                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

FEES COLLECTED BY CLERKS OF CIRCUIT COURTS; GENERALLY (§ 17.1-275)

A. A clerk of a circuit court shall, for services performed by virtue of his
office, charge the following fees:

   1. [Repealed.]

   2. For recording and indexing in the proper book any writing and all matters
   therewith, or for recording and indexing anything not otherwise provided for,
   $18 for an instrument or document consisting of 10 or fewer pages or sheets;
   $32 for an instrument or document consisting of 11 to 30 pages or sheets; and
   $52 for an instrument or document consisting of 31 or more pages or sheets.
   Whenever any writing to be recorded includes plat or map sheets no larger than
   eight and one-half inches by 14 inches, such plat or map sheets shall be
   counted as ordinary pages for the purpose of computing the recording fee due
   pursuant to this section. A fee of $17 per page or sheet shall be charged with
   respect to plat or map sheets larger than eight and one-half inches by 14
   inches. Only a single fee as authorized by this subdivision shall be charged
   for recording a certificate of satisfaction that releases the original deed of
   trust and any corrected or revised deeds of trust. Three dollars and fifty
   cents of the fee collected for recording and indexing shall be designated for
   use in preserving the permanent records of the circuit courts. The sum
   collected for this purpose shall be administered by The Library of Virginia in
   cooperation with the circuit court clerks.

   3. For appointing and qualifying any personal representative, committee,
   trustee, guardian, or other fiduciary, in addition to any fees for recording
   allowed by this section, $20 for estates not exceeding $50,000, $25 for
   estates not exceeding $100,000 and $30 for estates exceeding $100,000. No fee
   shall be charged for estates of $5,000 or less.

   4. For entering and granting and for issuing any license, other than a
   marriage license or a hunting and fishing license, and administering an oath
   when necessary, $10.

   5. For issuing a marriage license, attaching certificate, administering or
   receiving all necessary oaths or affidavits, indexing and recording, $10. For
   recording an order to celebrate the rites of marriage pursuant to &#xA7;
   20-25, $25 to be paid by the petitioner.

   6. For making out any bond, other than those under &#xA7; 17.1-267 or
   subdivision A 4, administering all necessary oaths and writing proper
   affidavits, $3.

   7. For all services rendered by the clerk in any garnishment or attachment
   proceeding, the clerk&#8217;s fee shall be $15 in cases not exceeding $500 and
   $25 in all other cases.

   8. For making out a copy of any paper, record, or electronic record to go out
   of the office, which is not otherwise specifically provided for herein, a fee
   of $0.50 for each page or, if an electronic record, each image. From such
   fees, the clerk shall reimburse the locality the costs of making out the
   copies and pay the remaining fees directly to the Commonwealth. The funds to
   recoup the cost of making out the copies shall be deposited with the county or
   city treasurer or Director of Finance, and the governing body shall budget and
   appropriate such funds to be used to support the cost of copies pursuant to
   this subdivision. For purposes of this section, the costs of making out the
   copies authorized under this section shall include costs included in the lease
   and maintenance agreements for the equipment and the technology needed to
   operate electronic systems in the clerk&#8217;s office used to make out the
   copies, but shall not include salaries or related benefits. The costs of
   copies shall otherwise be determined in accordance with &#xA7; 2.2-3704.
   However, there shall be no charge to the recipient of a final order or decree
   to send an attested copy to such party.

   9. For annexing the seal of the court to any paper, writing the certificate of
   the clerk accompanying it, the clerk shall charge $2 and for attaching the
   certificate of the judge, if the clerk is requested to do so, the clerk shall
   charge an additional $0.50.

   10. In any case in which a person is convicted of a violation of any provision
   of Article 1 (&#xA7; 18.2-247 et seq.) of Chapter 7 of Title 18.2 or is
   subject to a disposition under &#xA7; 18.2-251, the clerk shall assess a fee
   of $150 for each felony conviction and each felony disposition under &#xA7;
   18.2-251 which shall be taxed as costs to the defendant and shall be paid into
   the Drug Offender Assessment and Treatment Fund.

   11. In any case in which a person is convicted of a violation of any provision
   of Article 1 (&#xA7; 18.2-247 et seq.) of Chapter 7 of Title 18.2 or is
   subject to a disposition under &#xA7; 18.2-251, the clerk shall assess a fee
   for each misdemeanor conviction and each misdemeanor disposition under &#xA7;
   18.2-251, which shall be taxed as costs to the defendant and shall be paid
   into the Drug Offender Assessment and Treatment Fund as provided in &#xA7;
   17.1-275.8.

   12. Upon the defendant&#8217;s being required to successfully complete traffic
   school, a mature driver motor vehicle crash prevention course, or a driver
   improvement clinic in lieu of a finding of guilty, the court shall charge the
   defendant fees and costs as if he had been convicted.

   13. In all civil actions that include one or more claims for the award of
   monetary damages the clerk&#8217;s fee chargeable to the plaintiff shall be
   $100 in cases seeking recovery not exceeding $49,999; $200 in cases seeking
   recovery exceeding $49,999, but not exceeding $100,000; $250 in cases seeking
   recovery exceeding $100,000, but not exceeding $500,000; and $300 in cases
   seeking recovery exceeding $500,000. Ten dollars of each such fee shall be
   apportioned to the Courts Technology Fund established under &#xA7; 17.1-132. A
   fee of $25 shall be paid by the plaintiff at the time of instituting a
   condemnation case, in lieu of any other fees. There shall be no fee charged
   for the filing of a cross-claim or setoff in any pending action. However, the
   fees prescribed by this subdivision shall be charged upon the filing of a
   counterclaim or a claim impleading a third-party defendant. The fees
   prescribed above shall be collected upon the filing of papers for the
   commencement of civil actions. This subdivision shall not be applicable to
   cases filed in the Supreme Court of Virginia.
   				13a. For the filing of any petition seeking court approval of a settlement
   where no action has yet been filed, the clerk&#8217;s fee, chargeable to the
   petitioner, shall be $50, to be paid by the petitioner at the time of filing
   the petition.

   14. In addition to the fees chargeable for civil actions, for the costs of
   proceedings for judgments by confession under &#xA7;&#xA7; 8.01-432 through
   8.01-440, the clerk shall tax as costs (i) the cost of registered or certified
   mail; (ii) the statutory writ tax, in the amount required by law to be paid on
   a suit for the amount of the confessed judgment; (iii) for the sheriff for
   serving each copy of the order entering judgment, $12; and (iv) for docketing
   the judgment and issuing executions thereon, the same fees as prescribed in
   subdivision A 17.

   15. For qualifying notaries public, including the making out of the bond and
   any copies thereof, administering the necessary oaths, and entering the order,
   $10.

   16. For each habeas corpus proceeding, the clerk shall receive $10 for all
   services required thereunder. This subdivision shall not be applicable to such
   suits filed in the Supreme Court of Virginia.

   17. For docketing and indexing a judgment from any other court of the
   Commonwealth, for docketing and indexing a judgment in the new name of a
   judgment debtor pursuant to the provisions of &#xA7; 8.01-451, but not when
   incident to a divorce, for noting and filing the assignment of a judgment
   pursuant to &#xA7; 8.01-452, a fee of $5; and for issuing an abstract of any
   recorded judgment, when proper to do so, a fee of $5; and for filing,
   docketing, indexing and mailing notice of a foreign judgment, a fee of $20.

   18. For all services rendered by the clerk in any court proceeding for which
   no specific fee is provided by law, the clerk shall charge $10, to be paid by
   the party filing said papers at the time of filing; however, this subdivision
   shall not be applicable in a divorce cause prior to and including the entry of
   a decree of divorce from the bond of matrimony.
   				19, 20. [Repealed.]

   21. For making the endorsements on a forthcoming bond and recording the
   matters relating to such bond pursuant to the provisions of &#xA7; 8.01-529,
   $1.

   22. For all services rendered by the clerk in any proceeding pursuant to
   &#xA7; 57-8 or 57-15, $10.

   23. For preparation and issuance of a subpoena duces tecum, $5.

   24. For all services rendered by the clerk in matters under &#xA7; 8.01-217
   relating to change of name, $20; however, this subdivision shall not be
   applicable in cases where the change of name is incident to a divorce.

   25. For providing court records or documents on microfilm, per frame, $0.50.

   26. In all divorce and separate maintenance proceedings, and all civil actions
   that do not include one or more claims for the award of monetary damages, the
   clerk&#8217;s fee chargeable to the plaintiff shall be $60, $10 of which shall
   be apportioned to the Courts Technology Fund established under &#xA7; 17.1-132
   to be paid by the plaintiff at the time of instituting the suit, which shall
   include the furnishing of a duly certified copy of the final decree. The fees
   prescribed by this subdivision shall be charged upon the filing of a
   counterclaim or a claim impleading a third-party defendant. However, no fee
   shall be charged for (i) the filing of a cross-claim or setoff in any pending
   suit or (ii) the filing of a counterclaim or any other responsive pleading in
   any annulment, divorce, or separate maintenance proceeding. In divorce cases,
   when there is a merger of a divorce of separation a mensa et thoro into a
   decree of divorce a vinculo, the above mentioned fee shall include the
   furnishing of a duly certified copy of both such decrees.

   27. For the acceptance of credit or debit cards in lieu of money to collect
   and secure all fees, including filing fees, fines, restitution, forfeiture,
   penalties and costs, the clerk shall collect from the person presenting such
   credit or debit card a reasonable convenience fee for the processing of such
   credit or debit card. Such convenience fee shall not exceed four percent of
   the amount paid for the transaction or a flat fee of $2 per transaction. The
   clerk may set a lower convenience fee for electronic filing of civil or
   criminal proceedings pursuant to &#xA7; 17.1-258.3. Nothing herein shall be
   construed to prohibit the clerk from outsourcing the processing of credit and
   debit card transactions to a third-party private vendor engaged by the clerk.
   Convenience fees shall be used to cover operational expenses as defined in
   &#xA7; 17.1-295.

   28. For the return of any check unpaid by the financial institution on which
   it was drawn or notice is received from the credit or debit card issuer that
   payment will not be made for any reason, the clerk may collect a fee of $50 or
   10 percent of the amount of the payment, whichever is greater.

   29. For all services rendered, except in cases in which costs are assessed
   pursuant to &#xA7; 17.1-275.1, 17.1-275.2, 17.1-275.3, or 17.1-275.4, in an
   adoption proceeding, a fee of $20, in addition to the fee imposed under &#xA7;
   63.2-1246, to be paid by the petitioner or petitioners. For each petition for
   adoption filed pursuant to &#xA7; 63.2-1201, except those filed pursuant to
   subdivisions 4 and 5 of &#xA7; 63.2-1210, an additional $50 filing fee as
   required under &#xA7; 63.2-1201 shall be deposited in the Virginia Birth
   Father Registry Fund pursuant to &#xA7; 63.2-1249.

   30. For issuing a duplicate license for one lost or destroyed as provided in
   &#xA7; 29.1-334, a fee in the same amount as the fee for the original license.

   31. For the filing of any petition as provided in &#xA7;&#xA7; 33.2-1023,
   33.2-1024, and 33.2-1027, a fee of $5 to be paid by the petitioner; and for
   the recordation of a certificate or copy thereof, as provided for in &#xA7;
   33.2-1021, as well as for any order of the court relating thereto, the clerk
   shall charge the same fee as for recording a deed as provided for in this
   section, to be paid by the party upon whose request such certificate is
   recorded or order is entered.

   32. For making up, certifying and transmitting original record pursuant to the
   Rules of the Supreme Court, including all papers necessary to be copied and
   other services rendered, except in cases in which costs are assessed pursuant
   to &#xA7; 17.1-275.1, 17.1-275.2, 17.1-275.3, 17.1-275.4, 17.1-275.7,
   17.1-275.8, or 17.1-275.9, a fee of $20.

   33. [Repealed.]

   34. For filings, etc., under the Uniform Federal Lien Registration Act (&#xA7;
   55.1-653 et seq.), the fees shall be as prescribed in that Act.

   35. [Repealed.]

   36. For recordation of certificate and registration of names of nonresident
   owners in accordance with &#xA7; 59.1-74, a fee of $10.

   37. For maintaining the information required under the Overhead High Voltage
   Line Safety Act (&#xA7; 59.1-406 et seq.), the fee as prescribed in &#xA7;
   59.1-411.

   38. For lodging, indexing, and preserving a will in accordance with &#xA7;
   64.2-409, a fee of $5.

   39. For filing a financing statement in accordance with &#xA7; 8.9A-505, the
   fee shall be as prescribed under &#xA7; 8.9A-525.

   40. For filing a termination statement in accordance with &#xA7; 8.9A-513, the
   fee shall be as prescribed under &#xA7; 8.9A-525.

   41. For filing assignment of security interest in accordance with &#xA7;
   8.9A-514, the fee shall be as prescribed under &#xA7; 8.9A-525.

   42. For filing a petition as provided in &#xA7;&#xA7; 64.2-2001 and 64.2-2013,
   the fee shall be $10.

   43. For issuing any execution, and recording the return thereof, a fee of
   $1.50.

   44. For the preparation and issuance of a summons for interrogation by an
   execution creditor, a fee of $5. If there is no outstanding execution, and one
   is requested herewith, the clerk shall be allowed an additional fee of $1.50,
   in accordance with subdivision A 44.

B. In accordance with &#xA7; 17.1-281, the clerk shall collect fees under
subdivisions A 7, A 13, A 16, A 18 if applicable, A 20, A 22, A 24, A 26, A 29,
and A 31 to be designated for courthouse construction, renovation or
maintenance.

C. In accordance with &#xA7; 17.1-278, the clerk shall collect fees under
subdivisions A 7, A 13, A 16, A 18 if applicable, A 20, A 22, A 24, A 26, A 29,
and A 31 to be designated for services provided for the poor, without charge, by
a nonprofit legal aid program.

D. In accordance with &#xA7; 42.1-70, the clerk shall collect fees under
subdivisions A 7, A 13, A 16, A 18 if applicable, A 20, A 22, A 24, A 26, A 29,
and A 31 to be designated for public law libraries.

E. All fees collected pursuant to subdivision A 27 and &#xA7; 17.1-276 shall be
deposited by the clerk into a special revenue fund held by the clerk, which will
restrict the funds to their statutory purpose.

F. The provisions of this section shall control the fees charged by clerks of
circuit courts for the services above described.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 14-123, p. 614; 1952, c. 146; 1954, c. 138; 1956, c. 217;
1964, c. 386, § 14.1-112; 1966, c. 217; 1970, c. 522; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 95;
1972, cc. 626, 627, 647; 1973, c. 159; 1974, cc. 370, 523; 1975, c. 226; 1976,
c. 344; 1977, cc. 449, 463; 1978, c. 502; 1980, c. 145; 1983, c. 103; 1984, cc.
225, 356; 1985, cc. 94, 201; 1986, c. 538; 1988, cc. 49, 52; 1989, c. 595; 1990,
cc. 88, 738, 971; 1992, c. 784; 1993, cc. 95, 299, 386; 1994, cc. 64, 432, 498,
842; 1995, cc. 51, 371, 440, 463, 525, § 14.1-111.1; 1996, cc. 344, 976; 1997,
cc. 215, 921; 1998, cc. 783, 840, 872; 1999, cc. 9, 1003; 2000, cc. 826, 830;
2001, cc. 481, 496, 501, 836; 2002, cc. 831, 832; 2004, c. 1004; 2005, cc. 373,
681; 2006, cc. 318, 623, 718, 825; 2007, cc. 548, 626, 646; 2009, c. 594; 2010,
c. 874; 2011, cc. 707, 890; 2012, cc. 420, 714, 780; 2013, c. 263; 2014, c. 282;
2015, c. 641; 2017, c. 200; 2020, cc. 68, 69, 589, 653; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c.
427; 2022, c. 377.