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City of Staunton, VA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | City of Staunton probate detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Staunton Circuit Court, Twenty-fifth Judicial Circuit |
| Clerk's office | Clerk of the Circuit Court for the City of Staunton |
| Courthouse address | 113 East Beverley Street, Clerk's Office on the third floor, Staunton, VA 24401-4390 |
| Mailing | 113 East Beverley Street, Staunton, VA 24401-4390 |
| Phone | (540) 332-3874 for the Clerk's Office |
| Fax | (540) 332-3970 for the Clerk's Office |
| Hours | 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; call ahead about probate appointment timing and what to bring |
| Costs at opening | State probate tax is 10 cents per $100 of value for estates over $15,000, current under Va. Code § 58.1-1712 since 2003. The City of Staunton also imposes a local probate tax equal to one-third of the state tax under City Code Chapter 3.70 and Va. Code § 58.1-1718. Statutory qualification and recording charges may also apply. |
| Local forms | Yes. The city publishes a local Probate Information Form and hosts a current Virginia Small Estate Act Affidavit, in addition to statewide circuit court fiduciary forms. |
| VJEFS | Staunton participates in the Virginia Judiciary eFiling System for attorney civil filings, but qualification before the clerk is not handled through VJEFS and self-represented filers do not use VJEFS. |
| Estate file access | No free public online portal displays City of Staunton estate files. OCIS does not include probate or fiduciary records. |
| Remote appearance | No local remote qualification option is published. Plan to qualify before the clerk unless the clerk gives you a different instruction. |
| Websites | Virginia Judiciary Staunton Circuit Court page; City of Staunton Probate and Estate Information page |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you call the City of Staunton clerk, make a working list of the estate's assets, debts, real estate, and account holders. Virginia uses qualification as the appointment step, and the clerk will need enough information to decide whether a personal representative must qualify and which forms belong in the packet.
Sunset's estate settlement workflow starts with asset discovery across more than 2,300 institutions, then helps organize the information you need for the local probate appointment, notice, inventory, accounts, and closing steps.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The City of Staunton is an independent city, not part of Augusta County or any county. 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). For a City of Staunton resident, that means the City of Staunton's own Clerk of the Circuit Court at 113 East Beverley Street.
The City of Staunton is in the Twenty-fifth Judicial Circuit, but the circuit is not one courthouse and not one clerk's office. Augusta County and the City of Staunton have separate elected clerks and separate counters.
The jurisdiction process
- Collect the original will, death certificate, known asset information, debt information, names and addresses of heirs and beneficiaries, and any documents the City of Staunton clerk asks you to bring.
- Call the Clerk of the Circuit Court at (540) 332-3874 before you go to the courthouse. Ask whether the clerk wants the local Probate Information Form completed in advance and whether an appointment is required.
- Go to the Clerk's Office on the third floor at 113 East Beverley Street in Staunton. In Virginia, the clerk may admit the will to probate and qualify the executor or administrator without a court hearing (Va. Code §§ 64.2-443, 64.2-444).
- Pay the state probate tax, the City of Staunton local probate tax if it applies, and any statutory qualification and recording charges. The state probate tax is 10 cents per $100 of value for estates over $15,000, current under Va. Code § 58.1-1712 since 2003, and the City of Staunton local probate tax is one-third of the state tax under Va. Code § 58.1-1718.
- After qualification, obtain the certificate of qualification, CC-1625, from the clerk. This is the document banks and other institutions use to recognize the personal representative's authority.
- Send the required probate notice to the people entitled to notice within 30 days after qualification or admission of the will, then record the notice affidavit with the clerk within four months (Va. Code § 64.2-508).
- Work with the commissioner of accounts assigned for Staunton. The commissioner of accounts is a private attorney appointed by the circuit court's judges, not the clerk, and supervises inventories and accounts after qualification (Va. Code § 64.2-1200).
- Return the inventory to the commissioner of accounts within four months after the order conferring authority, then submit the first account within 16 months of qualification under Va. Code § 64.2-1304 unless a permitted closing statement or waiver applies.
- Administer the estate, address claims, sell or transfer assets as authorized, and close the estate settlement through the commissioner of accounts when the required account or statement is ready.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in the City of Staunton
The City of Staunton publishes a local Probate Information Form on its Probate and Estate Information page. Use it as the local intake document for the clerk's appointment, and use the current statewide Virginia circuit court fiduciary forms for the legal filings.
| Form or resource | Use in the City of Staunton |
|---|---|
| City of Staunton Probate Information Form | Local clerk intake form for probate and qualification appointments. |
| Virginia Small Estate Act Affidavit | The city hosts a current small estate affidavit. The statewide form is CC-1685, revised July 2026, and is used with the statewide small-estate process rather than as a City of Staunton court filing. |
| CC-1650 Probate Information Form | Statewide probate information form used by clerks. |
| CC-1611 List of Heirs | Filed at qualification or when a will is presented if no one qualifies (Va. Code § 64.2-509). |
| CC-1625 Certificate / Letter of Qualification | Authority document issued after qualification. |
| CC-1670 Inventory of Decedent's Estate | Returned to the commissioner of accounts after qualification (Va. Code § 64.2-1300). |
| CC-1680 Account for Decedent's Estate | Submitted to the commissioner of accounts; first account is due within 16 months of qualification under Va. Code § 64.2-1304. |
Fees
The City of Staunton has a confirmed local probate tax. City Code Chapter 3.70 imposes a city probate tax equal to one-third of the state probate tax, as permitted by Va. Code § 58.1-1718.
| Charge | How it works in the City of Staunton |
|---|---|
| State probate tax | For estates over $15,000, the state probate tax is 10 cents per $100 of value, current under Va. Code § 58.1-1712 since 2003. |
| City of Staunton local probate tax | The city tax is one-third of the state probate tax under City Code Chapter 3.70 and Va. Code § 58.1-1718. |
| Qualification and recording charges | These are statutory Virginia clerk charges. Ask the clerk for the total when you schedule or attend the probate appointment. |
Local nuance
City of Staunton-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| Separate from Augusta County | The City of Staunton has its own Clerk of the Circuit Court. A City of Staunton estate is handled at 113 East Beverley Street in Staunton, not at Augusta County's counter. |
| Augusta County moved in 2026 | Augusta County's circuit court operations moved to 100 Dick Huff Lane in Verona beginning June 15, 2026. That move makes the separate offices physically separate as well as legally separate. |
| Commissioners of accounts are local private attorneys | Staunton has commissioners of accounts with private law offices in the city. After qualification, use the Virginia Judiciary Commissioners of Accounts directory to identify the current commissioner and office address. |
| Local probate tax applies | The City of Staunton imposes a local probate tax equal to one-third of the state probate tax, as permitted by Va. Code § 58.1-1718. |
Recent updates
| Date | Local update |
|---|---|
| June 15, 2026 | Augusta County circuit court operations began at the new courthouse at 100 Dick Huff Lane in Verona. City of Staunton probate remains at the City of Staunton Clerk of the Circuit Court, 113 East Beverley Street in Staunton. |
| July 2026 | The City of Staunton hosts a current Virginia Small Estate Act Affidavit, consistent with the statewide small estate affidavit form revised in July 2026. |
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely City of Staunton path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start by identifying how the home is titled and which assets, if any, require qualification. If the decedent lived in the City of Staunton, the will or qualification appointment is with the City of Staunton clerk. | Sunset helps list accounts, debts, real estate, beneficiary designations, and co-owned property so the spouse can bring a cleaner asset picture to the clerk or attorney. |
| out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | Ask whether the statewide small-estate route or full qualification is needed. If the adult child must qualify, a nonresident fiduciary signs CC-1610, Consent of Nonresident Fiduciary for Service of Process, and should expect the clerk to address bond and surety under Virginia law. | Sunset helps gather account information remotely, prepare the probate packet, and connect the child with local counsel if travel, bond, or sale issues make the estate settlement harder. |
| parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the child was a City of Staunton resident and estate real estate must be sold through the personal representative, the parent should speak with the clerk and often with counsel before qualification. | Sunset helps identify accounts and liabilities, organize documents for the clerk and commissioner of accounts, and connect the family with a local probate attorney when a sale is part of the plan. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Staunton Circuit Court, Virginia Judiciary | Publishes the clerk's office address, phone, fax, hours, and court information for Staunton Circuit Court. | 113 East Beverley Street, Staunton. Clerk's Office phone: (540) 332-3874. |
| City of Staunton Probate and Estate Information | Provides the city's local Probate Information Form, a hosted small estate affidavit, and general probate orientation from the Clerk of Circuit Court section. | City of Staunton website, Clerk of Circuit Court section. |
| Virginia Judiciary Commissioners of Accounts directory | Identifies Staunton's current commissioners of accounts and explains the commissioner system. | Virginia Judiciary Commissioners of Accounts directory. |
| Virginia Judiciary circuit court fiduciary forms | Provides statewide CC fiduciary forms used in probate, qualification, notice, inventory, account, and closing work. | Virginia Judiciary forms website. |
| Blue Ridge Legal Services, Harrisonburg office | General civil legal aid for qualifying low-income residents of Staunton and nearby localities. Its services list does not name estate administration, so do not assume it handles probate matters. | 204 N. High Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22803. (540) 433-1830 or (800) 237-0141. |
When to hire an attorney
Consider hiring a Virginia probate attorney if family members disagree, a house must be sold, creditors are pressing, a nonresident fiduciary needs help with bond or service paperwork, or the commissioner of accounts raises accounting issues. For City of Staunton estate settlement questions that need legal judgment, Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families search for bank, investment, insurance, retirement, and other accounts so the personal representative has a practical starting inventory before calling the City of Staunton clerk.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for the local probate appointment, statewide Virginia forms, notices, inventory work, and commissioner of accounts follow-up.
Find a local probate attorney. When a City of Staunton estate involves a home sale, a dispute, a nonresident fiduciary, or creditor issues, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Virginia probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to make estate settlement more organized, reduce missed assets, and understand the next local step without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file to probate a will in the City of Staunton?
File with the Clerk of the Circuit Court for the City of Staunton at 113 East Beverley Street in Staunton. The Clerk's Office is on the third floor. Call (540) 332-3874 before you go.
Is Augusta County's clerk the same office as the City of Staunton's clerk?
No. The City of Staunton and Augusta County have separate clerks. Augusta County circuit court operations moved to Verona in 2026, and City of Staunton probate remains at the City of Staunton courthouse on East Beverley Street.
Do I have to go before a judge to be appointed in the City of Staunton?
No. In Virginia, the Clerk of the Circuit Court may admit a will to probate and qualify the executor or administrator (Va. Code § 64.2-444). A circuit court judge becomes involved only if a dispute or appeal requires court action.
Does the City of Staunton have its own probate forms?
Yes. The city publishes a local Probate Information Form and hosts a current Virginia Small Estate Act Affidavit. Statewide Virginia circuit court fiduciary forms are still used for the legal forms such as the list of heirs, certificate of qualification, inventory, and account.
Can I use VJEFS for City of Staunton probate?
Staunton participates in VJEFS for attorney civil filings, but VJEFS is not the way a self-represented family qualifies a personal representative before the clerk. Call the Clerk's Office for the probate appointment process.
Is there a public online portal for City of Staunton estate files?
No free public online portal displays City of Staunton estate files. OCIS does not include probate or fiduciary records. The clerk can tell you how to view recorded will-book materials.
Does the City of Staunton charge a local probate tax?
Yes. The City of Staunton imposes a local probate tax equal to one-third of the state probate tax under City Code Chapter 3.70 and Va. Code § 58.1-1718. The state probate tax is 10 cents per $100 of value for estates over $15,000, current under Va. Code § 58.1-1712 since 2003.
Do I have to come to Staunton in person?
Plan on appearing at the Clerk's Office unless the clerk gives you another option. No current City of Staunton remote qualification practice is published, and qualification is an appearance before the clerk rather than a court hearing.
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.