How to look up property records in California
California property records are kept locally, by each county. The county assessor keeps ownership and value for taxes, and the county clerk or recorder keeps deeds and plats.
CLILU maps 12,405,378 parcels in 58 California counties, 27% with the owner of record, refreshed weekly. Browse California by county or by city and ZIP code.
Find an owner in California
- Open the California parcel map, zoom in and tap the property.
- Note the owner, mailing address and parcel ID.
- For an official record, look the parcel ID up on the county assessor's site, then find the deed with the county recorder or clerk.
Property lines
Parcel outlines come from county GIS maps and are approximate. See how to find property lines for plats, markers and surveys.
Largest California counties by parcel count
- Orange: 1,405,996 parcels
- Alameda: 1,378,936 parcels
- Los Angeles: 1,168,000 parcels
- Riverside: 1,101,692 parcels
- Sacramento: 1,014,240 parcels
- San Bernardino: 829,080 parcels
- Contra Costa: 742,191 parcels
- Santa Clara: 502,788 parcels
- Kern: 421,682 parcels
- Fresno: 315,821 parcels
Bulk data and lists
Investors and analysts can build owner lists (absentee and out-of-state owners, vacant land, acreage, sale dates) or download a whole county's parcel data as CSV.
Common questions
Are property records public in California?
Yes. The owner of record, assessed value and recorded deeds are public in California. Some protected people, such as judges and law enforcement officers, may ask for their home address to be shielded.
How do I find who owns a property in California?
Find the parcel on a parcel map such as CLILU (covering 58 California counties), or search the county assessor's website by address or owner. Confirm with the deed at the county recorder or clerk.
Where are deeds recorded in California?
Deeds are recorded by the county clerk or recorder where the property is located. Many offices offer online index searches; copies may carry a small fee.