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Virginia County
Accomack County, Virginia
Chincoteague and Assateague Island wild ponies - from Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and Assateague Island (Accomack County is home to the famous wild ponies of Chincoteague and Assateague, immortalized in Marguerite Henry's beloved novel "Misty of Chincoteague," and the annual Pony Penning and Swim draws thousands of visitors each July to watch the wild ponies swim across the channel from Assateague to Chincoteague) to Virginia's Eastern Shore heritage (Accomack County occupies the northern portion of the Delmarva Peninsula between the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, a narrow strip of barrier islands, coastal bays, farmland, and small fishing communities that has maintained a distinct watermen and agricultural culture for centuries).
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Coordinator: Emergency Management Coordinator’s office coordinates training, planning, and disaster response across county agencies (a coordination role, not first response – police, fire, EMS, and utilities handle direct response)
Regional partner: Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) meets quarterly with Eastern Shore emergency managers
911/Dispatch: Eastern Shore of Virginia 911 Communications Center (shared with Northampton County)
Notes: Accomack sits on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, a barrier-island and marsh peninsula exposed to hurricane storm surge and coastal flooding; residents should sign up for the county’s emergency notification group for real-time alerts
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-13 is the primary north-south corridor running the length of the Eastern Shore
Transit: STAR Transit – fixed-route bus and paratransit serving Accomack and Northampton counties, operated by the Accomack-Northampton Transportation District Commission (Virginia Regional Transit manages daily operations); fare is $0.50 per ride, headquartered at 21250 Cooperative Way, Tasley, VA; website mystartransit.org
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Accomack County Building, Planning & Economic Development (Building & Zoning) – (757) 787-5721 | [email protected]
Address: 23296 Courthouse Avenue, Suite 203, Accomac, VA 23301
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–5:00 PM
Services: Permits administered under the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (VUSBC); online applications, fee payment, and inspection scheduling through the ACCESS portal; inspection requests require at least 24 hours notice and are typically performed within two working days
Notes: The county’s Building & Zoning office covers unincorporated Accomack and all incorporated towns except Chincoteague, which maintains its own separate building/zoning office; even small accessory structures under 256 sq ft can require a permit if located in a Special Flood Hazard Area – confirm before starting any project; Captains Cove and Trails End require their own prior approval before the county will issue a roofing permit
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Accomack County Veterans Service Department – 23367 Front Street, Accomac, VA
State VSO: Virginia Department of Veterans Services – dvs.virginia.gov
Notes: Vietnam Veterans of America also maintains a local post at 25534 East Main Street, Onley, VA, for peer support and advocacy alongside the official county veterans service office
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Eastern Shore Public Library – shared regional system serving both Accomack and Northampton counties, established 1957
Main branch: Accomac (the system’s primary library)
Affiliated locations: Chincoteague Island Library (Chincoteague)
Notes: The system began as a bookmobile route with 50 stops before becoming a formal regional library system in 1958
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and Assateague Island, home to the Chincoteague wild pony herd and the annual Pony Swim; Saxis Wildlife Management Area, a 5,578-acre tidal marsh property on Beasley Bay and Pocomoke Sound managed by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources; extensive Eastern Shore birding trails given the peninsula’s position on the Atlantic Flyway
Notes: The Eastern Shore’s barrier islands and marshland make it a significant migratory bird corridor; check current refuge hours and pony swim scheduling directly with Chincoteague NWR before visiting, as they vary by season
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Accomack County GIS – accessible via co.accomack.va.us
Parcel Search: Accomack County Real Estate Assessment / Commissioner of the Revenue records
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Eastern Shore of Virginia 911 Communications Center
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Eastern Shore Regional Animal Control Facility – 28167 Beacon Rd, Melfa, VA 23410 | Lost animal reports: (757) 787-7091
Dispatch: For pick-up requests, contact the Sheriff’s Office, which dispatches an Animal Control Officer – Accomack: (757) 787-1131
Notes: Animal Control operates under the Sheriff’s Office (Patrol Division); the facility serves as a shared regional resource for both Accomack and Northampton counties; injured wildlife should be reported to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources helpline at 1-855-571-9003, not Animal Control
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Environmental Complaints: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality – deq.virginia.gov
Notes: Coastal wetland and floodplain management is a significant ongoing local concern given the county’s low-lying barrier-island and marsh geography; contact the county Building & Zoning office directly for current floodplain permitting requirements, as Special Flood Hazard Area rules affect even minor construction
NOTES
Accomack County occupies the Virginia side of the Eastern Shore peninsula, sharing several regional services – the STAR Transit bus system, the Eastern Shore Public Library, and the Eastern Shore Regional Animal Control Facility – jointly with neighboring Northampton County rather than running them independently. Chincoteague, home to the annual wild pony swim and a major national wildlife refuge, is the one incorporated town in the county that handles its own building and zoning separately from the county office in Accomac. All contact information above was sourced from official county and regional agency pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, as government contact details can change.
About Accomack County
Accomack County is Virginia’s Eastern Shore and Chincoteague wild pony county – the barrier island ponies, Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, and the county’s unique coastal peninsula character between the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean make Accomack one of Virginia’s most distinctive and beloved rural destinations.
Accomac (the county seat, population ~500) is a small historic town serving the county’s governmental functions while Chincoteague, Parksley, and Onley provide commercial services to the county’s 450-square-mile Eastern Shore landscape.
All Services
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Accomack County Assessor at 23296 Courthouse Avenue, Accomac, VA 23301, phone 757-787-5738. VA assessed at 100% fair market value.
Courts & Legal
Accomack County Circuit Court at 23296 Courthouse Avenue, Accomac, VA 23301, phone 757-787-5776, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK
23316 Courthouse Ave, Accomac, VA 23301
(757) 787-1443
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Accomack Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, Accomac (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Accomack County’s court records tradition dates to 1663, among the oldest continuously maintained public record collections in the country – genealogically significant for colonial-era Eastern Shore research.
Local societies
No dedicated Accomack County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Accomack Circuit Court 23316 Courthouse Avenue, PO Box 126, Accomac, VA 23301 (757) 787-5776
Accomack County was founded in 1671, on Virginia’s Eastern Shore (part of the Delmarva Peninsula along with Northampton County), county seat Accomac. Virginia has NO separate probate court – probate (“qualification”) is handled entirely by the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office. The Clerk’s office has upheld public record-keeping duties dating to 1663.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Virginia calls the probate process “qualification” rather than “appointment,” and it happens administratively at the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, not before a judge, unless a dispute arises.
Small Estate Affidavit (Va. Code § 64.2-601, the “Virginia Small Estate Act”) – available when the decedent’s entire personal probate estate (excluding real estate) does not exceed $75,000, at least 60 days have passed since death, and no personal representative has been appointed or has a pending application in any jurisdiction. If a will exists, it must first be admitted to probate (recorded with the Clerk) even though no executor is appointed. As of July 1, 2026, the affidavit must be filed on the statewide form (CC-1685).
Single Small Asset Release (Va. Code § 64.2-602) – any person or institution holding a single asset of $35,000 or less may release it directly to a successor once 60 days have passed since death and no personal representative has qualified, without any affidavit required at all.
Real Estate Affidavit (Form CC-1612) – if the decedent owned only real estate, this can be recorded directly in land records without full probate. Real estate generally cannot be transferred through the small estate affidavit process.
Full Qualification / Administration – the standard path for larger or more complex estates. The personal representative appears before the Clerk, takes an oath, files the will and death certificate, and typically posts a surety bond. The estate is then supervised by a Commissioner of Accounts throughout administration.
Step 2: filing for administration
The person seeking to qualify as executor or administrator brings the original will (if any) and a certified death certificate to the Accomack Circuit Court Clerk’s Office.
The Clerk reviews the will’s validity and admits it to probate.
The personal representative takes an oath and qualifies, posting a bond if required; the Clerk issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
The Commissioner of Accounts oversees the estate going forward.
The personal representative notifies creditors, pays valid debts, and manages estate assets.
Remaining assets are distributed to beneficiaries or heirs, and the estate is closed once final accounting is approved.
What it costs
Virginia imposes a PROBATE TAX on most wills admitted to probate and grants of administration: $1 state tax + $0.33 local tax for every $1,000 of estate value. No tax is imposed on estates valued at $15,000 or less.
Filing fees for qualification vary by estate size; confirm current Accomack County fees directly.
Virginia does NOT impose a state estate tax or inheritance tax – repealed for deaths on or after July 1, 2007. Only the federal estate tax may apply, and only to very large estates.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
23350 Courthouse Ave, Accomac, VA 23301
(757) 787-1131
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
VOTER REGISTRAR
23296 Courthouse Ave, Accomac, VA 23301
(757) 787-5751
ELECTIONS
Accomack County Electoral Board, 23296 Courthouse Ave, Accomac, VA 23301
(757) 787-5751
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health District
Eastern Shore Health District, 22308 Center Pkwy, Accomac, VA 23301
(757) 787-5880
Department of Social Services
21387 Courthouse Ave, Accomac, VA 23301
(757) 787-5670
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Accomack County Health Department (Virginia Department of Health)
Services: Maternity clinic and standard maternal/child health services, immunizations, environmental health, vital records
Notes: Virginia administers public health primarily through Virginia Department of Health district offices rather than standalone county health departments
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County Facts
County Seat: Accomac
Population: 33,000
Established: 1663
Tier: 3
Public Records
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