Rockingham County Recorder Information

Land records in Rockingham County are recorded by the Clerk of the Circuit Court. The office is held by Chaz W. Haywood.

StatewideSecure remote access to land records is by paid subscription through each circuit court clerk's office or through designated application service providers.

Indexes are free to use; a subscription is required to view, download or print most images. Subscriptions: 15 minutes $5.20, 30 days $31.20, 1 year $374.40 (totals include the 4% credit card surcharge). Land records are indexed from 1941 to present, with a Historical Index Search for 1864-1941; images are available for all documents from 1864 to present.

Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: Va. Code § 17.1-275 · Va. Code § 17.1-279 · Clerk of Circuit Court | Rockingham County, VA · Land Records Division | Rockingham County, VA

These government fees are separate from any Deeds.com service fees. Confirm current charges with the recorder's office.

Added at recording

Other charges

StatewidePlat or map sheets no larger than 8.5 by 14 inches count as ordinary pages; a fee of $17 per page or sheet applies to plat or map sheets larger than 8.5 by 14 inches. $3.50 of each recording and indexing fee is designated for preserving the permanent records of the circuit courts, administered by The Library of Virginia. A cover sheet submitted under § 17.1-227.1(A) is not counted as a page for the recording fee. The recording fees shown are the s. 17.1-275(A)(2) fee ($18 for 1 to 10 pages, $32 for 11 to 30 pages, $52 for 31 or more) with the $8 Technology Trust Fund fee (s. 17.1-279) added in, which is how the clerks publish them.

The office refers filers to the Virginia Judicial System's Circuit Court Deed Calculation, but states it is incorrect for oversized plat pages here: calculate the document without oversized pages, then add $17 for each oversized page. Deeds and deeds of trust only for property located entirely within the City of Harrisonburg are $3 less than the Deed Calculation site shows. Multi-title documents are assessed multiple fees and indexed as each document type.

Paying the office

StatewideWhere credit or debit cards are accepted, the clerk collects a convenience fee of not more than four percent of the transaction or a flat $2 per transaction. For a returned check or a declined card payment, the clerk may collect $50 or 10 percent of the payment, whichever is greater.

Maximum of 25 documents per check. Payment is expected in full at the time of recording. A check or money order $0.01-$25.00 over is put into overage/excess; if over $25.00, documents are returned for a new check or money order, except for prepaid house accounts.

Transfer tax

Additional tax paid by grantor (grantor tax). 50 cents for each $500 or fraction thereof, when the consideration or value of the interest, whichever is greater, exceeds $100, exclusive of the value of any lien or encumbrance remaining thereon. The tax is collected when the document is recorded. (statewide, Va. Code § 58.1-802(A))

StatewideState recordation tax on deeds: 25 cents on every $100 or fraction thereof of the consideration or the actual value of the property conveyed, whichever is greater (Va. Code § 58.1-801). Recordation tax on deeds of trust or mortgages: 25 cents on every $100 or portion thereof of the amount of bonds or other obligations secured, with a sliding maximum schedule and reduced rates for refinancing (Va. Code § 58.1-803). Recordation tax on a deed of release: fifty cents (Va. Code § 58.1-805). Cities and counties may impose a city or county recordation tax equal to one-third of the state recordation tax (Va. Code § 58.1-814). Regional transportation and congestion relief fees apply in certain regions (Va. Code §§ 58.1-802.3 to 58.1-802.5). The grantor tax is returned one-half to the state treasury and one-half to the locality (Va. Code § 58.1-802(B)).

Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: Va. Code § 17.1-275 · Va. Code § 58.1-802 · Va. Code § 58.1-801 · Land Records Division | Rockingham County, VA

Confirm current requirements with the recorder's office before submitting documents.

Plats and other drawings: margins no smaller than 1/4 inch on all edges; size no smaller than 8-1/2 x 11 inches and no larger than 18 x 24 inches.

StatewideUnless a cover sheet is submitted, the clerk may reject a writing unless the surnames of individual parties are underscored or in capitals in the first clause, each page is numbered consecutively, the consideration and actual value are stated on the first page, any claimed recordation tax exemption is clearly stated, and each party to be indexed is named and identified as grantor or grantee in the first clause. Social security numbers are to be removed. A deed conveying residential property of not more than four dwelling units states on the first page the title insurance underwriter, or that title insurance is unknown to the preparer, and that it was prepared by the owner or by a Virginia-licensed attorney (with name and Virginia State Bar number). In localities with a unique parcel identification system, the tax map reference or parcel identification number goes on the first page or on the cover sheet.

Names of all parties to be indexed must be typed; handwritten names are not accepted (a typed cover sheet may be added). Trustees on certificates of satisfaction and deeds of trust are indexed parties. Deeds state the consideration and the most recent total tax assessment on the first page. Documents with electronic or remote online notarization must be submitted electronically. Where taxed property lies in more than one jurisdiction, including both Rockingham County and the City of Harrisonburg, percentages are noted on the document. Staff will not write or correct information on documents.

Submitting documents

StatewideClerks with an eRecording System record electronic documents under the Uniform Real Property Electronic Recording Act. A clerk without one records a legible paper copy of an electronic document if it is certified by the submitter as a true and correct copy of the electronic original. Recorded writings may be returned to a grantee unless the writing or cover sheet clearly gives another return address.

Judgment releases and UCC amendments other than initial or continuation statements cannot be accepted electronically. Documents using an electronic or remote online notary must be submitted electronically. The office does not notify submitters of rejections of mailed documents; they are returned in the return envelope provided, normally the same business day.

Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: Va. Code § 17.1-227.1 · Va. Code § 17.1-223 · Land Records Division | Rockingham County, VA · Standards for Permanent Instruments · Standards for Permanent Instruments (with plat standards)