Henrico County, Virginia Court Filing
Fee Lookup

Henrico County, Virginia — home to approximately 334,389 residents and in the top quarter of Virginia jurisdictions by population — handles court filings through the Henrico County Circuit Court in Richmond. 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.

For residents of Henrico County, the filing fee amounts depend on both the state's statutory schedule and any local surcharges added by the county.

Henrico County wraps around the city of Richmond on three sides, making it a key part of the greater Richmond metro area with strong commercial corridors along Broad Street and the Innsbrook office park. It was one of the eight original shires of Virginia established in 1634.

These local economic characteristics shape the types of legal proceedings filed in Henrico County — from probate of estates that include commercial property or business interests near Richmond to civil disputes arising from the county's primary industries. The Henrico County Circuit Court handles the full range of case types for this community, with filing fees applying uniformly based on case type regardless of the underlying subject matter.

Henrico County is known for landmarks including Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Meadow Farm Museum at Crump Park, Short Pump Town Center. For residents and businesses in the areas surrounding these community anchors, knowing the applicable filing fees and court procedures in advance helps legal matters proceed efficiently at the Henrico County Circuit Court in Richmond.

• Filing fees in Henrico County 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 Henrico County Circuit Court in Richmond may include additional local charges.

As one of Virginia's larger jurisdictions, Henrico County may assess higher local surcharges than the state's rural counties, reflecting the greater administrative cost of operating a high-volume court in Richmond.

• Beyond the initial filing fee, Henrico County 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 Henrico County, request the full fee schedule from the Henrico County Circuit Court clerk in Richmond before initiating the proceeding.

Virginia has been expanding electronic filing (e-filing) capabilities across its court system. Henrico County is among the jurisdictions where e-filing is more established.

For this major county, the Henrico County Circuit Court in Richmond likely participates in the state's e-filing system, and represented parties in civil and family matters may be required to file electronically. Contact the Henrico County Circuit Court clerk directly to confirm the current e-filing requirements for your specific case type.

When e-filing is available in Henrico County, the system charges a convenience fee per transaction — typically $2 to $8 — in addition to the applicable statutory court fees. This convenience fee is charged by the e-filing service provider rather than the court itself and is generally non-waivable even for litigants who have received a court fee waiver.

Self-represented litigants (pro se filers) are often exempt from mandatory e-filing requirements and may file in paper at the Henrico County Circuit Court clerk's window in Richmond during regular business hours.

For probate and estate matters in Henrico County, e-filing availability may differ from civil cases. Some Virginia probate courts have been slower to adopt e-filing given the document-intensive nature of estate proceedings — original wills, certified death certificates, and original deeds often require in-person or mail submission regardless of whether other case types accept electronic filing.

Verify with the Henrico County Circuit Court in Richmond which documents can be e-filed and which require physical originals before planning your filing strategy.

• Henrico County 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 Henrico County Circuit Court clerk's office in Richmond 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 Henrico County 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 Henrico County Circuit Court clerk in Richmond for the current income guidelines before completing your declaration.

• A granted fee waiver covers filing fees charged by the Henrico County Circuit Court — including initial filing fees and subsequent filings in the same case — but does not cover costs owed to third parties.
• In Henrico County 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.