Find Richmond People Records
A Richmond people search pulls from one of the most extensive public records systems in Virginia. As the state capital and an independent city, Richmond runs its own circuit court, police department, 911 center, and FOIA portal with separate officers for each department. You can look up a person by name through the statewide court search, request police records by email, or file a FOIA request with any city office. This guide walks you through every source and tool for running a Richmond public records search.
Richmond Overview
Where to Run a Richmond People Search
The Richmond Office of the Circuit Court Clerk is the central source for court-based people searches. The clerk handles criminal court records, civil court records, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, land records, and probate files. You can visit the office during business hours or search online through the Virginia Judiciary portal.
The court records page at rva.gov shows what the clerk's office holds and how to access it.
This page lists the types of records available and explains the difference between judicial records and FOIA-covered administrative records.
Under Virginia Code § 17.1-208, circuit court records are open for public inspection. Copies cost 50 cents per page and certified copies are $2 per document. Some administrative and budget records held by the clerk are subject to FOIA, while judicial records are governed by separate court rules.
The Virginia Courts page for the Richmond Circuit Court at vacourts.gov confirms the court address and judge details.
Use this listing to find the presiding judge and court contact info before you visit or call.
Richmond People Search Online
The Virginia Judiciary Online Case Information System is the best free tool for a Richmond people search. Select the Richmond Circuit Court and search by name or case number. Results show party names, case numbers, charges, hearing dates, and dispositions.
For misdemeanor and traffic cases, the General District Court Case Information System covers Richmond's lower court. The statewide criminal and traffic search lets you check all Virginia courts at once if you are not sure which court handled the case. These tools are free. No account is needed.
Under § 17.1-293, social security numbers, bank account numbers, and minor children's names are redacted from the public online view. Juvenile and domestic relations cases are not included in the public search.
Note: Richmond is one of 118 circuit courts in the statewide system; only Alexandria and Fairfax run their own separate search tools.
Richmond Police Records Search
The Richmond Police Department keeps incident reports, arrest records, crash reports, body camera footage, and general orders. The FOIA email is RPDfoia@rva.gov. Phone: 804-646-5147. Under § 2.2-3706, police must release basic criminal incident data including names of adults charged and the charges filed.
RPD records are separate from the Department of Emergency Communications (DECPR) records. Criminal matters and active investigations go through the Police Office of General Counsel, not the general FOIA line. Out-of-state requesters may face limits on what they can get.
The Richmond Police Department page at rva.gov/police is shown below.
This page has department contacts and links to records request info for a Richmond individual records lookup.
Richmond FOIA Portal and Records Access
Richmond runs a centralized FOIA portal with separate officers for each city department. The main info page is at rva.gov/FOIA. Media requests can go to FOIA@rva.gov. The FOIA Council is also reachable at foiacouncil@dls.virginia.gov or by phone at 804-698-1810 (toll-free: 866-448-4100).
The FOIA portal explains how each department handles records requests and which officer to contact for each type of record.
Best practices for a Richmond FOIA request: write your request out (not required but recommended), be direct about what you need, ask for records not questions, and use Boolean search terms if possible. Contact the public body first if you are not sure what records they hold. Under Virginia Code § 2.2-3704, the city must respond within five working days.
The Strategic Communications FOIA page at rva.gov/strategic-communications/foia handles media and communications-related records requests.
This office is separate from the police FOIA line and handles a different set of city records.
Richmond 911 and Emergency Records
The Richmond Department of Emergency Communications (DECPR) keeps 911 call records, audio recordings, and call-for-service summaries. The FOIA email is DECPR.foia@rva.gov. The FOIA page at rva.gov/911/foia covers what this department holds and how to ask for it.
DECPR records go back to September 11, 2007 for call summaries. Audio recordings of 911 calls and radio traffic are kept for 180 days.
To request 911 records, you must be a Virginia resident. Include your name, mailing address, exact dates and times of the incident, the address where it happened, and the type of incident or report number. The department will not release info on ongoing investigations or records that belong to other agencies like Henrico or Chesterfield County.
Fees for DECPR records include the hourly rate of the processing staff, $0.15 per printed page, $1 per CD for audio recordings, and $5.70 for postage if the records are mailed.
Note: DECPR only releases its own records; for police, fire, or ambulance authority records you must contact those agencies separately through their own FOIA officers.
Richmond Land Records and Property
The Richmond Circuit Court clerk keeps the deed index for the city. Land records show who owns property, when they bought it, and any liens or judgments attached. Most Virginia clerks post a free online index going back to at least 1967. You can search by owner name or parcel info.
Copies of deed images cost 50 cents per page. Some courts offer paid subscription access for full remote viewing. Property assessment data is also public and can be searched by address or owner name through the city's real estate assessment tools. Results show parcel ID, sale history, assessed value, and the current owner. This data is useful for confirming a Richmond address during a people search.
Vital Records for a Richmond Name Search
Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates for Richmond are managed by the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records. The office is in Richmond itself at 2001 Maywill Street, Suite 101, Richmond, VA 23230. Mailing address: P.O. Box 1000, Richmond, VA 23218-1000. Phone: (804) 662-6200. Certified copies cost $12 each.
Under Chapter 7 of Title 32.1, birth records are closed for 100 years. Death records close for 25 years. Marriage and divorce records become public 25 years after the event. The Richmond circuit court clerk also issues marriage licenses and keeps local marriage records. These can be searched by name at the office.
Legal Resources for Richmond Searches
The Virginia Courts home page has standard forms, case lookup tools, and court contact info for every court in the state. The Virginia Supreme Court opinions page holds published case decisions that can trace a person's legal history.
For business records, the Virginia State Corporation Commission Clerk's Information System shows business entities, registered agents, and officers. Since Richmond is the state capital, many state agencies and businesses are based here. A CIS search can show if someone is listed as an officer or agent for a Virginia business. The Virginia FOIA Advisory Council is also based in Richmond and can help with any records request problem across the state.
Nearby Cities
These cities are close to Richmond. Each runs its own circuit court and people search system.