Frequently Asked Questions

• Help prepare the polling place for voting and set up voting equipment
• Help check in voters
• Help close the polling place, certify number of votes cast, and complete paperwork
• Stay at precinct until all work is completed (usually between 8:30-9:00 pm).

Call our County office at (540) 564-3030 to speak with a permit specialist who will assist you in scheduling your inspection.  Note: Inspections must be called in the by 12:00 pm the day before in order to have your inspection scheduled the next day.

• Footer inspection with reinforcement installed, as well as bulkheads, if required (rebar must be elevated 3’ inches off the bottom of the footer)
• Underfloor plumbing before pouring concrete floor
• Foundation inspection (4-inch leach bed pipe covered with gravel and silt paper) prior to backfilling (stone must be at least 6 inches above the pipe and 12 inches out from the edge of footings)
• Plumbing rough-in
• Mechanical rough-in
• Electrical rough-in
• Framing inspection (only done after all plumbing, mechanical, and electrical rough-ins)
• Insulation inspection
• Mechanical final
• Electrical final
• Building and plumbing final

The Code of Virginia mandates that all real property be assessed for taxation purposes at 100% of market value and be fair and equitable.  Localities the size of Rockingham County are required by the Code of Virginia to conduct a reassessment a minimum of every four years.  A reassessment is a systematic review of all property in the county to determine a fair market value.  For Rockingham County the process includes exterior inspections of real property by staff assessors, as well as leaving questionnaires for property owners requesting information as needed about the interior of the buildings and the condition of the property.  Sales information for real property sold in Rockingham County is reviewed and a sales ratio analysis is performed by staff assessors to determine fair market value.

During a reassessment, all property values are examined and adjustments are made on individual properties where necessary based upon the above process.  This is done to achieve a fair and equitable distribution of real estate taxes.  Once this process is complete, reassessment notices are mailed to property owners reporting the new assessed values individually for both land and buildings.  Should the property owner(s) believe their assessment is incorrect, they may request an informal appeal with staff assessors.  The request must be made during the window of time noted on the reassessment notice.

If, after the informal appeal, the owner still disagrees with the assessed value, the owner may then request a formal appeal to the Board of Equalization which is an independent group of citizens appointed by the Circuit Court of Rockingham County.  During the appeal process the Board of Equalization may reduce the assessed value, increase the assessed value or affirm the assessed value established during the reassessment process.  If the owner is still in disagreement with the assessed value after the appeal to the Board of Equalization, the next level of appeals is directly to the Circuit Court of Rockingham County.

Rockingham County conducted in-house General Reassessment from 1998 to 2018.  The 2022 General Reassessment was conducted by Pearson’s Appraisal Service, Inc.

Manufactured homes are taxed as personal property unless they have been converted over to real estate through a formal application process by the Clerk of the Court. Prior to conversion, anyone who owns their own land and places a manufactured home on it will receive a real estate bill for the assessed value of the land and any improvements i.e. porches, decks, paved driveways, outbuildings, etc. The land and improvements are taxed as real estate, and the manufactured home is billed separately as personal property.

The assessed improvement value is the sum of the value of all the structures on your property. Outbuildings such as sheds, barns, and detached garages add functionality and utility to your property, thereby increasing the market value of your parcel.

New construction that is not fit for occupancy can be assessed at its value reflecting the percentage of completion (e.g. 50%, 75%, etc.) effective January 1st of the tax year. When the new construction is substantially completed and/or fit for use it is picked up at 100% assessment for the remaining months of the year

The 2021 tax rate is $0.74 per $100 of assessed value. To compute the real estate tax on a property assessed at $100,000, divide the assessed value by 100 and multiply by the tax rate: ($100,000 ÷ 100) x $0.74 = $740.00

Property ownership is not like a car title. To make any kind of change to ownership of property, a new deed will need to be prepared and recorded in the Clerk’s Office where the property is located. 

Pursuant to § 17.1-223(B), a deed conveying residential property containing not more than four residential dwelling units will state on the first page of the document that it was prepared by the owner of the real property or by an attorney licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth where such statement by an attorney shall include the name and Virginia State Bar number of the attorney who prepared the deed. *Please note that timeshares are not considered residential dwelling units so the requirement does not apply to timeshare deeds.

We recommend seeing a licensed attorney in the Commonwealth familiar with recordation/land records to prepare the deed so that it is prepared properly as it is a legal document transferring property.  All deeds have to meet all standards within the Code of Virginia and the Library of Virginia Recordation Standards. 

Per § 17.1-223(A),  a deed conveying residential property containing not more than four residential dwelling units must state on the first page of the document that it was prepared by the owner of the real property or by an attorney licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth where such statement by an attorney shall include the name and Virginia State Bar number of the attorney who prepared the deed. Note that timeshares are not considered residential dwellings. 

There are no deed forms available for creation on the Virginia Judicial System's website. The Code of Virginia under § 64.2-635 Optional form of transfer on death deed provides information on creating a transfer on death deed, which needs to meet all recordation requirements shown above in order to be recorded. Otherwise, we recommend seeing an attorney licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth who is familiar with recordation/land records to have a deed prepared since it is a legal document transferring property and inaccurate/incorrect documents may cause issues in the chain of title. 

If preparing the deed without an attorney, it is your responsibility to make sure that the deed meets all requirements under the Code of Virginia and the recordation requirements shown above.  Recordation of a deed or other document does not mean that it was prepared correctly or is legally sound, it only means that the document met the basic requirements for recordation. 

**Court personnel are prohibited by law from giving legal advice, restating the law, or recommending legal action. Questions regarding interpretation of the law should be directed to an attorney licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia.**

1. By default the identify tool is selected, click the pan tool (hand icon in the upper right hand corner of the screen), and by holding the left mouse button down and moving your mouse the screen location will adjust accordingly. You may then zoom into the area that you have panned to either by the +/- bar in the top left hand corner of the map, or by using your mouse wheel if you have one. Move wheel forward to zoom in, and backwards to zoom out.
2. You may also select the Zoom tool to the right of the pan tool (hand icon) to draw a zoom box on top of your desired location. After you have drawn the box and released your mouse, you will zoom to that area.

• Married or single
• 18 years of age or older
• Have enough income to meet their own expenses
• Able to provide a safe, healthy home with enough space for a child
• Willing to be a part of a team with the agency, child's family, schools, and others
• Willing to attend pre-service training and ongoing training
• No history of involvement with Social Services
• No criminal record
• Have a working telephone and transportation and be willing to take child to appointment

1. Attend an Orientation session to learn more about the certification process.
2. Complete Pre-Service Training (PRIDE) = (4-6 weeks / 5:30pm-8:30pm weeknights and 9am-3pm weekends)
3. Submit application for dual certification. The application will be handed out during the PRIDE training. Turn in as soon as possible to start the Mutual Family Assessment.
4. Start the Mutual Family Assessment process. The first visit will be in the HRSSD office. The next 2-3 are in your home. One will include a safety inspection of your home.
5. Complete fingerprinting for all adult members 18 and over in the household. Complete Child Protective Services checks for all family members over 18 years old.
6. Compete a TB test and provide documentation of the test results and a physician’s statement.
7. Complete DMV checks.
8. Provide at least 3 non-relative references
9. Foster Care Committee meets to review the Mutual Family Assessment and make approval decisions. 
10. Certification Process is completed!

• Being able to experience the joy and importance of providing a stable and caring environment for a child
• Helping a child feel safe and secure
• Helping a child's self-esteem
• Becoming part of a professional team whose goal is to provide support and care to vulnerable children

• Knowing that being a foster parent is temporary and that saying good-bye is not always easy
• Working with birth parents toward returning the child home
• Helping recruit other families willing to foster children
• Knowing that your life and your family's life might need to be rearranged to accommodate the needs of the foster child
• Realizing that being a foster parent is a big step for you and your family

• Complete PRIDE training
• Complete FBI and Child Protective Services checks
• Provide current TB tests and Physical Evaluation
• Provide three non-relative references
• Complete a home study