How to Search Fairfax County Public Records
Fairfax County is Virginia's most populous (1.16M residents), a key suburb of Washington D.C. covering 406 sq mi.
- Court cases: Fairfax Circuit Court — fairfaxcounty.gov/circuit — civil, criminal, family case lookup.
- Statewide: Virginia Judicial System — vacourts.gov — appellate and circuit case info.
- Jail / inmate: Fairfax County Sheriff — fairfaxcounty.gov/sheriff — Adult Detention Center inmate search.
- Vital records: Office of Vital Records — fairfaxcounty.gov/health/vital-records — birth, death, marriage, divorce in VA.
- Property / deeds: Fairfax Circuit Court Land Records — fairfaxcounty.gov/circuit/land-records — recorded deeds and plats.
Population
1.16M
Cities
3
Square Miles
406
Founded
1742
Departments
40+
Searching Fairfax County: what to expect
Fairfax County does more online than most: 4 county-run sources below, which keeps courthouse trips to a minimum. You don't need a county-level docket here — Virginia courts are searchable statewide, mapped on our Virginia court records page. Two local sources do most of the work — icare.fairfaxcounty.gov for parcel and property-tax data, fido.fairfaxcounty.gov for local permits and licensing. One gap: vital records aren't published by the county itself. Use the Virginia vital records page for those.
SearchSystems Editorial
Edited by SearchSystems Editorial Team — verified against official government sources. About our editorial process.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: all Fairfax County record-source URLs verified against the official local and Virginia state publishers on the review date. 5 primary .gov / official sources cited below.
Fairfax County — Key Numbers (2026)
Population, demographics, and county-seat data for Fairfax County, Virginia — verified against U.S. Census 2024 estimates.
1,160,925
Population
Census estimate
410,844
Households
Census estimate
$145,165
Median income
Annual household
$666,900
Median home value
Census ACS
Fairfax
County seat
In Virginia
Criminal records
1 source
Court records
1 source
Wants & warrants
see state portal
Property records
7 sources
Vital records
see state portal
Voter records
see state portal
Professional licenses
2 sources
Recorded documents
see state portal
Count of verified official sources per record type. Multiple sources One source Use state portal
Fairfax County Records at a Glance
| Record type | Fairfax County verified sources |
|---|---|
| Court records | GENERAL DISTRICT COURT ONLINE CASE INFORMATION SYSTEM |
| Criminal records | Schedule an Appointment – Central Records Division | Police |
| Wants & warrants | |
| Property records | Fairfax County - Home Page Fairfax County Historical Imagery Viewer |
| Vital records | Vital Records - Lord Fairfax Health District |
| Voter records | Absentee and Early Voting - Virginia Department of Elections |
| Professional licenses | Fairfax County Homepage | Fairfax County License Lookup | Virginia Department of Professional and Occ… |
Count of officially verified .gov / .us record sources cataloged for Fairfax County. Sources reviewed June 04, 2026.
What Changed in 2026 — Fairfax County Records
2026
Fairfax County official government portal active
The official Fairfax County government website at www.fairfaxcounty.gov continues to serve as the canonical local source.
2026
Fairfax County court records portal verified
State court system links for Fairfax County verified against the Virginia judiciary portal in 2026.
2026
Fairfax County criminal records access
State criminal records repository for Fairfax County (statewide system, not county-specific) confirmed active in 2026.
2026
Fairfax County property records online
Fairfax County property assessment and recorder office online portal active in 2026.
The 4-Step Fairfax County Records Pathway
1
Step 1 — Start at the Fairfax County clerk/courthouse
For most local records (court cases, property deeds, marriage licenses), the Fairfax County clerk's office is the first stop.
2
Step 2 — Use the Virginia statewide systems
Criminal background, court case search, voter registration, and professional licensing are all run at the Virginia state level — not by the county.
3
Step 3 — Federal sources for federal records
Federal court cases (PACER), federal tax liens (IRS), military records (NPRC), and immigration data (ICE) are all federal — not held by the county.
4
Step 4 — Cross-check before relying on data
Most county portals lag 24-48 hours behind the courthouse. For time-sensitive verification, call the clerk directly.
Five Things People Get Wrong About Fairfax County Records
MYTH"Fairfax County maintains all criminal records."
FACTCriminal records for Fairfax County are held by the Virginia state repository, NOT the county. The county sheriff has only the local arrest log.
MYTH"Records sealed in Fairfax County are gone everywhere."
FACTSealing removes records from public search but they still exist at the courthouse and may appear in FBI records (Identity History Summary).
MYTH"Free 'instant background' sites have Fairfax County data."
FACTOnly the official Virginia state repository has verified, current Fairfax County data. Free sites often have stale data.
MYTH"The Fairfax County assessor's value is what I'll sell my home for."
FACTThe Fairfax County assessor's value is for property tax purposes only — usually below market value.
MYTH"All county records older than 50 years are public."
FACTPartially false. Public-records rules vary by record type AND state. Court records and deeds are usually older-public; vital records remain restricted longer (often 75-125 years).
Primary Sources and Official Record Portals
- www.fairfaxcounty.gov — Official Fairfax County government website
- eapps.courts.state.va.us — Court records — official source
- icare.fairfaxcounty.gov — Property records — official source
- fido.fairfaxcounty.gov — Licenses — official source
- fbi.gov — FBI Identity History Summary (federal record)
Related — Fairfax County & Virginia Records
For records not specific to Fairfax County, use Virginia's statewide system or the national hub.
📍 Virginia statewide record systems:
- Virginia Court Records →
- Virginia Criminal Records →
- Virginia Property Records →
- Virginia Vital Records →
- Virginia Voter Records →
- Virginia Wants & Warrants →
- Virginia Licenses →
- Virginia Recorded Documents →
🇺🇸 National hubs:
Related Public Records
Virginia statewide records: Court records · Criminal records · Wants & warrants · Property records · Vital records · Voter records · Licenses · Recorded docs
National directories: Court records · Criminal records · Property records · Vital records · Federal databases
Shortcuts for the most common Fairfax County lookups:
About Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County is located in northeastern Virginia. The county seat is Fairfax (official site: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/).
- Households: 410,844
- Median household income: $145,165
- Median home value: $666,900
- Below poverty line: 6.0%
- Population density: 2,969.0 people / sq mi
- Public libraries indexed: 23
- NCES schools indexed: 224
Fairfax County
Official Free
Click on one of the property search links above to search by address, by tax map reference number, or by doing a map search. You can also view residential sales within a property's assessment neighborhood. Display of this public information on the Internet is specifically authorized by Code of Virginia §58.1-3122.2.
Fairfax County Historical Imagery Viewer
Official Free
This story map was created with the Esri Map Tour application in ArcGIS Online .
Pay Taxes & Fees | Tax Administration
Official Free
The Department of Tax Administration's (DTA) Revenue Collection Division is responsible for collecting taxes, fees, and miscellaneous revenues for Fairfax County. It is our goal to achieve the full collection of all current and delinquent charges while providing quality customer service. Our tax specialists can provide assistance with county tax-related issues including payments, refunds, payment plans, delinquent collections, and a variety of other services.
Parking | Transportation
Official Free
Parcel and valuation data for Fairfax County — ownership, assessed values, and property characteristics. If a link breaks, the office homepage at fairfaxcounty.gov carries the new path.
WebPro 5.0
Official Free
Assessment and tax records covering Fairfax County are published through this system. It is independently run, so verify anything critical against the official property and tax office.
Fairfax County Homepage | Fairfax County
Official Free
Fairfax County, Virginia - Fairfax County Government, Virginia
License Lookup | Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
Official Free
License and permit records for Fairfax County — issued credentials and active-status checks. It is an official government source.
Permitted Facility Inspections - Lord Fairfax Health District
Official Free
Permitted Facility Inspections Food Services Local health department staff inspect and issue required permits to food service establishments such as school cafeterias, restaurants, food stands at community events, camps, day care centers, B&B’s, and migrant camps.
GENERAL DISTRICT COURT ONLINE CASE INFORMATION SYSTEM
Official Free
This is the Online Case Information System for general district courts in Virginia. There is a general district court in each city and county in Virginia, and this System will require you to search by individual court.
Virginia Courts Case Information (Circuit)
Official Free
This is the case management system for circuit courts in Virginia. This is a project with a limited number of courts. Cases may be searched using name, case number, or hearing date. Searches must be done by individual courts. Statewide searches are not possible.
Schedule an Appointment – Central Records Division | Police
Official Free
The Central Records Division at the Fairfax County Police Department is here to assist you. If you need to obtain police records, verification reports, or other services, you can schedule an appointment to visit our office using the link below .
Vital Records - Lord Fairfax Health District
Official Free
Certified copies of birth, marriage and divorce certificates can be obtained from the Lord Fairfax Health District health departments for any of these events as long as they occurred in Virginia. Copies of certificates can be obtained for and are available to immediate family members only – mother, father, husband, wife, child, brother, sister and grandparents with valid ID. Birth records can be issued to the legal guardian with proof of custody papers. Aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, etc. cannot obtain a Vital Record.
Absentee and Early Voting - Virginia Department of Elections
Official Free
If you are a voter in Fairfax County and submitted an application to vote absentee, please track your ballot here. If you are a voter in Prince William County and submitted an application to vote absentee, please track your ballot here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I find Fairfax County property records?
Fairfax County property records are maintained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court, which records deeds, mortgages, and liens. Search the Fairfax County - Home Page portal directly: https://icare.fairfaxcounty.gov/.
What's the difference between sealing and expunging a record in Virginia?
In Virginia, a sealed record is hidden from public view but still exists and remains visible to law enforcement, licensing boards, and some employers. An expunged record is treated by Virginia law as if it never happened — though FBI and federal records may persist regardless of state action. The relief process runs through the sentencing court.
Can my employer see a sealed record in Virginia?
Generally, most private employers running a standard name-based check cannot see a sealed Virginia record. However, government employers, law enforcement, schools, healthcare facilities, and any role requiring a fingerprint-based check can see sealed records under specific statutory exemptions. Confirm specifics with the sealing court.
What's the difference between a court record and a criminal record in Virginia?
A court record shows everything filed in a specific case — pleadings, motions, judgments. A criminal record (rap sheet) is a person-centric history from the Virginia State Police that aggregates arrests and dispositions across all courts in Virginia. Court records are searched by case; criminal records by person.