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
Dinwiddie County, Virginia
Five Forks Battlefield and Petersburg Siege lines - from Five Forks Battlefield (the decisive April 1, 1865 battle at Five Forks in Dinwiddie County broke the Confederate right flank and triggered the fall of Petersburg and Richmond within days, effectively ending the Civil War - the battlefield is preserved as part of Petersburg National Battlefield and marks one of the war's most consequential final engagements) to Dinwiddie County's position in the Petersburg Siege landscape (the county's terrain was crossed by miles of Confederate and Union earthworks during the nine-month Petersburg Siege, and remnants of these fortifications remain visible across the county's rural landscape).
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: Dinwiddie County Fire & EMS / Emergency Management – Public Safety Building, 13850 Courthouse Road, Dinwiddie, VA 23841 | (804) 469-5388
Notes: A combination of career personnel and more than 200 volunteers deliver fire services from 6 stations and EMS from 4 of those stations. The division also maintains the county’s Emergency Operations Plan and Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Plan. Emergency notifications reach residents via landline (automatic), plus optional cell phone/text/email/social media sign-up through the county’s Emergency Notification System. If power or phone service is disrupted during a major incident, updates will be distributed via flyers or in-person communication at Fire & EMS facilities.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-85 runs through the county; US-1 and US-460 are also primary corridors; the county sits just southwest of Petersburg
Transit: Regional connections via the Tri-Cities Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (Tri-Cities Area MPO), which coordinates transportation planning across Dinwiddie and neighboring jurisdictions
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Dinwiddie County Building Inspections, a division of Planning and Community Development – enforces the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code
Planning & Zoning: handles zoning interpretation/enforcement, building permit review, project review, the Flood Protection Ordinance, and Street Naming/Addressing
Notes: The county administers building code for the Town of McKenney as well – a sign permit for the Town specifically ($30, due with application) must be obtained from the Town Office (PO Box 309, 20706 First Street, McKenney, VA 23872) before erecting signage within town limits; yard sale permits ($10/day) are also available there.
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: Dinwiddie 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: Five Forks Battlefield, a 1,215-acre National Historic Landmark and unit of Petersburg National Battlefield, site of the decisive April 1, 1865 Battle of Five Forks – Union forces under Generals Philip Sheridan and Gouverneur K. Warren broke through Confederate lines under General George Pickett, cutting off the last supply line to Petersburg and forcing General Robert E. Lee to abandon the defense of Richmond and Petersburg; this defeat led directly to Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House just eight days later; the Five Forks unit includes a visitor center with exhibits
Notes: The Battle of Dinwiddie Court House (March 31, 1865), fought the day before Five Forks, is also part of this same historic campaign – the county’s rural character around Five Forks retains much of its Civil War-era open setting
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Dinwiddie County GIS – accessible via dinwiddieva.us
Parcel Search: Dinwiddie County Commissioner of the Revenue records
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Dinwiddie County Fire & EMS/Emergency Management
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Office: Dinwiddie County Animal Control
Hours: Officers on duty daily 8:00 AM–4:00 PM; available for emergencies 24 hours a day
To request Animal Control dispatch: Dinwiddie County Emergency Communications, (804) 469-3755
Services: Enforcement of state and local animal laws, education, and impoundment when necessary; the county’s animal ordinance follows Virginia Code definitions closely, including a formal definition of “abandon” as deserting an animal or failing to provide basic care for 5 consecutive days
Notes: The county animal shelter is open to the public – confirm current hours directly, as this information varies and was not consistently listed in available sources
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Dinwiddie County Waste Management – listed among county departments
Environmental Complaints: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality – deq.virginia.gov
Notes: Contact county administration directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details, as specifics were not independently confirmed for this entry
NOTES
Dinwiddie County holds genuinely pivotal Civil War history at Five Forks Battlefield, where the April 1, 1865 Union victory broke Confederate defenses around Petersburg and set in motion the chain of events leading directly to Lee’s surrender at Appomattox just over a week later. The county’s rural, open landscape near the battlefield remains close to its historical appearance. 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 Dinwiddie County
Dinwiddie County is south-central Virginia’s Petersburg Siege and Five Forks heritage county – the decisive final battle of the Petersburg Campaign was fought on Dinwiddie’s soil, and the county’s rural landscape still bears traces of the fortifications that defined the Civil War’s final months in Virginia.
Dinwiddie (the county seat, population ~200) is one of Virginia’s smallest county seats, with Dinwiddie Courthouse serving governmental functions while the county’s residents access commercial services primarily through Petersburg and the greater Richmond metro.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Dinwiddie County Assessor at 14010 Boydton Plank Road, Dinwiddie, VA 23841, phone 804-469-4500. VA assessed at 100% fair market value.
Courts & Legal
Dinwiddie County Circuit Court at 14010 Boydton Plank Road, Dinwiddie, VA 23841, phone 804-469-4540, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK
14012 Boydton Plank Rd, Dinwiddie, VA 23841
(804) 469-4540
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Dinwiddie Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, Dinwiddie (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above). Dinwiddie County was the site of significant Civil War engagements during the Siege of Petersburg.
Local societies
No dedicated Dinwiddie 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
Dinwiddie Circuit Court 14008 Boydton Plank Road, PO Drawer 70, Dinwiddie, VA 23841 (804) 469-5386
Dinwiddie County is in South Central Virginia south of Petersburg, county seat Dinwiddie. 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 Dinwiddie 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 Dinwiddie 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
14032 Boydton Plank Rd, Dinwiddie, VA 23841
(804) 469-4534
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
VOTER REGISTRAR
14010 Boydton Plank Rd, Dinwiddie, VA 23841
(804) 469-4522
ELECTIONS
Dinwiddie County Electoral Board, 14010 Boydton Plank Rd, Dinwiddie, VA 23841
(804) 469-4522
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health District
Crater Health District, 30 East Ellerslie Ave, Petersburg, VA 23805
(804) 862-7460
Department of Social Services
14000 Boisseau Rd, Dinwiddie, VA 23841
(804) 469-4620
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Crater Health District (Virginia Department of Health) – serves Dinwiddie 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: Dinwiddie
Population: 28,500
Established: 1752
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Dinwiddie County residents.
