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Virginia County
Appomattox County, Virginia
Appomattox Court House and the end of the Civil War - from Appomattox Court House National Historical Park (on April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to General Ulysses S. Grant in the parlor of Wilmer McLean's home at Appomattox Court House, effectively ending the American Civil War - the restored village of Appomattox Court House is preserved as a national historical park and is one of the most visited and emotionally significant sites in American history) to the county's rural Virginia Piedmont character (the gently rolling farmland and small communities surrounding the historic courthouse village maintain a quiet agricultural landscape that provides a fitting backdrop for one of American history's most consequential locations).
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Office: Appomattox County Emergency Management – Director Susan M. Adams; operates from the Public Safety Building alongside the county’s 24-hour Emergency Communications Center
Alert System: Alert Appomattox – the county’s public notification system for weather emergencies and other public safety issues; sign-up/info line (434) 352-3950
Notes: Emergency Management serves as the local link to the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) and FEMA for disaster financial assistance, and also assists with Homeland Security grant applications. The Emergency Communications Center handles both 911 and non-emergency dispatch for multiple public responder agencies.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-460 and SH-24, primary corridors; the James River forms the county’s northern boundary
Transit: No dedicated fixed-route county transit identified; confirm current regional options directly with the county
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Appomattox County Community Development, Building Inspections Division – (434) 352-8183 | Fax: (434) 352-4214
Services: Permits issued under the 2015 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC), in effect since September 4, 2019; the county publishes a “Before You Build Checklist” to help applicants prepare; permit applications are submitted online via JotForm to the Community Development team or in hard copy at the County Administration Building, and are typically reviewed within 14 days
Inspection scheduling: (434) 352-8183 – requests made before 10 AM are performed same-day when possible; requests after 10 AM are scheduled for the next day
Notes: The Erosion and Sediment Control section (also under Community Development) enforces state regulations for any land-disturbing activity exceeding 5,000 square feet – factor this in for larger projects. Zoning permits and land disturbance/plat approval share the same (434) 352-8183 line.
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: J. Robert Jamerson Memorial Library – (434) 352-5340
Notes: Serves as the county’s public library; confirm current address and hours directly, as detailed branch information was limited in available sources
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, a 1,774.6-acre National Park Service site preserving the 19th-century village where Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to Union General Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, 1865, an event widely regarded as marking the end of the Civil War; visitors can enter the McLean House, where the surrender was signed; the park is dog-friendly on the grounds (though not inside buildings); Holliday Lake State Park and James River State Park, both accessible nearby
Notes: The park’s visitor center and buildings have their own hours separate from general park grounds access – check nps.gov/apco directly before visiting, as hours and any fees can change seasonally
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Appomattox County GIS Mapping – accessible via appomattoxcountyva.gov
Parcel Search: Appomattox County Commissioner of the Revenue records
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Appomattox County Emergency Management and the Emergency Communications Center
Services: Two Animal Control Officers on duty; shelter intake is managed – if you’re looking to surrender a pet, you’ll be placed on a waiting list and contacted once space is available rather than being guaranteed same-day intake
Notes: Because intake is managed rather than open-admission, do not assume you can walk in and immediately surrender an animal – call ahead
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Solid Waste Disposal / Recycling Information – accessible via appomattoxcountyva.gov
Environmental Complaints: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality – deq.virginia.gov
Notes: Contact the county directly for current transfer station hours and recycling program specifics
NOTES
Appomattox County holds one of the most historically consequential sites in American history: Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, where the Confederate surrender on April 9, 1865 is widely regarded as marking the practical end of the Civil War. The county sits in Central Virginia’s Piedmont region between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Tidewater, with the James River forming its northern boundary, and its Alert Appomattox notification system is worth signing up for given the county’s rural, weather-exposed geography. All contact information above was sourced from official county and National Park Service pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Appomattox County
Appomattox County is where the American Civil War ended – the surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865 gave the county a place in history that transcends its modest size, and the national historical park preserving the surrender site draws visitors from across the world to this quiet Virginia Piedmont county.
Appomattox (the county seat, population ~1,800) is Appomattox County’s governmental hub adjacent to the national park, serving county residents and the steady stream of history visitors who come to stand where the Civil War ended.
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Appomattox County Assessor at 236 Court Street, Appomattox, VA 24522, phone 434-352-5275. VA assessed at 100% fair market value.
Courts & Legal
Appomattox County Circuit Court at 236 Court Street, Appomattox, VA 24522, phone 434-352-5275, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK
111 Charlotte Court House Rd, Appomattox, VA 24522
(434) 352-5275
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Appomattox Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, Appomattox (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Appomattox Court House National Historical Park sits within the county, home to significant Civil War-era historical documentation.
Local societies
No dedicated Appomattox 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
Appomattox Circuit Court 297 Court Street, Suite B, PO Box 672, Appomattox, VA 24522 (434) 352-5275
Appomattox County was founded in 1845, named for the Appomattox River, in the Piedmont region near the center of Virginia, county seat Appomattox – near the site of Lee’s surrender ending the Civil War. 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 Appomattox 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 Appomattox 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
265 Court St, Appomattox, VA 24522
(434) 352-8214
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
VOTER REGISTRAR
111 Charlotte Court House Rd, Appomattox, VA 24522
(434) 352-8180
ELECTIONS
Appomattox County Electoral Board, 111 Charlotte Court House Rd, Appomattox, VA 24522
(434) 352-8180
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, 186 Family Circle Cir, Appomattox, VA 24522
(434) 352-7825
Department of Social Services
186 Family Circle Cir, Appomattox, VA 24522
(434) 352-7137
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Central Virginia Health District (Virginia Department of Health) – serves Appomattox County
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
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Appomattox
Population: 16,000
Established: 1845
Tier: 3
Public Records
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