Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
Virginia County
Amherst County, Virginia
Amherst and Blue Ridge foothills Virginia - from Amherst County's scenic Blue Ridge foothills setting along the James River corridor (the James River forms much of Amherst County's southern boundary, and the rolling Piedmont and foothills terrain rising toward the Blue Ridge creates a landscape of vineyards, orchards, and scenic rural countryside that has attracted both traditional farming and agritourism operations) to the county's connection to Sweet Briar College (the historic women's liberal arts college campus in Amherst County is one of Virginia's most architecturally distinctive college settings, situated on a former plantation with views toward the Blue Ridge).
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
What do you need to do?
Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Office: Amherst County Department of Fire and EMS (ACFE) – the county’s coordinating agency for Fire, EMS, 911 dispatching, and Emergency Management
Dispatch (non-emergency): (434) 946-9300
Notes: Established in 2003 as Amherst County Public Safety (originally responsible for 911 addressing), renamed to Amherst County Department of Fire and EMS in July 2024 to better reflect its broader multi-disciplinary role; also handles fireworks display permit applications (submit to Jarred Scott, [email protected])
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-29 and US-60 are the primary corridors; the county sits along the James River near Lynchburg
Transit: No dedicated fixed-route county transit identified; confirm current regional options directly with the county, as Amherst borders the Lynchburg metro area
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Amherst County Building Safety & Inspections – 153 Washington St, Amherst, VA 24521 | (434) 946-9302 | Fax: (434) 946-9370
Building Official: Nathan M. Young
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–5:00 PM
Services: Permits issued under the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (VUSBC); residential permit applications are typically processed within 48 hours of a completed submittal; before applying you’ll need an approved zoning permit (from the town or county, as applicable) and, if applicable, a septic and/or well permit
Notes: The county adopted Part III of the Uniform Statewide Building Code (Property Maintenance) in November 2015, which sets minimum safety standards for existing structures. If a permit is denied, you can correct the code violations or appeal the decision. The permit must be posted at the construction site, and any changes to approved plans require a new review before proceeding.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
State VSO: Virginia Department of Veterans Services – dvs.virginia.gov (statewide office locator for the nearest Veterans Service Representative)
Notes: Confirm current local point of contact directly with dvs.virginia.gov
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Amherst County Public Library – founded November 1964, originally a demonstration project of the Library of Virginia that relied on bookmobile outreach across the county
Main branch: 382 S Main St, Amherst, VA 24521 | (434) 946-9488 | Hours: Mon/Wed/Thu/Fri 10 AM–6 PM, Tue 10 AM–8 PM, Sat 10 AM–2 PM
Madison Heights branch: 200 River James Shopping Center, Madison Heights, VA 24572 | (434) 846-8171 | Hours: Mon 10 AM–8 PM, Tue–Fri 10 AM–6 PM, Sat 10 AM–2 PM
Services: Nearly 100,000 items in the collection plus electronic resources, catalog access via the Aspen LiDA app
Notes: A historic predecessor, the Elon Village Library (built 1918, Amherst County’s first rural free library), still stands and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, though it stopped operating as a library in 1965 when the county consolidated services
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The county borders the James River near Lynchburg and includes portions of the Blue Ridge Parkway/George Washington and Jefferson National Forest to the west
Notes: Confirm current access points and any seasonal closures directly with the National Park Service or US Forest Service before visiting forested/parkway areas
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Amherst County GIS – accessible via countyofamherst.com
Parcel Search: Amherst County Commissioner of the Revenue / Real Estate Assessment records
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Amherst County Department of Fire and EMS
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Amherst County Animal Care & Control Center – 318 Shelter Ln, Amherst, VA 24521 | (434) 946-2107
To report an incident (bite, loose dog, animal in distress, suspected cruelty): call Amherst County Dispatch, (434) 946-9300
Services: Falls under the Sheriff’s Office (Administrative Division); maintains a lost-and-found file, reunites animals with owners, issues dog licenses; an Animal Care and Control Officer is on-call 24/7 for health-and-safety emergencies outside business hours
Notes: The Care Center itself does NOT handle adoptions – adoptions go through the separately operated Adoption Center run by the Humane Society of Amherst County, which shares the same building at 318 Shelter Ln. Contact the Humane Society directly (via amherstanimalshelter.org) for adoption inquiries rather than the county Care Center line.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Environmental Complaints: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality – deq.virginia.gov
Notes: Contact Amherst County Administration directly for current refuse collection, transfer station, and recycling program details, as specifics were not independently confirmed for this entry
NOTES
Amherst County splits its animal welfare operations between two organizations sharing one building – the county-run Animal Care & Control Center handles enforcement, impoundment, and lost-and-found, while the separately operated Humane Society of Amherst County handles adoptions – so residents should know which one to call for which need. The county’s library system, founded in 1964 as a bookmobile-based demonstration project, and its two current branches in Amherst and Madison Heights, serve a county that stretches from the James River near Lynchburg west into the Blue Ridge. All contact information above was sourced from official county, library, and nonprofit pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Amherst County
Amherst County is central Virginia’s Blue Ridge foothills and James River county – the scenic transition from the Piedmont toward the Blue Ridge creates a landscape of vineyards, farms, and natural beauty while Amherst serves as the governmental hub for a county that blends rural Virginia character with proximity to Lynchburg’s regional services.
Amherst (the county seat, population ~2,200) anchors the county’s governmental functions while the broader community accesses commercial services primarily through Lynchburg, the adjacent independent city.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Amherst County Assessor at 153 Washington Street, Amherst, VA 24521, phone 434-946-9310. VA assessed at 100% fair market value.
Courts & Legal
Amherst County Circuit Court at 113 Taylor Street, Amherst, VA 24521, phone 434-946-9321, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK
153 Court House Hill Rd, Amherst, VA 24521
(434) 946-9321
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Amherst Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, Amherst (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Amherst 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
Amherst Circuit Court 113 Taylor Street, PO Box 462, Amherst, VA 24521 (434) 946-9321
Amherst County is in Central Virginia near Lynchburg, county seat Amherst. Virginia has NO separate probate court – probate (“qualification”) is handled entirely by the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office.
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 Amherst 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 Amherst 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
100 Goodes Ln, Amherst, VA 24521
(434) 946-9381
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
VOTER REGISTRAR
153 Court House Hill Rd, Amherst, VA 24521
(434) 946-9302
ELECTIONS
Amherst County Electoral Board, 153 Court House Hill Rd, Amherst, VA 24521
(434) 946-9302
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health District
Central Virginia Health District, 100 Goodes Ln, Amherst, VA 24521
(434) 946-9302
Department of Social Services
158 Second St, Amherst, VA 24521
(434) 946-9310
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Central Virginia Health District (Virginia Department of Health) – serves Amherst County along with Lynchburg and several surrounding counties
Services: Immunizations, WIC, environmental health, vital records
Notes: Virginia delivers public health primarily through regional Virginia Department of Health districts rather than standalone county health departments
Editorial independence: CountyOffices maintains strict editorial independence from our affiliate partners. Our content is researched from official government sources. Affiliate relationships do not influence our recommendations or the information we publish.
Editorial Trust
5 official sources cited
Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Amherst
Population: 32,500
Established: 1761
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Amherst County residents.
