Crime Numbers
The Virginia State Police collates and publishes annual data of all reported crimes recorded within the state limits. These compilations contain information relating to crime trends and the frequency of arrests in all counties in the state. According to the 2018 report, Hanover County recorded 3 murders, 134 aggravated assaults, 19 rapes, and 15 robberies. In the same year, there were 1,013 larceny-thefts, 62 burglaries, 43 motor vehicle thefts, and 4 arsons.
Compared to the county’s 2014 crime figures, 2018 marked declining aggravated assault (32.7%), burglary (36.1%), motor vehicle theft (12.2%), and arson (55.6%) rates. Hanover County’s five-year crime trend also shows rising murder (50%), rape (137.5%), robbery (15.4%), and larceny (17.4%) rates.
Criminal Records
The Virginia State Police is responsible for processing criminal history record requests for Hanover County and all other counties in the state. The office provides two methods for requesting these records: name-based and fingerprint-based searches. A name-based search returns an individual’s conviction data only. Fingerprint-based search also features the individual’s arrest and charge data. While name-based searches are available to the public, fingerprint-based searches are limited to entitled agencies such as public school boards and domestic adoption agencies.
To request for a name-based search, start by printing and completing the Criminal History Records Check Form (SP-167). The requesting party, as well as the subject of the criminal history check, must sign this form before a public notary. Persons requesting their own records have the benefit of notarizing their forms online via a remote online electronic notarization tool known as NotaryCam. Drop off this form in person or mail it to the following addresses:
Physical Address
Virginia State Police
7700 Midlothian Turnpike
North Chesterfield, VA 23235
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 27472
Richmond, VA 23261
The Virginia State Police charges $15 for each name-based conviction search. Pay this fee by money order, check, or credit/debit card made payable to the Virginia State Police. Note that credit/debit cards may incur additional processing charges.
The Records Unit of the Hanover County Sheriff's Office provides public access to different police reports. These records include incident and accident reports as well as local criminal records checks. Persons requiring copies of these records must request them in person from the Records Unit located at:
Vaughn Bradley Building
7522 County Complex Road
Hanover, VA 23069
(804) 365-6110
Make sure to visit the office with details needed to identify the records of interest. Such details include names of persons in the record, event type, and location the event occurred. The Records Unit charges a standard fee of $6 for each record requested. However, accident and incident reports are available to victims at no fee.
The Hanover County Sheriff's Office provides online access to its crime data. Click on the crime mapping site available on the office’s website to view incidents occurring in the past 365 days. Users can search available data by incident date, incident type, or incident location.
Through its website, the Sheriff's Office manages another online public service tool known as Community Roll Call. Use this link to view the most recent reported cases around blocks and streets in Hanover County.
The Virginia State Police maintains a statewide sex offender registry as an online public service tool. This database contains mugshots and personal information of registered sex offenders in the state. Search the Sex Offender Registry by the offender’s name. Members of the public can improve their search results by searching the registry by address, zip code, county, city, or school. To view every registered sex offender living in Hanover County, choose Hanover CO from the drop-down list of Virginia counties and cities.
The Hanover County government maintains and oversees the operations of the county’s regional jail located at:
Pamunkey Regional Jail
7240 Courtland Farm Road
Hanover, VA 23069
Phone: (804) 365-6400
Fax: (804) 537-6418
The Pamunkey Regional Jail is the only incarceration center located in the county. Contrary to popular assumptions, this facility is not a division of, or managed by, the Sheriff’s Office. The administrative arm of the facility maintains a public inmate listing database known as Jail Tracker. View the database to find inmates booked into the county’s jail.
Friends and family can also deposit money into an inmate’s commissary account. To do this, visit the kiosk located at the jail lobby and then make the desired payment. There is no limit on the amount of money that can be placed into an inmate’s account. Acceptable payment methods include cash, credit cards, and debit cards. Be aware that the kiosk staff charges a service fee for each transaction.
Court Records
Hanover County court structure consists of one circuit court and one district court. The Hanover County circuit court is the trial court of general jurisdiction which handles major civil cases, criminal cases, and appeals from the district court. The district court is divided into general district court and juvenile and domestic relations district court. They generally exercise overlapping jurisdiction with the circuit court over certain civil cases. The general district court also has limited authority over small claims civil cases. Below are the addresses and contact phone numbers of Hanover County Courts:
Hanover Circuit Court
P. O. Box 39
7530 County Complex Road
Hanover, VA 23069-0039
Phone: (804) 365-6151
Fax: (804) 365-6278 (Civil)
Fax: (804) 365-7148 (Criminal)
Hanover General District Court
P. O. Box 176
District Courts Building
7530 County Complex Rd 1st Floor
Hanover, VA 23069-0176
Phone: (804) 365-6191 (Traffic/Criminal)
Phone: (804) 365-6457 (Civil)
Fax: (804) 365-6290 (Traffic/Criminal)
Fax: (804) 365-6436
Hanover Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court
P. O. Box 86
7530 County Complex Road
Hanover, VA 23069-0086
Phone: (804) 365-6200
Fax: (804) 365-6246
The Hanover circuit and district courts are both courts of records. To obtain copies of circuit court records, submit a request in person or by mail. Before visiting the records desk in person, get ready by preparing the names of the plaintiff and defendant, case type, and case number. Then bring these as well as copying fees to the courthouse location anytime from Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Requesters are required to cover copy fees. The Hanover Circuit Court charges 50 cents for each plain page and $2 for each certified copy. Acceptable payment methods include cash, check, money order, and credit/debit card. Note that card payments incur an additional $2 convenience fee.
To make a record request by mail, write an application containing specific details about the record in consideration. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check or money order of applicable fees. The applicable copy fees are the same for both in-person and mail-in requests. Make out the payment to Hanover Circuit Court Clerk. Send these to:
Hanover County Circuit Court Clerk's Office
Attention: Copies
P.O. Box 39
Hanover, VA 23069
Virginia’s Judicial System provides a unified online case search portal on its website. Click on the case information and then select Hanover Circuit Court from the drop-down list of counties to view cases filed after January 2006. Requesters can search this portal by name, case number, or case hearing date.
Vital Records
Individuals that finalized their divorces at Hanover County circuit court can obtain their divorce certificates from the Vital Records Division of the Virginia Department of Health. Divorce decrees are available from the Hanover circuit court clerk. Request for divorce certificates from the Vital Records Office in person or by mail. To order a divorce certificate in person, gather the following information:
- Names of the persons involved
- Date and place of divorce
- Requester’s relationship to a person named on the record
- Reason for requesting the divorce certificate
- Area code and time phone number
After preparing the above information, visit the office at the following address:
Office of Vital Records
2001 Maywill Street
Richmond, VA 23230
Note that all requests for divorce certificates must be accompanied by record fees and valid government-issued ID. The Virginia Vital Records Office charges $12 for each copy of a divorce certificate. Pay the fee with cash, check or money order.
Alternatively, submit a divorce certificate request to the Vital Records Office by mail. Begin this process by preparing a written request detailing all relevant information. To ease the request process, complete any of the two Application for Certification of a Marriage and/or Divorce Record forms provided on the State Department of Health’s website. They include:
- An application form in pdf format that requesters can print and complete manually (also available in Spanish )
- A Fill-in Online Form that requesters can complete online before printing out for submission.
Send the written request or preferred application form along with a clear photocopy of a valid government-issued ID and appropriate fees to:
Office of Vital Records
P. O. Box 1000
Richmond, VA 23218-1000
The Office of Vital Records charges the same fee for both in-person and mail-in requests. Attach a check or money order made payable to the State Department of Health.
Marriage records in Hanover County include marriage licenses and marriage certificates. Marriage certificates can be obtained in the same way as divorce certificates from the Vital Records Division of the Department of Health. Follow the instructions described in the divorce records section to obtain copies of marriage certificates in person or by mail from the office.
The Hanover County Circuit Court handles all marriage license requests for the county. Applicants must visit the office together with their prospective spouses to obtain marriage licenses. Provide the required information by printing and completing the Marriage License Applicant Information Form. Bring the form along with a government-issued ID and license fees to:
Circuit Court Clerk's Office
Second Floor
Hanover Courthouse
7530 County Complex Road
Hanover, VA 23069
Each Hanover County marriage license costs $30. These copies can be received the same day in person or by mail at a later date. Cash payments are only available for those requesting the records in person. Payment by credit cards attracts an additional $2 processing fee.
Order Hanover County birth records from the Virginia Department of Health by visiting the office in person or by mail. Start by sending a written request or completing the Application for Certification of Birth Record. This form is also available in Spanish. Alternatively, use the Start Online Application Form provided on the Virginia Department of Health website. Also, attach a valid ID (to prove the requester is the individual named on the record) if the birth record of interest was recorded within 100 years from the date it was requested. Then, deliver the form and documents in person or by mail at the following addresses:
Physical address
Office of Vital Records
2001 Maywill Street
Richmond, VA 23230
Mail address
Office of Vital Records
P. O. Box 1000
Richmond, VA 23218-1000
Make sure to enclose a fee of $12 for each birth certificate requested. Acceptable payment methods include cash, check, and money order made payable to the State Department of Health. It is important to note that cash payments are limited to only physical visitors.
The Vital Records Office of the Virginia Department of Health accepts in-person or mail-in requests for death certificates. Write a request or complete the Application for Certification of a Death Record Form (Also available in Spanish ). Bring it or mail it to the addresses listed in the birth records section above. Note that each death certificate attracts a fee of $12. Pay the applicable fees by check or money order made payable to the State Department of Health. Note that a government-issued ID must be provided if the death record of interest had not lasted for 25 years from the date it was filed.
