Search Portsmouth Phone Directory
The Portsmouth phone directory is your entry point for staff, office, and public records contacts. This page gives you direct numbers for city hall, police, courts, and records officers. You can look up each department by name. The search tools below help you find a phone directory record fast. All info comes from official Portsmouth and Virginia sources. Use the links below to reach the right office.
Portsmouth City Hall Phone Directory
Portsmouth City Hall is at 801 Crawford Street, Portsmouth, VA 23704. The city runs an online staff directory for every department. The City Clerk line is 757-393-8639. The City Manager is at 757-393-8641. The City Treasurer is at 757-393-8651. Call the main City Hall switchboard to reach any office that is not listed.
The Commissioner of the Revenue is at 757-393-8771. Behavioral Healthcare Services can be reached at 757-393-5357 or 757-393-8618. Building Inspections is 757-393-8531. Public Works is 757-393-8666. The Voter Registration and Elections office is 757-393-8644. These are the most-called lines in the Portsmouth phone directory for day-to-day city business.
Use the city's main directory page to search by name or department. It is the fastest way to find a direct extension. If you don't see a department listed, call the main City Clerk line and ask to be transferred.
The main Portsmouth directory covers all city offices. See the source at https://www.portsmouthva.gov/Directory.aspx.
Look up the City Clerk, Treasurer, Sheriff, and Police in one place.
Portsmouth City Assessor Phone Directory
The City Assessor is at 801 Crawford Street, 2nd Floor, Portsmouth, VA 23705. The direct line is 757-393-8631. The Assessor handles real estate assessments under state code. Property values reset each year on January 1. The new value takes effect July 1 of the tax year.
The Assessor's Office tracks ownership changes, building info, and parcel maps. Call them for owner names, sale history, and appeal forms. Tax bill questions go to the Treasurer at 757-393-8651 instead. That split is normal in Virginia cities. The Portsmouth phone directory keeps them as two separate offices.
Portsmouth Circuit Court Phone Directory
The Portsmouth Circuit Court handles civil claims, felonies, divorce cases, wills, and property disputes. Records searches cost $10. Plain copies are $0.50 a page. Certified copies are $2 each. You can also run case lookups online through the Virginia online case system.
The Clerk's Office offers probate, marriage licenses, concealed handgun permits, and notary service. DD-214 recordation is free. View stations sit inside the clerk's office for public record searches. Online payments go through eapps.courts.state.va.us/fmsOnline. Call the courthouse for the direct clerk line.
The Assessor page lists the office phone and street address. See the source at https://www.portsmouthva.gov/161/City-Assessor.
Use that page for owner lookups, parcel maps, and appeal info.
Portsmouth Police Department Phone Directory
The Portsmouth Police Department is at 700 Port Centre Parkway, Portsmouth, VA 23704. The non-emergency number is 757-393-5300. The main department line is 757-393-8257. Emergency calls go to 911. The Records Unit is at 700 Crawford Street, 757-393-8737.
The department runs an online arrest and incident database. An arrest report shows an arrest only, not guilt. Incident reports show the type of call but may not say if anyone was arrested. Captains include Chad Bennett, Rusty Venters, and Scott Blystone. Call the Records Unit for copies of reports.
Portsmouth FOIA and Phone Directory Requests
Portsmouth phone directory lookups rely on the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. See Va. Code § 2.2-3700 for the policy. The law says records held by public bodies are presumed open. You can find staff names, phone numbers, and email in city directories because of this law.
Response times are set by state code. A public body must respond in five work days. The office can extend that by seven days if needed. Portsmouth follows these rules for phone directory and staff contact requests. Every city employee who acts as a FOIA officer gets training under state rules.
Some info is not public. Parts of personnel files are shielded by statute. Home phone numbers of staff may be held back. Work phone numbers and city desk lines stay open. The FOIA penalty law covers wilful failures to comply. Fines can be charged for a clear violation by an officer.
The Circuit Court page gives the clerk's services and fees. See the source at https://www.portsmouthva.gov/651/Circuit-Court.
Call that office for court records, marriage licenses, and notary service.
State Tools for Portsmouth Phone Directory Lookups
Beyond the Portsmouth phone directory, you can use state tools to find people. The Virginia Judicial System runs a case info portal. The General District Court Online Case Information System lists case parties by name. That helps confirm a person lived or worked in the area.
The Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records holds birth, death, marriage, and divorce files. Access is set by state code. The Virginia Department of Elections portal lets a person check their own voter file. That gives a home address on record with the state.
Criminal history lookups for Portsmouth run through the Virginia State Police. The state keeps a sex offender registry under state code. Dissemination rules sit in a separate statute. These tools back up a city phone directory search when you need more context.
Other Portsmouth Offices
The Sheriff's Office is at 757-391-3177. The Commonwealth's Attorney works through the courts section of the directory. The Circuit Court, General District Court, and Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court each list their own contacts. The Voter Registrar at 757-393-8644 handles elections and voter file lookups.
Portsmouth also hears property tax appeals under Va. Code § 58.1-3331. The Board of Equalization has three citizens who are picked by the Circuit Court. Email realestateappeals@portsmouthva.gov to start an appeal. Notices of Proposed Assessment go out each March.
Portsmouth Phone Directory Search Tips
When you search the Portsmouth phone directory, start with the department you think holds the record. A direct call saves time. If you don't know which office, call the main city line and ask for the clerk. The clerk can route you or give you a direct phone number. This is the fastest way to find a Virginia Portsmouth phone directory contact.
For a records request, put it in writing. Give your name, your address, and a short description of what you want. Don't ask a question. Ask for a record. State law says staff must respond in five work days. They may ask for an extra seven days if the job is large. Every Portsmouth office must have a trained FOIA officer on staff. That rule applies to every Virginia public body.
A clear request saves money. Broad requests cost more staff time. Narrow the date range. Name the specific record. Ask for the record in electronic form when you can. That keeps copy fees down. If the fee estimate is high, you can trim the request and get a new estimate. Virginia law also covers public meetings. Meeting minutes, agendas, and packets are all open records under that rule.
Open Records and Portsmouth Phone Directory
Virginia law puts a strong thumb on the side of open records. The Portsmouth phone directory is open for a reason. The public has a right to know who works for the city, what they do, and how to reach them. Work phones, work emails, and office addresses are public. Home phones, home addresses, and personal cell numbers for most staff are not. Some high risk jobs get extra protection.
The public can inspect public records or get copies. You can ask for paper, email, or digital form. The city may charge reasonable fees for finding and copying the record. You can ask for a fee estimate before the work starts. If the fee is too high, you can narrow the request. The FOIA Advisory Council can help you frame a request that works.
The Virginia FOIA Advisory Council can be reached by email at foiacouncil@dls.virginia.gov. Phone is 804-698-1810 or toll-free 866-448-4100. They give free help to anyone on records questions. Use them when you feel stuck. The Portsmouth phone directory is one piece of a bigger open records system in the state.
Nearby Portsmouth Phone Directory Cities
Looking for a phone directory lookup in another Virginia city? Try one of these nearby phone directory pages.