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Virginia County
Hanover County, Virginia
Hanover Courthouse and Patrick Henry heritage - from Hanover Courthouse where Patrick Henry won fame as a young lawyer in the Parson's Cause case of 1763 (the historic Hanover Courthouse still stands as one of Virginia's oldest continuously used courthouses, and Patrick Henry's stirring defense of colonial rights in this very building launched the career of the man who would famously declare "give me liberty or give me death") to Hanover County's rapid growth as a Richmond northern suburb (the county's proximity to Richmond, excellent schools, and rural character have made it one of the fastest-growing counties in the Richmond metro, with communities like Mechanicsville and Ashland expanding steadily).
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Office: Hanover County Emergency Management – P.O. Box 470, Hanover, VA 23069
Non-emergency line (24/7): (804) 365-6140
Notes: Maintains the county’s Emergency Operations Plan and trains/manages the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteer program (@HanoverCERT on Facebook). Hanover County was formed in 1720.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-95 and I-295 both serve the county; US-301 and US-360 are primary corridors; the historic Town of Ashland sits along the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac (now CSX) rail line
Transit: No dedicated fixed-route county transit identified; confirm current regional options directly with the county
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Hanover County Building Inspections – apply via the Community Development Citizen Portal or the eTRAKiT online system (search by permit number, address, or GPIN)
Fire/Operational Permits: Office of the Fire Marshal, (804) 729-9269 – cash payments NOT accepted for fire permits; checks are processed electronically online, other payments via a vendor link
Services: 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code effective January 18, 2024 (2018 Edition allowed during a one-year grace period); if using a private sewage disposal system and/or private water source, a completed Commonwealth of VA sewage disposal/water supply application must accompany the building permit application (or provide the health permit number if already filed with the Virginia Department of Health – (804) 365-4313 for well/septic questions)
Notes: The Town of Ashland has its own separate stormwater management ordinance requiring fees for new construction that increases impervious area (single-family homes, additions, decks, pools, patios, walkways excluding ADA ramps, and accessory buildings) – confirm whether your property is within Ashland town limits. Due to an error in the state’s 2021 Virginia Construction Code adoption process, the county has published special guidance for commercial projects using ASCE 7 structural provisions – review before submitting commercial permits.
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: Pamunkey Regional Library – serves Hanover County jointly with Goochland County and the Town of Ashland (see Goochland County entry for full system details); Hanover has the larger share of the regional library board’s seats (4 of 6 trustees)
Notes: Confirm current Hanover-area branch hours directly, as the system operates multiple branches across both member localities
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown, an 18th-century plantation home (built around 1720, expanded in the 1760s) about 10 miles northwest of Ashland – the only original standing home of Patrick Henry open to the public, where he lived from 1771–1778 and conceived ideas that shaped his famous “Liberty or Death” speech; acquired by Preservation Virginia in 1958, it’s a designated National Historic Landmark and one of the largest surviving 18th-century homes in the Americas; Dolley Madison also spent part of her childhood there. Hanover County Courthouse, built around 1735 and still in active use – one of the oldest courthouses in continuous use in the nation, and the site of Patrick Henry’s famous 1763 “Parson’s Cause” case arguing against King George III’s veto of colonial tax legislation.
Notes: Patrick Henry was born in Hanover County on May 29, 1736, and went on to become Virginia’s first governor – the county’s Patrick Henry heritage runs deep and is genuinely well-documented, not a tourism embellishment. Confirm current tour hours for Scotchtown directly with Preservation Virginia before visiting.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Hanover County GIS – accessible via hanovercounty.gov
Parcel Search: Hanover County “My Property” page – links to building permits, property changes, deeds/plats, assessments, and zoning
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Hanover County Emergency Management
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter – 12471 Taylor Complex Lane, Ashland, VA 23005 | (804) 365-6485 | Mailing: P.O. Box 40, Hanover, VA 23069
Hours: Vary by source – generally Monday–Saturday roughly 9/10 AM–4:30 PM with extended Wednesday hours; Saturday visits sometimes by appointment only; closed Sundays and holidays – call ahead to confirm current hours
Services: This facility does NOT euthanize healthy, adoptable animals – a genuinely notable, stated policy. All dogs 4 months and older require a current annual county license, sold year-round. Unsterilized dogs are only available for adoption to residents of Hanover and several adjoining counties (Louisa, Goochland, Chesterfield, Henrico, New Kent, King William, Caroline, Spotsylvania); by state law, anyone adopting must have the pet sterilized, though already-sterilized animals can be adopted by any Virginia resident. A dog park sits adjacent to the shelter.
Notes: Virginia’s cold-weather shelter law requires that outdoor dog shelters have a windbreak at the entrance and sufficient bedding to protect against cold and retain body heat – worth knowing if you keep a dog outdoors in winter.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Environmental Complaints: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality – deq.virginia.gov
Notes: Hanover County provides an MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) Pet Waste Brochure – contact county administration directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details, as specifics were not independently confirmed for this entry
NOTES
Hanover County is deeply tied to Patrick Henry’s legacy – he was born here, argued his first major case at the still-active 1735 county courthouse, and lived at Scotchtown, the only one of his homes still standing and open to the public, while shaping the ideas behind his famous “Liberty or Death” speech. The county’s animal shelter stands out for its explicit, stated no-euthanize-healthy-animals policy. All contact information above was sourced from official county and preservation-organization pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Hanover County
Hanover County is Richmond’s northern suburban county and a cradle of American patriotism – Patrick Henry’s courtroom victories at Hanover Courthouse helped ignite the revolutionary spirit while today the county balances rapid residential growth with preservation of its historic rural landscape north of the James River.
Hanover (the county seat, population ~1,000) anchors the county’s governmental functions while Mechanicsville and Ashland serve as the county’s primary commercial centers for the growing Richmond suburban population.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Hanover County Assessor at 7516 County Complex Road, Hanover, VA 23069, phone 804-365-6128. VA assessed at 100% fair market value.
Courts & Legal
Hanover County Circuit Court at 7507 Library Drive, Hanover, VA 23069, phone 804-365-6150, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK
7519 County Complex Rd, Hanover, VA 23069
(804) 537-6017
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Hanover Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, Hanover (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above). The Hanover County Courthouse Historic District, including the courthouse (c. 1735), old jail (1835), and clerk’s office (c. 1835), is on the National Register of Historic Places and a designated National Historic Landmark – the site of Patrick Henry’s famous 1763 “Parson’s Cause” case.
Local societies
No dedicated Hanover 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
Hanover Circuit Court 7530 County Complex Road, PO Box 39, Hanover, VA 23069 (804) 365-6151
Hanover County was founded in 1720, named for the Electorate of Hanover, part of the Greater Richmond Region, county seat Hanover. Virginia has NO separate probate court – probate (“qualification”) is handled entirely by the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office. The historic Hanover County Courthouse (built c. 1735) is a National Historic Landmark and among the nation’s oldest courthouses still in active use.
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 Hanover 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 Hanover 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
7519 County Complex Rd, Hanover, VA 23069
(804) 365-6140
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
VOTER REGISTRAR
7516 County Complex Rd, Hanover, VA 23069
(804) 365-6080
ELECTIONS
Hanover County Electoral Board, 7516 County Complex Rd, Hanover, VA 23069
(804) 365-6080
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health District
Hanover Health District, 200 Berkley St, Ashland, VA 23005
(804) 365-4300
Department of Social Services
205 Henry St, Ashland, VA 23005
(804) 365-4200
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Chickahominy Health District (Virginia Department of Health) – serves Hanover 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: Hanover
Population: 112,000
Established: 1720
Tier: 2
Public Records
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