Virginia Probate Court Finder
For detailed information about the probate court procedures in your county, including relevant forms, fees, and contact information, please enter your ZIP code or select your county. This will direct you to a page providing tailored information about the probate court in your area.
Virginia Probate Courts
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Fairfax County Probate Court
County Seat: (Fairfax) FIPS: 51059 - pop.1,150,309 -
Prince William County Probate Court
County Seat: (Manassas) FIPS: 51153 - pop.482,204 -
Virginia Beach city Probate Court
County Seat: (Virginia Beach) FIPS: 51810 - pop.459,470 -
Loudoun County Probate Court
County Seat: (Leesburg) FIPS: 51107 - pop.420,959 -
Chesterfield County Probate Court
County Seat: (Chesterfield) FIPS: 51041 - pop.364,548 -
Henrico County Probate Court
County Seat: (Richmond) FIPS: 51087 - pop.334,389 -
Chesapeake city Probate Court
County Seat: (Chesapeake) FIPS: 51550 - pop.249,422 -
Arlington County Probate Court
County Seat: (Arlington) FIPS: 51013 - pop.238,643 -
Norfolk city Probate Court
County Seat: (Norfolk) FIPS: 51710 - pop.238,005 -
Richmond city Probate Court
County Seat: (Richmond) FIPS: 51760 - pop.226,610 -
Newport News city Probate Court
County Seat: (Newport News) FIPS: 51700 - pop.186,247 -
Alexandria city Probate Court
County Seat: (Alexandria) FIPS: 51510 - pop.159,467 -
Stafford County Probate Court
County Seat: (Stafford) FIPS: 51179 - pop.156,927 -
Spotsylvania County Probate Court
County Seat: (Spotsylvania) FIPS: 51177 - pop.140,032 -
Hampton city Probate Court
County Seat: (Hampton) FIPS: 51650 - pop.137,148 -
Albemarle County Probate Court
County Seat: (Charlottesville) FIPS: 51003 - pop.112,395 -
Hanover County Probate Court
County Seat: (Hanover) FIPS: 51085 - pop.109,979 -
Roanoke city Probate Court
County Seat: (Roanoke) FIPS: 51770 - pop.100,011 -
Montgomery County Probate Court
County Seat: (Christiansburg) FIPS: 51121 - pop.99,721 -
Portsmouth city Probate Court
County Seat: (Portsmouth) FIPS: 51740 - pop.97,915 -
Roanoke County Probate Court
County Seat: (Roanoke) FIPS: 51161 - pop.96,929 -
Suffolk city Probate Court
County Seat: (Suffolk) FIPS: 51800 - pop.94,324 -
Frederick County Probate Court
County Seat: (Winchester) FIPS: 51069 - pop.91,419 -
Rockingham County Probate Court
County Seat: (Harrisonburg) FIPS: 51165 - pop.83,757 -
Bedford County Probate Court
County Seat: (Bedford) FIPS: 51019 - pop.79,462 -
Lynchburg city Probate Court
County Seat: (Lynchburg) FIPS: 51680 - pop.79,009 -
James City County Probate Court
County Seat: (Jamestown) FIPS: 51095 - pop.78,254 -
Augusta County Probate Court
County Seat: (Staunton) FIPS: 51015 - pop.77,487 -
Fauquier County Probate Court
County Seat: (Warrenton) FIPS: 51061 - pop.72,972 -
York County Probate Court
County Seat: (Yorktown) FIPS: 51199 - pop.70,045 -
Pittsylvania County Probate Court
County Seat: (Chatham) FIPS: 51143 - pop.60,501 -
Campbell County Probate Court
County Seat: (Rustburg) FIPS: 51031 - pop.55,696 -
Franklin County Probate Court
County Seat: (Rocky Mount) FIPS: 51067 - pop.54,477 -
Washington County Probate Court
County Seat: (Abingdon) FIPS: 51191 - pop.53,935 -
Culpeper County Probate Court
County Seat: (Culpeper) FIPS: 51047 - pop.52,552 -
Harrisonburg city Probate Court
County Seat: (Harrisonburg) FIPS: 51660 - pop.51,814 -
Henry County Probate Court
County Seat: (Martinsville) FIPS: 51089 - pop.50,948 -
Charlottesville city Probate Court
County Seat: (Charlottesville) FIPS: 51540 - pop.46,553 -
Shenandoah County Probate Court
County Seat: (Woodstock) FIPS: 51171 - pop.44,186 -
Prince George County Probate Court
County Seat: (Prince George) FIPS: 51149 - pop.43,010 -
Manassas city Probate Court
County Seat: (Manassas) FIPS: 51683 - pop.42,772 -
Danville city Probate Court
County Seat: (Danville) FIPS: 51590 - pop.42,590 -
Warren County Probate Court
County Seat: (Front Royal) FIPS: 51187 - pop.40,727 -
Tazewell County Probate Court
County Seat: (Tazewell) FIPS: 51185 - pop.40,429 -
Gloucester County Probate Court
County Seat: (Gloucester) FIPS: 51073 - pop.38,711 -
Isle of Wight County Probate Court
County Seat: (Isle Of Wight) FIPS: 51093 - pop.38,606 -
Louisa County Probate Court
County Seat: (Louisa) FIPS: 51109 - pop.37,596 -
Orange County Probate Court
County Seat: (Orange) FIPS: 51137 - pop.36,254 -
Wise County Probate Court
County Seat: (Wise) FIPS: 51195 - pop.36,130 -
Halifax County Probate Court
County Seat: (Halifax) FIPS: 51083 - pop.34,022 -
Pulaski County Probate Court
County Seat: (Pulaski) FIPS: 51155 - pop.33,800 -
Botetourt County Probate Court
County Seat: (Fincastle) FIPS: 51023 - pop.33,596 -
Petersburg city Probate Court
County Seat: (Petersburg) FIPS: 51730 - pop.33,458 -
Accomack County Probate Court
County Seat: (Accomac) FIPS: 51001 - pop.33,413 -
Amherst County Probate Court
County Seat: (Amherst) FIPS: 51009 - pop.31,307 -
Caroline County Probate Court
County Seat: (Bowling Green) FIPS: 51033 - pop.30,887 -
Powhatan County Probate Court
County Seat: (Powhatan) FIPS: 51145 - pop.30,333 -
Mecklenburg County Probate Court
County Seat: (Boydton) FIPS: 51117 - pop.30,319 -
Smyth County Probate Court
County Seat: (Marion) FIPS: 51173 - pop.29,800 -
Carroll County Probate Court
County Seat: (Hillsville) FIPS: 51035 - pop.29,155 -
Wythe County Probate Court
County Seat: (Wytheville) FIPS: 51197 - pop.28,290 -
Winchester city Probate Court
County Seat: (Winchester) FIPS: 51840 - pop.28,120 -
Fredericksburg city Probate Court
County Seat: (Fredericksburg) FIPS: 51630 - pop.27,982 -
Dinwiddie County Probate Court
County Seat: (Dinwiddie) FIPS: 51053 - pop.27,947 -
Fluvanna County Probate Court
County Seat: (Palmyra) FIPS: 51065 - pop.27,249 -
King George County Probate Court
County Seat: (King George) FIPS: 51099 - pop.26,723 -
Russell County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lebanon) FIPS: 51167 - pop.25,781 -
Staunton city Probate Court
County Seat: (Staunton) FIPS: 51790 - pop.25,750 -
Salem County Probate Court
County Seat: (Salem) FIPS: 51775 - pop.25,346 -
Goochland County Probate Court
County Seat: (Goochland) FIPS: 51075 - pop.24,727 -
Fairfax city Probate Court
County Seat: (Fairfax) FIPS: 51600 - pop.24,146 -
Page County Probate Court
County Seat: (Luray) FIPS: 51139 - pop.23,709 -
Hopewell city Probate Court
County Seat: (Hopewell) FIPS: 51670 - pop.23,033 -
New Kent County Probate Court
County Seat: (New Kent) FIPS: 51127 - pop.22,945 -
Rockbridge County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lexington) FIPS: 51163 - pop.22,650 -
Waynesboro city Probate Court
County Seat: (Waynesboro) FIPS: 51820 - pop.22,196 -
Lee County Probate Court
County Seat: (Jonesville) FIPS: 51105 - pop.22,173 -
Prince Edward County Probate Court
County Seat: (Farmville) FIPS: 51147 - pop.21,849 -
Scott County Probate Court
County Seat: (Gate City) FIPS: 51169 - pop.21,576 -
Greene County Probate Court
County Seat: (Stanardsville) FIPS: 51079 - pop.20,552 -
Buchanan County Probate Court
County Seat: (Grundy) FIPS: 51027 - pop.20,355 -
Westmoreland County Probate Court
County Seat: (Montross) FIPS: 51193 - pop.18,477 -
Colonial Heights city Probate Court
County Seat: (Colonial Heights) FIPS: 51570 - pop.18,170 -
Southampton County Probate Court
County Seat: (Courtland) FIPS: 51175 - pop.17,996 -
King William County Probate Court
County Seat: (King William) FIPS: 51101 - pop.17,810 -
Patrick County Probate Court
County Seat: (Stuart) FIPS: 51141 - pop.17,608 -
Bristol city Probate Court
County Seat: (Bristol) FIPS: 51520 - pop.17,219 -
Manassas Park city Probate Court
County Seat: (Manassas) FIPS: 51685 - pop.17,219 -
Buckingham County Probate Court
County Seat: (Buckingham) FIPS: 51029 - pop.16,824 -
Giles County Probate Court
County Seat: (Pearisburg) FIPS: 51071 - pop.16,787 -
Appomattox County Probate Court
County Seat: (Appomattox) FIPS: 51011 - pop.16,119 -
Radford County Probate Court
County Seat: (Radford) FIPS: 51750 - pop.16,070 -
Brunswick County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lawrenceville) FIPS: 51025 - pop.15,849 -
Nottoway County Probate Court
County Seat: (Nottoway) FIPS: 51135 - pop.15,642 -
Floyd County Probate Court
County Seat: (Floyd) FIPS: 51063 - pop.15,476 -
Williamsburg city Probate Court
County Seat: (Williamsburg) FIPS: 51830 - pop.15,425 -
Grayson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Independence) FIPS: 51077 - pop.15,333 -
Alleghany County Probate Court
County Seat: (Covington) FIPS: 51005 - pop.15,223 -
Clarke County Probate Court
County Seat: (Berryville) FIPS: 51043 - pop.14,783 -
Nelson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lovingston) FIPS: 51125 - pop.14,775 -
Falls Church city Probate Court
County Seat: (Falls Church) FIPS: 51610 - pop.14,658 -
Dickenson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Clintwood) FIPS: 51051 - pop.14,124 -
Madison County Probate Court
County Seat: (Madison) FIPS: 51113 - pop.13,837 -
Martinsville city Probate Court
County Seat: (Martinsville) FIPS: 51690 - pop.13,485 -
Amelia County Probate Court
County Seat: (Amelia Court House) FIPS: 51007 - pop.13,265 -
Poquoson city Probate Court
County Seat: (Poquoson) FIPS: 51735 - pop.12,460 -
Northampton County Probate Court
County Seat: (Eastville) FIPS: 51131 - pop.12,282 -
Lunenburg County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lunenburg) FIPS: 51111 - pop.11,936 -
Northumberland County Probate Court
County Seat: (Heathsville) FIPS: 51133 - pop.11,839 -
Charlotte County Probate Court
County Seat: (Charlotte Court House) FIPS: 51037 - pop.11,529 -
Greensville County Probate Court
County Seat: (Emporia) FIPS: 51081 - pop.11,391 -
Lancaster County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lancaster) FIPS: 51103 - pop.10,919 -
Sussex County Probate Court
County Seat: (Sussex) FIPS: 51183 - pop.10,829 -
Middlesex County Probate Court
County Seat: (Saluda) FIPS: 51119 - pop.10,625 -
Essex County Probate Court
County Seat: (Tappahannock) FIPS: 51057 - pop.10,599 -
Cumberland County Probate Court
County Seat: (Cumberland) FIPS: 51049 - pop.9,675 -
Richmond County Probate Court
County Seat: (Warsaw) FIPS: 51159 - pop.8,923 -
Mathews County Probate Court
County Seat: (Mathews) FIPS: 51115 - pop.8,533 -
Franklin city Probate Court
County Seat: (Franklin) FIPS: 51620 - pop.8,180 -
Rappahannock County Probate Court
County Seat: (Washington) FIPS: 51157 - pop.7,348 -
Lexington city Probate Court
County Seat: (Lexington) FIPS: 51678 - pop.7,320 -
Charles City County Probate Court
County Seat: (Charles City) FIPS: 51036 - pop.6,773 -
Galax city Probate Court
County Seat: (Galax) FIPS: 51640 - pop.6,720 -
Buena Vista city Probate Court
County Seat: (Buena Vista) FIPS: 51530 - pop.6,641 -
King and Queen County Probate Court
County Seat: (King And Queen Court House) FIPS: 51097 - pop.6,608 -
Surry County Probate Court
County Seat: (Surry) FIPS: 51181 - pop.6,561 -
Bland County Probate Court
County Seat: (Bland) FIPS: 51021 - pop.6,270 -
Emporia city Probate Court
County Seat: (Emporia) FIPS: 51595 - pop.5,766 -
Covington city Probate Court
County Seat: (Covington) FIPS: 51580 - pop.5,737 -
Craig County Probate Court
County Seat: (New Castle) FIPS: 51045 - pop.4,892 -
Bath County Probate Court
County Seat: (Warm Springs) FIPS: 51017 - pop.4,209 -
Norton city Probate Court
County Seat: (Norton) FIPS: 51720 - pop.3,687 -
Highland County Probate Court
County Seat: (Monterey) FIPS: 51091 - pop.2,232 -
Bedford city Probate Court
County Seat: (Bedford) FIPS: 51515 - pop.0 -
Clifton Forge city Probate Court
County Seat: (Clifton Forge) FIPS: 51560 - pop.0
How Virginia Probate Courts Work
What Is Probate?
Probate refers to the legal process through which a deceased person's will is validated by a court. This process ensures that the deceased's assets are distributed according to their wishes as stated in the will, after any debts and taxes are paid.
What Are Probate Courts?
Probate courts, which are specialized judicial bodies, oversee these proceedings.
They also handle matters related to:
- estate administration,
- guardianships, and conservatorships
- when a will is not present
- or in cases of dispute.
It's important to note that the specific procedures and requirements of probate courts can vary significantly from one county to another across the United States. This variation is due to differences in state laws and local court rules. As a result, engaging with a probate court in one jurisdiction might be quite different from doing so in another.
Also, every state has simplified procedures for dealing with small estates... and most estates end up being "small," and most estates do not require the full probate process, especially if the deceased person owned property in one or more of the ways described below.
Types of Property That Does NOT Pass Through Probate Court
Many types of property are designed to bypass the probate process, allowing for a more streamlined transfer of assets upon someone's death. These include:
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Jointly Owned Property: Assets owned in joint tenancy with the right of survivorship or as tenants by the entirety automatically pass to the surviving owner without the need for probate. This is common with real estate, bank accounts, and vehicles owned jointly by two or more individuals.
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Payable-on-Death (POD) and Transfer-on-Death (TOD) Accounts: Financial accounts and securities that are designated as payable-on-death (POD) or transfer-on-death (TOD) can be transferred directly to the named beneficiary upon the account holder's death. This designation allows these assets to skip probate.
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Retirement Accounts and Life Insurance Policies: Funds from retirement accounts, such as IRAs and 401(k)s, and the proceeds from life insurance policies, when a beneficiary is named outside of the will, do not go through probate. These assets go directly to the beneficiaries named in the policies or account documents.
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Living Trusts: Property held in a living trust is another major category that avoids probate. The trust owns the assets, and upon the death of the individual who created the trust (the grantor), the property is transferred according to the terms of the trust, without the need for probate intervention.
These mechanisms are designed to simplify the transfer of assets, reduce the time and cost associated with probate, and ensure privacy since probate is a public process. Understanding which assets fall into these categories can be crucial for estate planning and ensuring a smooth transition of assets to beneficiaries.