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

Researching properties in Brunswick County requires searching through records maintained by the Brunswick County Clerk of the Circuit Court, the Commissioner of the Revenue, and the County Treasurer. The county contains over 20,670 parcels of land spread across 566 square miles.

The Brunswick County real estate market is driven by affordable housing and recreational, lake-access communities. Single-family detached homes are the most popular housing option in the county, accounting for over 90% of the county’s homes. Listings in the county typically close between 70 and 120 days, which is slower than the state average.

Recent records reveal the underlying factors influencing the local real estate market, with a median home value of $143,500 and median rent of $939.5, alongside a median household income of $56,319 and a median real estate tax rate of 0.51 as a percentage of the property's assessed value.

How to Look Up Brunswick County Property Records

You can obtain deeds and related property records from the Clerk of the Circuit Court through the subscription-based Virginia Circuit Court Secure Remote Access platform. Call the Clerk of the Circuit Court at (434) 848-2215 for inquiries, or visit the office in Lawrenceville.

The Commissioner of the Revenue provides public access to ownership details, valuation, assessment history, and property characteristics through the Property Identification Card portal. Tax bills, delinquencies, and tax history can be accessed at the County Treasurer’s office. You can pay your property tax online through the Pay Real Estate Tax portal.

Who Keeps Brunswick County Property Records?

Under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, the public has the right to view and obtain Brunswick County property records. The following county offices are responsible for managing property records:

• The Clerk of the Circuit Court is responsible for recording property-related records, including deeds, liens, deeds of trust, plats, and easements. It maintains the county’s chain of titles and allows the public to access property records remotely through the Virginia Circuit Court Secure Remote Access portal.

• The Commissioner of the Revenue assesses parcels, administers exemptions, and calculates property taxes in the county. Professional county appraisers value properties every six years to determine their fair market value for tax purposes.

• The Brunswick County Treasurer handles tax notices, property tax collection, tax payment history, delinquent accounts, and delinquent judicial tax sales. Typically, property taxes are due by December 5.

How to Search Brunswick County Property Records Online

You can search Brunswick County property records online by following these steps:

1. Search the Brunswick County Commissioner of the Revenue’s Property Identification Card portal by name, account number, map ID, or address. The portal includes the owner’s name, map ID, account number, deed book/page number, legal description, address, tax district, acreage, and valuation.
2. Use the Virginia Circuit Court Secure Remote Access portal to confirm the details from the Property Identification Card platform. Verify the listed owners and review prior transfers to establish the chain of title.
3. Confirm that the property’s deeds are current and check for deeds of trust and liens against the property.
4. Check the property’s tax status with the County Treasurer. Review up to 10 years of tax history.
5. Order certified copies of the property records from the Clerk of the Circuit Court, if necessary.

Clerk of the Circuit Court: Deeds, deeds of trust, and Liens

The Brunswick County Clerk of the Circuit Court is responsible for recording property documents and maintaining the county’s official chain of titles. It records and maintains warranty deeds, covenant deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, assignments, discharges, tax liens, construction liens, subdivision plats, and surveys. The office provides remote access to its records through the Virginia Circuit Court Secure Remote Access platform.

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

The Commissioner of the Revenue values properties within the county’s jurisdiction every six years and prepares the assessment roll to be forwarded to the County Treasurer. It analyses market trends and ensures that assessments are fair across the county. The office maintains the Property Identification Card portal, which provides remote access to the county’s property records. Information available through the portal includes the owner’s name, address, valuation, tax district, legal description, and map ID.

Treasurer: Tax Bills and Payments

The Brunswick County Treasurer bills and collects real estate taxes in the county. Property taxes are due by December 5 each year. Property owners in Brunswick County can use the Pay Real Estate Tax platform to pay online. Delinquent taxes incur penalties and interest from the day after the due date. The Treasurer manages delinquent tax payments and delinquent property judicial tax sales in the county.

Property Tax in Brunswick County: Values, Exemptions, and Appeals

A Brunswick County property tax bill is determined by multiplying the assessed value by the county’s real estate rate per $100 of assessed value. Real estate is assessed at 100% of fair market value based on ownership as of January 1st of the reassessment year.

Brunswick County reassesses real estate in the county every six years. The county’s Board of Supervisors annually sets the real estate tax rate. The current rate is $0.50 per $100 of assessed property value.

Exemptions and relief

Appealing your assessment

You may request an informal review of your assessment by contacting the Brunswick County Commissioner of the Revenue. You can easily correct factual mistakes and calculation errors at this stage. If you still disagree with the valuation, you can escalate to the Brunswick County Board of Equalization (BOE). Finally, you may appeal the BOE’s decision at the Brunswick County Circuit Court.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

You may access Brunswick County parcels graphically through the Brunswick County GIS platform. The platform allows users to navigate to parcels of choice or search by address. Alternatively, use the statewide Virginia GIS clearinghouse for graphical access to the county’s parcels.

Foreclosure and Tax Sales

Virginia uses distinct processes for its two types of foreclosures, and understanding each is essential when conducting property research in Brunswick County, Virginia.

Trustee foreclosure

A property loan repayment in Brunswick County may become delinquent if you do not make payments for a specified period. Because Virginia uses deeds of trust, a named trustee given the power of sale in the deed can sell the property at a public auction without a court order, per Title 55.1.

The notice of sale must have been advertised in a local newspaper before the auction. A trustee foreclosure is a non-judicial process and is typically faster than a judicial sale. The trustee must file a formal account of the sale with the Brunswick County Commissioner of Accounts within six months of the sale.

Judicial tax sale

Virginia law (Va. Code 58.1-3965) allows for the sale of a property after its real estate tax has been delinquent for a statutory period. The county may file a delinquent tax suit in the Circuit Court for a tax sale.

Once the court authorizes the sale, the county may sell the property to the highest bidder at a public auction. The original owner may redeem the property by paying all outstanding taxes and penalties before the court confirms the sale. In Virginia, the county sells the property itself to the highest bidder and not a tax-lien certificate to investors.

Costs to Access Property Records

The following statutory fees typically apply for obtaining copies of records and recording documents in Brunswick County.

How to Record a Document

Property document recording in Brunswick County is governed by Virginia law, and the following steps are generally required to record an instrument in the county:

• Prepare the document in accordance with state standards. Verify that the font sizes, recording cover sheet, addresses, original signatures, and notary acknowledgment are correct.

• Calculate the required fees. Confirm the complete fees from the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office. Property sales typically require state and local recordation taxes, grantor’s tax, and statutory recording fees.

• Submit the complete documents to the Clerk of the Circuit Court by mail, in person, or through approved e-recording vendors. The Circuit Clerk collects the taxes and fees at recording.

• The Clerk of the Circuit Court will update the county’s property records to reflect the transaction, and the original is returned to the filer.

FAQs

Quick Reference: Your Brunswick County Property Records Checklist

Key Contacts and Official Portals