Clerk of Circuit Court

The Clerk of Court is a constitutional officer who is elected city-wide to an eight-year term. J. Greg Parks was elected Clerk of Court in the November 2019 general election. The Clerk maintains and processes land records, handles probate and fiduciary matters, issues marriage licenses, and provides clerical assistance to Circuit Court judges in all civil and criminal matters.
Page updated on September 28, 2023 at 3:53 PM

To find information about a service provided by the Clerk of Court please see the topics below listed in alphabetical order.  If you do not find what you are looking for, please call 703.746.4044, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., except on holidays. 

Birth Certificates

  • Birth Certificates are not kept by the Clerk of Court.  The Alexandria Health Department issues birth, death, and other vital records.  For hours and requirements, visit the vital records webpage here Vital Records or call (703) 746-4991.
  • Copies of birth records can also be obtained from the State of Virginia Office of Vital Records at (804) 662-6200 or at most Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles locations.

Businesses

  • As of January 1, 2020, new certificates of assumed fictitious name are no longer filed with the local Clerk of Court but instead with the Virginia State Corporation Commission.
  • Prior fictitious name filings are still dissolved at the local Circuit Court.  For information on dissolving a prior fictitious name call (703) 746-4044.  To initiate dissolution complete and file this form with our office: Certificate of Dissolution of Trade Name. Filing fee is $10.00, certified copies are $2.50 each.
  • The following business records are available in the Clerk’s Office.
    • Printed indexes of trade names from 1950
    • Computerized indexes of trade names from 1984
    • Corporation records prior to 1988
  • For other business license matters, contact the City of Alexandria Business License Office at (703) 746-3903.
  • For information about corporations, limited partnerships, limited liability companies and new fictitious name forms, contact the State Corporation Commission at (804) 371-9967 or visit their website at scc.virginia.gov.

Civil Cases

  • Include suits for money damages, and debt collections
  • Civil case hearings and motions are heard by the court on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month which is Civil Motions Day.
  • Case status information can be obtained Monday – Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. by calling the clerk's office at (703) 746-4044, or via our online systems.  See Online Records below.
  • Amounts under $25,000.00 usually are filed in General District Court, the small claims court, which has fill-in-the-blank forms. For more information call the General District Court Clerk’s Office at (703) 746-4021.
  • Civil Case Resources:
  • The following civil case records are available in the Clerk’s Office.
    • Printed indexes from 1870 until 1984
    • Computerized indexes from 1984

Concealed Handgun Permits

  • Full application procedures for the City of Alexandria are here: Application Procedures
  • The application form is here: Concealed Handgun Permit Application
  • Submit your completed application along with the $50.00 fee to the Clerk’s Office between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday – Friday, except holidays.
  • New applications may be filed in person, or via remote video appointment.
  • Renewal applications may be filed by mail or drop box. Renewals require completed application, photocopy of current permit and photocopy of picture ID.
  • To obtain a video appointment for a concealed handgun permit application, send an e-mail to: circuitclerk.appointments@alexandriava.gov
  • Your e-mail must include:
    • Full name of applicant, email address, and phone number
    • Two preferred dates and times for a video appointment.
    • Attached scans of your application (revision 07-01-2021) and supporting documentation.
    • Please do not attach pictures of your documents as they are not legible for upload to the Court’s systems.
    • The Clerk’s office will contact you to provide further instructions.
  • For a replacement permit due to a new address or loss of current permit, complete the following form and submit it to our office with proof of new address, where applicable.
  • NOTE: As of January 1, 2021, the Virginia Code requires that competence with a handgun training be received in person.  Online or virtual training no longer meets the statute’s requirement for a permit.
  • For more information pertaining to the laws regarding concealed handgun permits such as reciprocity or non-resident applications see: Virginia State Police.
  • Free trigger and cable locks are available in the Clerk’s office to any person whether applying for a concealed handgun permit or not.  Please just ask at the Clerk’s office counter for your free lock.  Gun locks have been shown to reduce the use of guns for suicide.  For more information see Lock & Talk Virginia

Criminal Cases

  • Includes criminal felony cases and misdemeanor appeals
  • Case status information can be obtained Monday – Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. by calling the clerk's office at (703) 746-4044, or via our online systems.  See Online Records below.
  • Criminal case hearings and motions are heard by the Court every Thursday, which is Commonwealth Day.
  • Traffic and misdemeanor appeals are heard on the 3rd Tuesday of each month.
  • Collection of delinquent court costs and fines is done through the Virginia Department of Taxation: (804) 367-0016.
  • Criminal Case Resources:
  • Criminal Case Costs and Fines
    • Payments may be made by credit card over the phone by calling (703) 746-4044.
    • Payments may be made by sending a check or money order payable to “Clerk of Court” to 520 King Street, Room 307, Alexandria, VA 22314. Include your case name and number.
    • If you need a receipt, we will send it via U.S. mail to the address you provide.
    • Court costs, fines and other fees in criminal cases can now be paid online using a credit or debit card via the Virginia Judicial Online Payment System (VJOPS). A 4% convenience fee will be added to payments made via VJOPS.  To pay online click here:  https://eapps.courts.state.va.us/fmsOnline/#/

Death Certificates

  • Death Certificates are not kept by the Clerk of Court. The Alexandria Health Department issues birth, death, and other vital records. For hours and requirements, visit the vital records webpage here Vital Records or call (703) 746-4991. 
  • Copies of death certificates can also be obtained from the State of Virginia Office of Vital Records at (804) 662-6200.

Divorces

  • To obtain a divorce in Virginia, one spouse must be a resident of Virginia for at least six months prior to filing for divorce.
  • For an uncontested divorce, if there are no children from the marriage, you must be separated for a minimum of six months and have a written property settlement agreement before you may file for divorce. If there are children from the marriage, you must be separated a minimum of one year before you may file for divorce. If any child or children of the marriage is under the age of 18, both the husband and the wife must complete the Families in Transition (FITS) Program.
  • No forms are available from the Clerk's Office, however an uncontested divorce information packet is available from the Alexandria Law Library here: Uncontested Divorce Information Packet or by calling (703) 746-4077.
  • The filing fee for a divorce case is $86.00. If you are requesting to have a maiden name restored, there is an additional fee of $23.00. If you are requesting to have a Virginia Sheriff's Department serve the Defendant, there is an additional fee of $12.00.
  • The following divorce case records are available in the Clerk’s Office. 
    • Computerized indexes from 1984
    • Printed indexes from 1870 until 1984
  • Divorce Case Resources:

Expungements

An expungement is a court action that deletes police and court records relating to a criminal case when any of the following has occurred: acquittal, nolle prosequi, dismissal, absolute pardon, or an individual’s name was used in error. When a record is expunged, the record is not immediately destroyed but is removed from public access and sealed. Three (3) years after the date the expungement order is entered, the records are destroyed.

See the Alexandria Circuit Court Expungement Packet for sample forms and further information.

General Procedures:

1. Person seeking expungement (“petitioner”) obtains four (4) copies of the arrest warrants or charges to be expunged.

2. Petitioner completes a Petition for Expungement and a draft Order of Expungement (see Packet linked above for examples).

3. Petitioner files the original, and three copies of these documents with the Clerk of Circuit Court.

  •  One copy to be served on the Commonwealth’s Attorney. 
  •  One copy to provide a law enforcement agency with a request for fingerprints.
  •  One copy for the petitioner’s records.

4. Petitioner obtains one complete set of fingerprints from a law enforcement agency.

  • Petitioner must provide to the law enforcement agency a copy of the Petition for Expungement and copies of the arrest warrant or charges.
  • The Alexandria Sheriff’s Office processes fingerprint requests for expungement petitioners on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the courthouse. There is no fee for this service. For information on fingerprinting only, call (703) 746-4120 or visit their expungement page https://www.alexandriava.gov/sheriff/sheriffs-office-offering-free-fingerprinting-for-local-expungement.

5. The law enforcement agency which took the fingerprints will send them, along with a copy of the Petition for Expungement, to the Central Criminal Records Exchange (CCRE).

6. CCRE will conduct a search of the records of the Petitioner’s criminal history and return the results to the Clerk of Circuit Court along with the fingerprint card.

7. Where necessary, hearings on expungements are scheduled on civil motions day, the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month.

Filing Fee: The filing fee is $98, ($86, plus $12 fee for service on the Commonwealth’s Attorney). If your expungement petition is granted by the court, you will receive a refund of the $86.

NOTE: The information provided is for procedural purposes only. It is not intended as legal advice and should not be used as such. The Clerk's Office cannot advise you or determine which charges are eligible for expungement. We recommend you seek the advice of an attorney. Proceeding 'Pro Se' means that you are acting as your own attorney and that you are responsible for filing the appropriate forms and documents and that you are responsible for their content.

Fiduciary Matters

See below under Wills and Fiduciary Matters

Filing Items with the Clerk of Court

Items may be filed in any of the following ways. Please do not file the same documents in multiple ways, as it may slow down our processing of your item.

  • In Person at our counter from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday – Friday, except holidays
  • By U.S. Mail or commercial delivery service to 520 King Street, Room 307, Alexandria, VA 22314
  • By Drop Box in the box marked Circuit Court CLERK’s Office at the front doors of the courthouse
  • PLEASE NOTE:  We no longer accept any filings by e-mail

Freedom of Information Policy

  • It is the policy of the Alexandria Clerk of Circuit Court to provide the maximum transparency possible to the public. The Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Virginia Code, Title 2.2, Chapter 37, does not apply to the records maintained by the clerks of the courts of record (Circuit Courts). Instead, records maintained by the Clerk of Circuit Court are public records under Virginia Code, Title 17.1, which allows public access to non-confidential records. For the limited records which may be subject to disclosure under the Virginia FOIA, the Alexandria Clerk of Circuit Court’s office follows the requirements of the Virginia Code, including charging 50 cents per page or image for copies or scans.

Land Records

  • Recordings are done from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday – Friday, except holidays. 
    • Drop Box – You may file recordings by leaving them in the box marked Circuit Court CLERK’s Office at the front doors of the courthouse. Please include all requirements in a sealed envelope.
  • The following land records are available in the Clerk’s Office.
    • Printed indexes from the 1800's until October 1993, records in printed books and on microfilm.
    • Records after October 1993, are maintained in an automated Supreme Court of Virginia Records Indexing System available in Clerk's Office or via an online records system by subscription.  See Online Records below.
  • Copies are $0.50 per page; $2.00 for a certified copy.
  • Land Records Resources
  • Due to Virginia and City law certain restrictive covenants are considered invalid and unenforceable. However, if you need to release a certain prohibited covenant click here.
  • Secure Remote Access - To facilitate remote research and reduce the need to visit the courthouse, secure remote access fees will be waived for 30 days for new subscribers. Existing online access subscribers have received a free 30-day extension which was added to the end of their current subscription period. To request remote access visit https://alexandriava.gov/courtrecords and click New Subscriber Registration.
  • Secure Remote Access (SRA) can now be paid online using a credit or debit card via the Virginia Judicial Online Payment System (VJOPS). A 4% convenience fee will be added to payments made via VJOPS.  To pay online click here: Online Services (vacourts.gov).  
  • Criminal case costs and fines
    • Payments may be made by credit card over the phone by calling (703) 746-4044
    • Payments may be made by sending a check or money order to 520 King Street, Room 307, Alexandria, VA 22314. Include your case name and number.
    • If you need a receipt, we will send it via U.S. mail to the address you provide.
    • Court costs, fines and other fees in criminal cases can now be paid online using a credit or debit card via the Virginia Judicial Online Payment System (VJOPS). A 4% convenience fee will be added to payments made via VJOPS.  To pay online click here:  https://eapps.courts.state.va.us/fmsOnline/#/

Marriage Information

  • To obtain a marriage license, both persons getting married must appear together and each must present an UNEXPIRED, government-issued picture identification (e.g., driver’s license, or passport).
  • In Virginia there are no requirements for blood tests, a waiting period, or residency requirements before obtaining a marriage license.
  • Marriage Licenses may be obtained either in person at the Clerk’s Office (no appointment required) or via remote video appointment.
  • In-person customers must enter their information at one of the two marriage license kiosks located by the public service counter.
  • We request that you arrive by 3:30 pm to insure your marriage license is processed that day.
  • Fee for the marriage license is $30.
  • To obtain a video appointment for a marriage license, send an e-mail to: circuitclerk.appointments@alexandriava.gov
  • Your e-mail must include:
    • Full names of both persons getting married.
    • E-mail addresses and phone numbers for both parties.
    • Completed Marriage Application .
    • Two preferred dates and times for a video appointment. 
    • The planned date for your ceremony. A video appointment must be at least one full week before your ceremony date to allow time for mailing your license to you.
    • The Clerk’s office will contact you to provide further instructions.
    • Appointments are available virtually between 9:00 am-12:00 pm and 2:00 pm-3:00 pm.
  • For a video appointment, your marriage license will be mailed to you. The Clerk’s Office is not responsible for any delays in mail delivery. For an in-person appointment, you will be given your marriage license at the completion of the appointment.
  • There is no one in the clerk's office to perform wedding ceremonies, you must have a marriage ceremony in Virginia within 60 days of the issuance of the license. The list of Individuals who have been appointed by the Alexandria Circuit Court to perform civil marriage ceremonies can be found here: List of Civil Celebrants .
  • Religious Officiants must be authorized by the Circuit Court to perform marriage ceremonies in Virginia.  Requirements are here:  Alexandria Religious Officiant Requirements .
  • Marriage license indexes and records are available from 1870, computerized after 1983, open to public 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday – Friday, except holidays.
  • Copies of marriage licenses are available from the Clerk's Office after the original license is returned by the marriage celebrant. To request a copy, provide:
    • Names of both parties at the time of the marriage
    • Date of marriage
    • $2.50 cash or money-order for each certified copy
    • A stamped, self-addressed envelope if mailing
  • The Health Department can also issue copies of marriage licenses and other vital records; visit their  website or call (703) 746-4991 for more details.

Name Changes

  • To legally change your name, you must file with the Clerk’s Office an original notarized petition requesting the change along with a proposed order.
  • The petition is filed in the City or County where you are resident. Proof of residency will be required at time of filing (e.g., current driver's license, lease, or utility bill).
  • Information packets are available from the Alexandria Law Library here: Adult Name Change Packet; Minor Name Change Packet, or by calling (703) 746-4077.
  • Filing fee is $41.00.

Notary Public Qualifications

  • To become a Notary Public in Virginia, you must first complete the application with the Secretary of the Commonwealth. The application is here: Notary Public Application.
  • Once you have completed the requirements, the Secretary of the Commonwealth will mail your notary certificate to the Clerk of Court in the jurisdiction where you live. You must then appear before the Clerk of Court to take the oath as a notary. See Virginia Code § 47.1-8. Commission to be issued, etc.
  • Notary Oaths may be taken either in person at the Clerk’s Office or via remote video appointment. The fee is $10.
  • To obtain a video appointment for a notary oath, send an e-mail to: circuitclerk.appointments@alexandriava.gov
  • Your e-mail must include:
    • Name, e-mail address and phone number.
    • You MUST attach your approval letter from the Secretary of the Commonwealth, so we know the dates within which your oath must be taken.
    • Please specify two dates and times you would like an appointment.
    • If you have a video appointment you will need a credit card to pay the fee of $10 (plus $2 convenience fee). If you appear in-person you may pay by cash, check, or credit card.
    • If you have a video appointment, we will mail your Notary Certificate to you after completion of your appointment. For in-person appointments, you will be given your certificate.
  • There is no notary public in the Clerk's Office. Many banks and law offices have a notary available for the public.
  • Notarized documents that are to be sent to other states or countries may require a certification of the notary public. If the notary public’s oath was administered in Alexandria, the Clerk's Office can provide that certification for a fee of $2.00.

Online Records

  • Online Secure Remote Access to Alexandria Circuit Court case information and records, and land records is provided via the Alexandria Justice Information System (AJIS) and COVERS (RMS).
  • Both limited free access and paid subscriptions are available. Customers may also access the system for free at the Clerk’s offices between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday – Friday except holidays. 
  • To facilitate remote research and reduce the need to visit the courthouse, secure remote access is free for the first 30 days for new subscribers.
  • To request access visit alexandriava.gov/CourtRecords and choose New Subscriber Registration
  • If you receive any error messages or believe you are obtaining incorrect results while using AJIS, please contact us at land.records@alexandriava.gov or by calling (703) 746-4044.
  • Secure Remote Access (SRA) can now be paid online using a credit or debit card via the Virginia Judicial Online Payment System (VJOPS). A 4% convenience fee will be added to payments made via VJOPS.  To pay online click here: Online Services (vacourts.gov).   
  • Case Information and records available on the system include:
    • Civil Cases since Jan. 1, 1983
    • Criminal Cases since July 1, 1987
    • Fiduciary Cases since July 1, 1986
    • Financing Statements since July 1, 1985
    • Judgments since July 1, 1986
    • Marriage Licenses since July 1, 1983
    • Name Changes since July 1, 1984
    • Search Warrants since July 1, 1985
    • Trade Names since July 1, 1985

Probate

See below under Wills and Fiduciary Matters

Service Fees, Per Defendant

Wills and Fiduciary Matters

  • Under the Virginia Code, the Clerk of the Circuit Court is granted authority to:
    • Probate a will.
    • Appoint and qualify an executor or administrator for a decedent’s estate.
    • Appoint and qualify a testamentary trustee.
    • Qualify a conservator and/or a guardian for an incapacitated adult.
    • Qualify a guardian for a minor.
    • Appoint and qualify a guardian for the estate of a minor.
  • All probate-related matters are handled by appointment. To make an appointment, please send an e-mail to probate.intake@alexandriava.gov. Appointments may be in-person or by remote video.
  • Your e-mail must include:
    • Name, state where you reside, email address, and phone number of the person making the request.
    • Full name of decedent, their last residence address and if they left a Will behind (provide scans of death certificate and will).
    • Brief description of assets or matters that need to be resolved under the decedent’s name. Probate assets are those that are solely under the decedent’s name, without designation of beneficiaries, payable on death clauses or transfer on death clauses within the financial institution.
    • The Clerk’s office will contact you to provide further instructions. Please provide as much information as possible in the initial e-mail so we can more efficiently help you.
  • The Clerk’s Office has the following records related to wills, probate, and fiduciary matters:
    • Printed indexes from 1800's until 1984.
    • Computerized indexes from 1984.
  • Death Certificates are not kept by the Clerk of Court. The Alexandria Health Department issues birth, death, and other vital records. For hours and requirements, visit the vital records webpage here Vital Records or call (703) 746-4991. Copies of death records can also be obtained from the State of Virginia  Office of Vital Records at (804) 662-6200.