Updated October 2026. Local assessment dates and links checked this month.
A tax map number is the ID your Virginia county or city gives each parcel on its tax maps. It’s Virginia’s version of a parcel ID. Find it on your 2026 assessment notice or tax bill, or search your address on your locality’s real estate site. Some places call it a GPIN or PIN. In Fairfax County, 2026 notices went out starting February 17, with an average residential rise of 3.99%.
Jump to: 📍 What it is · 🪜 How to find it · 🏢 Local sites · 💲 How taxes work · ⏱️ Appeals · ❓ FAQ
Key takeaways
- Tax map number, GPIN, PIN, parcel ID and account number can all point to the same Virginia parcel.
- Virginia’s Constitution says real estate must be assessed at fair market value.
- Each county and independent city assesses and bills its own taxes. Fairfax bills in two halves, due July 28 and December 5.
- Fairfax’s 2026 average residential assessment rose 3.99%. Check yours as soon as the notice arrives.
What is a tax map number in Virginia?
It’s the label for your parcel on the locality’s tax maps. The assessor uses it to value your land, and the treasurer uses it to bill you. It stays with the land, even when the owner or the address changes.
The name depends on where you live:
- Tax map number, or tax map parcel number. The classic Virginia term.
- GPIN, short for grid parcel identification number. It’s based on map grid coordinates.
- PIN or parcel ID. A general name used on many records.
- Account number. Some treasurers bill by an account number tied to the parcel.
If you see more than one on your bill, they all lead to the same record. Use the one your locality’s search tool asks for.
How do I find my tax map number?
- Check your real estate assessment notice. It’s mailed each year and lists the parcel ID with your new value.
- Check your real estate tax bill from the treasurer.
- Search your address on the locality’s assessment site. Most let you search by address, owner or parcel.
- Look at your deed or closing papers from the circuit court clerk’s records.
Can’t find it? Call the Commissioner of the Revenue or the real estate assessor for your county or city. The Commissioners of the Revenue Association of Virginia (CRAV) lists local offices by district.
Where do I search in Virginia’s biggest localities?
In Virginia, cities are independent of counties. So Richmond city and Henrico County, for example, have separate offices. All links were checked on October 21, 2026.
| County or city | Where to start |
|---|---|
| Fairfax County | fairfaxcounty.gov/dta |
| Virginia Beach | cor.virginiabeach.gov |
| Arlington County | arlingtonva.us/COR |
| Loudoun County | loudoun.gov/revenue |
| Prince William County | pwcva.gov/finance |
| Chesterfield County | chesterfield.gov/revenue |
| Henrico County | henrico.us/finance |
| City of Richmond | rva.gov/finance |
| Chesapeake | cityofchesapeake.net/revenue |
| Stafford County | staffordcountyva.gov/revenue |
In some places the assessor’s office runs the parcel search, and in others it’s the Commissioner of the Revenue. Start from these pages and follow the “real estate” or “property search” link.
How do Virginia property taxes work?
Three steps, all local. The assessor sets your value. The local governing body sets the tax rate, usually per $100 of value. The treasurer bills and collects.
The Virginia Constitution, Article X, Section 2, says all real estate must be assessed at fair market value. So unlike some states, there’s no 40% or 50% step. Your bill is close to value times rate.
Here’s an example with a made-up rate. A $500,000 home at an example rate of $1.10 per $100 owes $5,500 a year. Your locality’s rate will differ, and some places add district taxes or fees.
Billing dates vary by locality. Fairfax County, for example, splits the bill into two installments due July 28 and December 5. If you have a mortgage, the bill often goes straight to your lender.
How do you appeal a Virginia assessment?
Read your notice the week it arrives. It lists your new value and the appeal deadline. Most places give you two steps:
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Buy a home →- An administrative review with the assessor’s office. Many errors in size or condition get fixed here.
- An appeal to the local Board of Equalization, if you still disagree.
Deadlines are set locally and can be short, so check yours. Bring recent sales of similar homes, photos and any appraisal. Our guide on what to do when your assessment is too high covers what works.
Selling a Virginia home?
You’ll need the tax map number for the listing, the contract and the deed. Pull your record first and fix any wrong details, like bedrooms or square feet. Buyers will compare your taxes with homes nearby.
Beycome lists Virginia homes on the MLS with a flat fee MLS listing from $99, with $0 due to Beycome at closing. For the rest of the sale, read our paperwork checklist for selling without an agent, who pays closing costs and how capital gains tax works on a home sale. Own property in a neighboring state? See how to find a North Carolina property tax ID or Tennessee property tax records.
Frequently asked questions
What is a tax map number?
The ID for your parcel on your county or city’s tax maps. The assessor uses it to value the land and the treasurer to bill it.
What is a GPIN?
A grid parcel identification number. It’s a parcel ID based on map grid coordinates, used by several Virginia localities.
How do I find my tax map number?
Check your assessment notice or tax bill, or search your address on your county or city’s real estate assessment site.
Is a parcel ID number the same as a tax map number?
Yes, in practice. Both point to the same parcel record, even if your locality prints them a little differently.
How do I find my property tax account number in Virginia?
It’s on your tax bill from the treasurer. You can also find it in the locality’s online payment or property search tool.
Who sets property values in Virginia?
Your county or city’s real estate assessor, at fair market value as the state Constitution requires.
Reviewed by Beycome Brokerage Realty LLC, a licensed real estate brokerage. Licenses are listed at beycome.com/faq/how-to/are-you-a-licensed-broker/.
Fairfax County dates and 2026 figures are from its Department of Tax Administration site, read on October 21, 2026. The tax example uses a made-up rate to show the math. Other localities set their own rates and dates.
Beycome prices are as of October 2026. “$0 at closing” means no Beycome fee at closing. Other closing costs, taxes, title fees and any buyer’s agent pay you agree to still apply.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Check details with your local assessor or Commissioner of the Revenue.
Sources
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