Find Residents Directory in Petersburg

The Petersburg Residents Directory is a free way to find people and look up public records in the City of Petersburg. Petersburg is an independent city in central Virginia, just south of Richmond. It is not part of any county. The city handles its own court files, police reports, marriage licenses, and tax data. Use this page to find the right office, the right phone, and the right form for your search. Each link below points to a Petersburg city office or a state portal that holds the record you want.

City of Petersburg Residents Directory Basics

Petersburg sits along the Appomattox River south of Richmond. The city runs its own police force, court system, and records office. The City of Petersburg portal is the front door for most resident lookups. From there you can reach the police, the courts, the Real Estate Assessor, the Treasurer, and the Commissioner of the Revenue. Each office has its own phone line and walk-in hours.

Records here fall into a few groups. Court files are at the local courts. Police reports come from the city police records desk. Marriage licenses and land deeds live with the Circuit Court Clerk. Property and tax info is on file at the Real Estate Assessor and the Commissioner of the Revenue. Most key offices sit in the historic downtown.

For a quick view of the city government homepage and the kinds of public services it links to, visit petersburgva.gov.

The site links to council meetings, budgets, the Petersburg Police, and resident services in one spot.

Petersburg Police and Court Records

The Petersburg Police Department keeps records of every incident, arrest, traffic crash, and case it works on. Most are public under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, with some carve-outs for active cases. Call 911 for an emergency. For all other calls, use the city non-emergency line.

The Records Unit takes requests for incident reports, accident reports, and arrest records. Have a case number, or a date and address, ready to speed the search. Crash reports for insurance claims can be sent right to the insurance company once you sign a release. The department also works with the Virginia State Police on statewide criminal history checks.

The Petersburg Circuit Court hears felonies, civil suits over $25,000, divorces, deeds, wills, and probate. The Clerk's Office keeps marriage licenses and land records. The General District Court hears misdemeanors, traffic, small claims up to $5,000, and civil cases up to $25,000. Both courts are part of the Virginia Judicial System.

For a name lookup across Petersburg court files, the fastest tool is the case status portal at vacourts.gov. It is free and open to the public. For bulk court data, the Virginia Court Data Portal offers free downloads of Circuit and District court cases through 2024.

Public Records Under Virginia FOIA

City records in Petersburg are public under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, Va. Code § 2.2-3700. The act says all writings prepared or held by a public body are open unless a clear exemption applies. The law has to be read in favor of access. The city must reply to a request within five working days.

Send a written request to the right department. You do not have to give a reason. The city may charge for staff time and copies, but only the actual cost. Ask for an estimate first if the request is large. If a request is denied, you can appeal to circuit court or get help from the state Freedom of Information Advisory Council. Reach the council at foiacouncil@dls.virginia.gov, by phone at (804) 225-3056, or toll-free at 1-866-448-4100. Visit foiacouncil.dls.virginia.gov for sample request letters.

Vital Records and State Resources

Marriage licenses for couples married in Petersburg are filed with the Circuit Court Clerk. For birth, death, and divorce certificates, the state runs a central office. The Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records is at 8701 Park Central Drive, Suite 100, Richmond. Call (804) 662-6200. Each copy is $12. Records are limited to immediate family. Birth records are public after 100 years. Death, marriage, and divorce records are public after 25 years.

For a Virginia criminal history, the Virginia State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange handles name searches at $15 per name using Form SP-167. The Sex Offender Registry is free at sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov, set up under Va. Code § 9.1-900. Driving records come from the Virginia DMV. Business filings are at the State Corporation Commission. Health professional licenses are at the Department of Health Professions.

Property Records and Business Lookups

Property and tax records on Petersburg parcels are at the city Real Estate Assessor and Treasurer. Land records like deeds and mortgages are on file with the Circuit Court Clerk. The Commissioner of the Revenue keeps personal property records, business license data, and meals tax info. For a tax bill, go to the Treasurer. For ownership history or a deed copy, go to the Clerk.

The State Corporation Commission Clerk's Information System is the right tool for business and entity lookups tied to Petersburg. It shows entity status, formation date, registered agent, and officers. It is free and open to anyone. The Virginia Public Access Project also tracks campaign donors and lobbying ties for any Petersburg residents who hold elected office.

Nearby Resources and Related Pages

Petersburg sits just south of Richmond and is close to the Tri-Cities area. For records in the state capital, see the Richmond Residents Directory page. For nearby county records, check the Chesterfield County Residents Directory, Dinwiddie County, and Prince George County pages.

For records in another part of the state, see all Virginia cities or all Virginia counties. The Virginia Residents Directory home page has the full state guide. The Library of Virginia holds chancery court records and old newspaper archives that cover Petersburg back to the 1700s.