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City of Suffolk, VA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | City of Suffolk details |
|---|---|
| Court and clerk | Suffolk Circuit Court, also styled the City of Suffolk Circuit Court. Probate is handled by the Suffolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office. |
| Courthouse address | Mills E. Godwin, Jr. Courts Building, 150 North Main Street, Suffolk, VA 23434. |
| Mailing address | Suffolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office, P.O. Box 1604, Suffolk, VA 23439-1604. |
| Probate phone | Probate division: (757) 514-7809 or (757) 514-7818. Main clerk's office: (757) 514-7800. |
| Fax and email | Fax: (757) 514-7103. Office email: [email protected]. Effective September 1, 2026, the clerk no longer accepts pleadings, orders and other documents by fax or email. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Registers close and monetary transactions stop at 4:30 p.m. |
| Appointment | Probating wills is by appointment only. Call the probate division to book. |
| Probate tax and fees | The Commonwealth probate tax is imposed by Va. Code § 58.1-1712. The City of Suffolk has imposed the local probate tax at one-third of the Commonwealth probate tax under City of Suffolk Code § 82-111 and Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718 and 58.1-3805. Statewide qualification and recording charges are set by Va. Code § 17.1-275. |
| Local probate forms | No local probate packet is published. The clerk points users to the statewide Virginia circuit court forms and says that in many cases the office does not have or provide forms. |
| Electronic filing | The Virginia Judiciary attorney electronic filing system is not a route for a family to qualify before the clerk. A family opening an estate uses the appointment counter or paper mail to the clerk's P.O. Box. |
| Case information | No free public internet portal shows City of Suffolk estate files. Recorded wills and lists of heirs are handled through the clerk's records, and the clerk also links to City of Suffolk land records and a free property notification service. |
| Remote appearance | Qualification is an in-person appointment with the clerk. Virginia courts may allow telephone or video participation in a civil proceeding at the court's discretion, but that is different from qualifying before the clerk (Va. Code § 17.1-513.2). |
| Website | https://www.suffolkva.us/919/Clerk-of-the-Circuit-Court and https://www.vacourts.gov/courts/circuit/suffolk/home |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you call the Suffolk probate division, get a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, known accounts, real estate and likely beneficiaries. The clerk needs enough information to calculate the Commonwealth probate tax under Va. Code § 58.1-1712 and the City of Suffolk local probate tax under Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718 and 58.1-3805, and the commissioner of accounts will later expect a complete inventory.
Sunset can help with the front end of estate settlement by searching across 2,300 institutions for accounts and assets, organizing what you find, and turning that into the documents and attorney questions you need before the Suffolk appointment.
Which court handles jurisdiction
One clerk's counter serves the whole City of Suffolk: the Suffolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office at the Mills E. Godwin, Jr. Courts Building, 150 North Main Street in downtown Suffolk. The City of Suffolk is an independent city, not part of any county, and it has its own elected Clerk of the Circuit Court and its own courthouse.
The City of Suffolk is in the Fifth Judicial Circuit with the City of Franklin, Isle of Wight County and Southampton County (Va. Code § 17.1-506). Sharing a circuit is not sharing a clerk. A City of Suffolk estate is opened with the Suffolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office, not in Courtland, Isle of Wight or any county courthouse.
Venue follows 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 presumes that a person who became a patient in a nursing home, convalescent home or similar institution kept the legal residence they had before entering it, so a City of Suffolk resident who died in a facility elsewhere in Hampton Roads is still presumed to be a City of Suffolk decedent.
The jurisdiction process
- Call the Suffolk probate division at (757) 514-7809 or (757) 514-7818 to book the appointment, because probating wills in the City of Suffolk is by appointment only.
- Prepare the statewide Virginia circuit court forms before the appointment. The clerk does not publish a local probate packet and says that in many cases the office does not have or provide forms.
- Use the clerk's counter at the Mills E. Godwin, Jr. Courts Building, 150 North Main Street, Suffolk, VA 23434. Mail for the clerk goes to P.O. Box 1604, Suffolk, VA 23439-1604, which is a different ZIP code from the courthouse address.
- Plan the money side of the appointment before 4:30 p.m. The Commonwealth probate tax is imposed by Va. Code § 58.1-1712, and the City of Suffolk has imposed the local probate tax at one-third of the Commonwealth probate tax under City of Suffolk Code § 82-111 and Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718 and 58.1-3805. Registers close and monetary transactions stop at 4:30 p.m.
- The Clerk of the Circuit Court or a deputy clerk admits the will to probate if there is a will and qualifies the personal representative, which is Virginia's word for being appointed and sworn in (Va. Code § 64.2-444).
- After qualification, get certified copies of the certificate of qualification from the clerk. The certificate is the authority document used with banks, brokerages and other institutions (Va. Code § 64.2-506; CC-1625).
- Send the required notice of probate to the people entitled to notice and record the affidavit of notice with the Suffolk clerk where the will is recorded (Va. Code § 64.2-508).
- Return the inventory and later accounts to the commissioner of accounts assigned to the estate, not to the clerk's counter. The City of Suffolk is served by two commissioners of accounts with private offices in the city, appointed under Va. Code § 64.2-1200.
- Use paper, in-person delivery or the attorney electronic filing route where it applies. Effective September 1, 2026, the Suffolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office no longer accepts pleadings, orders or other documents by fax or email, and the attorney electronic filing system is not a way for a family to qualify before the clerk.
- Close the estate by completing the commissioner of accounts process, including the account due under Va. Code § 64.2-1304 or a proper statement in lieu where Virginia law allows it. A contested will, an appeal from the clerk's order or a disputed claim can become a court proceeding before a circuit court judge rather than a clerk appointment.
Executor duties
| Local duty | What to do in the City of Suffolk |
|---|---|
| Use the right destination | The inventory and accounts go to a commissioner of accounts, a private attorney appointed by the Fifth Judicial Circuit's judges, not to the clerk's counter at 150 North Main Street (Va. Code § 64.2-1200). |
| Return the affidavit of notice to the clerk | The affidavit proving notice of probate was given is recorded in the clerk's office where the will is recorded (Va. Code § 64.2-508). That is a different destination from the commissioner of accounts. |
| Watch the delivery rule | Effective September 1, 2026, documents for the Suffolk clerk are submitted in person, by mail to P.O. Box 1604, or through the attorney electronic filing route where it applies. Fax and email are not accepted for pleadings, orders or other documents. |
| Plan counter payments early | The clerk's registers close at 4:30 p.m. and no monetary transactions are handled after that. The office accepts cash, checks, money orders or credit cards in most cases. |
| Use the commissioner to finish estate settlement | The first account is due under Va. Code § 64.2-1304, and the final account or proper statement in lieu is what moves the estate settlement toward closing with the commissioner of accounts. |
Forms and documents
Probate forms in the City of Suffolk
The Suffolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office does not publish its own probate forms, checklist, cover sheet or packet. Probate in the City of Suffolk uses the statewide Virginia circuit court form set, and the clerk's own links page points users to that statewide index: https://www.vacourts.gov/forms/circuit/home.
| Form | Use in the City of Suffolk |
|---|---|
| CC-1650, Probate information form | Information the clerk collects for the probate appointment. |
| CC-1651, Probate tax return | Used for the Commonwealth probate tax imposed by Va. Code § 58.1-1712. In the City of Suffolk, the clerk also collects the city local probate tax imposed under City of Suffolk Code § 82-111 and Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718 and 58.1-3805. |
| CC-1610, Consent of nonresident fiduciary for service of process | Filed with the Suffolk clerk by a personal representative who lives outside Virginia (Va. Code § 64.2-1426). |
| CC-1611, List of heirs | Filed with the clerk at qualification, or when a will is presented and nobody qualifies (Va. Code § 64.2-509). |
| CC-1612, List of heirs / real estate affidavit | Recorded with the Suffolk clerk for the intestate real-estate route (Va. Code § 64.2-510). |
| CC-1625, Certificate / letter of qualification | The authority document issued by the clerk after qualification (Va. Code § 64.2-506). |
| CC-1670, Inventory of decedent's estate | Returned to the commissioner of accounts, not to the clerk (Va. Code § 64.2-1300). |
| CC-1680, Account for decedent's estate | Returned to the commissioner of accounts. The first account is due under Va. Code § 64.2-1304. |
| CC-1681, Statement in lieu of settlement of account | A common Virginia closing document where the statutory conditions are met (Va. Code § 64.2-1314). |
| CC-1685, Small estate affidavit | Presented to the holder of a qualifying small asset under Va. Code §§ 64.2-600 through 64.2-605. It is not filed with the Suffolk clerk. |
Fees
| Charge | City of Suffolk rule |
|---|---|
| Commonwealth probate tax | The Commonwealth probate tax is imposed by Va. Code § 58.1-1712 and is collected by this clerk at the probate appointment. |
| City local probate tax | The City of Suffolk has imposed the optional local probate tax. City of Suffolk Code § 82-111 sets it at one-third of the Commonwealth probate tax, under the local authority in Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718 and 58.1-3805. The clerk collects it with the Commonwealth probate tax imposed by Va. Code § 58.1-1712. |
| Qualification charge | The qualification charge is a statewide statutory charge under Va. Code § 17.1-275(A)(3), not a charge set by the City of Suffolk. |
| Recording charge | Recording a will, a list of heirs or a related paper carries the statewide recording charge set by Va. Code § 17.1-275(A)(2), which is not set by the City of Suffolk. |
| Register cutoff | The clerk's registers close at 4:30 p.m. and no monetary transactions are handled after that. Plan any probate appointment involving payment to finish before 4:30 p.m. |
| Payment methods | In most cases, the clerk accepts cash, checks, money orders or credit cards. |
Local nuance
City of Suffolk-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Appointment-only probate | Probating wills is by appointment only. Call the probate division at (757) 514-7809 or (757) 514-7818. |
| 4:30 p.m. money cutoff | The office is open until 5:00 p.m., but registers close and monetary transactions stop at 4:30 p.m. |
| City local probate tax | The City of Suffolk has imposed the local probate tax at one-third of the Commonwealth probate tax under City of Suffolk Code § 82-111 and Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718 and 58.1-3805. The Commonwealth probate tax is imposed by Va. Code § 58.1-1712. |
| No fax or email document filing after September 1, 2026 | The clerk takes pleadings, orders and other documents in person, by mail or through the attorney electronic filing route where it applies, not by fax or email. |
| Device rule | Cell phones, smart watches and similar devices are not allowed in the Mills E. Godwin, Jr. Courts Building under the clerk's current posted rule. A July 2026 portable electronic device policy has been adopted, but it takes effect only once the city funds it. |
| No local probate packet | The clerk does not publish its own probate forms and says that in many cases the office does not have or provide forms. Use the statewide Virginia circuit court forms. |
| Different ZIP codes | The courthouse is at 150 North Main Street, Suffolk, VA 23434. Mail goes to P.O. Box 1604, Suffolk, VA 23439-1604. |
| Commissioners of accounts | Two commissioners of accounts serve the City of Suffolk from private offices in the city. The inventory and accounts go to the assigned commissioner, not to the clerk's counter. |
| Property notification | The clerk offers a free property notification service that emails a registrant when a document naming them is recorded in the clerk's office. |
Recent updates
| Current rules | What changed |
|---|---|
| Fax and email document delivery | Effective September 1, 2026, the Suffolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office no longer accepts pleadings, orders and other documents by fax or email. Documents must be submitted in person, by mail, or through the Judiciary's attorney electronic filing system where that route applies. The attorney system is not a way for a family to qualify before the clerk. |
| Portable electronic devices | In July 2026 the City of Suffolk Circuit Court established a portable electronic device policy under Va. Code § 17.1-128.2. It will allow screened, powered-down devices in secure containers after the city allocates funds for compliance. Until then, the clerk's posted rule remains that cell phones, smart watches and similar devices are not allowed in the building. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Local path in the City of Suffolk | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Call the probate division at (757) 514-7809 or (757) 514-7818 and book the appointment. Plan for the 4:30 p.m. money cutoff if any tax or fee will be paid. If qualification is needed, the clerk collects the Commonwealth probate tax under Va. Code § 58.1-1712 and the City of Suffolk local probate tax under City of Suffolk Code § 82-111 and Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718 and 58.1-3805. After qualification, the inventory goes to a commissioner of accounts in the city. | Sunset identifies accounts and debts so the spouse knows whether qualification is needed and can arrive at the appointment with an organized asset list. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Venue stays with the Suffolk clerk if the parent had a known place of residence in the City of Suffolk (Va. Code § 64.2-443). A nonresident can serve, but must file the written consent to service of process and should expect the clerk to address surety unless a Virginia resident qualifies at the same time or the clerk waives it (Va. Code §§ 64.2-1426, 64.2-1411). Qualification here is an in-person appointment, and no remote qualification route is published. | Sunset helps decide whether the statewide small-estate routes can avoid qualification and, if a trip is needed, prepares the packet and attorney questions before travel. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Selling a City of Suffolk house through the estate usually makes the will's power of sale, the land records and the commissioner of accounts important. The clerk runs the city's land records site and a free property notification service, but the accounting work is supervised by a commissioner of accounts in the city. A sale dispute, creditor dispute or will contest can become a court proceeding before a circuit court judge rather than a clerk appointment. | Sunset helps find accounts tied to the property, assemble documents for counsel, and connect the parent with a Virginia probate attorney when title, sale authority or creditor issues make the estate settlement more complex. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Suffolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office, probate division | Books the probate appointment and gives procedural information about the counter. Deputy clerks do not give legal advice. | Probate division (757) 514-7809 or (757) 514-7818. Main office (757) 514-7800. Mills E. Godwin, Jr. Courts Building, 150 North Main Street, Suffolk, VA 23434. Mail to P.O. Box 1604, Suffolk, VA 23439-1604. https://www.suffolkva.us/919/Clerk-of-the-Circuit-Court |
| City of Suffolk Circuit Court, Judiciary page | Lists the court's circuit, address, clerk's office hours, register cutoff, phone, fax and terms of court. | https://www.vacourts.gov/courts/circuit/suffolk/home |
| Commissioners of Accounts directory | Search Suffolk to find the commissioners of accounts who supervise fiduciaries after qualification and to learn how commissioner fee schedules are handled. | https://www.vacourts.gov/courts/circuit/resources/coa/home |
| Virginia circuit court forms | The statewide form set used for probate in the City of Suffolk. | https://www.vacourts.gov/forms/circuit/home |
| Virginia Judiciary self-help probate forms | Plain-language index to Virginia probate forms and what each form is for. | https://selfhelp.vacourts.gov/page/37/probate-forms |
| Property notification, City of Suffolk | Free email alert when a document naming the registrant is recorded in the clerk's office. | https://virginiapropertynotification.org/Description?AgencyId=48 |
| Virginia Legal Aid Society, Suffolk office | General civil legal aid for qualifying low-income residents. The program names the City of Suffolk in its Suffolk office service area. Its published work focuses on personal safety, housing, government benefits and planning documents, so ask at intake before assuming it can help with a decedent's estate. | 2480 Pruden Blvd., Suffolk, VA 23434. (757) 539-3441. Statewide intake 1-866-534-5243, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. https://vlas.org/locations |
| City of Suffolk land records | The clerk's land records site for recorded real estate documents. It is not an estate file search. | https://www.suffolkvaland.org |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer is especially useful in the City of Suffolk when a house must be sold or title must be cleared through the estate, when a will is challenged, when creditors need a formal process, when the commissioner of accounts directs a disputed claim into circuit court, when an out-of-state personal representative is asked for surety, or when the accounting is substantial. The clerk's office is explicit that it cannot give legal advice and that in many cases it does not have or provide forms. Virginia does not require every personal representative to have counsel, but a prepared packet or attorney guidance can prevent a wasted appointment. Sunset connects families with a vetted Virginia probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across 2,300 institutions to help identify bank, brokerage, retirement, insurance and other accounts that may affect whether qualification is needed and how the City of Suffolk probate tax calculation is prepared.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the family information, asset list and statewide Virginia forms so the personal representative can call the Suffolk probate division with a clearer picture of the estate settlement ahead.
Find a local probate attorney. When a City of Suffolk estate involves a home sale, creditor dispute, nonresident fiduciary issue or contested will, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Virginia probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate, understand the next step and get matched with help without paying Sunset for estate settlement support.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in the City of Suffolk?
File with the Suffolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office at the Mills E. Godwin, Jr. Courts Building, 150 North Main Street, Suffolk, VA 23434. The City of Suffolk is an independent city with its own clerk and courthouse, so a City of Suffolk estate is opened there, not in a county courthouse.
Do I need an appointment to probate a will in the City of Suffolk?
Yes. Probating wills is by appointment only. Call the probate division at (757) 514-7809 or (757) 514-7818.
What are the Suffolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office hours for probate?
The clerk's office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Registers close and monetary transactions stop at 4:30 p.m., so plan a probate appointment involving payment to finish before then.
Does the City of Suffolk charge a local probate tax?
Yes. The City of Suffolk has imposed the local probate tax at one-third of the Commonwealth probate tax under City of Suffolk Code § 82-111 and Va. Code §§ 58.1-1718 and 58.1-3805. The Commonwealth probate tax is imposed by Va. Code § 58.1-1712, and the clerk collects both at the probate appointment.
Can I email or fax probate documents to the Suffolk Circuit Court Clerk's Office?
Effective September 1, 2026, the clerk no longer accepts pleadings, orders and other documents by fax or email. Documents go in person, by mail to P.O. Box 1604, Suffolk, VA 23439-1604, or through the Judiciary's attorney electronic filing route where that route applies. That attorney system is not a way for a family to qualify before the clerk.
Are there local probate forms in the City of Suffolk?
No local probate packet is published. The clerk points users to the statewide Virginia circuit court forms and says that in many cases the office does not have or provide forms. Start with the statewide forms index at https://www.vacourts.gov/forms/circuit/home.
Can I find a City of Suffolk estate file on the internet?
No free public internet portal shows City of Suffolk estate files. Recorded wills and lists of heirs can be handled through the clerk's records room or by a detailed written copy request with payment. The clerk also links to land records and a free property notification service, but those are not estate file portals.
Do I have to travel to Suffolk if I live out of state?
If you must qualify as personal representative, plan on an in-person appointment because this clerk publishes no remote qualification option. If a statewide small-estate route applies, qualification may not be needed, but a will still has to be presented to the clerk when Virginia law requires it.
Where do I send the inventory and annual accounts after I qualify?
Send them to the commissioner of accounts assigned to the estate, not to the Suffolk clerk's counter. The City of Suffolk is served by two commissioners of accounts with private offices in the city, and the first account is due under Va. Code § 64.2-1304.
Can I bring my phone into the Suffolk courthouse?
The clerk's current posted rule says cell phones, smart watches and similar devices are not allowed in the Mills E. Godwin, Jr. Courts Building. A July 2026 portable electronic device policy has been adopted, but it takes effect only once the city funds it. Call the clerk before the appointment if you need a device with you.
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.