Independent city · code 51550
Chesapeake cityVirginia
Chesapeake is an independent city in Virginia, formed in 1963.
- Founded1963
- Named forChesapeake people
- Land area338 sq mi + 12 sq mi water
- Population249,422 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped92,557 checked 15 October 2026
Where it is
Chesapeake on the map of Virginia
Virginia has 133 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Founded in 1963
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Chesapeake was established in 1963 as an independent city, 1st class, from Norfolk and the independent city of South Norfolk; Norfolk County and South Norfolk were both eliminated. The city was named after the Chesapeake people. In 1968, Chesapeake lost a small area to Portsmouth, and in 1980, gained a small area from Virginia Beach.
- 1963Independent city separated Chesapeake made an independent city, 1st class, from Norfolk and the independent city of South Norfolk; Norfolk County and South Norfolk both eliminated. · Va. Acts 1962, ch. 211/pp. 301-316
- c. 1968Lost territory Independent city of Chesapeake lost to the independent city of Portsmouth. · Portsmouth City Planning Dept., correspondence, December 1989
- c. 1980Gained territory Independent city of Chesapeake gained small area from the independent city of Virginia Beach. · Virginia Beach Planning Dept., correspondence, January 1990
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Chesapeake
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 92,557 parcels from Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN), Virginia Department of Emergency Management. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 15 October 2026 -
Address points Official
One point per address, 110,010 in all from Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN), Virginia Dept of Emergency Management (VDEM; VGIN moved from VITA to VDEM).
checked 14 October 2026 -
Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Chesapeake by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
Zoning and code
GIS and maps
County government
- County government
The official website of Chesapeake city.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Chesapeake city on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Chesapeake city
- When was Chesapeake city founded?
- Chesapeake city was founded in 1963, and named after Chesapeake people.
- Is there an online parcel map for Chesapeake city?
- Yes. Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN), Virginia Department of Emergency Management publishes a parcel map of 92,557 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Chesapeake city's boundary or name changed?
- Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 3 changes for Chesapeake city. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 3 later changes, most of them small boundary adjustments, chiefly involving Norfolk County.
- Who issues building permits in Chesapeake city?
- The county's page on building permits: Permits. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Who issues septic and well permits in Chesapeake city?
- The county's page on septic systems and wells: Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Chesapeake city yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby