Search Chesterfield County Property Records
Chesterfield County property records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk, who records all deeds, deeds of trust, plats, liens, and land instruments for the county. The clerk's office is the official source for recorded documents affecting real property in Chesterfield. You can search online through the county's GIS portal or through vacourts.gov for land records. The Department of Real Estate Assessments handles property values and assessment data, which you can look up on the county website. In-person visits to the clerk's office are welcome, and mail requests are also accepted for copies of recorded documents.
Chesterfield County Property Records
Chesterfield County Real Estate Assessments
The Department of Real Estate Assessments handles all property valuations in Chesterfield County. Assessments are released each February, and notices go to every property owner in the county. After the Board of Supervisors sets tax rates, bills are generated and sent out. For most homeowners, bills go directly to mortgage companies.
Real estate taxes are paid in two installments. Due dates are July 28 and December 5 each year. The county also offers a Tax Relief program for seniors and people with disabilities. Exemptions are available for qualifying veterans, first responders and their spouses, diplomats, and tax-exempt entities.
The main online tool for property assessment data is the READ (Real Estate Assessment Data) application. The county assessment portal at Chesterfield Real Estate Assessments links directly to READ and explains how to use it. You can search by address, owner name, or tax map number.
The READ portal also hosts the Chesterfield County ArcGIS property search map, an interactive tool that shows parcel boundaries, assessed values, and property detail cards. It works on mobile devices and includes aerial imagery.
The assessment portal shown above provides links to the READ app and explains the annual assessment cycle, appeal deadlines, and tax relief options available to Chesterfield property owners.
Circuit Court Clerk Land Records
The Chesterfield Circuit Court is part of the 12th Judicial Circuit of Virginia. The Clerk of Court is Hon. Amanda L. Pohl. The office is at 9500 Courthouse Road, 2nd Floor, Chesterfield, VA 23832 (mailing: P.O. Box 125, Chesterfield, VA 23832). Phone: (804) 748-1241. Fax: (804) 796-5625. Hours are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
The Clerk's Office records deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, liens, judgments, and other land records that affect property title in Chesterfield County. If you need to research who owns a property, whether a lien exists, or what a parcel last sold for, this is the primary source. Records go back to when the county was formed.
Certified copies of recorded documents are available for a fee set by state statute. You can research records in person during business hours. The clerk's office also handles marriage licenses, probate matters, civil and criminal court records, and notary commissions.
The Chesterfield Circuit Court official page has contact details, fee schedules, and information on submitting documents for recording.
The Circuit Court Clerk's page above provides contact information, hours, and guidance on recording land documents and researching title history for Chesterfield County properties.
ArcGIS Property Search Map
Chesterfield County provides the READ application as a free, public-facing ArcGIS tool. It lets you search any parcel in the county and view assessed land value, improvement value, total assessed value, acreage, square footage, year built, and property class. You can also measure distances and areas directly on the map.
The Chesterfield READ ArcGIS application is not a legal survey or recorded map. It is provided for informational use. If you need an official legal description, you will need to get it from a recorded deed or survey at the Clerk's Office.
The interactive ArcGIS search map shown above allows you to zoom to any parcel in Chesterfield County, view assessment details, and switch between base map options including aerial imagery.
The tool includes map bookmarks for major commercial corridors and residential areas, which makes it faster to navigate to parts of the county you are researching. The mobile-responsive design means it works on phones and tablets too.
Assessment Appeals in Chesterfield County
Property owners who disagree with their assessed value can file an appeal through the county's online appeal system. Specific deadlines are published each year after assessment notices are mailed in February. You need to act within that window or the assessment stands for the year.
The Department of Real Estate Assessments is responsible for fair and equitable valuation of all real property in Chesterfield County, in line with the Code of Virginia. Special assessment programs are also offered, including land use taxation for agricultural, horticultural, forestal, and open space properties that meet specific acreage and use requirements.
If your property qualifies for land use taxation, you may pay taxes based on use value rather than full market value, which can significantly reduce your tax bill. Contact the Department of Real Estate Assessments for eligibility details and application deadlines.
FOIA Requests for Property Records
Chesterfield County provides a Public Records Request Portal for Freedom of Information Act requests. The portal is at chesterfieldcountyva.govqa.us. You can submit requests, track them, download records, and browse frequently asked questions.
The Chesterfield FOIA portal lets you reach different offices depending on which records you need. For Circuit Court Clerk records, contact circuitcourtclerk@chesterfield.gov. For the Commissioner of the Revenue, use COR@chesterfield.gov. The county's main FOIA officer is Crystal Dabney at FOIA@chesterfield.gov, phone (804) 748-1211.
The county must respond to FOIA requests within five working days. Extensions of up to seven additional working days are possible for large or complex requests. Requesters can ask for a cost estimate before the county starts processing.
Under Virginia Code Title 2.2, Chapter 37, all public records are presumed open. They can only be withheld if a specific statutory exemption applies. A public record includes any writing, electronic file, audio or video recording, or other format that a public body created or holds in the course of public business.
Property Tax Rates and Governing Law
Tax rates in Chesterfield County are set by the Board of Supervisors each year after the Department of Real Estate Assessments finalizes values. Property records in Virginia are governed under Title 55.1 of the Code of Virginia, which covers conveyances, deeds, and recording requirements. The recording statutes under Code of Virginia Section 55.1-600 set out how deeds and other instruments must be recorded to provide constructive notice of ownership.
When a deed or other instrument is recorded with the Circuit Court Clerk, it becomes part of the public land record. Any person can search that record. Title companies, attorneys, and buyers routinely check these records before a sale closes.
Chesterfield County's size and active real estate market mean the Clerk's Office processes a high volume of recordings each year. If you plan to research older records, the office can guide you on where historical documents are stored and how to access them during business hours.