Recording a deed in Virginia Beach County, Virginia
Everything you need to get a deed on file in Virginia Beach 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
- State recordation tax $0.25 per $100 of value
- First-page margin
- 3″ top
- Recording fee
- ~$33 first page
- E-recording
- Generally available
Recording a deed in Virginia Beach County
Deeds affecting property in Virginia Beach 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.
Worth knowing
Virginia Beach is an independent city with its own Circuit Court Clerk.
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, county, and commission expiry all filled in.
- Any transfer tax declaration your state or municipality requires.
- Payment for the recording fee, about $33 for the first page. Many offices do not take personal checks.
Formatting the office will check
- 8.5 × 11 inch paper, printed on one side.
- A 3-inch blank margin at the top of page one for the recording stamp.
- 1-inch margins on the other edges and on later pages.
- Type no smaller than 10 point, in black ink that will scan cleanly.
- 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 Virginia Beach. 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-recordingSubmit through a service such as Simplifile, CSC, or ePN. Usually same-day, with a small submitter fee on top of the recording fee. You keep the paper original.
Confirm the address before you post anything
Offices move and hours change. Search for "Virginia Beach 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Virginia Clerk of the Circuit Court" and use the official county website, not a directory listing, which is often years out of date.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 Virginia Beach County filing instructions included.
Common questions
With the Clerk of the Circuit Court, located in Virginia Beach. Deeds are always recorded in the county where the property sits, not where the owner lives.
Around $33 for the first page. Virginia also charges recordation tax and grantor's tax at State recordation tax $0.25 per $100 of value, plus a grantor's tax of $0.50 per $500, plus local recordation tax of one-third of the state amount, though family transfers and gifts are often exempt. Confirm current fees with the office. They are set locally and change.
Usually yes, through an e-recording service such as Simplifile, CSC, or ePN. You submit a scan, the office records it electronically, and you keep the paper original. It is normally same-day.
Keep reading
Deedly is not a law firm
We provide self-help software and state-specific statutory 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.