Instrument Date *

Required – Use the drop-down menu option to select the instrument date.

Instrument Type*

Required – Use the arrow keys to scroll down the drop-down list, or type the first two letters of the code or name to select the appropriate instrument type.

Number of Parcels*

Required – Use the arrow keys to scroll down the drop-down list to select the number of parcels, or type the number of parcels.

Number of Pages*

Required – Use the arrow keys to scroll down the drop-down list to select the number of pages to be recorded, or type the number of document pages.  The number must be greater than or equal to one.

Important!  If the Circuit Court DOES NOT require a cover sheet:

Please ensure the number of cover sheet pages is added to the number of document pages before you calculate the fees and taxes on the Circuit Court Deed Calculation web page.

For example, if you enter Deed (Bargain and Sale), 10 is your document page count, and 2 is your cover sheet page count, enter 12 as the number of pages when calculating fees and taxes on the Circuit Deed Calculation web page.  The court will charge for the total number of pages.

Jurisdiction*

(City or County )

Required – The city or county defaults to the jurisdiction previously selected from the Circuit court Deed Calculation web page, v erify the jurisdiction is correct.

If the jurisdiction is incorrect, return to the Circuit Court Deed Calculation page, select the correct jurisdiction, and then click the VLRCS link again.

Instrument Prepared By*

Required – Enter the name of the person or business who prepared the instrument.  However, not all instrument types require a prepared by entry.  If this is the case, enter N/A.

Recording Paid For By*

Required – Enter the name of the person or business that paid for the recordation.

Consideration

Enter the consideration amount.

Existing Debt

Enter the existing debt amount.

Actual Value/Assumption

Enter the actual value or assumption amount.

Prior Instrument Under § 58.1-803(D):  As of July 1, 2015, the following information is required on deeds of trust, mortgages, or other instruments that are supplemental to, wrap around, or modify the terms of an existing deed of trust or mortgage.

Original Principal

Enter the original principal amount of the bonds or other obligations secured by the prior instrument.

Fair Market Value Increase

If applicable with regard to the calculation of the tax paid on the prior instrument, enter any increase in the fair market value of the property conveyed.

Original Book Number

If applicable, enter the original deed book number of the prior instrument.

Original Page Number

If applicable, enter the original deed book page number of the prior instrument.

Original Instrument Number

If applicable, enter the original deed instrument number of the prior instrument.

Exemptions: Grantor(s)

Exempt or Grantee(s)

Exempt

If a Grantor or Grantee claims exemption from recordation taxes, the Grantor/Grantee must declare the Virginia or federal law under which the exemption is being claimed.  Va. Code § 17.1-227.1 (A) (iii).

If an exemption box is checked, you will be required to enter the Virginia or federal law as this becomes a required field.

Return Recording to (Name)*

Required – Enter the name of the person or business to which the instrument is to be returned.

Address*

Required – Enter the return address.

City*

Required – Enter the City.

State*

Required – Virginia is the default state.  If this is not correct, select the correct state from the drop-down menu.

Zip*

Required – Enter the zip code.

After all required information is entered click Next to continue to the Grantors tab.

Business

If the grantor is a business, check the Business box.

Business or Last Name

Enter the business name or the grantor’s last name.

First Name

Enter the grantor’s first name.

Middle Name

Enter the grantor’s middle name.

Suffix

Enter the grantor’s suffix, if applicable.

Add Grantor

Click Add Grantor to create another name row to enter additional grantors.

Delete

Click Delete to remove any row entries.

After all required information is entered click Next to continue to

the Grantees tab.

 Grantee

If the grantee is a business, check the Business box.

Enter the business name or the grantee’s Last Name.

• Enter the grantee’s First Name.

• Enter the grantee’s Middle Name.

• Enter the grantee’s suffix, if applicable.

Address 1 &

Address    2

• Enter the grantee’s address to which the tax bill will be sent.

Note the following:

• Instrument types like DBS (Deed of Bargain and Sale) require a grantee address for taxation purposes.  If this is the case, enter the grantee’s address.

• Other instrument types such as CS (Certificate of Satisfaction) do not require a grantee address.

City

Enter the city.

State

Virginia is the default state.  If this is not correct, select the correct state from the drop-down menu.

Zip

Enter the zip code.

Add Grantee

Click Add Grantee to create another name row to enter additional grantees.

Delete

Click Delete to remove any row entries.

After all required information is entered click Next to continue to the Parcels tab.

Short Property Description

Enter the short property description.

Property Address*

Required for certain instrument types – Enter the property address.  If not applicable, enter N/A.

City*

Required for certain instrument types – Enter the city.  If not applicable, enter N/A.

State*

Required for certain instrument types – Virginia is the default state.  If this is not correct, select the correct state from the drop-down menu.  If not applicable, enter N/A.

Zip*

Required for certain instrument types – Enter the zip code.  If not applicable, enter N/A.

Prior Instrument Recorded at

If the previous instrument was recorded in another court, indicate if it is a city or county then enter the court’s name.

If the property is located in more than one jurisdiction (split deed), indicate the percentage of the value being recorded in this court.

Note:  If this is a split deed to be recorded in multiple courts, you must file a separate cover sheet in each court.

Book

Enter the deed book number if used by the court.

Page

Enter the deed book’s page number if used by the court.

Instrument Number

Enter the deed instrument number if used by the court.

Important!  Click Add Parcel after every entry.

The parcel information will appear in a grid at the top of the page.

Note:  If the information entered is not correct, access the parcel row within the grid and edit the information as necessary.

Delete

Click Delete to remove any row entries.

After all necessary information is entered click Next to continue to the Review & Print tab.

Terms and Conditions of Use

Read and check the box, "I have read, and I agree to the Terms and Conditions of Use" to accept the Terms, and either save or print the cover sheet.

Important!  If the court DOES NOT require a cover sheet:

Check the box "(# of) cover sheet pages have automatically been added to the number of document pages.  I agree with the page number addition."

Print Cover Sheet

Once the Terms and Conditions of Use checkbox is checked, the Print Cover Sheet button will enable.  Click Print Cover Sheet.  The File Download dialog box opens with the option to open or save the cover sheet with the pre-set file name (date_timestamp_instrument type (i.e., 20141015_132248_abc).

Follow your browser’s prompts to print and save the document. 

The example below is for Internet Explorer:

• Select Open to launch the cover sheet as an Adobe Acrobat document.

• Select Save and the Save As dialog box opens. 

• Select Browse Folders to ensure the file saves to the designated folder then click Save.  The file extension should be ".pdf".

Important!  To change the pre-set file name, rename the file name in the File Name field.

Browse

Click Browse to choose the ".xml", text file to complete your work.  The path and name of the file will display.

Cancel

Click Cancel to clear all fields on all tabs. 

• If confirming the cancellation, click OK.  The system will navigate to the Introduction tab.
• If terminating the clear action, click Cancel to remain on the current tab.

Delete

Click Delete to remove any row entries.

Go Back

Click Go Back to return to the previous tab.

Next

Click Next to move to the next tab.

Save File

Click Save File to download cover sheet files to the folder designated where you can retrieve, revise, and/or complete a previously saved file for future use.

Upload File

Click Browse to retrieve previously saved cover sheet files located in your designated folder, then click Upload File to load to the generator.  The file extension should be ".xml", which is the only file type that can be uploaded to the Virginia Land Record Cover Sheet Generator^©.