Goochland County Property Records

Goochland County property records are officially kept by the Circuit Court Clerk in Goochland, Virginia. The clerk records deeds, deeds of trust, plats, liens, and other land instruments for all real property in the county. You can search parcel data online through the county GIS Parcel Viewer or look up ownership and tax information through the county website. In-person access is available at the courthouse on Sandy Hook Road. Mail requests are also accepted for copies of recorded documents. The Assessor's Office handles property assessments separately. This page covers the main tools and offices you need to find Goochland County property records.

Goochland County Parcel Viewer GIS

The Goochland County Parcel Viewer is an online GIS tool that lets you search for properties by tax map number, address, or account number. The parcel viewer also shows survey monuments, voting precincts, soil data, FEMA floodplains, cemeteries, and roads. This makes it a useful tool for more than just basic ownership lookups.

Access to the full Parcel Viewer requires a user account and login credentials. Contact Goochland County to obtain credentials if you need access to the detailed online GIS system. The county also provides a Historic Map Viewer that lets users overlay the current digital mapping system with historic maps from 1820, 1863, 1880, 1919, and 1932, when county roads were taken over by the Virginia Department of Highways.

Assessor Records: Goochland County Assessor Office, 1800 Sandy Hook Road, Goochland, VA 23063, Phone (804) 556-5853, Fax (804) 556-2675. This is the office that handles real estate valuation and assessment questions for the county.

Goochland County Tax Payments Online

The Goochland County Treasurer offers online tax inquiry and payment services. You can review your Goochland County tax ticket information from your home or office using the county's e-Treasurer Services. The system covers personal property taxes, real estate taxes, and utility payments.

To pay online by credit card, use Official Payments at www.officialpayments.com or call 1-888-272-9829 toll free. You must have your account number and the amount due available. Use Jurisdiction Code 1031 for Goochland County payments. Note that a convenience fee applies to credit card payments.

Other ways to pay Goochland County property taxes include visiting the Treasurer's office Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Treasurer's office is located at the county administration building on Route 522. You can also use the Treasurer's Secure Drop Box on the Route 522 side of the administration building near the entrance to the Voter Registrar's office. Mail payments to: Goochland County Treasurer, Goochland Treasurer's Office, P.O. Box 188, Goochland, VA 23063.

Goochland County Property Transfer Notifications

Goochland County offers a Monthly Property Transfer Notification service to help protect property owners from deed fraud. This program was developed by Amanda Adams, Clerk of the Circuit Court, and the Circuit Court Clerk's office. It gives property owners the ability to view any action taken against their property in the county land records.

Deed fraud is a real concern in Virginia and across the country. Criminals sometimes record fake deeds to transfer ownership of property they do not own. By signing up for property transfer notifications, you can receive alerts when any deed or instrument is recorded that affects your property in Goochland County.

The county homepage also posts current assessment notices. Goochland County residents and property owners should check this page when reassessment notices are mailed, as they advise of any changes in value for the upcoming tax season. Contact the Assessor's office at (804) 556-5853 with assessment questions.

Goochland County Circuit Court Land Records

The Goochland County Circuit Court Clerk records deeds, plats, deeds of trust, mortgages, and other instruments that affect real property in the county. These recorded documents are the legal basis for title and ownership. The assessor and Commissioner of Revenue use recorded deeds to update ownership in the tax records.

Under Title 55.1 of the Code of Virginia, recording a deed in the proper jurisdiction is essential to protect your ownership against later competing claims. A deed that is not recorded does not give notice to others. If someone else records a conflicting claim first, your unrecorded deed may not protect you.

To search Goochland County land records, visit the Circuit Court Clerk's office at the courthouse. GIS mapping data can also be searched by tax map number, address, or account number through the Parcel Viewer. For deed book and page references, the clerk's office is the right resource.

The Virginia Courts website provides contact information and hours for the Goochland County Circuit Court Clerk. Some Virginia counties offer online land record access through the Secure Remote Access program. Ask the Goochland clerk whether SRA is available for the records you need.

Goochland County Property Records Research Tips

When researching property in Goochland County, start with the Parcel Viewer GIS. Even if you need login credentials for the full system, the county's online resources can give you a tax map number, parcel ID, or account number that makes the rest of your research faster.

The GIS also shows FEMA floodplain boundaries, which is important if you are buying or financing property. Flood zone designation affects insurance costs and what you can build on a parcel. The floodplain data in the GIS is a good starting point, but always verify with an official FEMA flood map for legal and financial purposes.

For title research, you need to go back through the chain of deed records at the Circuit Court Clerk. A title search typically covers at least 40 to 60 years of ownership history. Real estate attorneys and title companies in Goochland County do this work professionally if you need a full title opinion.

Under § 55.1-600 of the Code of Virginia, any person may inspect land records held by the Circuit Court Clerk. The records are public. Fees for copies are set by state law. If you need a certified copy of a recorded document, the clerk can provide that with an official seal for a fee.