Land Records
The Circuit Court Clerk's Office records deeds, deeds of trust (aka mortgages), easements, rights of way, certificates of satisfaction, and many other documents associated with land transactions. For a document to be recorded among the land records, as a threshold matter, it must be one that is authorized by law to be recorded. In addition, the document and the proper fees must be paid at the time of recording. Normal recording hours are from 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Documents presented for recording outside of these hours will be processed on the next business day in the order in which they are received, with first priority given to documents received in person, second priority given to documents received via e-recording, and third priority given to documents received by mail.Recording Land Records:
ONLINE E-RECORDING: you may record most documents related to land (excluding over-sized plats) online through any of our e-recording partners, which are the following vendors: Simplifile, CSC, and ePN.
IN PERSON: you are welcome to record all types of land records in person at our office. The recording desk is located at the front counter, immediately as you enter our office door.
BY MAIL: you are welcome to mail land records to our office for recording using our address: 109 West Main Street, Suite 1081, Marion, Virginia 24354. Make sure your recording fee is correct, and if you want the original document returned to you after recording, include a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Recording Information
Recording Fees:
Click here to access the online deed calculator provided by the Supreme Court of Virginia.
Recording fees are based on the greater of “consideration” or “actual value,” and actual value may be determined by the tax assessed value or by a certified appraisal. Affidavits of a property-owner are not acceptable methods to determine actual value. Please note that it is a Class 1 misdemeanor to understate the amount of consideration.
Recording Fees:
Click here to access the online deed calculator provided by the Supreme Court of Virginia.
Recording fees are based on the greater of “consideration” or “actual value,” and actual value may be determined by the tax assessed value or by a certified appraisal. Affidavits of a property-owner are not acceptable methods to determine actual value. Please note that it is a Class 1 misdemeanor to understate the amount of consideration.
Recording Standards:
To be recorded, a document must be in a format that meets all applicable recording standards and statutory provisions. The most common reasons why a submitted document is unable to be recorded are found on our Notice of Refusal to Accept a Document.
Below are many of the standards and policies that apply in Smyth County:
- Policy for Recording Plats in Smyth County
- Standards for Recording Land Documents Plats in the Commonwealth
Cover Sheets:
Cover sheets are not required for recording land records in Smyth County.
Searching Land Records:
IN PERSON: the public is welcome to search through our land records in the vault (aka deed room and/or records room) in our office, located at 109 West Main Street, Suite 1081, Marion, Virginia 24354. The records available for searching in the office include all land records, including all recorded plats, marriage licenses, probate and estate documents, judgments, financing statements, general miscellaneous, real estate tax records, and many court orders.
ONLINE: the public may access our land records online through Secure Remote Access (SRA) program, which requires a subscriber agreement and fee of $50 per month. The records available for searching through SRA include all land records, marriage licenses, probate and estate documents, judgments, and financing statements. For an SRA application and agreement, please click here.
GENERAL INFO:
Copy fees: Copies are $0.50 per page, whether they are digital or hard-copies. For certified copies, add an additional $2.00 per document.
Payment may be made by cash, check, or money order, and via most major credit and debit cards (a small convenience fee will be added for payments by card).
While clerk’s office staff cannot perform title searches, deputy clerks are always available to provide copies of individual documents, provided that basic search criteria are known, such as book and page numbers, physical address of the property, the names of parties to the transactions, and/or the dates of the transactions.
Questions or Concerns, please contact us: Smyth County Courthouse, 109 West Main St., Suite 1081, Marion, VA 24354
Phone: (276)782-4044
The Clerk of Circuit Court Office is located on the 1st floor of the Smyth County Courthouse.
Office hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
HELPFUL LINKS:
