Chesterfield County, Virginia

Tax Deed389,793 residents

County research last verified 2026-07. Office holders, platforms, and deposit rules change — re-confirm anything time-sensitive.

Sale typestate default

Tax Deed

Redemption periodstate default

Right to redeem up until the court confirms the sale, not after

Investor returnstate default

N/A — outright deed transfer once confirmed

Governing statutestate default

Code of Virginia Title 58.1, Ch. 39

Notes

Virginia judicial tax-deed county (no lien certificates). Chesterfield Treasurer refers long-delinquent parcels to outside counsel (James W. Elliott, Yorktown) as special commissioner of sale under Code of Virginia §58.1-3965 et seq. Sales are not a fixed retail auction calendar — commissioner may use private bid, public auction (often courthouse steps), or real-estate listing. Process typically several months to ~18 months. Court must find fair market value and may reject bids that “shock the conscience.” Owner may redeem anytime before sale confirmation by paying taxes, penalties, interest, and costs. Special Warranty deed; no title insurance warranty from county.

Auction logistics

Format

Varies (private bid, public auction, or listing via special commissioner)

Frequency

As needed — no fixed mass-sale schedule; eligibility generally after taxes delinquent on Dec. 31 following second anniversary of due date

Platform

Special commissioner (James W. Elliott, counsel for Chesterfield judicial sales) ↗

Deposit rules

Set per sale notice/decree. Minimum deposits based on a percentage of bid may be required on sale date with balance due in a specified window. Certified funds typical. Recording costs, grantor’s tax, and independent title search are purchaser’s expense. Properties sold AS IS with Special Warranty only.

Title risk

Liens that survive the sale

Proper judicial tax sale after Circuit Court confirmation generally cuts off most junior liens; federal tax liens can survive. Sale proceeds are applied by priority (costs, taxes, then lien creditors). Always read the decree of sale and run full title before bidding.

Quiet title

Court confirmation is the primary clearing step; quiet title may still be used if chain defects appear or insurers require additional comfort beyond Special Warranty.

Deal maths for Virginia

Assessment ratio: 1× of market value
Typical quiet title: $1,800–$5,000 · 5 mo
Recording and transfer: $250

Va. Const. art. X, § 2: "All assessments of real estate and tangible personal property shall be at their fair market value, to be ascertained as prescribed by law." There is no classification and no ratio below full value, except the agricultural, horticultural, forest and open-space use-value deferral the same section authorises.

Offices and records

Tax collector

Chesterfield County Treasurer — Delinquent Billings, Late Payments and Judicial Sales ↗

804-748-1201

Clerk of court

Chesterfield County Circuit Court Clerk (land records / sale confirmation) ↗

Property appraiser

Chesterfield County Assessor / Real Estate Assessment ↗

GIS / parcel map

Chesterfield County GIS / parcel map resources ↗

Areas trending up

Directional read from dated market analysis — not a guarantee, and not a substitute for your own comps.

Midlothian / Route 60 corridor

South-metro Richmond job access and retail density with strong SF absorption into Chesterfield’s largest residential submarket

Chester / I-95 logistics edge

Industrial and logistics employment supporting workforce housing demand south of Richmond

Woolridge / Brandermill–Woodlake fringe

Master-planned amenity inventory and school-driven buyer pool with resilient resale liquidity