The Fairfax County Clerk of the Circuit Court
Christopher J. Falcon serves as Clerk of the Fairfax Circuit Court. The clerk is a court officer, not a Texas-style county clerk. The office preserves Circuit Court records, supports civil and criminal case processing, records land records for Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax, issues marriage licenses, maintains probate and fiduciary records, and provides access to historic court records.
The Circuit Court is the 19th Judicial Circuit and the largest trial court in Virginia, with fifteen full-time judges. The clerk's office is generally open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The court's contact page lists the office phones and directory.
You can reach the office and its divisions through the Circuit Court contact page.
Circuit Court Records Divisions
The clerk's records are split by type and by floor. More current criminal files are in the Criminal Division on the fourth floor, Suite 409. Civil file review and copies are handled by Civil Records on the third floor, Suite 320. Recent probate files go through the Probate Department.
Older civil, chancery, fiduciary, and criminal files may sit at the Offsite Records Center in Merrifield. Historic materials are at the Historic Records Center, Suite 317. Because of this split, you may need to ask the right division rather than expect one counter to hold everything. The Fairfax County court records page covers the online case search side.
Land Records at the Clerk's Office
The clerk records land documents for both the county and the City of Fairfax. Deeds, deeds of trust, plats, certificates of satisfaction, and related instruments are land records. All land-record images have been converted to digital and can be viewed in the Land Records Research Room or through the CPAN subscription system. The research room is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The research room is where most title and deed work happens.
Researchers can use the room through the clerk's land records research page, though staff cannot perform research for you.
To request a copy, you need the instrument number or the deed book and page. A certified land-record copy costs $2.00 per document plus $0.50 per page.
The copy methods and payment rules are on the clerk's land records copies page.
Marriage Licenses
The clerk issues marriage licenses through the Public Service Division on the first floor, Suite 116. Marriage license hours are 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. There is no Virginia residency rule, no waiting period, and no blood test, and the license is valid for 60 days.
Both applicants must appear together with valid photo ID, their Social Security numbers, and parents' full names. The fee is $30. Certified copies of a Fairfax-issued license cost $2.50 each. The marriage and divorce records page has the full application and copy steps.
Probate and Fiduciary Records
Probate runs through the clerk rather than a separate probate court. The office handles wills, estate qualification, fiduciary bonds, inventories, accountings, and guardianship records. Recent probate files and copies go through the Probate Department at 703-246-4153.
A contested will or estate dispute becomes a Circuit Court case before a judge. The probate records page explains the qualification steps and fees in detail.
How to Request a Certified Copy
Certified copies come from the clerk, by mail or in person. A mailed request must give staff enough to find the record. Follow these steps for a civil or probate file copy.
- Gather the case number or year of order and the full party names.
- Write the request and state how many certified copies you need.
- Include a certified check or money order payable to the Clerk of the Fairfax Circuit Court.
- Add a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return.
- Mail it to the correct division, since personal checks are not accepted.
In-person payment can include cash, a Circuit Court debit or credit card, a business or law-firm check, a cashier's check, or a money order. Visa and MasterCard are accepted with a 4% processing fee.
Records Request Fields
The clerk's copy request forms collect a consistent set of details. The marriage-license copy form is a good example. The table below shows the fields it uses.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes / Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Party 1 name | Text | Yes | Full name as on the record. |
| Party 2 name | Text | Yes | Full name as on the record. |
| Date of record | Date | Yes | Exact or approximate date to locate the file. |
| Number of copies | Numeric | Yes | Fee applies per certified copy. |
| Requester address | Text | Yes | Return mailing address. |
| Payment | Money order | Yes for mail | Payable to the Clerk of the Circuit Court. |
A mailed marriage-copy request may also require a notarized ID copy for certain requesters or license periods.
Clerk Copy Fees
The clerk's fixed fees are small and flat, while filing fees vary by case. The table below lists common public fees from the clerk's schedules.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage license | $30.00 |
| Certified marriage-license copy | $2.50 per copy |
| Land record certified copy | $2.00 per document + $0.50 per page |
| Law Library photocopy | $0.25 per page |
| Law Library fax | $1.00 per page |
| Credit card convenience fee | 4% |
Civil filing fees follow the schedule effective July 1, 2025, and depend on the case and statute.
Historic Records Center
The clerk preserves an unusually deep record collection. The Historic Records Center is on the third floor of the courthouse, Suite 317, reached at 703-246-4168. It holds early court records, including deed books from 1742 to 1942, plus coroner's inquests and other early materials.
The center is closed from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. each day. The historic courthouse itself was completed in 1800 and was the county's third courthouse. Some early order books from 1775 to 1783 are missing and were likely lost during the Civil War.
The story of the Historic Fairfax Courthouse is told on the clerk's site.
Self-Help and the Public Law Library
The clerk's office cannot give legal advice, but help is close by. The Fairfax Public Law Library sits inside the courthouse on the first floor, Suite 115, with public computers, legal databases, and printing. Staff can point to resources and referral services.
The library is a strong in-person starting point for any records question.
Its hours and rules are on the Public Law Library page.
For statewide forms and basic explanations, the Virginia Judicial System Self-Help site is a good second stop.
The state's find a case guidance helps when you do not know the court level.