Recording a deed in Chesterfield County, Virginia
Everything you need to get a deed on file in Chesterfield County. The office that records it, the formatting it checks, what it costs, and the three ways to submit.
- Recording office
- Clerk of the Circuit Court
- Witnesses
- Notary only
- Transfer tax
- $0.25 per $100
- First-page margin
- 3″ top
- Recording fee
- ~$35 per document
- E-recording
- Approved submitters
Recording a deed in Chesterfield County
Deeds affecting property in Chesterfield County, Virginia are recorded with the Clerk of the Circuit Court. Recording is what puts the world on notice of your ownership and fixes the priority date. An unrecorded deed can still transfer title between the parties, but it leaves you exposed to anyone who records first.
The recording rules the office applies come from Va. Code §§ 17.1-223, 17.1-227.1, 17.1-252, 55.1-600 to 55.1-606. Deeds themselves are governed by Va. Code § 55.1-300.
Worth knowing
Chesterfield requires a Virginia Land Record Cover Sheet with every deed filed on paper, the consideration stated on page one of the deed itself, and the 15-digit tax ID number in the upper left corner of page one.
What to bring
- The original signed and notarized deed. Recorders do not record photocopies handed over the counter.
- A completed notarial acknowledgment, with the date, the place where you signed, and the commission expiry all filled in.
- Any transfer tax payment or exemption statement the office asks for.
- A completed Virginia Land Record Cover Sheet (Form CC-1570, or the clerk's own version) on top of the deed (Va. Code § 17.1-227.1).
- Payment for the recording fee, about $35 per document. Many offices do not take personal checks.
Formatting
- Virginia's recording standards for paper documents (17VAC15-61-20 to 17VAC15-61-40, which Va. Code § 55.1-606 applies to deeds): white, unglazed paper from 8½ × 11 to 8½ × 14 inches, at least 20-pound weight, with no watermarks or logos; black print of 9 point or larger, in a font equivalent to a normal Arial or Courier; a top margin of at least 1¼ inches on every page and other margins of at least ¾ inch; one side only; signatures in dark blue or black ink. Virginia sets no 3-inch space on page one; Deedly leaves one for the clerk's stamp.
- Deedly's layout, which suits this office: 8.5 × 11 inch paper, a 3-inch clear space at the top of page one for the recording stamp, 1-inch margins on the other edges, a 1.5-inch top margin on later pages, and type no smaller than 10 point. Deedly formats every document this way automatically.
- A legal description. A street address alone is not enough.
- A 'when recorded, return to' block so the stamped original comes back to you.
How to file
- In personTake the original to the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Chesterfield. This is the fastest route. You usually walk out with the recording information the same day.
- By mailSend the original with a check or money order for the fee and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Allow one to three weeks for the stamped original to come back.
- E-recordingTitle companies, attorneys, and other approved submitters file electronically through services such as Simplifile, CSC, or ePN. Some offices accept filings from the public through those services; check the office's website. If you prepared the deed yourself, in person or by mail is usually simpler.
Confirm the address before you post anything
Offices move and hours change. Search for "Chesterfield County Virginia Clerk of the Circuit Court" and use the official county website, not a directory listing, which is often years out of date.
Formatted to Virginia requirements, with Chesterfield County filing instructions included.
Common questions
With the Clerk of the Circuit Court, located in Chesterfield. Deeds are always recorded in the county where the property sits, not where the owner lives.
Around $35 per document. Virginia also charges recordation tax and grantor's tax at $0.25 per $100 (or part of $100) of the price or the assessed value, whichever is greater, in state recordation tax (§ 58.1-801), plus a local recordation tax of one-third of that where the city or county imposes it (§ 58.1-814); on a sale the grantor also pays a grantor's tax of $0.50 per $500 (§ 58.1-802) and a regional fee of $0.20 per $100 in Northern Virginia or $0.06 per $100 in Hampton Roads (§§ 58.1-802.3 to 58.1-802.5), though gifts and transfers with no payment are exempt if the deed says so and cites the Code section, while a family transfer where money changes hands or a mortgage is assumed is taxed. Confirm current fees with the office before you mail anything; they change.
Usually only through an approved e-recording submitter, such as a title company or attorney, using a service like Simplifile, CSC, or ePN. Some offices accept filings from the public through those services; check the office's website. Otherwise, record in person or by mail.
Keep reading
Deedly is not a law firm
Its software and documents are not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. We provide self-help software and state-specific deed forms; you make your own decisions about your property. Using Deedly does not create an attorney-client relationship, and nothing here is legal advice. If your situation is complex or contested, talk to a licensed attorney in your state.