Prince William County Property Search
Land records, deeds, plats, liens, mortgages, and all other documents relating to real estate and instruments make up property records in Prince William County, Virginia. These documents usually include details about a property's ownership, address, dimensions as well as market, and tax value. Residents and property owners in the County file vital information about properties at the Clerk's office thereby generating Property records.
A property search in Prince William County is an essential step for persons seeking to civil suits, resolve land ownership conflicts, estimate property value, for investigative purposes, and trace the ancestry of a property.
The Prince William County Clerk of Circuit Court is the custodian of land records and property information and has the responsibility of making all related Prince William County Public Records available to members of the public for review and duplication on request.
Is Prince William County Property Records Public?
Yes. Chapter 37, Section 2.2-3704 of the Code of Virginia states that all public records, including property records, are open to interested persons for inspecting and copying unless otherwise restricted by law or court order. Thus, access to property records is to be provided by the custodian upon request and requestors do not have to state the purpose of the requests or present identification to obtain public records.
Citizens who wish to obtain Prince William County property records may do so by contacting the Clerk of Circuit Court's Office. The record custodian accepts requests online, via mail, and in person at the office during business hours. Regardless of the medium a requestor uses, they must provide the necessary details to facilitate a search for the records they seek. Such details typically include the property's address or the owner’s name if known.
That said, certain records are sequestered from public access. Property records that typically fall under this exemption are listed below. Such documents are only accessible to requestors armed with a court order.
- Appraisals and price estimations of real property about to be sold, purchased, or leased
- Records associated with property negotiations and agreements not yet finalized
- Personal identification data such as account numbers, debit card information, or security numbers
- Proprietary information that was divulged to the recording office under oath
- Property records of commercial properties if disclosed can adversely affect the financial welfare of the firm.
What Do Prince William County Property Records Contain?
The information contained in Prince William property records varies depending on the type of record and the recording format employed by the custodian. The types of property records kept in the County are land records, deeds, plats, and fiduciaries. Most property records in Prince William County typically should comprise the following details:
- Definition and situation of the property
- The proprietor’s name and other ownership data
- Name and signature of parties recorded in the document
- The recording index number, property or instrument number, and other property-identifying information
- The Clerk's seal or stamp, recording date, book or page number
- List of heirs, wills and estates
- Court restrictions, mortgages, liens, bankruptcy filings, and injunctions if available
- Building information such as blueprints, costing, building type, design, appraisal, remodels, and current worth
- Property information such as land dimensions, size, market value, and plats
- History of property ownership and transfers
- Legal proof of right to sell, lease, or transfer ownership of property to a grantee.
Where to Perform a Prince William County Property Lookup
Researchers can perform a Prince William County property lookup online or onsite by contacting the County Clerk of Circuit Court's Office. The Records, research, and Copies Department of the Clerk of Circuit Court has a public service center accessible to residents of the County. The Public service center charges a fee of 50 cents per page and $2 for the certification of documents.
Interested members of the public can view and make copies of land records, deeds, plats, and fiduciaries indexed from 1918 to the present by submitting a completed land records copy request form to the Clerk's Office in person during business hours. The Clerk's Office is open to the public for in-person visits from 8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., weekdays except holidays at the address provided.
Prince William County Clerk of Circuit Court
Public Service Center
Room 305, 3rd Floor
9311 Lee Avenue
Manassas, VA 20110
Phone: (703) 792-6015 (TTY:711)
Meanwhile, property records documented from 1918 can also be accessed online via the Land Records Management System (LRMS) also called the Eagle Recorder authorized by the County Clerk of Circuit Court. This remote access portal is self-service oriented and only accessible by subscription at a fee of $240 per individual or by occasional use. This search portal can be accessed by the public via personal devices or onsite public access terminals provided by the clerk's office. Additional information on the subscription process can be found on the county webpage. Individuals can conduct a search using the appropriate search criteria like recording date, party name, book/page type, document type, and number.
Additionally, inquirers can inspect property descriptions, real estate appraisal records, sales records, appeals, and market value records online through the Real Estate Property Assessment System managed by the Prince Williams County Real Estate Assessment Office. On this portal, individuals can perform property look-up by sales, address, or GPIN/account number.
How to Perform a Property Owner Lookup in Prince William County
In Prince William County, residents and interested members of the public can look up a property owner by querying the County Clerk of Circuit Court's Office in person or via mail. Researchers also have the option of utilizing online portals such as the Eagle Recorder or the Real Estate Assessment webpage for property owner lookup at a cost.
Individuals wishing to carry out a property owner lookup must possess the property address, Parcel identification number, GPIN number, or recording date to ensure a smooth search process.
How to Find Prince William County Property Records Online
The County Clerk of Circuit Court and the Real Estate Assessment Office in Prince William County both provide residents of the county with an online database through which the public can search for property records remotely and obtain copies of such records at a cost.
On the other hand, other third-party aggregate websites provide their users with Prince William County property records online for a cost. This usage cost typically varies among the different websites and is calculated based on the type and size of information requested. To use these third-party websites, the searcher must provide suitable search parameters including the property owner's name, parcel identification number, street number or address of the property, record date, or year.
How to Find Property Owner by Address for Free
Persons intending to find a property owner by address in Prince William County will need to visit the county clerk of the circuit court's office in person or make use of the online platforms provided. The requestor is usually mandated to supply a property address with which the owner’s information can be retrieved. Viewing property owner information is usually free at the clerk's office while making copies of the retrieved information has charges attached to it.
Prince William County Property Tax Lookup
The Department of Tax Administration is in charge of assessing and billing all tax-related fees in Prince William County. Therefore, individuals conducting a property tax lookup in the County can visit the Tax Administration office to review and retrieve property tax records using the information below.
Prince William County Department of Tax Administration
1 County Complex Court
Woodbridge, VA 22192-9201
Or
7987 Ashton Avenue
Manassas, VA 20109
Phone: (703) 792-6710
Fax: (703) 792-4673
Email: taxpayerservices@pwcgov.org
A tax lookup is usually important in situations involving property sale and purchase, applying for loans, mortgages, and liens, making financial budgets and decisions, forecasting property tax value, resolving civil suits of tax negligence, and other administrative or research purposes.
How to Find Prince William County Property Appraiser
To find a Property Appraiser in Prince William County, an interested individual can contact the Real Estate Assessments Office via telephone at (703) 792-6780 or email at realestate@pwcgov.org.
Prince William County Property Assessor
The Real Estate Property Assessments Office functions as the Property Assessor in Prince William County. The Assessment Office is responsible for:
- Collecting information about property description, legal definitions, sales, and property market value data.
- Providing residents with property appraisal information such as sale price and date, property descriptions, and building and ownership information.
- Assessing all properties located in the County annually and mailing assessment notices
The contact details of the Real Estate Assessments Office in Prince William County are as follows:
Prince William County Real Estate Assessments Office
Suite 203
4379 Ridgewood Center Drive
Prince William, VA 22192-5308
Phone: (703) 792-6780 TTY
Fax: (703) 792-6293
Email: realestate@pwcgov.org
