Accomack County Public Records

What Are Public Records in Accomack County?

Public records in Accomack County are defined under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Va. Code § 2.2-3700 et seq., as all writings, papers, letters, maps, books, tapes, photographs, films, sound recordings, magnetic or other tapes, electronic data processing records, artifacts, or other documentary materials, regardless of physical form or characteristics, prepared or owned by, or in the possession of a public body or its officers, employees, or agents in the transaction of public business. Members of the public may inspect or obtain copies of these materials subject to the exemptions provided by law.

The following categories of public records are currently maintained and accessible through various Accomack County offices:

Court records (civil, criminal, probate, and family matters) — maintained by the Accomack County Circuit Court Clerk and the Accomack General District Court
Property records (deeds, mortgages, liens, and assessments) — recorded with the Accomack County Circuit Court Clerk's Office
Vital records (birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates) — marriage records are filed with the Circuit Court Clerk; birth and death certificates are available through the Virginia Department of Health
Business records (licenses, permits, and fictitious trade names) — maintained by the Accomack County Commissioner of the Revenue and the Circuit Court Clerk
Tax records (property tax bills and assessment records) — maintained by the Accomack County Treasurer and Commissioner of the Revenue
Voting and election records — maintained by the Accomack County General Registrar
Meeting minutes and agendas (Board of Supervisors, planning commissions, and other public bodies) — available through the Accomack County Administrator's Office
Budget and financial documents — published by the Accomack County Finance Department
Law enforcement records (arrest logs and incident reports, where permitted by law) — available through the Accomack County Sheriff's Office
Land use and zoning records — maintained by the Accomack County Department of Planning and Community Development

Is Accomack County an Open Records County?

Accomack County fully complies with Virginia's statewide open records framework. Under Virginia FOIA, Va. Code § 2.2-3704, all public records shall be open to inspection and copying by any citizen of the Commonwealth, and all public bodies shall make reasonable efforts to provide requested records promptly. Virginia FOIA establishes a presumption of openness: any public body that withholds records bears the burden of demonstrating that a specific statutory exemption applies.

Key provisions currently in effect include:

Public bodies must respond to FOIA requests within five working days of receipt, either by providing the records, denying the request with a written explanation citing the applicable exemption, or notifying the requester that additional time is needed.
Pursuant to Va. Code § 2.2-3713, any person denied access to public records may petition the general district court or circuit court of the jurisdiction where the public body is located for injunctive or mandamus relief.
Virginia's open meetings law (the "Sunshine Law"), codified at Va. Code § 2.2-3707, requires that all meetings of public bodies be open to the public, with limited exceptions for executive sessions.

Accomack County does not maintain a separate county-level public records ordinance that supersedes state law; all requests are processed in accordance with Virginia FOIA requirements.

How to Find Public Records in Accomack County in 2026

Members of the public may access Accomack County public records through several channels currently available:

In-person inspection — Visit the relevant county office during public counter hours. Most offices permit walk-in inspection of records without a prior appointment.
Written FOIA request — Submit a written request by mail, email, or fax to the public body that maintains the records sought. The request should identify the records with reasonable specificity.
Online court records — Civil and criminal case information for Accomack County courts is searchable through the Virginia court case information system, which is administered by the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia.
Virginia Judicial System portal — The Virginia Court System provides access to court dockets, case summaries, and clerk contact information for all Virginia courts, including those serving Accomack County.
Inmate and corrections records — Members of the public seeking the location or custody status of an incarcerated individual may use the Virginia Department of Corrections inmate locator to search by name or offender number.
Land records — Deeds, deeds of trust, and other land instruments recorded in Accomack County are available for inspection at the Circuit Court Clerk's Office and may be searchable through the clerk's online land records portal.
Vital records — Certified copies of birth and death certificates are obtained through the Virginia Department of Health, Division of Vital Records, not through the county directly.

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

Current fees for public records in Accomack County are governed by Virginia FOIA and applicable state fee schedules. Standard fees currently in effect include:

Paper copies — Public bodies may charge up to $0.50 per page for standard paper copies, consistent with the fee schedule permitted under Virginia FOIA.
Electronic records — Fees for electronic copies are limited to the actual cost of the medium (e.g., a USB drive or CD) and staff time required to produce the records, where applicable.
Court document copies — The Circuit Court Clerk charges fees established by the Virginia Code for certified and uncertified copies of court instruments; these fees vary by document type and are set by the Virginia Supreme Court fee schedule.
Deed and land record copies — Fees for copies of recorded instruments are set by state statute and are collected by the Circuit Court Clerk at the time of the request.
Inspection without copying — No fee may be charged solely for the inspection of public records; charges apply only when copies are requested.

Accepted payment methods vary by office but generally include cash, check, and money order. Some offices accept credit or debit cards. Fee waivers are not expressly mandated by Virginia FOIA, but public bodies retain discretion to waive or reduce fees in appropriate circumstances, such as when disclosure is determined to be in the public interest.

Does Accomack County Have Free Public Records?

Virginia law currently guarantees the right to inspect public records at no charge. Members of the public may examine records in person at the maintaining office without incurring any fee, provided they do not request copies. Several categories of records are also available at no cost through official online portals:

Court case information — Basic civil and criminal case data for Accomack County courts is available at no charge through the Virginia court case information portal.
Inmate location data — The Virginia Department of Corrections provides free public access to its inmate locator tool, allowing searches by name or offender identification number.
Property assessment data — Accomack County property assessment records are accessible through the county's online assessment database at no charge.
Meeting minutes and agendas — The Accomack County Board of Supervisors publishes meeting minutes, agendas, and related documents on the county's official website free of charge.
Election and voter information — The Virginia Department of Elections provides free access to election results and certain voter registration data through its official portal.

Who Can Request Public Records in Accomack County?

Under Virginia FOIA, any citizen of the Commonwealth of Virginia currently has the right to inspect or copy public records. In addition, Virginia FOIA extends access rights to representatives of newspapers and magazines with circulation in Virginia, and to representatives of radio and television stations broadcasting in or into Virginia. The following eligibility provisions apply:

Residency — Requesters are not required to be residents of Accomack County; Virginia citizenship is sufficient under current law.
Identification — Public bodies are not authorized to require requesters to provide identification as a condition of accessing public records, except in limited circumstances involving records that contain personal information about the requester.
Statement of purpose — Requesters are not required to state the purpose of their request under Virginia FOIA; however, providing context may assist the public body in locating responsive records.
Non-residents — Individuals who are not Virginia citizens do not have a statutory right of access under Virginia FOIA, though public bodies retain discretion to fulfill such requests voluntarily.
Requesting your own records — Individuals seeking records about themselves, such as criminal history or personal court files, may be subject to additional identity verification requirements to protect against unauthorized disclosure of personal information.
Restrictions by record type — Certain categories of records, such as juvenile court records and sealed court files, are subject to access restrictions regardless of the requester's identity or purpose.

What Records Are Confidential in Accomack County?

Virginia FOIA provides numerous exemptions that permit or require public bodies to withhold certain categories of records from public disclosure. Under Va. Code § 2.2-3705 et seq., the following categories of records are currently exempt from mandatory disclosure in Accomack County:

Sealed court records — Records sealed by court order are not available for public inspection.
Juvenile records — Records relating to juveniles in the court system are confidential pursuant to the Virginia Juvenile Justice Code.
Ongoing criminal investigation records — Law enforcement records compiled for the purpose of a criminal investigation are exempt while the investigation is active.
Personal identifying information — Social Security numbers, financial account data, and similar personal identifiers are protected from disclosure.
Medical and health records — Patient medical records are protected under both Virginia law and the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Adoption records — Records pertaining to adoption proceedings are sealed and confidential under Virginia law.
Child welfare and protective services records — Records maintained by child protective services agencies are exempt from public disclosure.
Personnel records — Employee personnel files are generally exempt, with limited exceptions for certain information about public officials.
Trade secrets and proprietary business information — Confidential commercial or financial information submitted to a public body may be withheld.
Security plans and critical infrastructure details — Records containing security assessments or emergency response plans for critical infrastructure are exempt.

Virginia FOIA does not require a formal balancing test for most exemptions; however, public bodies are encouraged to release non-exempt portions of a record when only part of a document is subject to an exemption, a practice known as redaction and partial disclosure.

Accomack County Recorder's Office: Contact Information and Hours

The Accomack County Circuit Court Clerk serves as the primary recorder of official documents, including deeds, mortgages, judgments, and other land and court records.

Accomack County Circuit Court Clerk's Office Accomack County Courthouse, 23296 Courthouse Avenue, Accomac, VA 23301 (757) 787-5776 Accomack County Circuit Court Clerk Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Accomack General District Court 23296 Courthouse Avenue, Accomac, VA 23301 (757) 787-5798 Accomack General District Court Clerk's Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Accomack County Commissioner of the Revenue 23296 Courthouse Avenue, Suite 102, Accomac, VA 23301 (757) 787-5747 Accomack County Commissioner of the Revenue Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Accomack County Treasurer's Office 23296 Courthouse Avenue, Suite 101, Accomac, VA 23301 (757) 787-5738 Accomack County Treasurer Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Accomack County Sheriff's Office 25485 Courthouse Avenue, Accomac, VA 23301 (757) 787-1131 Accomack County Sheriff's Office Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM