Augusta County Public Records Search

Augusta County public records are held by county offices in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, including the Circuit Court Clerk, Commissioner of the Revenue, Treasurer, and County Administration. Court filings, land deeds, property tax data, and government documents are all accessible to the public. This page explains what records exist, where they are held, and how to access them under Virginia law.

Augusta County Circuit Court Records

Civil and criminal cases for Augusta County are handled by the Circuit Court. You can search them online through the Virginia Judicial System case portal. Select Augusta County from the list and search by name or case number. Results show case status, party information, and hearing dates. The same portal also covers General District Court cases filed in the county.

The Circuit Court Clerk keeps all case files, land records, marriage licenses, and probate records. These are open to the public under Virginia Code § 17.1-208. Juvenile cases, sealed records, and adoption matters are not available online. For those, or for certified copies of any document, contact the clerk directly. The Virginia Courts website lists the Augusta Circuit Court's address and phone number. Bring a photo ID when visiting. Copy fees follow state statute.

Augusta County is part of the 25th Judicial Circuit, which also includes the independent cities of Staunton and Waynesboro. Cases filed in any of those three jurisdictions go through the same circuit court system.

Note: Social Security numbers are redacted from public court filings under § 8.01-420.8. All other case information in open filings remains accessible.

Land Records in Augusta County

Deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, and property instruments are recorded with the Augusta County Circuit Court Clerk. The land records section indexes documents by grantor and grantee, allowing you to search ownership chains by name. Remote access to recorded documents is available through the Virginia Secure Remote Access system. SRA requires registration and a subscription, but it gives you online access to deed images and indexes without traveling to the courthouse in Staunton.

Property assessment data is a separate system from deed records. The Commissioner of the Revenue maintains real estate assessments and personal property tax records. Assessment data shows current ownership on the tax rolls, parcel descriptions, and assessed values. If you need both the deed history and the current assessed value of a parcel, you will use both the clerk's records and the Commissioner's assessment data.

The county website at co.augusta.va.us links to both offices and provides contact information.

Property Tax Records

Augusta County property tax records sit in two places. The Commissioner of the Revenue holds assessments and personal property records. The Treasurer's Office tracks payments, balances, and liens. Both are open to the public.

If you are checking whether a property has unpaid taxes or a lien on it, the Treasurer is the right stop. If you need to know the assessed value or who is on the tax rolls as the current owner, go to the Commissioner. Online options may be available for both. The county website at co.augusta.va.us provides links to each department's contact information.

Tax liens are also filed with the Circuit Court Clerk as land records. So if you are doing a full title search, checking both the Treasurer and the clerk's land records gives you a complete picture of any financial claims against a property.

FOIA Requests in Augusta County

Virginia's Freedom of Information Act makes government records open to the public by default. Under § 2.2-3700, records are presumed open. Augusta County must respond within five working days under § 2.2-3704. FOIA requests go to the County Administration or to the specific office that holds the records. Send requests by mail, email, or in person.

Your request should describe the records clearly. You do not have to explain why you want them or give your name in most cases. If costs apply for copying or research time, the county will tell you before the work starts. The Virginia FOIA Advisory Council has guides on submitting requests and on your rights when a request is denied. Many routine county documents, such as board minutes and budgets, are posted on the county website and do not require a formal request.

Criminal Records Access

Criminal cases from Augusta County Circuit Court are searchable through the Virginia court case portal. You can see charges, case status, and dispositions for most adult matters. For a full criminal history, contact the Virginia State Police, which runs the Central Criminal Records Exchange. Under § 19.2-389, that database is restricted to specific authorized users. Individuals may request their own record. The general public sees what is in the open court case portal.

The Library of Virginia holds historical court and land records for Augusta County going back many generations. Augusta is one of Virginia's older jurisdictions, and the Library's archives contain significant historical materials.

Vital Records for Augusta County

Birth, death, marriage, and divorce records for events in Augusta County are managed by the state. You request certified copies from the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records at $12 per copy. Call 804-662-6200 to reach the VDH office. Under § 32.1-272, recent vital records are restricted. Older records beyond the statutory waiting periods are available at the Library of Virginia.

The Library of Virginia holds archival public records for Augusta County and all other Virginia jurisdictions. Visit lva.virginia.gov to search the Library's collections.

Historical court records, land records, and vital records transferred from Augusta County are part of the Library's archive collections.

Cities Near Augusta County

Staunton and Waynesboro are independent cities that serve as the county seat for Augusta County. They operate separately from the county but are within the same judicial circuit.

Nearby Counties

These counties border or sit near Augusta County in the Shenandoah Valley and surrounding regions.