City of Portsmouth, Virginia Court Filing
Fee Lookup

Court filing fees in City of Portsmouth, Virginia are collected by the City of Portsmouth Circuit Court in Portsmouth according to Virginia's statutory fee schedule, plus any local surcharges authorized by county ordinance. Virginia's court structure — Circuit Court (civil/probate) / General District Court (small claims/limited civil) / Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court (family) — determines which courthouse accepts which case types and what fees apply.

The City of Portsmouth Circuit Court operates as a moderate-volume court. Confirming the current fee schedule with the clerk's office is recommended, as fees can change when new state legislation takes effect or when the county updates its local surcharge schedule.

For the full Virginia court filing fee schedule, see our Virginia Court Filing Fees.

The Portsmouth Circuit Court is located at 601 Crawford St, Portsmouth, VA 23704. The court clerk can be reached at (757) 393-8671.

Visit the court's website for current forms, fee schedules, and filing instructions. Electronic filing is available.

Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–4:30 PM.

• Filing fees in City of Portsmouth are based on Virginia's statutory schedule, which applies statewide, plus any local surcharges assessed by the county. For reference, the statewide base fees by case type are: probate and estate filings — $83–$153 (Circuit Court — Clerk's Office, Probate)
• civil complaints and appearances — $83–$200 (Circuit Court) / $42–$90 (General District Court)
• family law matters (divorce, custody, support) — $83–$200 (Circuit Court — Domestic Relations)
• small claims filings — $42–$90 (General District Court — small claims up to $25,000). These figures represent the state-level base
• the total amount due at the City of Portsmouth Circuit Court in Portsmouth may include additional local charges.

The clerk's office at the City of Portsmouth Circuit Court in Portsmouth can confirm whether any local assessments apply beyond the state statutory base fee.

• Beyond the initial filing fee, City of Portsmouth litigants and estate administrators should budget for recurring court costs throughout the proceeding: fees for filing subsequent motions and responses, charges for certified copies of letters testamentary or court orders (typically $5 to $25 per document in Virginia), jury demand deposits in civil cases, and in probate matters, fees associated with filing the inventory, accountings, and petition for discharge.
• For a complete picture of expected court costs in City of Portsmouth, request the full fee schedule from the City of Portsmouth Circuit Court clerk in Portsmouth before initiating the proceeding.

Virginia is expanding e-filing across its court system. The City of Portsmouth Circuit Court in Portsmouth may still accept or require paper filings for some case types.

Contact the clerk directly to confirm requirements for your case type and whether a convenience fee (typically $2–$8 per transaction) applies. For full statewide e-filing details, see our Virginia Court Filing Fees.

• City of Portsmouth residents who cannot afford court filing fees may apply for a fee waiver under Va.
• Code Ann. § 17.1-606.
• To apply, file a declaration of financial condition with the City of Portsmouth Circuit Court clerk's office in Portsmouth at the time of your initial filing.
• The declaration lists all household income sources, monthly expenses, assets, and liabilities.
• A judge or court commissioner reviews the application and issues an order granting or denying the waiver, typically within a few days of submission.

• Eligibility for a fee waiver in City of Portsmouth generally requires that household income fall at or below 125% to 200% of the federal poverty level, or that the applicant is receiving qualifying public benefits — commonly Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, or public housing assistance.
• The specific income thresholds and qualifying programs are defined in Va.
• Code Ann. § 17.1-606 and may have been updated by recent legislation.
• Ask the City of Portsmouth Circuit Court clerk in Portsmouth for the current income guidelines before completing your declaration.

• A granted fee waiver covers filing fees charged by the City of Portsmouth Circuit Court — including initial filing fees and subsequent filings in the same case — but does not cover costs owed to third parties.
• In City of Portsmouth probate proceedings, a fee waiver does not eliminate the cost of publishing a notice to creditors in a newspaper of general circulation (a statutory requirement in most states), service of process fees paid to process servers or the sheriff's office, or costs for court-ordered appraisals.
• Budget for these additional costs separately even when a fee waiver is in effect.