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
Botetourt County, Virginia
Fincastle and the Great Valley of Virginia - from Fincastle's distinction as one of Virginia's most historic and best-preserved small county seats (the Botetourt County Courthouse in Fincastle dates to 1848 and anchors a remarkably intact historic district that reflects the county's role as a frontier gateway - from Fincastle, early settlers set out for Kentucky and the western frontier, and Daniel Boone led expeditions into Kentucky from this county) to Botetourt County's stunning Blue Ridge and Alleghany Mountain scenery (the James River cuts through the Blue Ridge at the famous Natural Bridge area near the county's southern edge, and the county's valley and ridge terrain offers some of the finest scenery in western Virginia).
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: Botetourt County Emergency Management – 10 West Back Street, Fincastle, VA 24090 | (540) 473-8288 | Fax: (540) 928-2201
Hours: 24/7 during a disaster event
E-911: (540) 473-8630
Notes: Maintains centralized offices coordinating fire, rescue, and EMS operations countywide; Botetourt Fire and EMS can also be reached at (540) 928-2201
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-81 and I-64 both cross the county; US-11 and US-220 are also primary corridors; the county is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area
Transit: Streets and traffic inquiries route to VDOT, (800) 367-7623, as with most rural Virginia counties; no dedicated fixed-route county transit identified – confirm current regional options directly
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Botetourt County Development Services – 5 West Main Street, Suite 100, Fincastle, VA 24090 | (540) 928-2070 | Fax: (540) 473-2018
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–5:00 PM
Services: Building & Zoning Permit applications, plus Agreement in Lieu of Erosion and Sediment Control and Stormwater Management forms, available as PDFs on the county site; online payment available once a permit has been applied for and recorded
Notes: Development Services accepts only the current version of each application/form – using an outdated version can delay processing, and the county states it takes no responsibility for delays caused by outdated submissions. Confirm you have the latest PDF from the county site before applying.
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: Botetourt Libraries – part of the Roanoke Valley Library Consortium, sharing a common borrower’s card and online catalog across member libraries
Notes: Libraries and administrative offices close together on observed holidays (e.g., closed for Independence Day and the following Saturday); confirm current branch locations and hours directly, as detailed per-branch information was limited in available sources. The shared Roanoke Valley library card is a genuinely useful detail – a Botetourt library card works across the consortium’s other member libraries in the Roanoke area.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains both border the county; a committee has been appointed to oversee reconstruction of historically accurate replicas of the Breckinridge Law Office and Hotel in Fincastle, the historic county seat; Fincastle’s historic Botetourt County Courthouse anchors the small town (population 755 as of the 2020 census)
Notes: The Breckinridge building reconstruction was an active, in-progress county project as of this writing – check botetourtva.gov for current status before planning a visit expecting it to be complete
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Botetourt County GIS – accessible via botetourtva.gov
Parcel Search: Botetourt County Commissioner of the Revenue records
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Botetourt County Emergency Management and E-911
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Office: Botetourt County Animal Control – P.O. Box 18, Fincastle, VA | (540) 928-2200 (per current county resource guide) or (540) 473-8631 (per Sheriff’s Office animal control listing – confirm current number directly, as sources differ)
Address (Sheriff’s Office, which oversees Animal Control): 205 N. Roanoke Street, Fincastle, VA 24090
Notes: Animal Control operates under the Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office. A separate independent nonprofit, Alleghany Highlands All Breed Rescue, also operates in the area at 6252 McKinney Hollow Road, Eagle Rock, VA, but is not the same as county Animal Control – confirm which organization you need before calling. For an active animal-related emergency, call 911.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Environmental Complaints: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality – deq.virginia.gov
Notes: The county has been working to bring the Orchard Lake dam into compliance with Virginia’s Dam Safety Act, an active infrastructure project as of this writing; contact county administration directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details
NOTES
Botetourt County, created in 1770 and named for Lord Botetourt, sits between the Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains in the Roanoke Metro area, with the small historic town of Fincastle as its county seat. Its library system’s membership in the Roanoke Valley Library Consortium (shared borrower’s card and catalog) is a genuinely practical benefit for residents who also spend time in the broader Roanoke area. Note that animal control contact numbers varied slightly between official sources found during research – confirm the current number directly with the Sheriff’s Office before relying on either listed line. All contact information above was sourced from official county pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Botetourt County
Botetourt County is western Virginia’s Great Valley frontier heritage and Blue Ridge scenery county – Fincastle’s preserved courthouse town anchors the county’s governmental identity while the James River gorge, Blue Ridge scenery, and proximity to Roanoke define a county of natural beauty and historical depth in the heart of Virginia’s Valley and Ridge province.
Fincastle (the county seat, population ~350) is one of Virginia’s smallest and most historically authentic county seats, with Daleville and Troutville serving as larger commercial centers for county residents.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Botetourt County Assessor at 1 W. Main Street, Fincastle, VA 24090, phone 540-473-8250. VA assessed at 100% fair market value.
Courts & Legal
Botetourt County Circuit Court at 1 W. Main Street, Fincastle, VA 24090, phone 540-473-8274, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK
1 West Main St, Fincastle, VA 24090
(540) 473-8274
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Botetourt Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, Fincastle (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above). The historic Botetourt County Courthouse in Fincastle is a notable local landmark.
Local societies
No dedicated Botetourt 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
Botetourt Circuit Court 1 West Main Street, PO Box 219, Fincastle, VA 24090 (540) 928-2350
Botetourt County was founded in 1770 from part of Augusta County, named for Lord Botetourt, in the Roanoke Region between the Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains, county seat Fincastle. 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 Botetourt 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 Botetourt 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
1 West Main St, Fincastle, VA 24090
(540) 473-8230
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
VOTER REGISTRAR
1 West Main St, Fincastle, VA 24090
(540) 928-2030
ELECTIONS
Botetourt County Electoral Board, 1 West Main St, Fincastle, VA 24090
(540) 928-2030
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health District
Alleghany Health District (Botetourt), 6 East Main St, Fincastle, VA 24090
(540) 473-8240
Department of Social Services
20 East Main St, Fincastle, VA 24090
(540) 928-2050
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Botetourt County Health Department (Virginia Department of Health) – 21 Academy St., Fincastle, VA 24090 | (540) 666-4275 or (540) 283-5050
Services: Immunizations, septic tank & well permits, restaurant inspections, WIC, vital records
Notes: For private well/septic permitting specifically, this health department office is the correct contact rather than county Development Services
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: Fincastle
Population: 34,000
Established: 1769
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Botetourt County residents.
