Augusta County, VA Property Records: Search Deeds, Owners, Tax Records, and Maps

When searching for property records in Augusta County, the primary offices to contact are the County Circuit Clerk, the Commissioner of the Revenue, and the County Treasurer. These offices manage records for over 39,000 land parcels, the majority of which are single-family detached homes.

Augusta County surrounds the independent cities of Staunton and Waynesboro. Those cities handle their own real estate records outside of the county system. It takes about 41 days on average for listed properties to receive an offer in the county, which is slightly slower than the statewide average of 36 days.

Recent records reveal the underlying factors influencing the local real estate market, with a median home value of $243,900 and median rent of $1,034, alongside a median household income of $76,023 and a median real estate tax rate of 0.5 as a percentage of the property's assessed value.

How to Look Up Augusta County Property Records

Augusta County has four main online portals that answer property-related questions. With a tax map (parcel) number, users can find basic and detailed information on the GIS, Tax Services, and Assessor’s Database. To search the Secure Remote Access website, a user may enter the party name, recording date, or instrument number.

Who Keeps Augusta County Property Records?

Unless a specific legal exemption applies, Augusta County property records are available for public inspection and copying in accordance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. The following offices handle property records in the county:

• The Commissioner of the Revenue is the county’s chief tax assessing authority. Its Real Estate Department maintains online assessment records and processes real estate tax relief programs.

• The Clerk of the Circuit Court records and keeps all real property documents. Documents recorded in the office include deeds, deeds of trust, easements, and plats.

• The Treasurer collects delinquent taxes through legal enforcement remedies, such as bank liens, wage garnishments, and tax sale auctions.

Similar offices in Staunton and Waynesboro manage land, assessment, and property tax records within their respective cities.

How to Search Augusta County Property Records Online

Before searching for Augusta County property records online, note that no single portal has all the answers. To make your search easier, start by gathering key identifiers like the tax map number, owner name, or address:

1. You can search the Augusta County Address and Parcel Search to pull up basic property details like the property description, owner’s name, acreage, and tax map number.
2. The Assessor’s Database provides access to ownership records, property characteristics, and assessed value. You can look up the property by entering the parcel’s address, account number, or tax map number.
3. Use the Secure Remote Access (SRA) system to find deeds, liens, and title history tied to the property. If you are a first-time subscriber, it is necessary to complete, sign, notarize, and submit the SRA Application & Agreement. The annual subscription fee is $600.
4. The property tax payment history is available through the Online Tax Services. You may also use this tool to confirm any delinquencies recorded against the property.

Clerk of the Circuit Court: Deeds, Deeds of Trust, and Plats

In Augusta County, the Clerk of the Circuit Court is responsible for recording all the relevant documents when you buy, sell, or transfer a property. It is also the clerk’s duty to provide secure online access to property records according to Section 17.1-294 of the Code of Virginia.

The Land Records Division of the Augusta County Circuit Clerk’s Office records a wide range of real estate documents, such as:

• General Warranty Deeds, Quitclaim Deeds, and Correction Deeds

• Subordination Agreements and Modifications, Affidavits of Satisfaction, and Deeds of Trust

• Plats and Surveys

• Judgments and Judgment liens, Mechanic’s liens, Lis Pendens, and State Tax Liens

Commissioner of the Revenue: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

The Augusta County Commissioner of the Revenue handles property tax assessments to ensure fair and equal taxation. Every five years, the county conducts a general reassessment to update property values to equal 100% of a property’s fair market value on the open market. The Assessor’s Database provides the following information:

• Current and previous years assessed values

• Sales history

• Building improvement data

• Zoning classification

• Acreage and lot size

• Land use code

• Ownership details

Treasurer: Tax Bills and Payments

The Treasurer’s Office in Augusta County issues tax bills to property owners and processes payments. It collects real property taxes in two semi-annual installments. The first half of the tax payment is due on June 5, while the second installment is due on December 5. If a due date falls on a weekend or public holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.

Property Tax in Augusta County: Rates, Exemptions, and Appeals

Augusta County calculates real property taxes by applying the local tax rate to a property’s fair market value. In Virginia, a property’s fair market value is the basis for computing property taxes.

Exemptions and relief

Appealing your assessment

You can challenge your real estate valuation if you believe the assessment is higher than what the property would be worth on the open market. Before filing an appeal, you can schedule an informal review with the Reassessment Office to correct factual errors.

If you still disagree with the assessment and want a formal review, you can file a written appeal with the Board of Equalization. They will conduct a formal hearing and check if the property value matches similar homes in your area.

Another option is to appeal directly to the Circuit Court. The judicial proceeding requires you to show proof that the assessment does not reflect fair market value.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

The Augusta County Information Technology/GIS Division maintains the Address and Parcel Search GIS Web App. This tool supports parcel searches by street address or Tax Map number and links tax histories, sales history, and other details maintained in the Assessor’s Database. The Virginia GIS Clearinghouse can be used to map spatial data for properties that cross county lines.

The Address and Parcel Search GIS Web App provides spatial layers for:

• Parcels

• Aerial imagery

• Municipal/boundary lines

• Floodplains

• Address points

• Tax Map boundaries

• Zoning districts

Foreclosure and Tax Sales

Before buying a property in Augusta County, it is essential to check if the property was subject to a judicial tax sale or trustee foreclosure. This confirms whether the proceeding created any issues in the property’s title history.

Trustee foreclosure

Section 55.1-320 of the Code of Virginia authorizes a trustee to sell a property after a default in payment without obtaining court approval. The trustee must send a written notice to the borrower at least 60 days before the sale. Another requirement is to advertise the sale in a public newspaper in the town where the property is located. The borrower cannot redeem the property after the sale, and the lender can file another lawsuit to collect the remaining balance if the sale proceeding does not cover the debt.

Judicial tax sale

Augusta County uses a judicial tax sale to recover unpaid property taxes. After the second anniversary of delinquency, Va. Code §58.1-3965 permits the County Treasurer to file a formal complaint in the Augusta County Circuit Court.

The Circuit Court assigns a Special Commissioner to sell the property at a public auction. Before the auction, the property owner can stop the sale at any time by paying all delinquent taxes, penalties, interest, court costs, and fees. If the outstanding amount remains unpaid, the property is sold to the highest bidder, after which the Special Commissioner files a motion with the court to confirm the sale.

Costs to Access Property Records

Section 58.1-801 of the Virginia Code imposes a state tax on deeds at a rate of $0.25 per $100 of the consideration or fair market value of the property, whichever is higher. Under Section 58.1-802, the seller is responsible for paying the state grantor’s tax, which is divided equally between the state and local county treasury.

How to Record a Document

Follow these steps to record a property document in Augusta County, VA:

1. Draft your document on white, unglazed paper that measures 8.5 x 11 inches. The grantor and the grantee should be clearly named in the first clause to enable correct indexing.
2. You must also ensure that all grantors sign the original document in the presence of a notary public with proper notary acknowledgment.
3. Place the property tax ID (parcel) number in the upper-left corner of the first page.
4. Use the Virginia Judicial System Deed Calculator to determine the recording fee, local taxes and surcharges, and the state grantor’s tax.
5. You may bring the document in person to the Augusta County Circuit Clerk’s office or submit online through approved e-Recording vendors, such as CSC, Simplifile, or ePN.

FAQs

Quick Reference: Your Augusta County Property Records Checklist

Key Contacts and Official Portals