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State guides / Virginia

Virginia property data

Virginia is a little different. Virginia has 95 counties and 38 independent cities. The cities are not part of any county and keep their own land records and assessments. Here's what's public, what's hard to get, and what Deedplat puts on one map.

  • 133Counties
  • PublicSale prices
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What you can get in Virginia

Virginia makes most property records public, including what each property sold for. The catch is that every county keeps them differently.

Public everywhere

Every county has these, and Deedplat loads them all.

  • Owners and mailing addressesFrom the local assessor or board of assessors in each county and city, working with the Commissioner of the Revenue
  • Sale pricesRecordation tax is figured on the price, so the deed or its cover sheet shows what was paid, and local assessment records list sale prices.
  • Deeds and mortgagesClerk of the Circuit Court in each county and independent city
  • Assessed valuesIt depends on size: larger cities reassess every two years, larger counties every four years, smaller places can wait up to six years, and many reassess every year.
  • Tax deed salesRun county by county
  • Foreclosure filings and salesNotices of sale are recorded or posted
  • Lot linesCounty parcel maps

Depends on the town

Each county and independent city keeps its own permits, code violations and rental inspection records, and Virginia FOIA covers local government records.

  • Code violations and condemnations
  • Building permits
  • Rental registration and inspections
  • Zoning maps and ordinances
  • Water and sewer liens

Not public

What no office will hand over, so you know where the line is.

  • Owner phone numbers and emails
  • Rents and leases
  • Active listingsThose live in the MLS
  • Mortgage balancesThe original loan amount is recorded; what's left is not

How property changes hands here

Distressed property reaches the market through a few channels, and they differ by county.

Tax deeds

Delinquent property is sold through a lawsuit in circuit court, and a special commissioner of sale, often from the county attorney's office or a private firm, holds the auction. The court must confirm the sale, and the buyer gets a deed. The owner can pay off the taxes up to the sale, and any surplus after costs is held for the former owner.

Foreclosure mostly skips the courts

Most Virginia foreclosures are trustee sales under a deed of trust, held outside of court after notice to the owner and newspaper ads in the city or county. The sale happens at the place named in the notice, often the courthouse steps.

Land banks

Yes, the Virginia Land Bank Entities Act lets localities create or name land bank authorities, nonprofits or other entities.

Transfer tax

The buyer pays a state recordation tax of $0.25 per $100 for most deals, localities may add one third of that, and the seller pays a grantor tax of $0.50 per $1,000 split between the state and locality. Northern Virginia localities add regional transportation fees.

Worth knowing

Independent cities such as Richmond, Norfolk and Alexandria are separate from any county, so search the city's own Circuit Court clerk and assessor for property inside city limits.

Worth knowing

Virginia FOIA guarantees access rights to Virginia citizens and media; out-of-state requesters may be turned away.

Every county in Virginia

Choose any county to get started.

Questions

Are property sale prices public in Virginia?

Yes. Virginia is a disclosure state. Recordation tax is based on the price, and local assessment records list what properties sold for.

How do tax sales work in Virginia?

The locality sues in circuit court, and a special commissioner auctions the property. The judge confirms the sale and the buyer receives a deed. Any money left after taxes and costs is held for the former owner.

Where are deeds and mortgages recorded in Virginia?

With the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county or independent city where the property sits. Deeds of trust are recorded there too.

How often are Virginia properties reassessed?

It depends on the locality. Larger cities reassess every two years and larger counties every four, smaller ones can go up to six years, and many update every year.

Is foreclosure judicial in Virginia?

Usually not. Most Virginia foreclosures are trustee sales under a deed of trust, held after notice and newspaper ads without a court case.

Can I get records Deedplat doesn't have?

Often, yes. The Virginia Freedom of Information Act opens most state and local records to Virginia citizens. We file those requests for you, clean up the results and add them to your map.

Sources for this guide

Laws and fees change. We checked these sources in October 2026; confirm with the county before you act.

Every parcel, on one map

Deedplat is in beta. Pick any Virginia county to get started.

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