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Albemarle County Public Records

What Are Public Records in Albemarle County?

Public records in Albemarle County are defined according to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) § 2.2-3701, which states that public records include "all writings and recordings that consist of letters, words or numbers, or their equivalent... prepared or owned by, or in the possession of a public body or its officers, employees or agents in the transaction of public business."

Albemarle County maintains numerous types of public records, including:

  • Court records (civil, criminal, probate, family court proceedings)
  • Property records (deeds, mortgages, liens, assessments, plats)
  • Vital records (birth, death, marriage, divorce certificates)
  • Business records (licenses, permits, fictitious business names)
  • Tax records (property tax assessments, payment records)
  • Voting and election records (voter registration, election results)
  • Meeting minutes and agendas (Board of Supervisors, commissions, committees)
  • Budget and financial documents (annual budgets, expenditure reports)
  • Law enforcement records (arrest logs, incident reports where permitted)
  • Land use and zoning records (permits, applications, zoning maps)

The Albemarle County Circuit Court Clerk's Office maintains court records, land records, marriage licenses, and other legal documents. Property records are maintained by both the Circuit Court Clerk and the County Assessor's Office. The Virginia Department of Health maintains vital records, while the Albemarle County Voter Registration Office handles voter and election records.

Historical records dating back to the county's founding in 1744 are available through the Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index, which includes digitized court records from 1768-1871.

Is Albemarle County an Open Records County?

Albemarle County adheres to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (VFOIA), codified in § 2.2-3700 through § 2.2-3715 of the Code of Virginia. This comprehensive statute establishes the public's right to access government records in Virginia.

The law explicitly states in § 2.2-3700(B) that "The affairs of government are not intended to be conducted in an atmosphere of secrecy since at all times the public is to be the beneficiary of any action taken at any level of government." This foundational principle guides Albemarle County's approach to records access.

Albemarle County has established specific procedures for handling FOIA requests in compliance with state law. The county maintains a FOIA Request Portal where citizens can submit requests electronically. Each county department has designated FOIA officers responsible for processing requests within the statutory timeframes.

The Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council has issued opinions specifically addressing Albemarle County's compliance with FOIA requirements, confirming the county's obligation to provide access to public records with limited exceptions.

Albemarle County also complies with Virginia's open meetings laws, which require public bodies to conduct business in open sessions accessible to the public, with limited exceptions for closed sessions as permitted by § 2.2-3711.

How to Find Public Records in Albemarle County in 2026

Members of the public seeking records in Albemarle County may follow these procedures to access various document types:

For Court Records:

  1. Visit the Albemarle County Circuit Court Clerk's Office in person or access their online portal.
  2. Complete a records request form specifying the case number, party names, or other identifying information.
  3. Court records may be searched through the Virginia Judiciary Case Information System.
  4. Historical court records are available through the Library of Virginia's County Microfilm collection.

For Property Records:

  1. Access the Albemarle County GIS Web for property information.
  2. Visit the Circuit Court Clerk's Office for deeds, mortgages, and liens.
  3. Check the Real Estate Assessment Office for property values and tax assessment information.

For Vital Records:

  1. Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates are maintained by the Virginia Department of Health's Division of Vital Records.
  2. Marriage licenses from 1888 to present are available at the Circuit Court Clerk's Office.

For County Government Records:

  1. Submit a FOIA request through the County's FOIA Portal.
  2. Specify the records sought with reasonable particularity.
  3. Requests must be processed within five working days, with a possible seven-day extension if needed.

For Law Enforcement Records:

  1. Contact the Albemarle County Police Department for incident reports and other public safety records.
  2. Some investigative records may be exempt from disclosure.
  3. The Virginia Department of Corrections Inmate Locator provides information on incarcerated individuals.

Albemarle County Circuit Court Clerk's Office
501 East Jefferson Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902
(434) 972-4083
Albemarle County Circuit Court Clerk

How Much Does It Cost to Get Public Records in Albemarle County?

Pursuant to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act § 2.2-3704(F), Albemarle County may charge reasonable fees to cover the actual cost of accessing, duplicating, supplying, or searching for requested records. The current fee structure includes:

  • Standard paper copies: $0.25 per page
  • Color copies: $0.50 per page
  • Electronic records: Actual cost of production
  • Staff time for record search and compilation: Hourly rate of the lowest-paid employee qualified to perform the search (only charged when search exceeds 30 minutes)
  • Specialized formats (large maps, blueprints): Actual cost of reproduction

The Circuit Court Clerk's Office maintains a separate fee schedule for court documents:

  • Certified copies of court records: $2.50 per document
  • Land record copies: $0.50 per page
  • Marriage licenses: $30.00
  • Notary qualification: $10.00
  • Concealed handgun permits: $50.00

Payment methods accepted by most county offices include:

  • Cash (in-person only)
  • Personal checks
  • Money orders
  • Credit/debit cards (subject to processing fees)
  • Online payments for certain services

Under § 2.2-3704(H) of the Virginia FOIA, agencies may request advance payment if estimated costs exceed $200. The county may not charge for inspection of records when no copies are requested. Additionally, the county may waive fees if doing so is in the public interest.

All fees are subject to periodic review and adjustment by the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors in accordance with state law.

Does Albemarle County Have Free Public Records?

Albemarle County provides several avenues for accessing public records at no cost to requestors. Under Virginia FOIA § 2.2-3704(F), citizens have the right to inspect public records without charge during normal business hours. This provision allows individuals to view documents without incurring copying fees, provided they do not disrupt regular government operations.

Free public records resources in Albemarle County include:

For records not available online, in-person inspection is available at the appropriate county office during regular business hours. While inspection is free, standard copying fees apply if physical or electronic copies are requested.

Who Can Request Public Records in Albemarle County?

Under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act § 2.2-3700(B), "all public records shall be open to citizens of the Commonwealth, representatives of newspapers and magazines with circulation in the Commonwealth, and representatives of radio and television stations broadcasting in or into the Commonwealth."

In 2013, the Virginia FOIA was amended to extend access rights to non-Virginia residents who work for media outlets that circulate or broadcast within Virginia. However, for most other non-residents, Albemarle County is not legally required to process FOIA requests, though they may choose to do so at their discretion.

Key eligibility considerations include:

  • Requestors do not need to state the purpose of their request for most public records.
  • Identification may be required to verify Virginia residency or media affiliation.
  • Certain records may have additional access restrictions based on content:
    • Criminal history information requires proper identification and may be restricted to the subject of the records.
    • Personnel records have limited accessibility under § 2.2-3705.1(1).
    • Medical records are protected under both HIPAA and § 2.2-3705.5.

For requests concerning one's own records, proper identification is typically required to verify identity. For requests concerning another individual's records, access may be limited based on privacy exemptions under § 2.2-3705.1 through § 2.2-3705.7.

Government agencies, law enforcement officials, and court-authorized representatives may have broader access rights to certain records than the general public, particularly for records that are otherwise exempt from disclosure.

What Records Are Confidential in Albemarle County?

While Virginia's FOIA promotes transparency, certain records in Albemarle County are exempt from public disclosure under Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.1 through § 2.2-3705.7. These exemptions include:

  • Personnel records (§ 2.2-3705.1(1)): Employee files, performance evaluations, and personal information of county employees.

  • Medical and health records (§ 2.2-3705.5): Patient information protected under HIPAA and state medical privacy laws.

  • Juvenile records (§ 16.1-301): Court records, police reports, and social service records involving minors.

  • Active criminal investigations (§ 2.2-3706(A)(2)): Records that would impede ongoing law enforcement investigations or prosecutions.

  • Attorney-client privileged communications (§ 2.2-3705.1(2)): Legal advice and work product prepared for the county.

  • Proprietary business information (§ 2.2-3705.6): Trade secrets and confidential financial information submitted to the county.

  • Critical infrastructure and security information (§ 2.2-3705.2): Records that would jeopardize public safety or facility security.

  • Scholastic records (§ 2.2-3705.4): Student information protected under FERPA and state education privacy laws.

  • Social services records (§ 2.2-3705.5): Child protective services investigations and welfare assistance records.

  • Tax information (§ 58.1-3): Individual and business tax returns and related financial data.

  • Victim identity information (§ 19.2-11.2): Information that would identify victims of certain crimes.

  • Sealed court records: Records sealed by judicial order, including certain adoption, divorce, and expungement proceedings.

The Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council has issued opinions clarifying these exemptions as they apply to Albemarle County agencies. It's important to note that these exemptions are discretionary rather than mandatory in many cases, meaning the county may choose to release exempt records unless prohibited by other laws.

When a record contains both exempt and non-exempt information, § 2.2-3704.01 requires that the non-exempt portions be released if they can be reasonably segregated from the exempt material.

Albemarle County Recorder's Office: Contact Information and Hours

Albemarle County Circuit Court Clerk's Office
501 East Jefferson Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902
(434) 972-4083
Albemarle County Circuit Court Clerk

Hours of Operation:
Monday - Friday: 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Closed on weekends and state holidays

The Circuit Court Clerk serves as the recorder of deeds and maintains land records, marriage licenses, fictitious business names, and other legal documents for Albemarle County.

Albemarle County Office Building
401 McIntire Road
Charlottesville, VA 22902
(434) 296-5822
Albemarle County Government

Hours of Operation:
Monday - Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Closed on weekends and county holidays

This building houses multiple departments that maintain public records, including:

Albemarle County Community Development
401 McIntire Road, 2nd Floor
Charlottesville, VA 22902
(434) 296-5832
Community Development

Albemarle County Voter Registration & Elections
435 Merchant Walk Square, Suite 300
Charlottesville, VA 22902
(434) 972-4173
Voter Registration & Elections

Albemarle County Police Department
1600 5th Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902
(434) 296-5807 (non-emergency)
Albemarle County Police

Lookup Public Records in Albemarle County

Virginia Court System

County Microfilm Results: Albemarle County

Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index

Inmate Locator — Virginia Department of Corrections

Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council

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