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.
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: Charles City County Emergency Management – P.O. Box 128, Charles City, VA 23030
Emergency Communications Center: Operated by the Charles City County Sheriff’s Office, staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
Notes: The county maintains an Emergency Operations Plan, a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), and a Wireless Emergency Notification System (WENS) – sign up for WENS via the county website. If you’re unsure whether a situation is a true emergency, call 911 anyway and let the Communications Officer determine whether emergency assistance is needed.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: SH-5 (John Tyler Memorial Highway), a scenic route running along the James River between Richmond and Williamsburg, passing directly by several historic plantations; the county is bounded by the James River to the south and Chickahominy River to the east
Transit: No dedicated fixed-route county transit identified; confirm current regional options directly with the county given its rural, low-density character
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Charles City County Building Official / Community Development – P.O. Box 128, Charles City, VA 23030 | (804) 652-4727
Services: Permits enforced under the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code; pre-application assistance available by appointment
Notes: A permit is required for demolition/removal of any building or structure. Carports and sheds over 256 sq ft require a full building permit; sheds under 256 sq ft need only a setback approval application with a $20 fee – a useful distinction for anyone planning a small outbuilding.
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: Charles City County Public Library
Notes: Confirm current address and hours directly via the county website, as detailed branch information was limited in available sources
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Charles City County holds one of the most historically dense concentrations of surviving colonial and early American plantation estates accessible anywhere in the country. Shirley Plantation, established around 1613 and believed to be the first plantation in Virginia, remains owned and operated by the same Carter family today, making it the oldest family-owned business in North America (since 1638), with 8 original buildings still standing; Berkeley Plantation, built 1726, was the birthplace of Benjamin Harrison V (a signer of the Declaration of Independence) and the boyhood home of William Henry Harrison, 9th US President; Sherwood Forest, purchased in 1842 by John Tyler, 10th US President, remains in the Tyler family; Westover Plantation, built around 1730 by William Byrd III. Chickahominy Wildlife Management Area, 5,217 acres, is the only Wildlife Management Area located in the coastal plain/tidewater region of Virginia, managed by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.
Notes: The county’s plantation heritage – sometimes dubbed “the land lost in time” by the Washington Post for its lack of modern development – also carries the weight of its history as a center of slavery in colonial and antebellum Virginia; the county is also home to Ruthville, a historic free Black community dating to before the Civil War. Charles City is also home to the state-recognized Chickahominy Indian Tribe. Most plantation sites are privately owned and only partially open for tours – confirm current hours and tour availability directly with each site before visiting (e.g., Shirley Plantation: (804) 829-5121, seasonal hours vary).
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Charles City County GIS – accessible via charlescityva.us
Parcel Search: Charles City County Commissioner of the Revenue records
Addressing/911: Coordinated through the Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communications Center
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Office: Charles City County Sheriff’s Office, Animal Control Unit – (804) 652-4745
Services: Investigates animal cruelty, issues licenses, enforces rabies laws, picks up stray/vicious animals, provides lost-and-found service, provides humane care for stray/abused/lost domestic animals (dogs, cats, fowl, poultry, livestock), and conducts adoptions
Notes: For a dead animal on or along a road, contact VDOT directly at (800) 367-7623 rather than Animal Control. After-hours service is provided only for situations deemed true emergencies; otherwise, appointments are by reasonable request.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Environmental Complaints: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality – deq.virginia.gov
Notes: Waste Management of VA, Inc. operates locally in the county; contact county administration directly for current curbside/collection program details, as specifics were not independently confirmed for this entry
NOTES
Charles City County was established as one of the first four boroughs of the Virginia Company in 1619, and today it holds one of the most historically significant concentrations of surviving colonial plantation estates accessible anywhere in the United States – Shirley Plantation, continuously owned by the same family since the 1600s, and Berkeley Plantation and Sherwood Forest, the ancestral homes of two US Presidents (William Henry Harrison and John Tyler). This deep history sits alongside the harder legacy of slavery that shaped the county’s plantation economy, and the county is also home to Ruthville, a historic free Black community, and the state-recognized Chickahominy Indian Tribe. All contact information above was sourced from official county and historic-site pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Charles City County County
Charles City County is Virginia’s presidential birthplace and James River plantation county – two presidents born here, Shirley Plantation founded in 1613 as the oldest active plantation in America, and the first official Thanksgiving at Berkeley Plantation in 1619 make this small Tidewater county one of the most historically consequential pieces of real estate in the United States.
Charles City (the county seat, population ~150) is Charles City County’s governmental hub, a tiny James River Tidewater community whose courthouse serves the county’s rural population amid one of America’s most historically significant plantation landscapes.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Charles City County Commissioner of Revenue at 10900 Courthouse Road, Charles City, VA 23030, phone 804-652-2161. VA assessed at 100% fair market value.
Courts & Legal
Charles City County Circuit Court at 10900 Courthouse Road, Charles City, VA 23030, phone 804-652-2105, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK
10780 Courthouse Rd, Charles City, VA 23030
(804) 652-2104
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Charles City Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, Charles City (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above). As one of Virginia’s eight original 1634 shires, Charles City County holds some of the deepest colonial-era documentary history in the state, including ties to several historic James River plantations.
Local societies
No dedicated Charles City 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
Charles City Circuit Court 10780 Courthouse Road, PO Box 86, Charles City, VA 23030 (804) 829-5647
Charles City County is one of Virginia’s original eight shires (1634), along the James River between Richmond and Williamsburg, county seat Charles City. 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 Charles City 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 Charles City 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
10780 Courthouse Rd, Charles City, VA 23030
(804) 829-9231
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
VOTER REGISTRAR
10780 Courthouse Rd, Charles City, VA 23030
(804) 652-4732
ELECTIONS
Charles City County Electoral Board, 10780 Courthouse Rd, Charles City, VA 23030
(804) 652-4732
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health District
Chickahominy Health District, 6210 Meadowdale Blvd, Richmond, VA 23234
(804) 743-6360
Department of Social Services
10780 Courthouse Rd, Charles City, VA 23030
(804) 652-4730
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Chickahominy Health District (Virginia Department of Health) – serves Charles City 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
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: Charles City
Population: 7,000
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Charles City County County residents.
