Clarke County Property Records

Clarke County property records are held by the Circuit Court Clerk in Berryville, Virginia, the official keeper of all deeds, deeds of trust, plats, liens, and land instruments recorded in the county. These records are public and can be searched several ways. Use the statewide vacourts.gov system to look up land records online, check the county's assessment database for parcel values and ownership data, or visit the clerk's office in person. Mail requests are accepted too. The Commissioner of the Revenue maintains assessment records separately. Most searches can start online before you ever set foot in the courthouse.

Clarke County Online Assessment Database

The official assessment search tool for Clarke County is powered by ConciseCAMA from Concise Systems, LLC. The Clarke County assessment database is available to the public at no charge and covers all properties in the county. You can look up parcels by owner name, property address, or tax map parcel identifier.

Search results show land value, improvement value, total assessed value, and property characteristics for each parcel. The system also includes interactive mapping so you can locate parcels on a map within Clarke County.

The ConciseCAMA portal shown above reflects the final assessed values from the 2024 general reassessment, which became effective January 1, 2025. Data is updated after each reassessment cycle and may not show mid-year changes until the next update.

The search system uses cascading dropdown menus and supports multiple criteria including map insert, map block, and lot and sub-lot numbers. If you have questions about data in the system, contact the Clarke County Commissioner of the Revenue at (540) 955-5108.

Commissioner of the Revenue

The Commissioner of the Revenue is Clarke County's constitutional officer for property assessment. The office is at the Berryville-Clarke County Government Center, 101 Chalmers Ct., Suite B, Berryville, VA 22611. Phone: 540-955-5100. Email: info@clarkecounty.gov.

This office assesses all real estate, personal property, business equipment, and machinery and tools in Clarke County. The 2025 tax rates are: Real Estate at $0.451 per $100 of assessed value, Personal Property at $4.496 per $100, and Machinery and Tools at $2.00 per $100.

Key dates for property owners include February 15 for business and farm personal property returns, April 1 for tax relief applications for elderly and disabled residents, and June 5 and December 5 for real estate and personal property tax payments.

Mobile homes are assessed as personal property but taxed at the real estate rate of $0.451 per $100. Land Use Applications are due November 1 each year, with December 31 as the final day to file for land use taxation on qualifying agricultural, horticultural, forestal, and open space properties.

General Reassessment Process

Virginia law requires counties to conduct general reassessments of real estate on a periodic basis. Clarke County hired Wampler-Eanes to complete the most recent reassessment, with that firm visiting each property and providing updated values. The 2024 reassessment became effective January 1, 2025.

Wampler-Eanes has handled numerous reassessments for Virginia localities over several decades. The process involves physical inspection of properties, analysis of recent sales data, and application of mass appraisal techniques.

Property owners who disagree with their reassessed value can appeal to the Board of Equalization during the designated appeal period after notices are mailed. The goal of each reassessment is to keep assessed values in line with fair market value across the county.

Additional information about the reassessment process, including published documents, is available through the county website. The online assessment database at clarke.cama.concisesystems.com reflects these final values.

Circuit Court Clerk Land Records

Clarke Circuit Court is part of the 26th Judicial Circuit of Virginia. The Clerk of Court is Hon. April Wilkerson. The office is in Berryville, Virginia, and is open 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Phone: (540) 955-5116. Fax: (540) 955-0284.

The Circuit Court Clerk records all deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, liens, judgments, and other instruments that affect real property title in Clarke County. This is where you go to research who owns a parcel, what liens are outstanding, or when a property last changed hands.

The Clarke Circuit Court official page has contact details and information on researching and recording land documents. Certified copies of recorded documents are available for a statutory fee set by the Virginia General Assembly.

The clerk's office maintains land records going back to when Clarke County was formed. These historical records are a core resource for title research and genealogical work. In addition to land records, the clerk handles marriage licenses, probate of wills, civil and criminal court records, and notary commissions.

All property records in Virginia are governed by Title 55.1 of the Code of Virginia. The recording requirements at Code of Virginia Section 55.1-600 explain how deeds and instruments must be recorded to give notice of ownership and protect against competing claims.

Clarke County Treasurer and Tax Payments

The Treasurer's Office collects real estate and personal property taxes for Clarke County. Tax bills come due in two installments on June 5 and December 5. You can pay in person at the Berryville-Clarke County Government Center, by mail, or through online payment systems linked from the county website.

Property owners who fail to receive a bill are still responsible for paying on time. Not getting a bill does not remove the penalty for late payment. Delinquent taxes are subject to penalties and interest under the Code of Virginia, and the Treasurer's Office can initiate collection actions including tax liens and sales.

The office also handles tax relief programs for elderly and disabled residents. Business license fees and other county revenues are collected here as well. Contact information and office hours are available on the county website.

FOIA Requests for Clarke County Records

Clarke County accepts FOIA requests through its online portal, by mail, fax, email, in person, or by phone. The FOIA officer processes requests for records held by county departments, including the Commissioner of the Revenue and Treasurer's Office.

Under Virginia law, all public records are presumed open and may only be withheld if a specific statutory exemption applies. Requests must identify the records sought with reasonable specificity. The county must respond within five working days, with possible extensions for large or complex requests. Copy fees are generally limited to the actual cost of duplication, and requesters can ask for a cost estimate in advance.