waiver of notice under Va. Code § 64.2-508. |
| CC-1625 | Certificate / Letter of Qualification, the authority document issued after qualification (Va. Code § 64.2-506). |
| CC-1670, CC-1680, CC-1681 | Inventory, account, and statement in lieu forms filed with the commissioner of accounts when applicable. |
| CC-1685 | Small Estate Affidavit for the statewide small-asset procedure with a $75,000 ceiling under Va. Code §§ 64.2-600 through 64.2-601, effective July 1, 2025. It is presented to the holder of the asset, not filed with the Chatham clerk. |
| CC-1686, CC-1687 | Optional creditor notice and affidavit forms under Va. Code § 64.2-508.1. |
Fees
Pittsylvania County has adopted the optional local tax layer that Virginia law allows. County Code § 6-2.1 imposes a local probate tax at one-third of the state tax under Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718 and 58.1-3805. County Code § 6-2.2 also imposes a local $25 fee, adopted August 17, 2010, for recording a list of heirs or real estate affidavit under the authority of Va. Code §§ 58.1-1717.1 and 58.1-1718.
| Charge | Pittsylvania rule |
|---|---|
| State probate tax | 10 cents per $100 of value under Va. Code § 58.1-1712, with estates of $15,000 or less exempt under Va. Code § 58.1-1712, current since July 1, 2003. |
| Local probate tax | One-third of the state probate tax under Va. Code § 58.1-1718 and Pittsylvania County Code § 6-2.1. |
| Local list-of-heirs or real estate affidavit fee | $25 under Pittsylvania County Code § 6-2.2, adopted August 17, 2010, in addition to the state fee under Va. Code § 58.1-1717.1. |
| Qualification fee | $0 for estates of $5,000 or less, $20 for estates above $5,000 through $50,000, $25 up to $100,000, and $30 above $100,000 under Va. Code § 17.1-275(A)(3), effective July 1, 2022. |
Local nuance
Pittsylvania County-specific considerations
| Local point | What to do |
|---|---|
| Dedicated probate line | Call (434) 432-7890 for a probate appointment. The general clerk line is (434) 432-7887. |
| Courthouse entrance | Use the Bank Street complex entrance for a probate appointment or land-records work at the Chatham courthouse. |
| Local tax layer | Plan for Pittsylvania County's local probate tax under Va. Code § 58.1-1718 and County Code § 6-2.1, plus the local $25 list-of-heirs or real estate affidavit fee under County Code § 6-2.2, adopted August 17, 2010. |
| Commissioner offices | The Judiciary roster lists the Pittsylvania commissioner and assistant commissioner offices in Chatham, so the post-qualification estate settlement supervision is local to the courthouse town. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Pittsylvania County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Call (434) 432-7890 to make the Chatham appointment and use the Bank Street complex entrance. If probate or qualification is needed, account for Pittsylvania County's local probate tax under Va. Code § 58.1-1718 in addition to the state probate tax under Va. Code § 58.1-1712. | Sunset helps identify accounts, real estate and beneficiary designations before the appointment so the spouse can choose the right estate settlement path. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If the statewide small estate affidavit applies, CC-1685 goes to the asset holder, not to the Chatham clerk. If the child must qualify, the clerk appointment is in Chatham and the nonresident fiduciary consent rules apply under Va. Code § 64.2-1426. | Sunset helps organize the asset list, generate the right Virginia form set, and connect the family with counsel if surety, nonresident service or bank acceptance becomes difficult. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If a list of heirs or real estate affidavit is recorded in Chatham, Pittsylvania charges the local $25 fee under County Code § 6-2.2, adopted August 17, 2010, in addition to the state fee. If full qualification and a sale are needed, the commissioner of accounts offices are also in Chatham. | Sunset helps collect property, mortgage, tax and account information so the parent can move from appointment to sale and final estate settlement with fewer missing pieces. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Pittsylvania Circuit Court | Clerk address, probate appointment phone, general phone, fax, hours and court information. |
| Pittsylvania County Wills and Probate | County guidance on wills, probate and calling the clerk's office to schedule. |
| Virginia circuit court fiduciary forms | Statewide probate and fiduciary forms, including qualification, notice, inventory, account and small estate affidavit forms. |
| Commissioners of Accounts directory | Searchable Judiciary directory for the current commissioner of accounts serving Pittsylvania County. |
| Virginia Legal Aid Society, Danville office | General civil legal aid for eligible low-income residents of Pittsylvania County. Ask the program directly whether it can help with a probate issue. |
When to hire an attorney
Counsel makes sense when family members disagree, a nonresident fiduciary needs bond or surety advice, real estate must be sold, creditors may be disputed, or the commissioner of accounts asks for filings you are not comfortable preparing. 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 identify bank, brokerage, retirement, insurance and other accounts that may affect the Pittsylvania County appointment and the estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family's information into an organized Virginia probate packet, including the forms and supporting details the clerk and commissioner of accounts are likely to need.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate has a contested issue, a sale, nonresident fiduciary questions or creditor problems, Sunset can help connect the family with a local probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate, understand the next step, and move through estate settlement without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file to probate a will in Pittsylvania County?
File with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at One North Main Street in Chatham. For a probate appointment or land-records work, use the Bank Street complex entrance. 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).
Is there a separate phone number for probate in Pittsylvania County?
Yes. The Judiciary page for Pittsylvania Circuit Court lists (434) 432-7890 for scheduling probate of wills by appointment. The general clerk number is (434) 432-7887.
Do I have to go before a judge to be appointed in Pittsylvania County?
No. In Virginia, the clerk may admit wills to probate and qualify executors, administrators and curators with the same effect as the circuit court (Va. Code § 64.2-444). A judge becomes involved only when a dispute, appeal or other court matter requires it.
Does Pittsylvania County charge a local probate tax?
Yes. Pittsylvania County Code § 6-2.1 imposes a local probate tax at one-third of the state probate tax under Va. Code § 58.1-1718. The state probate tax is 10 cents per $100 of value under Va. Code § 58.1-1712, with estates of $15,000 or less exempt under Va. Code § 58.1-1712, current since July 1, 2003.
Can I use VJEFS for a Pittsylvania County probate appointment?
No. Pittsylvania participates in VJEFS for attorney civil filings, but VJEFS is not the system for qualifying before the clerk. Self-represented filers cannot use VJEFS.
Can I see a Pittsylvania County estate file on the internet?
No free public web portal shows Pittsylvania estate files. The clerk's office in Chatham maintains the will book and estate file access process.
What will it cost to probate a will in Pittsylvania County?
The total can include the state probate tax under Va. Code § 58.1-1712, Pittsylvania County's local probate tax under Va. Code § 58.1-1718 and County Code § 6-2.1, the statewide qualification fee under Va. Code § 17.1-275(A)(3), and recording charges. The qualification fee is $0 for estates of $5,000 or less, $20 for estates above $5,000 through $50,000, $25 up to $100,000, and $30 above $100,000, effective July 1, 2022.
Where do I send the inventory and the accounts after qualification?
Send them to the commissioner of accounts, not to the clerk. The inventory is due to the commissioner within four months after the order conferring authority, and the first account is due within 16 months under Va. Code § 64.2-1304.
Do I have to travel to Chatham if I live out of state?
Plan on a Chatham appointment unless the clerk gives you another instruction. No current Pittsylvania remote-qualification practice is published. A nonresident fiduciary can qualify in Virginia, but must file the written consent to service of process required by 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.