Roanoke Public Records

Public records in Roanoke, Virginia are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk and various city departments. Roanoke is an independent city in western Virginia, meaning it operates apart from Roanoke County and handles its own records. The Circuit Court Clerk is the main source for court records, land records, marriage licenses, and probate filings. Other city offices manage property assessments, tax records, and police reports. Most records are open to the public under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, and many can be requested online or in person at city hall.

Roanoke Circuit Court Clerk

The Circuit Court Clerk for the City of Roanoke is the central source for most public records in the city. As an independent city, Roanoke has its own Circuit Court that handles civil and criminal cases, land transactions, probate matters, and marriage licenses. All of these records are maintained by the Clerk's office and are open for public inspection unless sealed by court order. You can visit in person to search case files or request copies of documents.

Court records from the Roanoke Circuit Court go back many decades. The Clerk keeps civil case files, criminal case files, order books, judgment indexes, and deed books. Land records include deeds, deeds of trust, plats, and releases. Probate records cover wills, estate inventories, and fiduciary accountings. Marriage licenses issued in Roanoke are also on file with the Clerk. If you need a certified copy of any of these documents, the Clerk can provide them for a fee.

The city's official website at roanokeva.gov has department directories, contact information, and links to online services. Use it as a starting point if you're not sure which office holds the records you need.

Search Roanoke Court Cases Online

The Virginia Judicial System operates an online case search tool that covers the Roanoke Circuit Court. You can search by party name, case number, or hearing date. The system shows basic case details including party names, charges or claims, hearing dates, and disposition information. It does not show full documents, but it gives you enough to know if a case exists and what the outcome was.

The Virginia Circuit Court Online Case Information System is available at eapps.courts.state.va.us/CJISWeb/circuit.jsp. Select the Roanoke Circuit Court from the list before starting your search. Searches must be done by individual court since no statewide search is available. If you find a case and need the actual documents, you will need to visit the Clerk's office or submit a written request.

The Virginia Judicial System overview is at vacourts.gov and explains how courts are organized across the state. Roanoke also has a General District Court for smaller civil claims and misdemeanor cases, though that court's records are separate from the Circuit Court.

Roanoke Land Records

Land records for the City of Roanoke are filed with the Circuit Court Clerk. These records include deeds, deeds of trust, plats, subdivision maps, and other instruments affecting real property within city limits. When property changes hands or a mortgage is placed on a home, the documents are recorded with the Clerk and become part of the public record.

The Virginia Secure Remote Access system allows online access to land records from participating Circuit Court Clerk offices. You can search Roanoke land records through risweb.vacourts.gov/jsra/sra/#/home. The system requires registration. Records available online go back to the date the Clerk began electronic recording. For older deeds and plats, you may need to visit the Clerk in person to search physical deed books.

The Roanoke city website is available at roanokeva.gov. The Commissioner of the Revenue handles property assessment records, which are separate from the deed records held by the Circuit Court Clerk.

Property and Tax Records

Property assessment and tax records in Roanoke are managed by two offices: the Commissioner of the Revenue and the Treasury Department. The Commissioner of the Revenue assesses the value of real estate and personal property for tax purposes. These records are public and show the assessed value of each parcel, the owner of record, and any exemptions that apply.

You can contact the Commissioner of the Revenue through the city's department page at roanokeva.gov/departments/commissioner-revenue. The Treasury Department collects taxes and maintains payment records. Tax payment history, delinquent tax lists, and related records can be found through the Treasury at roanokeva.gov/departments/treasury. Both offices are part of the city government and are subject to FOIA.

The image below is from the City of Roanoke's official website, which provides access to city department services including records requests. The Roanoke city portal is available at roanokeva.gov.

The portal connects to all city departments and lets you find contact information, hours, and online services for records requests across Roanoke's independent city government.

Vital Records for Roanoke Residents

Birth, death, marriage, and divorce records for people in Roanoke are not held by the city. They are kept by the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records. This is true for all Virginia residents regardless of what city or county they live in. The state office processes all certified copies and handles requests for these documents.

You can request vital records through the VDH at vdh.virginia.gov/vital-records/. Each certified copy costs $12. Walk-in service is available at the VDH office in Richmond at 8701 Park Central Drive, Suite 100. Phone inquiries go to (804) 662-6200. Birth records become public after 100 years. Death, marriage, and divorce records open up after 25 years. Before those periods, records are restricted to immediate family members and those with a legal interest.

Note that marriage licenses are also recorded with the Circuit Court Clerk at the time of issuance. So while the VDH holds the official certificate, the Clerk's office may have marriage license records going back many years as part of the court records system.

Virginia FOIA and Roanoke Records Requests

The Virginia Freedom of Information Act, found at Va. Code § 2.2-3700 et seq., gives the public the right to inspect and copy records held by government agencies. All public records are presumed open. An agency can only withhold records if a specific exemption under the law applies. Roanoke city departments must respond to FOIA requests within five working days.

The City of Roanoke handles FOIA requests through a central process. You can find the FOIA request form and submission instructions at roanokeva.gov/foia. Requests can usually be submitted by email, mail, or in person. When you submit a request, identify the records with reasonable specificity so the agency can locate them. You can ask for both inspection and copies. If you ask for copies, the agency may charge a fee to cover duplication costs.

If the city cannot respond within five days, it must notify you and can request an additional seven working days. If you believe your FOIA rights were denied, you can file a petition in circuit or district court, or contact the Virginia FOIA Advisory Council at foiacouncil.dls.virginia.gov. The Council can issue advisory opinions but cannot force compliance.

Roanoke Police Records

Police records in Roanoke are maintained by the Roanoke Police Department. These records include incident reports, arrest records, and accident reports. Many of these are public records available through a FOIA request. Some records may be withheld if they relate to an ongoing investigation or if disclosure would jeopardize a case.

To request police records in Roanoke, contact the Police Department through the FOIA process described above, or go directly to the department. The Roanoke Police Department page is at roanokeva.gov/departments/police. Accident reports are often available for a fee without a formal FOIA request. Call the department to ask about their standard release procedures before submitting a formal written request, as that can save time.

Criminal court records, including arrest records that led to charges, are also available through the Circuit Court Clerk and through the CJIS online system. Those records show charges filed, dispositions, and sentencing information for cases that went to court.

Nearby Cities

These Virginia cities are near Roanoke. Each is an independent city with its own public records offices.