Virginia Deed Requirements

To be valid, Virginia deeds must meet several important state-specific requirements:

• The deed must be an original or first-generation printed form. Va. Code Ann. § 55.108.
• The deed must be written in printed ink or typed ribbon copy and meet the general recording requirements. Va. Code Ann. § 55.108.
• Each individual’s name must be either underlined or in all capital letters when it first appears in the deed. Va. Code Ann. § 17.1-223(i).
• The first page of the deed must list the name of the person or entity that drafted the deed. Va. Code Ann. § 17.1-223(v).
• The deed must include the names of all grantors and grantees. Va. Code Ann. § 17.1-223(iv).
• If the deed is exempt from recordation tax (as for Virginia TOD deeds), the basis for the exemption must be stated on the face of the deed. Va. Code Ann. § 17.1-223(iii).

In addition to these statutory requirements, individual county clerk’s offices may have county-specific standards for a Virginia deed’s paper size, plats, margins, and font size.

Example: Fairfax County (the largest county in Virginia) requires margins of at least one inch at the top, left, and bottom of each page, with a minimum of one-half inch margins on the right of the page. Paper must be white and unglazed and printing must be black, solid, and uniform print in at least 9-point font or larger.

Our Deed Generator creates deeds that meet all state requirements and any county-specific requirements that we know about. Questions about county-specific requirements should be directed to the county clerk. If a deed must be amended to meet county-specific requirements, we amend the deed at no additional charge.

Counties may also require the deed to be accompanied by a bar-coded cover sheet with information that helps the clerk properly file and index the deed. Va. Code Ann. § 17.1-227.1. This cover sheet can be created online using information from the Virginia court’s website or county-specific pages.