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

Virginia's sub-state governance structure is unique in the U.S., with cities having independent governments from adjacent counties. Researching property records in Fairfax County requires a thorough understanding of that structure and the offices that maintain the records. The Fairfax County Clerk of the Circuit Court and the Department of Tax Administration (DTA) maintain property records under county jurisdiction.

The county contains about 370,000 parcels of land, not counting the parcels belonging to the three cities adjoining it. Property records in the City of Fairfax are managed jointly by the city’s real estate assessment office and the Fairfax County Clerk of the Circuit Court. The remaining two cities (Alexandria and Falls Church) manage their property records independently of Fairfax County offices.

The Fairfax County real estate market is driven by federal government jobs, top-tier public schools, and high regional median incomes. Single-family detached homes are the most popular housing option in the county, accounting for about 46% of the county’s inventory, with multi-family complexes, apartments, condos, and attached townhomes following. Home listings in the county typically close in 60 to 75 days, similar to the state average.

Recent records reveal the underlying factors influencing the local real estate market, with a median home value of $676,600 and median rent of $2,204, alongside a median household income of $137,664 and a median real estate tax rate of 0.99 as a percentage of the property's assessed value.

How to Look Up Fairfax County Property Records

Anyone can access Fairfax County property records through the Clerk of the Circuit Court and the Department of Tax Administration. Property assessments and tax information are available online through the Property Lookup (iCare) and Real Estate Payment platforms maintained by the DTA.

You can obtain deeds and related property records from the Clerk of the Circuit Court through the subscription-based Court Public Access Network (CPAN) platform. Call the Clerk of the Circuit Court at (703) 691-7320 for inquiries.

Who Keeps Fairfax County Property Records?

Virginia property records are open to the public as required by the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Fairfax County property records are maintained by these offices:

• The Clerk of the Circuit Court, through its Land Records Division, is responsible for recording property records, including deeds, liens, deeds of trust, plats, and easements. It maintains the county’s chain of titles and gives the public remote access to property records through the Court Public Access network.

• The Department of Tax Administration assesses parcels, administers exemptions, and calculates property taxes in the county. Professional county appraisers value every property annually to determine its fair market value for tax purposes.

• The Revenue Collection Division within the Department of Tax Administration sends out property tax bills to property owners and collects the taxes. Typically, the county collects property taxes in two installments. The first is due by July 28, and the second is due by December 5.

• The cities of Fairfax, Alexandria, and Falls Church lie wholly within the county’s boundaries or have parcels of land within the county. Properties in the City of Fairfax (which is wholly within the county) are recorded by the Fairfax County Clerk of the Circuit Court but assessed by the city’s real estate assessment office. The other two cities’ property records are managed independently of Fairfax County.

How to Search Fairfax County Property Records Online

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

1. Search the Fairfax County Property Lookup (iCare) portal by address, map number, or directly on the map. The portal includes the owner’s name, parcel number, legal description, address, map number, tax district, land area, stub number, and book/page number. Other information includes assessed value, assessment history, exemptions, current taxes, outstanding taxes, and paid taxes.
2. Register and use the Fairfax County Court Public Access Network portal to confirm the details from the iCare platform. Verify the listed owners and review prior transfers to establish the chain of title.
3. Verify that the property’s deeds are current and check for deeds of trust and liens against the property.
4. Confirm the property’s tax status on the Real Estate Payment platform using the stub number and map number from the iCare portal. The portal will alert you to any outstanding taxes.
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 Land Records Division of the Fairfax County Clerk of the Circuit Court is responsible for the recording of property documents and maintaining the county’s official chain of titles. It records and maintains documents such as warranty deeds, covenant deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, assignments, discharges, tax liens, construction liens, subdivision plats, and surveys.

Department of Tax Administration: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

The Department of Tax Administration values properties within the county’s jurisdiction annually and prepares the assessment roll in February of each year. It analyzes market trends and ensures values are fair across the county. The office maintains the Property Lookup (iCare) portal for providing remote access to the county’s property records.

Department of Tax Administration: Tax Bills and Payments

The Department of Tax Administration’s Revenue Collection Division bills and collects real estate taxes in the county. It collects property taxes in two installments, with payments generally due by July 28 and December 5 each year.

Delinquent taxes accrue penalties and may lead to foreclosure. The DTA does not collect taxes for the three adjoining independent cities (Fairfax, Falls Church, and Alexandria).

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

A Fairfax County property tax bill is determined by dividing the assessed value (fair market value) by 100, then multiplying by the county’s real estate rate. The current real estate rate for Fairfax County is $1.225 per $100 of property assessed value.

Exemptions and relief

Appealing your assessment

If you believe your valuation is incorrect, you may request an informal review by contacting the Fairfax County Tax Administration office. You may request an administrative review of the assessment by April 1.

If you are dissatisfied with the decision, you can escalate to the Fairfax County Board of Equalization (BOE) by June 1. You may then appeal the BOE’s decision at the Fairfax County Circuit Court.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

Fairfax County allows registered users to access parcels graphically through the GIS and Mapping Services platform. You can directly navigate to parcels on the platform. Alternatively, use the statewide Virginia GIS clearinghouse for graphical access to the county’s parcels.

Foreclosure and Tax Sales

Fairfax County, Virginia, has two types of foreclosures, each with its own timeline.

Trustee foreclosure

A property loan in Fairfax County may become delinquent if payment is not made for more than 60 days. Because Virginia uses deeds of trust, a trustee, who is a neutral third party 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 only requires the trustee to file a formal account of the sale with the Fairfax 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, typically until December 31 following the second anniversary of the original due date. The county may then file a delinquent tax suit in the Circuit Court for a tax sale.

After the court orders the sale, the county can sell the property to the highest bidder at a public auction. Note that in Virginia, the county sells the property itself to the highest bidder, and not a tax-lien certificate to investors. The original owner may redeem the property by paying all outstanding taxes and penalties before the sale is confirmed.

Costs to Access Property Records

The following statutory fees typically apply for obtaining copies of records and recording documents in Fairfax County. Confirm the current schedule with the Clerk of the Circuit Court before filing.

How to Record a Document

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

1. Prepare the document in line with state standards. Verify that the font sizes, addresses, original signatures, recording cover sheet, and notary acknowledgment are correct.
2. 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.
3. File the completed documents with the Clerk of the Circuit Court by mail, in person, or through approved e-recording vendors. The Clerk collects the taxes and fees at the time of recording.
4. After recording the document, the Clerk of the Circuit Court updates the county’s property records to reflect the transaction, and the original is returned to the filer.

FAQs

Quick Reference: Your Fairfax County Property Records Checklist

Key Contacts and Official Portals