Find Property Records in Petersburg

Petersburg property records are split between two offices: the City Assessor handles real estate valuations and biennial reassessments, and the Circuit Court Clerk at 7 Courthouse Avenue records deeds, plats, and other instruments. Petersburg is an independent Virginia city with its own circuit court, separate from Dinwiddie or Prince George counties. The clerk records deeds, deeds of trust, plats, liens, and other land instruments for real estate inside city limits. Records are public. You can search online through the Virginia courts land records system, visit the clerk in person, or send a mail request for copies of recorded documents.

Petersburg City Assessor

The City Assessor is appointed by and reports directly to the Petersburg City Council. As the council's primary adviser on state and local appraisal laws, the assessor directs a comprehensive assessment program for the city. The assessor's office fairly and equitably assesses real estate in Petersburg on a biennial cycle, in accordance with the Constitution of Virginia, the Code of Virginia, and the Petersburg City Code.

Activities of the City Assessor's Office include the biennial reassessment program, maintaining accurate property information, processing new construction and demolitions, and administering special tax programs such as rehabilitation exemptions, land use programs, and damage assessments. The office also processes informal "office appeals" and provides administrative support to the Board of Equalization.

If you have questions about your real estate assessment or believe you have been billed incorrectly, contact the City Assessor's Office at 804-733-2333. For billing and collection questions on current or delinquent balances, call the Billing and Collections Department at 804-733-2346. These are separate offices with separate functions.

Petersburg Circuit Court Land Records

The Petersburg Circuit Court is part of the 11th Judicial Circuit of Virginia. The clerk of court is Hon. Maytee Romero de Parham. The clerk's office is located at 7 Courthouse Avenue, Petersburg, VA 23803 and is open 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM on weekdays. Phone: (804) 733-2367. Fax: (804) 490-7955.

All deeds, deeds of trust, plats, judgments, and financing statements affecting real property in Petersburg must be recorded with the Circuit Court Clerk. Recording establishes constructive notice and protects ownership rights under Title 55.1 of the Virginia Code. Staff can search records by grantor or grantee name, parcel ID, or instrument number. Copies cost 50 cents per page, with an additional fee for certified copies.

For copies of deeds or plats and to inquire about surveys, contact the Clerk of Circuit Court. The GIS department handles mapping questions separately. Land records are available through the Virginia courts platform at vacourts.gov. Subscribers can access document images through the Secure Remote Access system.

Petersburg GIS Parcel Viewer

Petersburg provides a GIS parcel viewer at parcelviewer.geodecisions.com/Petersburg. This tool requires a login to access property and mapping data. The GIS data is copyright of the City of Petersburg, and title to the information remains with the city.

The information on the parcel viewer is derived from public records that are constantly undergoing change. This information does not replace a site survey and is not warranted for content or accuracy. The city does not guarantee the positional or thematic accuracy of the GIS data, and the data is not a legal representation of any depicted features.

For general GIS questions, contact the city's GIS department at GISInfo@petersburg-va.org. The GIS department also has a general property information page at petersburgva.gov/912/Property-InformationGIS. For property tax questions, contact the Treasurer or Collections department. For deed and plat copies, go to the Circuit Court Clerk.

Petersburg Treasurer and Tax Payments

The City Treasurer handles tax collection for Petersburg. The Treasurer's mission is to ensure fiscal integrity and provide exceptional customer service through excellence in treasury management. The office serves as the banker for city government, the chief investment officer for city funds, and the contract administrator for banking services.

For questions about tax payments, contact the Treasurer at (804) 733-2322. For personal property billing issues, contact the Commissioner of Revenue at 804-733-2315. For real estate billing questions, use the City Assessor at 804-733-2333. For delinquent balances and DMV stops, call the Billing and Collections Department at 804-733-2346.

Under Virginia Code § 58.1-3965, real estate taxes that are more than one year delinquent may be subject to a bill in equity for sale. If you receive notice of a tax sale, contact the Treasurer's Office promptly. The Treasurer's page at petersburgva.gov/296/Treasurer has contact details and links to payment options.

Petersburg Property Records: Key Contacts

Finding the right office matters. Petersburg has separate offices for each function related to property records. Here is a quick guide to who handles what.

The City Assessor at 804-733-2333 handles real estate valuations, biennial reassessments, exemptions, and assessment appeals. The Circuit Court Clerk at (804) 733-2367 records deeds, plats, and land instruments, and keeps the official land record books. The Treasurer at (804) 733-2322 collects tax payments and handles delinquency questions. The GIS department at GISInfo@petersburg-va.org can answer mapping questions. The Commissioner of Revenue at 804-733-2315 handles personal property tax assessments.

All of these offices are public and accessible to anyone who needs to research property in the city. Virginia law requires that land records held by the clerk be open to public inspection during regular office hours. The assessor's property data is also a public record. You do not need to hire a title company or attorney to search basic property records, though these professionals can be helpful for complex research.

Statute § 55.1-600 sets out how instruments must be recorded and what effect recording has. Under Title 55.1 of the Virginia Code, a properly recorded deed protects a buyer's rights against later claims by other parties. Any deed that is not recorded may be void against a subsequent purchaser for value who records first.