How to Get a Death Certificate in Virginia & the Virginia Small Estate Limit
Sorting out a loved one's affairs in Virginia usually starts with two practical questions: where do I order death certificates, and do we really need probate? This guide answers both for Virginia, links every figure to an official source, and points out where the rules have recently changed.
How to get a death certificate in Virginia
Certified copies in Virginia come from Virginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Records (also available at DMV customer service centers).
As of July 1, 2026, Virginia charges $15 for each certified copy or search, including death certificates.
DMV customer service centers can print certified death certificates for $17 per copy ($15 plus a $2 processing fee), which is often the fastest way to get one. Eligible requesters include immediate family. A funeral director can request copies only if they handled the final disposition.
In most families the funeral home places the first order, so ask them to include enough copies up front. Additional copies ordered later cost the same or more and can take weeks by mail. See how many death certificates you need for a realistic count.
Virginia small estate procedure: Small estate affidavit (Form CC-1685)
The Virginia affidavit can be used when the person's entire personal probate estate, not counting real estate, was worth $75,000 or less at death.
At least 60 days must have passed since the death. No personal representative may be appointed or pending, and any will must already have been probated.
All known successors sign the affidavit before a notary and choose one of them to receive and distribute the asset. The affidavit goes to the bank or other holder, not the court.
What counts toward the limit
A common mistake is adding up every asset and concluding the estate is too big. In Virginia, as in other states, property that already has a beneficiary or co-owner (retirement accounts, life insurance, POD/TOD accounts, joint accounts with survivorship, trust property) typically passes outside probate. Only what is left counts toward the small estate limit. See how beneficiary designations work.
Step by step in Virginia
- Order certified death certificates from Virginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Records (also available at DMV customer service centers) (or through the funeral home).
- List every asset and note which ones have a beneficiary, a co-owner or a trust; those usually pass outside probate.
- Add up the remaining probate assets and compare them with the Virginia limit described above, using the official link to confirm the current figure.
- Check the waiting period and paperwork requirements, then prepare the Small estate affidavit (Form CC-1685) using the official form or court instructions.
- Give the paperwork to each bank or holder (or file it with the court, if Virginia requires that), keep copies, and pay valid debts before distributing anything.
When the small estate route doesn't fit
The small estate route is not a fit for every family. If the probate assets are over the Virginia limit, if there is real estate the procedure does not cover, if heirs disagree, or if there are significant debts or a lawsuit, regular probate (often with an executor or administrator appointed by the court) is usually the safer path. An estate attorney or the court's self-help center in your county can tell you which procedure applies. Our executor checklist covers the full process.
Quick answers
How much does a death certificate cost in Virginia?
As of July 1, 2026, Virginia charges $15 for each certified copy or search, including death certificates. Always confirm the current figure with the official source linked below.
What is the small estate limit in Virginia?
The Virginia affidavit can be used when the person's entire personal probate estate, not counting real estate, was worth $75,000 or less at death. Always confirm the current figure with the official source linked below.
After that
After the certificates and the small estate question, the rest is mostly administration: accounts, subscriptions, final bills and taxes. Keep going with who to call when someone dies, getting a free estate EIN and what not to do when someone dies.
Keep it all in one place
The After-Loss Admin Kit is a calm, printable executor workbook: the first 48 hours through closing the estate, a who-to-notify list, 12 letter templates (including bank and agency letters) and an estate tracker spreadsheet for every asset and debt. It works with the Virginia steps above.
See the After-Loss Admin Kit — $19Loss & planning bundle (4 kits) — $34