The figures on this page are general estimates. Laws, fees, thresholds, and prices differ by state and change often, and your own situation may change the result. Before you act, confirm the current numbers and rules for Virginia with a licensed professional — an attorney, tax advisor, or licensed agent as appropriate. Reading this page does not create a professional relationship.
When the clock starts in Virginia
The single fact that governs every other date on this page: in Virginia the creditor-claim period runs from no general non-claim period — claims are governed by the ordinary statutes of limitation, and cut-off runs through the commissioner of accounts.
This is not the same in every state. Some states run the period from the date of death, others from the date letters are issued to the personal representative, others from first publication of the notice to creditors. A deadline calculated from the wrong event is simply wrong, and a missed claim deadline is not curable.
Virginia deadlines at a glance
| Deadline | Virginia | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory | Four months after the date of the order conferring the personal representative's authority. The inventory is returned to the commissioner of accounts, and covers personal estate, the decedent's interest in any multiple-party account, real estate over which the representative has a power of sale, and any other real estate that is an estate asset, whether or not it is situated in Virginia. | Va. Code §64.2-1300(A) |
| Creditor claim period | Virginia does not set a general non-claim period. There is no fixed number of months from death, from qualification, or from a published notice after which claims against the estate are barred. Claims remain subject to the ordinary statutes of limitation, and proof of debts is taken by the commissioner of accounts at a hearing published at least 10 days in advance (§64.2-550(A)). Cut-off is achieved instead through the show-cause procedure below, which the personal representative may set in motion six months after qualification. | Va. Code §§64.2-550(A), 64.2-556(A) |
| Outer claim bar | There is no outer bar running against creditors. The exposure runs the other way: a legatee or distributee who has been paid may be sued to refund a due proportion of allowed or unpresented claims within five years after the payment or delivery. A personal representative who has complied in good faith with the show-cause procedure and distributed under the court's order is not liable for creditors' demands. | Va. Code §64.2-556(A), (B) |
The inventory deadline, as written
Every personal representative or curator shall, within four months after the date of the order conferring his authority, return to the commissioner of accounts an inventory of all the personal estate under his supervision and control, the decedent's interest in any multiple party account in any financial institution, all real estate over which he has the power of sale, and any other real estate that is an asset of the decedent's estate, whether or not situated in the Commonwealth.
— Va. Code §64.2-1300(A)
The creditor-claim period, as written
When a report of the accounts of any personal representative and of the debts and demands against the decedent's estate has been filed in the office of a clerk of a court… the court, after six months from the qualification of the personal representative, may, on motion of the personal representative… enter an order for the creditors and all other persons interested in the estate of the decedent to show cause on the day named in the order against the payment and delivery of the estate of the decedent to his legatees or distributees.
— Va. Code §§64.2-550(A), 64.2-556(A)
What this page does not state
Where a figure is not recorded above, it is because it was not found in the statute cited — not because no deadline exists. Court rules, local rules, and standing orders set additional dates that are not part of the statutory text, and those are not reproduced here. Confirm every date against the Virginia court handling the estate.
Sources
- Statutes: Va. Code §64.2-1300(A); Va. Code §§64.2-550(A), 64.2-556(A); Va. Code §64.2-556(A), (B)
- Authority: Virginia General Assembly, Code of Virginia (law.lis.virginia.gov)
- Source URL: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title64.2/section64.2-556/
- Verified: 2026-08-17
Related Virginia guides
- How Long Does Probate Take in Virginia? — the overall timeline these deadlines sit inside.
- How much does probate cost in Virginia? — the cost side.
- How Much Does an Executor Get Paid in Virginia? — compensation for the work.
- Virginia Probate Fee Sheet — printable one-page reference.
- Executor Duties: The Complete Checklist — what the role involves.
Executor deadlines in other states
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This page reproduces Virginia statutory deadlines as published at the time of verification. It is not legal advice. Statutes are amended, court rules impose additional dates, and application depends on the specific estate. Confirm every date with the Virginia court or a licensed Virginia attorney.