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

When researching real estate in Virginia Beach, you will find property information spread across three public offices. These are the Clerk of the Circuit Court, the Real Estate Assessor, and the Treasurer. These offices maintain records covering more than 163,000 parcels throughout the city. The Virginia Beach housing market benefits from a strong military presence, jobs, beaches, and local services. Listed homes typically spend about 23 days on the market before selling.

Virginia Beach is an independent city, which means it is not part of a county. The city therefore manages its own property records and real estate administration. Most of the properties here are single-family homes, with well-established communities in places like Kempsville, Landstown, Salem, Princess Anne, and the Courthouse area.

Recent records reveal the underlying factors influencing the local real estate market, with a median home value of $370,800 and a median rent of $1,564, alongside a median household income of $86,756 and a median real estate tax rate of 0.82 as a percentage of the property's assessed value.

How to Look Up Virginia Beach City Property Records

To look up a property in the City of Virginia Beach, you need to visit different online databases depending on what you want to find. The Virginia Beach Property Search shows who owns a home, its assessed value, and parcel details. The Circuit Court Land Records hold legal documents like deeds and land maps. Searching names is free, but printing or viewing document images requires a fee.

The Treasurer’s portal allows you to look up current real estate tax bills, check for late fees, and pay taxes online. You can search by address or Parcel Number.

Who Keeps Virginia Beach City Property Records?

In Virginia Beach, anyone can access property records under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. These files are kept by the following offices:

• The Clerk of the Circuit Court records deeds, deeds of trust, liens, plats, and easements. It acts as the official library for a property’s history.

• The Real Estate Assessor determines the fair value of every piece of land and house in the city to help decide tax amounts.

• The City Treasurer mails out the actual real estate tax bills and collects your payments. It also handles late fees.

How to Search Virginia Beach City Property Records Online

To do a full search of a property online, you usually need to check a few different city websites in this order.

1. Start at the city’s online Property Search. Type in the address to find its unique Parcel Number. This page also shows the current homeowner and the home's estimated value.
2. Take the owner's name to the Circuit Court Land Records. Virginia property records are indexed by the names of the grantor and grantee. Searching these names through earlier transactions may help you trace the property's ownership history.
3. Use the same name search to uncover deeds of trust, liens, easements, and deed restrictions. These documents may affect the property’s title and how it is used.
4. Finish your search at the Treasurer to confirm the tax status. Make sure the current owner does not owe any taxes, because unpaid bills stay stuck to the property until they are paid.

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

The Clerk of the Circuit Court records real estate documents filed with the court. These records include deeds, deeds of trust, plats, easements, and other property documents. The Clerk's Office provides an online land records search for people who need to do more detailed research. Virginia Beach has land records from the period after the city was created in 1963. The records also include older documents from Princess Anne City.

Real Estate Assessor: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

The Real Estate Assessor is the official who determines the value of every house and piece of land in Virginia Beach. Virginia state law requires real estate to be assessed at 100% of its actual market price. Virginia Beach updates these home values every year in January.

You can use the city's free online Property Search Portal to find out:

• The property's official Parcel Number and its legal description

• Assessed land value and how much the actual building is worth

• Facts about the house, like its square footage

• If the owner has a special tax discount for being a senior citizen or a military veteran

Treasurer: Tax Bills and Payments

The City Treasurer bills and collects real estate taxes. Every year, the City Council votes on the tax rate. The current real estate tax rate in Virginia Beach is $0.97 per $100 of assessed value. Real estate tax bills are due semiannually on June 5 and December 5. Late payments may result in additional fees and interest.

When property taxes remain unpaid for an extended period, the city may take legal steps to collect the debt. The city may sell the property at a public auction.

Property Tax in Virginia Beach City: Rates, Exemptions, and Appeals

Every year, the City of Virginia Beach figures out what your house or land is worth. They call this number your assessed value. The city requires properties to be assessed at 100% of their actual value, rather than a fraction, as in some other states. The current property tax rate is $0.97 for every $100 of assessed value.

Exemptions and relief

Appealing your assessment

Property owners who dispute their annual valuations can initiate an administrative review through the Real Estate Assessor's Office. To challenge an assessment, the property owner may submit evidence that the property has been overvalued. This may include recent sale prices for similar properties. If the Assessor upholds the original assessment, the owner may appeal to the local Board of Equalization for a formal hearing. Resolving an ongoing dispute beyond this board requires filing a civil petition against the city in the Virginia Beach Circuit Court.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

Virginia Beach City has a Map Center where users may view property maps and other local geographic information. The city provides several GIS tools, including property maps and a Historical Aerial Viewer for aerial images from different years. Zoning and other map layers are also available through its GIS resources. For information that covers areas outside the city, turn to the Virginia GIS clearinghouse.

Foreclosure and Tax Sales

Financially distressed properties in Virginia Beach may generally end up in one of two types of forced sale, depending on whether the debt involves a mortgage or unpaid property taxes.

Trustee foreclosure

Mortgage defaults are often handled through nonjudicial trustee foreclosures. Virginia commonly uses deeds of trust, which may allow a trustee to sell the property without first obtaining a court order. The trustee must follow the terms of the deed of trust and the notice and sale requirements under Virginia Code Title 55.1.

Judicial tax sale

When a homeowner does not pay their city property taxes for a long time, Virginia Beach can take them to court. Under Va. Code § 58.1-3965, the city asks a judge for permission to sell the house or land at a public auction to recover the taxes owed.

Costs to Access Property Records

Searching basic online indexes and property assessment lookups are completely free. Fees apply when you need a certified copy or are recording a new document with the Clerk.

Virginia law sets the recordation tax under Va. Code 58.1-801 and the grantor's tax under Va. Code 58.1-802. Before filing, check with the Circuit Court Clerk for the current rates and fees.

How to Record a Document

Transferring a real estate interest in Virginia Beach requires taking the following steps:

1. Confirm the document meets Virginia format rules. It must have original signatures, a notary stamp, a legal land description, a compliant cover sheet, and correct margins.
2. Calculate taxes and fees. A sale involves the state recordation tax plus a local fraction of that tax, and the grantor's tax paid by the seller, along with Clerk's filing fees.
3. Deliver the paperwork to the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 2425 Nimmo Parkway, Building 10B, Virginia Beach, by mail, or through an authorized e-recording vendor.
4. After the Clerk records the document, the Clerk returns the original to the person who filed it. The recorded document is then added to the public online database.

FAQs

Quick Reference: Your Virginia Beach City Property Records Checklist

Use the checklist below to find the right office or record for your needs.

Key Contacts and Official Portals