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

The Virginia Freedom of Information Act grants public access to property records for over 92,000 parcels in Chesapeake City through the Circuit Court Clerk, Assessor’s Office, and Treasurer. The Clerk handles land instruments like deeds, deeds of trust, plats, and easements, while the Assessor manages records related to real estate valuations, ownership details, and parcel data. The Treasurer's Office maintains tax records.

Property listings in the city take about 24 days to secure purchase offers, which is in line with the statewide average of 18 to 30 days. Single-family detached homes are the most popular housing units in Chesapeake.

Recent records reveal the underlying factors influencing the local real estate market, with a median home value of $320,250 and median rent of $1,478, alongside a median household income of $89,099 and a median real estate tax rate of 0.84 as a percentage of the property's assessed value.

How to Look Up Chesapeake City Property Records

Chesapeake City property records are accessible through three major portals that provide land records data. You can look up deeds, deeds of trust, plats, and liens through the Circuit Court Clerk, while ownership information, valuation history, sales history, and parcel characteristics are available through the Assessor's Office. The City Treasurer's Office handles real estate tax information including tax bills, collection records, payment history, and delinquent taxes.

Who Keeps Chesapeake City Property Records?

The Virginia Freedom of Information Act makes Chesapeake City property records available to anyone who wants to inspect or obtain them. The following city departments are responsible for maintaining these records:

• The Clerk of the Circuit Court is the statutory custodian of legal land records and also records real estate documents. These include deeds, deeds of trust, liens, plats, easements, assignments, and lis pendens.

• The Real Estate Assessor's Office determines property value across the county. Property records the assessor keeps include assessed values, ownership data, parcel characteristics, and sales history.

• The City Treasurer's Office mails property tax bills and handles collections. Delinquent taxes are also managed by the office.

How to Search Chesapeake City Property Records Online

Anyone can search Chesapeake City property records through multiple online search portals by following these steps:

1. Visit the City Assessor's CivQuest Property Site to locate the parcel directly on the map, or enter the property address in the search box. This provides the property’s parcel ID and other information, such as the owner's details and assessed values.
2. Search for Chesapeake land records data through the Clerk of Circuit Court Remote Access Site. You can search the index by grantee's name, book/page, instrument number, instrument date, or legal description.
3. Verify the chain of title by reviewing the property deeds. The grantee listed on each deed should match the details of the grantor on the subsequent property transaction. Note any gaps that may be a liability.
4. Deeds of trust, liens, plats, and easements are accessible through the Circuit Court Clerk's portal. The portal provides scanned images of such documents.
5. Confirm the property’s tax status through the City Treasurer's Office. Use the treasurer's portal to access online tax bills, payment history, and delinquent taxes.

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

The Clerk of the Circuit Court in Chesapeake City is the official recorder of real estate instruments and also maintains them within the city’s land records index. Such records include the following:

• Deeds, including general and special warranty deeds and quitclaim deeds

• Deeds of trust, releases, assignments, and modifications

• Judgment liens, mechanic's liens, and state and federal tax liens

• Easements, restrictive covenants, and powers of attorney

• Subdivision plats, condominium plats, and surveys

These land documents are available online through the Clerk’s secure remote access site, and some instruments, such as deeds, date back to 1637.

Real Estate Assessor: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

The Real Estate Assessor's Office in Chesapeake City conducts property appraisals to carry out equitable assessments countywide. The assessor also reviews administrative appeals of assessments when property owners in the city request them. Virginia law sets the assessment ratio at 100% of the property’s estimated fair market value. You can obtain the following information from the assessor’s CivQuest Property Portal:

• The current owner of record for any parcel

• The parcel ID and legal description

• Assessed land value and improvement value

• Property characteristics such as square footage, year built, and acreage

• Parcel maps and property sketches

• Any elderly, disabled, or veteran exemption on file

Treasurer: Tax Bills and Payments

The Treasurer's Office in Chesapeake City mails property tax bills and collects taxes. Property owners in the City receive a tax bill each quarter. The treasurer mails the first two bills in early September and December, and they are due on September 30 and December 31. The remaining two bills are sent in March and mid-May, with payments due on March 31 and June 5.

Property Tax in Chesapeake City: Rates, Exemptions, and Appeals

Va. Code tit. 58.1, subt. III governs local property assessments and taxation for Chesapeake City. The treasurer determines a property's annual real estate tax by dividing the assessed value by 100 and multiplying the result by the current tax rate. Chesapeake City Council determines the tax rate each year. Property reassessments are required annually by the city for all parcels, which may affect property tax bills if the fair market value changes.

Exemptions and relief

Appealing your assessment

To appeal your assessment in Chesapeake City, request an administrative review with the Assessor’s office. You can present your concerns and have the office review the assessed value to address any errors. Formal appeals can be filed with the Board of Equalization between March 1 and April 1 each year.

A hearing is set in May where you can present evidence to support your appeal, such as property record errors or comparable sales. If you are unsatisfied with the BOE's decision, you can file a petition in the Chesapeake Circuit Court.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

The City of Chesapeake provides Geographic Information System (GIS) and mapping services to locate parcels across the city and obtain certain property information. You can open the city’s Geospatial Portal to access the GIS map and see a parcel summary, assessed values, ownership history, improvements, and tax information. Search for parcels on the portal by property address, parcel number, or directly on the interactive map.

The Virginia GIS Clearinghouse also provides access to GIS data for land parcels across the state.

Foreclosure and Tax Sales

Property research in Virginia may also involve two types of foreclosures with different processes:

Trustee foreclosure

Under Virginia law, the trustee designated in the property's Deed of Trust handles this non-judicial foreclosure. After the homeowner misses multiple payments, the trustee sends a written notice and conducts a public auction to sell the home. The trustee must advertise the auction through public platforms. The proceeds from the sale are used to cover the debt and other charges.

Judicial tax sale

Under Va. Code 58.1-3965, tax-delinquent properties in Chesapeake City can be sold through a judicial tax sale. Such properties with outstanding taxes for more than two years become eligible for public auction and are sold to recover the debt. The Chesapeake City Circuit Court grants a sale decree authorizing the auction. The owner cannot redeem the property after the sale.

Costs to Access Property Records

The following fees may apply to access property records in Chesapeake City:

The state recordation tax is governed by Va. Code 58.1-801, while the grantor's tax is specified in Va. Code 58.1-802. You can contact the Circuit Court Clerk in the city to confirm the recording fee schedule.

How to Record a Document

Under Va. Code 17.1-223, the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Chesapeake City is responsible for recording property documents, including those under Title 55.1. You can follow these steps to record a document in the city:

1. Prepare the documents in compliance with Virginia’s formatting rules, including sheet size, cover sheet, notarization, and proper margins.
2. Calculate recording fees and taxes. Recording instruments such as deeds requires payment of local and state recordation taxes and a grantor's tax. Normal recording fees also apply for each document you wish to record.
3. Submit the document to the Clerk of the Circuit Court for recording in person, by mail, or through an authorized e-recording vendor. In-person submissions are accepted during working hours from 8:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
4. Original documents are returned by the Clerk to the returning address after recording. Recorded documents will also be available through the clerk’s online land records index.

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