Access Covington Residents Directory
The Covington Residents Directory pulls together the city offices and state portals you need to find people and public records in the City of Covington. Covington is a small independent city in western Virginia at the foot of the Allegheny Mountains. The city runs its own police force, court, and records office. Use this page to look up court cases, request police reports, find vital records, and file Virginia FOIA requests. Each link below points right to the source that holds the file you want to see.
Covington Residents Directory Overview
City of Covington Government
The City of Covington website is the main place to find resident services. The city runs public safety, utilities, planning, and other admin functions out of city hall. Records are kept by the relevant department. The city responds to records requests under Virginia FOIA.
For council meeting minutes, ordinances, and resolutions, contact the city clerk. For property and tax records, the assessor or treasurer can help. The city site has every department line in one spot. Visit it at covingtonva.gov.
Covington is in Alleghany County's geographic area but is its own independent city. That means city offices, not county offices, hold most of the records for things that happen inside city limits.
Police Department and Reports
The Covington Police Department handles law enforcement for the city. Officers patrol the streets, respond to calls, and keep records of every report, arrest, and crash. Most of those records are open under Virginia FOIA, with the standard hold for active cases.
To get a copy of a report, call the records desk at the police department. You give the date, the address, and any names you have. The department also reports incident data to the Virginia State Police for the annual Crime in Virginia report.
For an emergency, call 911. For non-emergency calls, use the line on the city site. The records unit replies to FOIA requests within five working days.
Note: Small city departments may take a day or two to pull older records. Call ahead so the staff can have the file ready when you get there.
Covington Courts Residents Directory
Covington is part of the 25th Judicial Circuit. The city has a General District Court and a Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. Felony and large civil cases go to the Circuit Court that serves the city, which is shared with the surrounding area.
General District Court hears misdemeanors, traffic, small claims, civil claims, and landlord-tenant matters. The Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court takes care of custody, support, abuse and neglect, and protective orders. Court records are kept by each clerk and are open during business hours.
For online case info, use the Virginia Online Case Information System. You pick the court and search by name. For bulk downloads, the Virginia Court Data Portal has Circuit and District case data through the end of 2024.
Public Records Under Virginia FOIA
Public records in Covington are open under Va. Code ยง 2.2-3700, the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. The act covers any record made or held by a city office. The city must respond within five working days. Most records are open. A few are exempt for privacy or active investigation reasons.
To file a request, email or call the city clerk or the department that holds the file. Tell them what you want and how you would like to get it. The city may charge for staff time and copies. The state Freedom of Information Advisory Council at foiacouncil.dls.virginia.gov can help with questions. Phone is (804) 225-3056.
Vital Records and State Resources
Marriage licenses for Covington go through the Circuit Court Clerk. For birth, death, and divorce certificates, contact the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records at 8701 Park Central Drive, Suite 100, Richmond. Each copy is $12. Phone is (804) 662-6200. Records are open to immediate family until they age out.
For criminal history, the Virginia State Police handles name searches for $15 through the Central Criminal Records Exchange. The free Sex Offender Registry is at sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov. Driver records come from the Virginia DMV.
The Library of Virginia has historical records and free genealogy databases. The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services publishes crime data by agency.
Related Pages
For nearby western Virginia areas, browse all Virginia counties or all cities. Other small independent cities in Virginia with their own records pages include Buena Vista. Return to the Virginia Residents Directory home page for the full state guide.