Independent city · code 51730
Petersburg cityVirginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, first established as a city in 1902.
- Founded1748
- Land area23 sq mi + 0.2 sq mi water
- Population33,458 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped15,105 checked 15 October 2026
Where it is
Petersburg 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 1748
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Petersburg was founded in 1748 and became an independent city in 1902, separated from Dinwiddie and Prince George counties. Over the following decades, the city gained small additional areas from Dinwiddie and Prince George in 1921, 1932, 1945, 1956, and 1971.
- 1902Independent city separated Petersburg made an independent city, 1st class, from Dinwiddie and Prince George. · Bain, "Body Incorporate," 18-21; Swindler, 10:166, 169
- 1921Gained territory Independent city of Petersburg gained small areas from Dinwiddie and Prince George. · Petersburg Assessor's Office, correspondence, February 1990; Bain, Annexation, [242]
- 1932Gained territory Independent city of Petersburg gained from Dinwiddie. · Petersburg Assessor's Office, correspondence, February 1990; Bain, Annexation, [243]
- 1945Gained territory Independent city of Petersburg gained from Prince George. · Petersburg Assessor's Office, correspondence, February 1990; Bain, Annexation, [244]
- 1956Gained territory Independent city of Petersburg gained small areas from Dinwiddie and Prince George. · Petersburg Assessor's Office, correspondence, February 1990; Bain, Annexation, [246]
- 1971Gained territory Independent city of Petersburg gained from Dinwiddie and Prince George. · Petersburg Assessor's Office, correspondence, February 1990; U.S. Census Bureau, "Significant Changes to Counties and County Equivalent Entities: 1970-Present," http://www.gov/geo/www/tiger/ctychng.html, 4 August 2003
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Petersburg
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 15,105 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, 14,873 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
Petersburg 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.
Records
Zoning and code
- Planning and zoning
Building Code Compliance Division
- City Ordinances
- Traffic & Ordinance Tickets
- Zoning
- Planning & Zoning
County government
- County government
The official website of Petersburg city.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Petersburg 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 Petersburg city
- When was Petersburg city founded?
- Petersburg city was founded in 1748.
- Is there an online parcel map for Petersburg city?
- Yes. Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN), Virginia Department of Emergency Management publishes a parcel map of 15,105 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Petersburg city's boundary or name changed?
- Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 6 changes for Petersburg city. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 6 later changes, chiefly involving Dinwiddie County and Prince George County.
- Who issues building permits in Petersburg city?
- The county's page on building permits: Permits. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Petersburg city yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby