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City of Richmond, VA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Court and clerk | City of Richmond Circuit Court, Richmond Circuit Court Clerk's Office |
| Courthouse address | John Marshall Courts Building, 400 North Ninth Street, Richmond, VA 23219 |
| Mailing address | Use the street address. The clerk does not publish a separate probate mailing address. |
| Probate phone | (804) 646-6540 |
| Main office phone | (804) 646-6505 |
| Record Room | (804) 646-6530 |
| Fax | (804) 646-6562. The clerk does not accept filings by fax. |
| [email protected], for general inquiries only and not for filed case matters or judge communications. | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The clerk publishes separate recording hours of 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and documents presented after the recording window are recorded the next business day. |
| Appointment | The clerk publishes a probate appointment line. Call (804) 646-6540 and have the will with you when you call so a deputy clerk can tell you what must be presented and what must be paid. |
| Probate tax and local probate tax | The Commonwealth probate tax is 10 cents per $100 of value for estates over $15,000 (Va. Code § 58.1-1712). The City of Richmond has imposed the local probate tax equal to one-third of the Commonwealth tax (Va. Code § 58.1-1718; City of Richmond Code of Ordinances § 26-788). |
| Local probate forms | No local probate packet, checklist or cover sheet is published. The clerk points families to the statewide Virginia circuit court fiduciary forms. |
| E-filing | VJEFS is for licensed attorneys in civil cases. Probate qualification is not an e-filed matter, and self-represented filers cannot use VJEFS here. |
| Filings by email or fax | Not accepted. The clerk accepts filings in person or by first class mail. |
| Case and record access | No free public portal shows a City of Richmond estate file. Recorded wills and fiduciary records can be reviewed in the Record Room, copied by request with payment enclosed, or accessed through the clerk's paid Secure Remote Access subscription. |
| Remote appearance | No remote qualification option is published. If a contested estate issue later goes before a judge, the presiding judge may allow a civil hearing by telephone or audio and video at the judge's discretion (Va. Code § 17.1-513.2). |
| Website | https://www.rva.gov/office-circuit-court-clerk/wills |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you call the Richmond Circuit Court Clerk's Office, make a basic list of the accounts, real estate, vehicles, debts and beneficiary designations you know about. The City of Richmond clerk asks callers scheduling probate of a will to have the will with them when they call, because the deputy clerk will confirm what has to be presented and what has to be paid.
Estate settlement in Richmond can involve two offices after qualification: the clerk at 400 North Ninth Street and the commissioner of accounts for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit. Sunset helps families start with asset discovery across more than 2,300 institutions so the probate call, the local probate tax estimate and the later commissioner filings are based on a fuller picture.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The City of Richmond is an independent city and the capital of the Commonwealth. It is not part of any county, and it has its own elected Clerk of the Circuit Court at the John Marshall Courts Building, 400 North Ninth Street in Richmond.
One clerk's counter handles probate for addresses inside the city limits, including the Fan, the Museum District, downtown, Church Hill, Southside and the far West End of the city. A Richmond mailing address can still sit outside the city limits, so check the decedent's actual jurisdiction before calling if the last residence was near a boundary.
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 a known place of residence (Va. Code § 64.2-443). The same section says a person who moved to a nursing home, convalescent home or similar institution because of advanced age or impaired health is rebuttably presumed to have kept the legal residence held before entering the facility.
The City of Richmond is the entire Thirteenth Judicial Circuit. Va. Code § 17.1-506(13) states that the City of Richmond shall constitute the thirteenth circuit, so the circuit's judges and commissioner of accounts serve this city and no other jurisdiction.
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm that the decedent's known place of residence was inside the City of Richmond. If the decedent moved to a care facility before death, use Virginia's residence rule and nursing-home presumption (Va. Code § 64.2-443).
- Find the original will, if there is one, and make a working list of probate assets and debts. Call the clerk's probate line at (804) 646-6540 with the will in hand so the deputy clerk can tell you what must be presented and what must be paid.
- Go to the Richmond Circuit Court Clerk's Office at the John Marshall Courts Building for qualification, Virginia's term for being appointed and sworn in. The clerk or a deputy clerk admits the will to probate and qualifies the personal representative (Va. Code § 64.2-444).
- Pay the charges due at the clerk's counter. The Commonwealth probate tax is 10 cents per $100 of value for estates over $15,000 (Va. Code § 58.1-1712), and the City of Richmond has imposed a local probate tax equal to one-third of the Commonwealth tax (Va. Code § 58.1-1718; City of Richmond Code of Ordinances § 26-788). Ask the deputy clerk for the current total because recording and qualification charges are separate.
- Receive the certificate of qualification, the Virginia authority document used to deal with banks, brokerages, buyers and other institutions (Va. Code § 64.2-506; CC-1625). The clerk may also make certified copies when requested.
- Send the required notice of probate to the people entitled to notice within 30 days, then record the affidavit of notice in the clerk's office within four months (Va. Code § 64.2-508). This clerk accepts filings in person or by first class mail, not by email or fax.
- Send the inventory and later accounts to the commissioner of accounts for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, not to the clerk's 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 of qualification (Va. Code § 64.2-1304).
- Resolve debts, sell or transfer property when authorized, keep copies of receipts and disbursements, and work with the commissioner of accounts until the final account or statement in lieu is settled. That commissioner-supervised close is the local endpoint of estate settlement.
Executor duties
Local duties in the City of Richmond are mostly about sending the right paper to the right office. The affidavit proving notice of probate is recorded with the Richmond Circuit Court Clerk's Office, where the will is recorded (Va. Code § 64.2-508). The inventory and accounts go to the commissioner of accounts for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, a private attorney appointed by the circuit court's judges, not to the counter at 400 North Ninth Street (Va. Code § 64.2-1200).
The clerk accepts filings in person or by first class mail and does not accept filings by email or fax. The office is open until 4:30 p.m., but the clerk publishes recording hours ending at 3:30 p.m.; documents presented after the recording window are recorded the next business day. Copies from the clerk are $0.50 a page plus $2.00 for a certification, and copy fees must be paid in advance, including for written requests sent by mail.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in the City of Richmond
The City of Richmond Circuit Court does not publish a local probate packet, local checklist, cover sheet or local probate form. The clerk's Wills page directs families to the Supreme Court of Virginia's fiduciary forms, so Richmond probate uses the statewide Virginia circuit court forms.
| Form | Use |
|---|---|
| CC-1650, Probate Information Form | Information the clerk collects for the probate appointment. |
| CC-1651, Probate Tax Return | Used when the estate exceeds $15,000 for the Commonwealth probate tax (Va. Code § 58.1-1712). |
| CC-1611, List of Heirs | Filed at qualification or when a will is presented without qualification (Va. Code § 64.2-509). |
| CC-1610, Consent of Nonresident Fiduciary for Service of Process | Used when a nonresident qualifies as personal representative (Va. Code § 64.2-1426). |
| CC-1625, Certificate / Letter of Qualification | The authority document issued after qualification (Va. Code § 64.2-506). |
| CC-1670, Inventory of Decedent's Estate | Sent to the commissioner of accounts, not to the clerk, within four months after the order conferring authority (Va. Code § 64.2-1300). |
| CC-1680, Account for Decedent's Estate | Sent to the commissioner of accounts. The first account is due within 16 months of qualification (Va. Code § 64.2-1304). |
| CC-1685, Small Estate Affidavit | Used for the statewide small-asset route for a personal probate estate of $75,000 or less, effective July 1, 2025 (Va. Code §§ 64.2-600 through 64.2-605). It is presented to the holder of the asset, not filed with the clerk. |
Statewide forms are at https://www.vacourts.gov/forms/circuit/home and the Judiciary's self-help probate forms page is https://selfhelp.vacourts.gov/page/37/probate-forms.
Fees
| Local fee item | What to know |
|---|---|
| Local probate tax | The City of Richmond has imposed the local probate tax authorized by Va. Code § 58.1-1718 and Va. Code § 58.1-3805. City of Richmond Code of Ordinances § 26-788 sets it at one-third of the Commonwealth probate tax, and § 26-789 says the clerk collects it and that the probate of a will or grant of administration is not admitted to record without payment. The Commonwealth probate tax is 10 cents per $100 of value for estates over $15,000 (Va. Code § 58.1-1712). |
| Copies and certifications | The clerk charges $0.50 per page for copies and $2.00 for a certification. Copy fees must be collected in advance, and a written request by mail must include payment. |
| Payment methods | The clerk accepts cash, check or money order payable to the Clerk of the Circuit Court. Credit cards are accepted for most costs and fees if the cardholder is present, with a 2 percent convenience fee. Debit cards are not accepted for recording fees. |
| Will-book recording increase | The clerk announced that beginning July 1, 2026, recording fees for instruments recorded in the deed book and the will book increased by $3.00 under Va. Code § 17.1-279. Ask the probate deputy for the current total rather than relying on an older figure. |
Local nuance
City of Richmond-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| The city is the whole circuit | Va. Code § 17.1-506(13) makes the City of Richmond the entire Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, so the circuit's judges and commissioner of accounts serve this city and no other jurisdiction. |
| Call the probate line first | The clerk publishes a dedicated probate line, (804) 646-6540, and asks callers scheduling probate of a will to have the will with them when they call. |
| The local probate tax is imposed | The City of Richmond has imposed the local probate tax authorized by Va. Code § 58.1-1718. City of Richmond Code of Ordinances §§ 26-788 and 26-789 make it part of what the clerk collects before a will or grant of administration is admitted to record. |
| Recording hours end earlier | The clerk's office hours run to 4:30 p.m., but recording hours end at 3:30 p.m. The clerk says documents presented after the recording window are recorded the next business day. |
| No email or fax filings | The clerk accepts filings in person or by first class mail and does not accept filings by email or fax. The published email address is for general inquiries only. |
| Paid remote records access includes wills | The clerk's Secure Remote Access subscription includes probate records such as wills and fiduciaries, with wills dating back to 1995 and earlier will records through the historical index. It is a paid, clerk-approved subscription, not a free public portal. |
| Building entry rules matter | Everyone entering the John Marshall Courts Building is screened for weapons. Certain electronic devices may be brought in but must be stored as the court's Standing Order on Electronic Devices requires. |
Recent updates
| Change | Effective date | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Recording fees for instruments recorded in the deed book and the will book increased by $3.00 under Va. Code § 17.1-279. | July 1, 2026 | The clerk announced the increase on its own site. Do not calculate a probate total from an older recording figure; ask the probate deputy for the current total when you call. |
| Members of the public may possess certain electronic devices inside the John Marshall Courts Building, subject to the court's Standing Order on Electronic Devices. | October 1, 2025 | Read the court's standing order before coming to the building because it controls which devices are allowed and how they must be stored. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | A surviving spouse anywhere in the City of Richmond calls the probate line, (804) 646-6540, with the will in hand, and the deputy clerk confirms what to bring to the John Marshall Courts Building and what to pay. A home held with survivorship language may pass outside the estate, so whether qualification is needed usually turns on the accounts and personal property. If the spouse does qualify, the clerk collects the Commonwealth's probate tax under Va. Code § 58.1-1712 and the City of Richmond's local probate tax under Va. Code § 58.1-1718 and City of Richmond Code of Ordinances § 26-788 at the appointment, and the will is not recorded until the local tax is paid under City of Richmond Code of Ordinances § 26-789. After that, the inventory and accounts go to the commissioner of accounts, not back to the clerk. | Sunset helps identify accounts, organize beneficiary designations and decide what must be discussed with the clerk before the appointment. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If the parent had a known place of residence in the City of Richmond, venue stays with this clerk under Va. Code § 64.2-443 even if the parent died in a facility somewhere else, and if the parent's mailing address said Richmond but sat outside the city limits, check which jurisdiction that address is in before you call. A nonresident can serve, but should expect to file the written consent to service of process and to discuss surety (Va. Code §§ 64.2-1426, 64.2-1411). Plan the trip around the appointment call, the 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. hours and the 3:30 p.m. recording window, because this clerk takes filings in person or by first class mail only and does not accept filings by email or fax, and its electronic filing system is open only to licensed attorneys. If the personal probate estate fits the statewide small-asset affidavit route, $75,000 effective July 1, 2025 (Va. Code §§ 64.2-600 through 64.2-605), qualification may not be needed at all, though a will still has to be probated with the clerk. | Sunset helps determine whether known accounts may fit a small-asset path, generates the statewide forms that apply and helps coordinate local attorney support when surety or travel is an issue. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | When a City of Richmond house has to be sold through the estate, the power of sale in the will, the recording steps and the title work all matter, and they all run through this clerk's will book and land records. The clerk publishes separate recording hours ending at 3:30 p.m. and has announced that will-book recording fees rose $3.00 on July 1, 2026, so confirm the current charge on the appointment call. The clerk also encourages city property owners to enroll in VADeed Alert, which emails them when a document matching their name or parcel identifier is recorded. If qualification with a power of sale is needed, the commissioner of accounts for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit supervises the estate settlement from a private office in the city, and a contested sale or title problem is the kind of matter that goes before a circuit court judge, where this court's published practices allow a civil hearing to be taken remotely at the presiding judge's discretion. | Sunset helps locate property and account information, assemble the probate packet, track commissioner deadlines and connect the family with a local probate attorney for sale, title or dispute issues. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond Circuit Court Clerk's Office, probate | Schedules the probate appointment and tells you on the call what has to be presented and what has to be paid. Deputy clerks provide procedural help, not legal advice. | (804) 646-6540. John Marshall Courts Building, 400 North Ninth Street, Richmond, VA 23219. https://www.rva.gov/office-circuit-court-clerk/wills |
| City of Richmond Circuit Court, Judiciary page | Publishes the court's address, clerk's office hours, phone and fax numbers, circuit number and current court policy documents. | https://www.vacourts.gov/courts/circuit/richmond/home |
| Richmond Circuit Court Record Room | Where recorded wills, lists of heirs and estate records are read in person during office hours. Staff help you use the records but cannot do research or give legal advice. | (804) 646-6530. Copies are $0.50 a page and $2.00 for a certification, paid in advance. https://www.rva.gov/office-circuit-court-clerk/records |
| Commissioners of Accounts directory | Search the City of Richmond to find the current commissioner of accounts who reviews the inventory and accounts after qualification. | https://www.vacourts.gov/courts/circuit/resources/coa/home |
| Virginia circuit court forms | The statewide form set this clerk directs families to. The City of Richmond publishes no local probate form of its own. | https://www.vacourts.gov/forms/circuit/home |
| Virginia Judiciary self-help probate forms | Plain-language index to probate forms and what each form is for. | https://selfhelp.vacourts.gov/page/37/probate-forms |
| Virginia State Bar Lawyer Referral Service | Referral to a Virginia attorney. The court publishes it in its own practices document for people representing themselves. | Metro Richmond (804) 775-0808; long distance (800) 552-7977; [email protected] |
| Central Virginia Legal Aid Society, Richmond office | General civil legal aid for income-eligible residents. Its own service-area page names the City of Richmond, and its services page lists legal advice for administration of estates and estate disputes, so ask at intake what help is available for a decedent's estate. | 115 South Fifteenth Street, Suite 400, Richmond, VA 23219. (804) 648-1012; toll free (800) 868-1012. Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except holidays. https://cvlas.org/service-area/ |
| VADeed Alert | Free Judiciary notification service the clerk encourages City of Richmond property owners to use. It emails when a document matching your name or parcel identifier is recorded in the land records. | https://risweb.vacourts.gov/VADeedAlert/#/login |
When to hire an attorney
Counsel makes sense in the City of Richmond when a house has to be sold or title must be cleared through the estate, when a will's validity is questioned or someone appeals the clerk's order, when creditors are disputed, when the commissioner of accounts directs a claim into circuit court, when a nonresident personal representative is asked for surety, when the accounting will be substantial, or when the estate has to sue or be sued. Virginia does not require every personal representative to have counsel, but this clerk's staff cannot give legal advice and this court's e-filing system is open only to licensed attorneys. Sunset connects families to a vetted Virginia probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families identify accounts, insurance, retirement assets and other property that may affect City of Richmond probate and estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into a Virginia probate packet using the statewide circuit court forms and local Richmond details, including the probate phone, address, local probate tax note and commissioner of accounts routing.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Richmond estate involves real estate, a dispute, a nonresident fiduciary, creditor issues or a substantial account, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Virginia probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize assets, documents, forms and next steps at no cost while deciding whether they need attorney help for the City of Richmond estate.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in the City of Richmond?
Probate is handled by the Richmond Circuit Court Clerk's Office at the John Marshall Courts Building, 400 North Ninth Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Venue belongs in the circuit court of the county or city where the decedent had a known place of residence (Va. Code § 64.2-443).
How do I schedule a probate appointment in the City of Richmond?
Call the probate line at (804) 646-6540. If you are calling about probate of a will, the clerk asks you to have the will with you when you call so the deputy clerk can confirm what must be presented and what must be paid.
Does the City of Richmond charge a local probate tax?
Yes. The Commonwealth probate tax is 10 cents per $100 of value for estates over $15,000 (Va. Code § 58.1-1712). The City of Richmond has imposed the local probate tax authorized by Va. Code § 58.1-1718, at one-third of the Commonwealth tax (City of Richmond Code of Ordinances § 26-788), and the clerk collects it before admitting the will or grant of administration to record (City of Richmond Code of Ordinances § 26-789).
Can I email or fax probate documents to the Richmond Circuit Court Clerk's Office?
No. The clerk accepts filings in person or by first class mail and does not accept filings by email or fax. The published office email address is for general inquiries only.
Is there electronic filing for probate in the City of Richmond?
No. The clerk's VJEFS page is for licensed attorneys in civil cases, and the court's practices document says the e-filing system is only available to licensed attorneys. Probate qualification is an appearance before the clerk, not an e-filed matter.
Are there local probate forms in the City of Richmond?
No local probate packet, checklist, cover sheet or local probate form is published. The clerk directs families to the statewide Virginia circuit court fiduciary forms at https://www.vacourts.gov/forms/circuit/home.
Can I view a City of Richmond estate file through the internet?
There is no free public portal for a City of Richmond estate file. The clerk says the office does not routinely post records on the internet. Recorded wills and fiduciary records can be reviewed in the Record Room, or through the clerk's paid Secure Remote Access subscription if the clerk approves the application.
Do I have to travel to Richmond if I live out of state?
Plan for an in-person qualification appointment unless the clerk tells you otherwise. A nonresident can qualify as personal representative but must file the written consent to service of process and should expect to discuss surety (Va. Code §§ 64.2-1426, 64.2-1411). The clerk accepts filings in person or by first class mail, but no remote qualification option is published.
Where do I send the inventory and accounts after I qualify in the City of Richmond?
Send them to the commissioner of accounts for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, not to the clerk's counter. The inventory is due within four months after the order conferring authority (Va. Code § 64.2-1300), and the first account is due within 16 months of qualification (Va. Code § 64.2-1304).
Can a City of Richmond probate matter be handled by video?
Qualification before the clerk is not published as a remote process. If a contested estate matter later goes before a circuit court judge, the court's published practices say the presiding judge may, in the judge's discretion, allow a civil hearing by telephone or audio and video under Va. Code § 17.1-513.2.
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.