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Office: Surry County Department of Emergency Services – P.O. Box 65, Surry, VA 23883
Notes: Surry County is genuinely unique among VA localities – staff must plan and prepare specifically for the Surry Nuclear Power Station under a dedicated Radiological Emergency Response Plan, in addition to standard hurricane and disaster preparedness. Assistance is provided by 3 volunteer fire departments (Surry, Dendron, Claremont), the Surry Rescue Squad, the Sheriff’s Department, and Social Services. Hurricane season (June 1–November 30) preparedness guidance is available via the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: SH-10 and SH-31 are primary corridors; the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry crosses the James River connecting Surry County to the Historic Triangle (Jamestown, Williamsburg, Yorktown)
Transit: No dedicated fixed-route county transit identified; confirm current regional options directly with the county
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Surry County Building Inspections – Inspections Hotline: (877) 224-7978 | Email: [email protected]
Services: Enforces the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code; issues permits for residential, general, commercial, demolition, manufactured home, industrialized building, and trades work; certificate of occupancy issued after successful final inspection
Notes: A fine of $100 applies for work started prior to receiving a permit. Requested inspections are generally scheduled the next business day. A fast-track plan-of-development review program (7 working days for qualifying projects) is available through Planning and Community Development. A zoning permit or waiver is a stated prerequisite on county building permit packets. Note that the Towns of Surry and Claremont, within the county, may have their own separate permitting requirements – confirm jurisdiction 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: Blackwater Regional Library – Surry County served by 2 branches: Surry County Public Library, 270 Colonial Trail East, Surry, VA 23883, (757) 294-3949, Fax: (757) 294-0803; and a branch in the Town of Claremont
Notes: The Blackwater Regional Library system (also serving Isle of Wight, Southampton, and Sussex counties plus the City of Franklin) grew out of the Walter Cecil Rawls Library, which opened in Southampton County in 1958 and pioneered regional Bookmobile service in 1959 – see the Southampton County services file for the full founding story.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Surry County holds genuinely exceptional early colonial history – the county was first considered part of the Jamestown Colony before English settlers even built their fort on Jamestown Island, and separated from James City County in 1652; Bacon’s Castle, built in 1665, is the oldest documented brick dwelling in what is now the United States and the only surviving example of Jacobean architecture in North America, designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960 – it takes its rebellious nickname from its role as a stronghold during Bacon’s Rebellion (1676); Smith’s Fort Plantation sits on land that was the site of a second, abandoned Jamestown-era fort attempted by Captain John Smith in 1609, later given by Chief Powhatan to John Rolfe as part of Pocahontas’s wedding dowry – the property was later purchased and restored with funding from John D. Rockefeller in the early 20th century, and during Reconstruction was purchased collectively by a group of Black families; Chippokes State Park, a 1,947-acre park on the James River opposite Jamestown Island, preserves one of the oldest continuously operated farms in the country (working since 1619) and includes 3 historic homes, an open-air agricultural and forestry museum, and 20 historically significant structures including original plantation outbuildings and slave quarters; the county has 19-21 sites on the National Register of Historic Places, including 2 of national significance; local agriculture remains centered on curing Virginia hams and Virginia pine timber production
Notes: This is genuinely foundational American colonial history – Bacon’s Castle predates the United States itself by over a century and remains the oldest documented brick house in the country, not incidental tourism content.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Surry County GIS – accessible via surrycountyva.gov
Parcel Search: Surry County Commissioner of the Revenue records
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Surry County Emergency Services
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Surry County Animal Shelter – 265 Old Burrough Rd, Elberon, VA 23846 | (757) 294-0158 | Emails: [email protected], [email protected]
Hours: Tuesday–Saturday 12:00–3:30 PM, by appointment required (call ahead); closed Sunday, Monday, and holidays
Services: NO adoption fee for animals; sterilization required within 30 days of adoption for sexually mature animals per Virginia law; adoptions open to Surry County residents plus bordering jurisdictions (Sussex, Wakefield, Waverly, Prince George, Isle of Wight, Smithfield, James City County, Williamsburg); strays without ID held 5 days, with ID held 10 days, before adoption
Notes: The shelter is genuinely small and rural, run by a small staff who ask that visitors call ahead to arrange a specific appointment time. The shelter is currently NOT trapping or receiving feral/stray cats – confirm current feral cat policy directly if this applies to your situation. The independent nonprofit Surry County SPCA, active since 1993, offers separate spay/neuter financial assistance for Surry and Sussex County residents, (757) 294-3077, and runs pet-care education programs in local schools.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Environmental Complaints: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality – deq.virginia.gov
Notes: Contact Surry County Administration directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details, as specifics were not independently confirmed for this entry
NOTES
Surry County holds genuinely exceptional early American history – Bacon’s Castle, built in 1665, remains the oldest documented brick dwelling in the entire United States, and Chippokes State Park preserves a working farm that has operated continuously since 1619, among the oldest in the country. The county is also notable for hosting the Surry Nuclear Power Station, requiring a specialized radiological emergency response plan unique among the counties covered so far. The animal shelter’s no-fee adoption policy and cross-jurisdictional adoption reach reflect a genuinely community-focused, resource-conscious rural operation. All contact information above was sourced from official county and historical-registry pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Surry County County
Surry County is Virginia’s Bacon’s Castle and James River ferry county – the oldest documented brick structure in English North America and the free ferry crossing the James to Colonial Williamsburg define a Southside Tidewater county whose colonial depth and peanut farming character make it one of the most historically authentic rural counties in Virginia.
Surry (the county seat, population ~300) is Surry County’s governmental hub, a small Virginia Southside Tidewater community whose Bacon’s Castle, James River ferry, Surry Nuclear Station, and peanut farming economy anchor its identity.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Surry County Commissioner of Revenue at 28 Colonial Trail E, Surry, VA 23883, phone 757-294-5271. VA assessed at 100% fair market value.
Courts & Legal
Surry County Circuit Court at 28 Colonial Trail E, Surry, VA 23883, phone 757-294-3161, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK
28 Colonial Trail East, Surry, VA 23883
(757) 294-5271
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Surry Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, Surry (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above). The Surry County Courthouse Complex (built 1825) is on the National Register of Historic Places; the county has 19 sites on the National Register.
Local societies
No dedicated Surry 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
Surry Circuit Court 28 Colonial Trail East, PO Box 203, Surry, VA 23883 (757) 294-3161
Surry County was founded in 1652, formed from the portion of James City County south of the James River, county seat Surry (largest town Claremont). 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 Surry 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 Surry 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
28 Colonial Trail East, Surry, VA 23883
(757) 294-5232
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
VOTER REGISTRAR
28 Colonial Trail East, Surry, VA 23883
(757) 294-5271
ELECTIONS
Surry County Electoral Board, 28 Colonial Trail East, Surry, VA 23883
(757) 294-5271
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health District
Crater Health District, 205 School St, Surry, VA 23883
(757) 294-5220
Department of Social Services
218 School St, Surry, VA 23883
(757) 294-5228
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Western Tidewater Health District (Virginia Department of Health) – serves Surry 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: Surry
Population: 6,500
Public Records
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