Virginia · Document Recording
Recording a Deed or Document in Williamsburg City, VA
Williamsburg City (population 15,861) records real-property documents through the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Williamsburg/James City County (combined Circuit Court jurisdiction). Below is what it costs and how to submit. Filing a memorandum of contract? We record it with the county for $199, notary included — no trip to the courthouse.
Williamsburg City recorder — contact
- Recording office
- Clerk of the Circuit Court for Williamsburg/James City County (combined Circuit Court jurisdiction)
- Mailing address
- Williamsburg/James City County Circuit Court Clerk, 5201 Monticello Avenue, Suite 6, Williamsburg, VA 23188
- Phone
- (757) 564-2242 (main); (757) 564-2349 (Recording Dept.)
- Electronic recording
- Available via Simplifile, CSC
Williamsburg City recording fees
- First page / base fee
- $18 for instrument of 10 or fewer pages (statewide statutory tier, Va. Code §17.1-275)
- Additional pages
- $32 for 11-30 pages; $52 for 31+ pages (statewide statutory tiers)
- Other fees
- $3.50 of base fee earmarked for records preservation; separate consideration-based grantor's/recordation taxes apply - use VA Circuit Court deed calculator; max 4 documents per check
Counties change fees without notice. Check with the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Williamsburg/James City County (combined Circuit Court jurisdiction) before you mail a check.
What Williamsburg City requires
- Page formatting
- Letter or Legal size (8.5x11 or 8.5x14in); margins 1.25in top, 0.75in sides/bottom minimum; min. 9-pt font; single-sided only; original signatures (photocopies rejected); surnames underlined/capitalized
- Submission & return
- Self-addressed stamped envelope recommended, or pickup at courthouse mailbox
Can you e-record in Williamsburg City?
Yes. Williamsburg City accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, CSC, so a properly formatted document can be recorded the same or next business day without mailing paper.
How to record a document in Williamsburg City, Virginia
- Prepare the document so it meets Williamsburg City's formatting rules (above): legal description, grantee address, signature block, and the blank space the recorder reserves for its stamp.
- Notarize it if the instrument requires acknowledgment. Most deeds and affidavits do.
- Submit electronically through Simplifile, CSC, or by mail to Clerk of the Circuit Court for Williamsburg/James City County (combined Circuit Court jurisdiction).
- Pay the recording fee.
- Receive the recorded instrument back with its book/page or instrument number as proof of record.
Looking up a Williamsburg City property
Owner names, parcel numbers and legal descriptions for Williamsburg City property are searchable at City of Williamsburg Real Estate Assessment Office (note: this is separate from the combined Circuit Court - assessment/taxation for Williamsburg city parcels is handled by the City, not James City County). A deed or memorandum needs the exact legal description, so pull it from there or from the last recorded deed.
Filing with Jurably in Virginia
Virginia isn't available quite yet — it's coming soon. See the states we file in.