Chesapeake City, Virginia — Tax Sale & Surplus Procedure

Local operations layer. The legal framework (redemption periods, surplus rights, statutes, case law) lives on the parent page → virginia. This page covers how the City of Chesapeake actually runs it. Legal information, not legal advice. Last verified: 2026-06-02.

C0. Identity

• Recording unit type: Independent city — not part of any county; Chesapeake is one of Virginia’s 38 independent cities and functions as its own recording and taxing jurisdiction.
• County seat / seat of government: 306 Cedar Road, Chesapeake, VA 23322
• Population: ~249,422 (2020 census)
• FIPS: 51550
• Parent legal framework: virginia
• Judicial circuit: 1st Judicial Circuit of Virginia (Chesapeake Circuit Court)

C1. Local Tax Sale

Two sale tracks — judicial (§ 58.1-3965 et seq.) and nonjudicial (§ 58.1-3975)

Chesapeake runs both tracks concurrently, using the same platform (Virginia Auction Company) but different confirming authorities and payment terms depending on which statutory track governs the parcel.

Judicial track (standard — § 58.1-3965 et seq.)

• Conducts own sale? Yes — through a court-appointed Special Commissioner (Ronald D. Slaven, Jr., Slaven Law Group) acting under Chesapeake Circuit Court authority.
• Platform: Virginia Auction Company (vaauctionco.com) — online-only auction with auto-extend bidding. Pre-registration required at vaauctionco.com before the auction open date; bidders must confirm they owe no delinquent taxes to the City of Chesapeake and have no prohibited affiliation with the Special Commissioner. — Retrieved: https://www.vaauctionco.com/auctions/detail/bw125778 (June 2025 sale) and https://www.vaauctionco.com/auctions/detail/bw103803 (Nov. 2023 sale)
• Calendar: No fixed statutory calendar; sales are scheduled as judicial suits ripen. Based on observed auctions (Oct.–Nov. 2022, May 2023, Nov. 2023, June 2025, April 2026 judicial), Chesapeake holds judicial sales approximately 1–2 times per year. The next scheduled or prior sale information is posted at https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/987/Tax-Lien-Sales.
• Registration deposit / bidder requirements:
  • Must pre-register with Virginia Auction Company (vaauctionco.com).
  • Must not owe delinquent taxes to the City of Chesapeake.
  • High bidder must electronically sign the Purchase Agreement within 30 minutes of receipt.
  • Deposit: 33⅓% of bid price (for bids > $3,000), due by 3:00 PM the day after auction closes; full payment required for bids ≤$3,000 by 3:00 PM on closing day.
  • Balance due within 14 days of sale date.
  • Buyer’s premium: 5% of high bid.
  • Payments made payable to: Ronald D. Slaven, Jr., Special Commissioner, 308 George Washington Hwy N., Suite #1, Chesapeake, VA 23323. — Source: https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/984/Rules-of-Sale-of-Property-for-Delinquent (Rules of Sale of Property for Delinquent Taxes, retrieved 2026-06-02)
• Deed type issued: Special Warranty Deed plus a copy of the City Assessor’s map. Recording cost: $0.20 per$100 of purchase price ($0.15 state +$0.05 local) plus $30 Clerk’s fee.
• Court confirmation: Required; may take up to 60 days after the auction close. All sales subject to circuit court confirmation and approval.

Nonjudicial track (minimal-value parcels — § 58.1-3975)

• Confirming authority: Corrie A. Kring, City Treasurer (not a special commissioner; no court confirmation required under § 58.1-3975).
• Platform: Same — Virginia Auction Company (vaauctionco.com), online only. — Source: https://www.vaauctionco.com/auctions/detail/bw158570 (Apr. 2026 nonjudicial) and https://www.vaauctionco.com/auctions/detail/bw142952 (Dec. 2025 nonjudicial)
• Deposit/payment: Full payment (bid + 15% buyer’s premium + $200–$300 deed recordation fee) due within 2 hours of auction close; paid to Virginia Auction Company. No 33⅓% installment option.
• Eligibility: Parcels assessed ≤ $15,000 (or up to$30k unimproved/condemned, or $30k–$40k in redevelopment zones) with taxes delinquent ≥ 3 years. (§ 58.1-3975; see virginia for full thresholds.)

Delinquent list / parcel list: Published as PDF on the Tax Lien Sales page at https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/987/Tax-Lien-Sales and on the Virginia Auction Company listing for each sale.

C2. Local Redemption → framework: right-of-redemption

• Where to redeem locally: The Treasurer’s Office — 306 Cedar Road, Chesapeake, VA 23322 (City Hall). Pre-sale redemption requires paying all accumulated taxes, penalties, reasonable attorney’s fees, interest, and costs (including pro-rata publication costs) directly to the Treasurer or Special Commissioner before the auction date (Va. Code § 58.1-3965).
• Local fees: Costs include all accrued delinquent taxes, Slaven Law Group attorney’s fees and costs of the judicial suit, publication fees, appraisal costs, and Special Commissioner’s fee (§ 58.1-3969). The Treasurer’s Office can provide the current redemption payoff figure.
• Redemption contact:
  • Office: Treasurer’s Office, City of Chesapeake
  • Phone: 757-382-6281
  • Email: paytax@cityofchesapeake.net
  • URL: https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/969/Treasurers-Office
• Installment agreement: The Treasurer may enter a ≤ 72-month installment agreement to suspend the sale (§ 58.1-3965). Contact the Treasurer’s Office.
• Post-sale redemption: None. Virginia is a pre-sale-only redemption jurisdiction. Once the court confirms the judicial-track sale, or once the nonjudicial-track sale closes, the former owner cannot redeem (§§ 58.1-3967, 58.1-3975).
• Deviations from state default: None identified. Chesapeake follows the standard Virginia judicial-sale and nonjudicial-sale framework.

C3. Local Surplus / Excess Proceeds → framework: surplus-funds

Judicial-track surplus (§ 58.1-3967)

• Claim filing venue: Clerk of the Chesapeake Circuit Court — the Special Commissioner deposits surplus proceeds in the court’s registry after paying taxes/costs/liens. Claims are filed by petition with the Chesapeake Circuit Court.
  • Office: Alan P. Krasnoff, Clerk of the Circuit Court
  • Address: 307 Albemarle Drive, Suite 300A, Chesapeake, VA 23322-5579
  • Phone: 757-382-3000
  • Email: ccclerk@cityofchesapeake.net
  • URL: https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/1126/Circuit-Court-Clerk
• Claim form: No standardized city-issued surplus-claim form identified; claimants petition the circuit court directly. (needs_verification: whether Chesapeake Circuit Court has a local form or standing order for surplus-fund petitions.)
• Local deadline notes: Claims must be made within 2 years of the date of confirmation of the judicial sale (§ 58.1-3967). After 2 years the statute directs surplus to the locality’s general fund — but see mckeithen-v-city-of-richmond-2023 (Va. 2023), which held that provision unconstitutional as applied when the locality’s lien is already satisfied.
• Claim waterfall: (1) taxes/penalties/interest; (2) attorney’s fees and costs of suit; (3) recorded liens in priority order; (4) residual surplus → former owner (§ 58.1-3967).

Nonjudicial-track surplus (§ 58.1-3975)

• Excess proceeds remain the former owner’s property; held in an interest-bearing escrow account by the Treasurer pending claim.
• Claimant files a petition in Chesapeake Circuit Court within 2 years of the sale date; the Treasurer forwards the funds to the circuit court clerk upon petition.
• After 2 years, surplus is distributed to the locality’s general fund (§ 58.1-3975). (Same McKeithen constitutional concern applies when the tax lien is fully satisfied.)
• Contact for nonjudicial surplus: Treasurer’s Office (see above).

Unclaimed list published? Not identified as a public-facing published list. (needs_verification: whether Chesapeake publishes a list of unclaimed surplus funds from either track.)

▸ For Investors / Operators — Chesapeake runs both the judicial (§ 58.1-3965 et seq.) and nonjudicial (§ 58.1-3975) tracks simultaneously through Virginia Auction Company (vaauctionco.com). Payment terms differ materially: judicial-track buyers deposit 33⅓% within 24 hours and settle the balance within 14 days (plus a 5% buyer’s premium); nonjudicial-track buyers pay in full within 2 hours (plus a 15% buyer’s premium). Judicial sales require circuit court confirmation (up to 60 days after close) before the deed can be recorded. Virginia provides no post-sale redemption right — title issues must be assessed through pre-bid title research; buyers receive a Special Warranty Deed only. Confirm whether each parcel is on the judicial or nonjudicial track before bidding.

▸ For Former Owners — Judicial-track surplus is deposited in the Chesapeake Circuit Court registry by the Special Commissioner; claims are made by petition to the Chesapeake Circuit Court (Clerk Alan P. Krasnoff, 307 Albemarle Drive, Suite 300A; 757-382-3000) within 2 years of the date of confirmation of the sale. Nonjudicial-track surplus is held in an interest-bearing escrow by the City Treasurer (Corrie A. Kring, 306 Cedar Road; 757-382-6281) and claimed by petition to the circuit court within 2 years of the sale date. After 2 years unclaimed surplus is distributed to the locality’s general fund, though that provision has been held constitutionally suspect — see mckeithen-v-city-of-richmond-2023.

C4. Offices & Contacts

Note: Virginia tax sales are special-commissioner (judicial) or treasurer (nonjudicial) sales, not sheriff’s sales. The Chesapeake Sheriff is not the primary tax-sale officer.

C5. Local Procedure Notes

• Both tracks active: Chesapeake is unusual in that it actively runs both the judicial (§ 58.1-3965 et seq.) and nonjudicial (§ 58.1-3975) tracks simultaneously, using the same auction platform (Virginia Auction Company) for each. Bidders and recovery operators must confirm which track governs each parcel, as payment terms, confirming authority, and surplus-claim procedures differ.
• Special Commissioner continuity: Ronald D. Slaven, Jr. (Slaven Law Group) has served as Special Commissioner for Chesapeake for over 30 years. He also serves as Commissioner in Chancery for the Chesapeake Circuit Court.
• 5% buyer’s premium (judicial) / 15% buyer’s premium (nonjudicial): Premium rates differ between tracks; bidders must review each individual auction listing.
• No post-sale redemption: Virginia extinguishes redemption rights at confirmation/sale; there is no statutory post-sale redemption period.
• Real estate tax assessment: Assessed at 100% of fair market value (§ 58.1-3201 standard; confirmed on city website). Tax bills are due quarterly (September 30, December 31, March 31, June 5).
• Quarterly tax proration: Purchasers at judicial sales are responsible for the entire quarter of real estate taxes in which the sale occurs (not prorated).
• Court confirmation window: Judicial-track court confirmation may take up to 60 days after the auction close; buyers may not record their deed until confirmation is entered.
• No local ordinance rate deviation identified: Chesapeake’s real estate tax rate is set annually; the delinquency penalty/interest rate follows Va. Code § 58.1-3916. (needs_verification: confirm current annual tax rate and delinquency interest rate as set by City Council ordinance.)

C6. Records Access

C7. Meta

sources:

• {type: official_city, url: “https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/987/Tax-Lien-Sales”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} # Tax Lien Sales page — judicial and nonjudicial auctions listed; Apr. 29 2026 judicial sale (8 parcels)
• {type: official_city, url: “https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/984/Rules-of-Sale-of-Property-for-Delinquent”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} # Rules of Sale — 33⅓% deposit, 5% buyer’s premium, 14-day settlement, special warranty deed, $30 clerk fee
• {type: auction_platform, url: “https://www.vaauctionco.com/auctions/detail/bw125778”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} # June 2025 judicial auction: 18 lots/22 parcels, Ronald D. Slaven Jr. Special Commissioner, payment terms confirmed
• {type: auction_platform, url: “https://www.vaauctionco.com/auctions/detail/bw103803”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} # Nov. 2023 judicial auction: 2 parcels, same terms, 757-538-0123 registration helpline
• {type: auction_platform, url: “https://www.vaauctionco.com/auctions/detail/bw93754”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} # May 2023 judicial auction: 17 lots, Ronald D. Slaven Jr. confirmed as Special Commissioner
• {type: auction_platform, url: “https://www.vaauctionco.com/auctions/detail/bw158570”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} # Apr. 2026 nonjudicial auction: 12 parcels, 15% buyer’s premium, $200 deed fee, Corrie A. Kring (Treasurer) as confirming authority
• {type: auction_platform, url: “https://www.vaauctionco.com/auctions/detail/bw142952”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} # Dec. 2025 nonjudicial auction: 16 parcels, 15% buyer’s premium, $300 deed fee, Treasurer Kring
• {type: official_city, url: “https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/969/Treasurers-Office”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} # Treasurer’s Office — Corrie A. Kring, 757-382-6281, paytax@cityofchesapeake.net
• {type: official_city, url: “https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/1126/Circuit-Court-Clerk”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} # Circuit Court Clerk — Alan P. Krasnoff, 307 Albemarle Dr Suite 300A, 757-382-3000, ccclerk@cityofchesapeake.net
• {type: official_court, url: “https://www.vacourts.gov/courts/circuit/Chesapeake/home.html”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} # Virginia Judicial System — Chesapeake Circuit Court (1st Circuit), Hon. Alan P. Krasnoff, Clerk
• {type: official_city, url: “https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/207/Commissioner-of-the-Revenue”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} # Commissioner of Revenue — Victoria L. Proffitt, 757-382-6455
• {type: official_city, url: “https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/218/Real-Estate-Taxes”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} # Real estate assessed at 100% FMV; quarterly billing
• {type: official_city, url: “https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/983/Real-Estate-Tax-Information”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} # Real Estate Tax Information — outstanding tax lookup, links to Rules of Sale
• {type: official_city, url: “https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/796/Property-Information”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} # Property Information portal hub — GIS, CivQuest, tax info links
• {type: official_city, url: “https://www.chesapeakeccland.org/”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} # Circuit Court Clerk land records portal (Logan Systems) — deeds from 1637, wills from 1755, free index access
• {type: law_firm, url: “https://slavenlawgroup.com/”, retrieved: 2026-06-02} # Slaven Law Group — Ronald D. Slaven Jr., Special Commissioner and long-time legal counsel to City Treasurer for delinquent RE tax suits

needs_verification:

• Specific local real estate tax rate (set annually by City Council by ordinance) and delinquency penalty/interest rate under Va. Code § 58.1-3916 as adopted by Chesapeake — not confirmed from a retrieved primary source this pass.
• Whether Chesapeake Circuit Court has a local form or standing order for surplus-fund/excess-proceeds petitions (§ 58.1-3967 / § 58.1-3975).
• Whether Chesapeake publishes a public list of unclaimed surplus funds from either track.
• Minimum bid requirements for either sale track — not stated on the official Rules of Sale page.
• Current Sheriff’s name — not needed for sale operations but listed as an office in the schema.
• Whether court-registry judicial-track surplus (§ 58.1-3967) is ever transferred to the Virginia Department of the Treasury unclaimed-property program rather than remaining with the circuit court/locality.
• Chesapeake’s penalty/interest abatement policy (form referenced on Treasurer site but not retrieved).
• Exact real estate tax rate per $100 of assessed value as currently set by Chesapeake City Council ordinance.

cross_links: virginia, right-of-redemption, surplus-funds, third-party-recovery-rules, mckeithen-v-city-of-richmond-2023, tyler-v-hennepin-county, jones-v-flowers, mullane-v-central-hanover, mennonite-v-adams, independent-city-recording, heirs-property, bankruptcy-automatic-stay, federal-tax-lien-redemption

changelog:

• 2026-06-02 — Initial population. Sources: City of Chesapeake official pages (Tax Lien Sales, Rules of Sale, Treasurer, Commissioner of Revenue, Circuit Court Clerk); Virginia Auction Company auction listings (bw125778, bw103803, bw93754, bw158570, bw142952); Virginia Judicial System court locator; Slaven Law Group firm profile. Both judicial (§ 58.1-3965 et seq.) and nonjudicial (§ 58.1-3975) tracks confirmed active. Special Commissioner: Ronald D. Slaven Jr.; Treasurer: Corrie A. Kring.

▸ For Investors / Operators — Chesapeake runs both the judicial (§ 58.1-3965 et seq.) and nonjudicial (§ 58.1-3975) tracks simultaneously through Virginia Auction Company (vaauctionco.com). Payment terms differ materially: judicial-track buyers deposit 33⅓% within 24 hours and settle the balance within 14 days (plus a 5% buyer’s premium); nonjudicial-track buyers pay in full within 2 hours (plus a 15% buyer’s premium). Judicial sales require circuit court confirmation (up to 60 days after close) before the deed can be recorded. Virginia provides no post-sale redemption right — title issues must be assessed through pre-bid title research; buyers receive a Special Warranty Deed only. Confirm whether each parcel is on the judicial or nonjudicial track before bidding.

▸ For Former Owners — Judicial-track surplus is deposited in the Chesapeake Circuit Court registry by the Special Commissioner; claims are made by petition to the Chesapeake Circuit Court (Clerk Alan P. Krasnoff, 307 Albemarle Drive, Suite 300A; 757-382-3000) within 2 years of the date of confirmation of the sale. Nonjudicial-track surplus is held in an interest-bearing escrow by the City Treasurer (Corrie A. Kring, 306 Cedar Road; 757-382-6281) and claimed by petition to the circuit court within 2 years of the sale date. After 2 years unclaimed surplus is distributed to the locality’s general fund, though that provision has been held constitutionally suspect — see mckeithen-v-city-of-richmond-2023.

Legal information, not legal advice. This page summarizes Chesapeake City, Virginia operational procedures as of the last_verified date. Sale schedules, platform terms, office contacts, and local rules change. Verify against the current City of Chesapeake website (cityofchesapeake.net), the Chesapeake Circuit Court Clerk, and the current Special Commissioner before acting. See virginia for the controlling statutory and case-law framework. Last verified: 2026-06-02.