The Circuit Court Clerk must record all documents presented for recordation which meet Virginia law in terms of their execution and recordability in the Deed Book. Even if a document is suspected to be fraudulent, the Clerk has no statutory authority to reject it if it meets the recordation requirements set forth under Virginia law.
In addition to free access to the Clerk’s land records index, where residents are able to view a listing of documents recorded (searchable by name) at any time and without any registration necessary, the Clerk provides an additional tool, the Property Notification Service, by which residents can proactively monitor the status of Deed Book recordings to prevent possible fraud relating to real estate. This optional free service will allow registrants to be notified by email when documents are recorded under name(s) they register so that they can confirm that such documents are valid.
If a questionable document is identified, you can visit the Clerk’s Record Room to view the document or you may contact the Record Room by phone to purchase copies if desired. By law, copies are $.50 per page. The public Record Room is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, and is located on the ground floor of the main Courts Building. Record Room staff can be reached directly at 804-717-6517 during public service hours. Clerk’s Office staff are unable to provide legal advice when/if property fraud is suspected. In such cases, residents are encouraged to contact a real estate attorney and/or law enforcement for assistance. View the land records page.