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: Craig County Emergency Management – 321 Salem Avenue, New Castle, VA 24127
Alert System: Emergency Alerts (formerly CodeRED) – sign up via craigcountyva.gov
Notes: The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force have issued drought-related warnings affecting the region – check the county website for current advisories. Craig County relies on volunteer fire and rescue companies supplemented by the Sheriff’s Office, typical of Virginia’s smallest, most rural counties.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: SH-311, SH-42, and SH-615, all designated Virginia Scenic Byways, crisscross the county; there are no traffic stoplights anywhere in the county
Transit: No dedicated fixed-route county transit identified; VDOT’s Salem District office maintains secondary roads and is the correct contact for road maintenance concerns rather than county government directly
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Craig County Building Department – 108 Court St, New Castle, VA 24127 | (540) 864-5010
Services: Applications now handled through CloudPermit, the county’s online permit system; permits enforced under the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC)
Notes: Craig County’s zoning includes a Rural Residential district with real, specific minimums worth knowing before buying land or planning a build: 1-acre minimum lot size (1.5 acres for a two-family dwelling), 125-foot minimum road frontage, 50-foot minimum front yard, 15-foot minimum side yard, and 35-foot minimum rear yard; a stricter agricultural district requires a 5-acre minimum lot, 200-foot frontage, and larger setbacks. Even a rented event tent often requires a building permit – an easy detail to overlook. The Town of New Castle separately maintains its own zoning office (339 Market St) for property specifically within town limits.
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: Craig County Public Library – corner of Main Street and Route 311, New Castle, VA
Notes: The library also houses the Craig County Visitor’s Center, with local maps and brochures available just inside the door – a useful one-stop resource for both books and local tourism information
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: More than 112,000 acres of George Washington and Jefferson National Forest within the county; Craig Creek, an 84-mile tributary of the James River offering fishing and canoeing, passing directly through New Castle; the Craig Creek Cluster, recognized by The Wilderness Society for its high-elevation mountains, trout streams, and wildlife habitat, popular for hiking, canoeing, mountain biking, hunting, and horseback riding; the historic 1850s Craig County Courthouse and Old Brick Hotel in New Castle; Paint Bank, home to a historic swinging bridge and the Barn Quilt Trail scenic drive; the Craig County Fall Festival, held the second Saturday of every October at the Craig County Fairgrounds
Notes: Craig County officially brands itself as the “Redbud Capital of Southwest Virginia.” With no stoplights anywhere in the county and over 112,000 acres of national forest, it’s one of the most rural, low-development counties accessible anywhere in Virginia.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Craig County GIS – accessible via craigcountyva.gov
Parcel Search: Craig County Commissioner of the Revenue records
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Craig County Emergency Management
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Office: Craig County Animal Control – contact through Sheriff’s Office Dispatch, (540) 864-5127 | mailing address PO Box 308, New Castle, VA 24127
Services: Enforces state animal laws and local ordinances; all dogs and cats 4 months and older are legally required to have a rabies vaccination; all dogs 4 months and older require a Craig County dog tag
Notes: There is no standalone county animal shelter facility confirmed in available sources – Animal Control is reached through Sheriff’s Dispatch rather than a dedicated shelter line; confirm current arrangements directly, as the nearest formal shelter facilities appear to be in neighboring Botetourt, Roanoke County, or the City of Salem
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Environmental Complaints: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality – deq.virginia.gov
Notes: Contact Craig County Administration directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details, as specifics were not independently confirmed for this entry
NOTES
Craig County is one of the most rural and undeveloped counties accessible anywhere in Virginia – no stoplights anywhere in its borders, more than 112,000 acres of national forest, and three designated Scenic Byways running through it. The county’s specific zoning setbacks and lot-size minimums, and the fact that even a rented event tent can require a permit, are the kind of concrete detail that matters more here than any tourism pitch. 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 Craig County County
Craig County is Virginia’s Jefferson National Forest and Craig Creek mountain county – almost entirely public forest land and one of Virginia’s finest limestone trout streams define a remote Ridge and Valley county where New Castle serves the county’s small rural population in one of the most forested and least-developed landscapes in the state.
New Castle (the county seat, population ~200) is Craig County’s governmental hub, one of Virginia’s smallest county seats – a tiny mountain community on VA-42 whose Jefferson National Forest setting and Craig Creek trout fishing anchor its remote identity.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Craig County Commissioner of Revenue at 182 Main Street, New Castle, VA 24127, phone 540-864-6140. VA assessed at 100% fair market value.
Courts & Legal
Craig County Circuit Court at 182 Main Street, New Castle, VA 24127, phone 540-864-6141, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK
182 Court St, New Castle, VA 24127
(540) 864-5641
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Craig Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, New Castle (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Craig 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
Craig County Circuit Court Clerk 182 Main Street, New Castle, VA 24127 (540) 864-6141
Craig County is in Western Virginia, one of Virginia’s least populous counties, county seat New Castle. 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 Craig 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 Craig 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
182 Court St, New Castle, VA 24127
(540) 864-5121
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
VOTER REGISTRAR
182 Court St, New Castle, VA 24127
(540) 864-5010
ELECTIONS
Craig County Electoral Board, 182 Court St, New Castle, VA 24127
(540) 864-5010
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health District
Alleghany Health District (Craig), 182 Court St, New Castle, VA 24127
(540) 864-5931
Department of Social Services
182 Court St, New Castle, VA 24127
(540) 864-5015
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Virginia Department of Health office serving Craig County (regional district)
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; the Craig County Department of Social Services separately administers Medicaid, SNAP, and TANF programs
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: New Castle
Population: 5,000
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Craig County County residents.
