Search Butte County, CA Property Records

Property records in Butte County, California, fall under the supervision of several public offices. County authorities maintain important land information, such as ownership filings, tax assessments, and parcel maps. Since the county comprises five incorporated areas, some of them handle planning, zoning, and permitting through their respective departments.

Economic and housing indicators offer a snapshot of Butte County’s real estate activity. The median home value is $321,900.00, while the median rent amounts to $1,158.00. Households report a median income of $63,187.00, with property taxes at roughly 0.71% of the assessed property value.

In Butte County, CA, individuals may access property records online or at designated county offices. Mailed requests are also available for those who prefer the assurance provided by a formal paper trail.

Digital tools serve as the primary gateway for property research. Through the Official Records Search – Web portal, the county facilitates access to recorded documents such as deeds, mortgages, and similar filings. Complementing this, the Online Parcel Search Tool compiles property details to reveal ownership information, assessed values, and prior sales activity.

For a more seamless research experience, PropertyChecker compiles information from various jurisdictions in one place. This function proves particularly advantageous when a property spans multiple counties or when a full account of ownership history is needed.

Although online tools offer convenience for most users, real estate documents remain accessible through in-person visits to official offices. For certified copies, requests are typically submitted by mail.

To conduct a property record search, users must provide a specific identifier, such as the owner’s name, document number, document type, property street address, or Assessor's Parcel Number (APN).

Under the California Public Records Act, most records maintained by Butte County are available for public inspection, except when state law provides specific exemptions. Some older records may not be accessible online because they have not been digitized. When this occurs, obtaining copies typically requires an in-person visit and payment of the applicable fees.

Meanwhile, records containing personal, investigatory, or other sensitive information are legally protected from disclosure.

Property Ownership and Title Information

The Butte County Clerk-Recorder Department is responsible for recording and preserving documents related to property ownership and title.

This office maintains various records that can affect property ownership, including deeds of ownership, quitclaim and grant deeds, and other conveyancing instruments. It also preserves supplementary title documents, such as affidavits, easements, rights-of-way, covenants, conditions, restrictions, releases, and assignments.

For easier access to these records, the County Clerk-Recorder Department offers the Official Records Search – Web portal, where users can search by name, document number, or document type. The portal also features an advanced search option that requires more information, such as recording date, book and page number, or grantor and grantee names.

Property Sales and Transaction History

In Butte County, individuals can review property sales and transaction records at the County Clerk-Recorder Department.

Property transaction details, such as transfer amounts, can be accessed through the Official Records Search – Web portal by searching with a name, document number, or document type. These records serve as a primary reference for property appraisers when assessing a property's fair market value at the time of ownership change.

Although this portal contains details of property conveyances, PropertyChecker provides a broader perspective by linking these records to overall market trends. It may also incorporate historical records, which uncover context that a standalone public registry might not capture.

Property Tax Assessment and Payment Records

Official assessments of real estate in Butte County are established and managed by the County Assessor’s Department.

Through the County Assessor’s Online Parcel Search Tool, users can enter an address or APN to retrieve parcel information. The search results typically include the property’s status, land and improvement values, applicable exemptions, and total assessed value.

When residents believe the county property tax assessor has calculated an inaccurate property value, they may submit an Application for Appraisal Review to request a reassessment. If the initial review does not settle the dispute, the Butte County Assessment Appeals Board conducts a formal hearing and makes the final determination of the property’s value.

Once property assessments are finalized, the Butte County Treasurer-Tax Collector Department issues and collects tax bills for both county-owned and private properties. To provide users with convenient access to their tax bills, the Department offers the Pay Property Taxes system. The platform also lets users track outstanding delinquencies and access payment histories.

Property Characteristics and Parcel Details

Property owners and other interested parties can use the County Assessor’s Online Parcel Search Tool to view parcel details and property attributes. The portal allows users to search individual parcels and retrieve details such as total square footage, bedroom and bathroom counts, year of construction, and specific improvements.

Zoning, Land Use, and Planning Records

The Planning Division within the Butte County Development Services Department guides authorized property uses and future development opportunities. This office manages zoning maps, enforces the zoning ordinance, and oversees implementation of the general plan across the county.

In incorporated areas like the City of Chico, its City Planning Division governs zoning and development oversight. They offer the zoning map, municipal code, general plan map, and planning documents for public viewing and reference.

Legal Documents Affecting Property

Individuals seeking property legal documents in Butte County may consult the County Clerk-Recorder, which archives and manages deeds, liens, mortgages, easements, affidavits, certificates, and judgments.

Users can access these property records through the Official Records Search – Web portal. They may search by owner name, document number, or document type to identify any encumbrances or legal claims.

Building Permits, Inspections, and Construction Records

Building permits, inspection data, and construction-related records in Butte County fall under the jurisdiction of the Building Division within the County Development Services Department. These records can be retrieved online through the Butte County Accela Public Portal.

This portal provides a streamlined way to request permits, schedule inspections, and review records related to county-managed projects.

While the county extends its services to some incorporated jurisdictions, some localities continue to oversee their own construction-related functions. For instance, the Chico City Building Division operates an eTRAKiT portal to handle permit applications, inspections, and related transactions.

Maps and Visual Property Data

The Butte County Information Systems Department hosts the County Data Search map, which gives users direct access to visual and spatial property information throughout the county.

This portal provides access to land-use information for over 95,000 parcels, such as General Plan designations, zoning classifications, and FEMA flood zones. Additionally, users can explore GIS links on the Department’s official website to examine parcel maps and other relevant details.

The Online Parcel Search Tool on the Parcel Search (Assessed Value Lookup) page of the official Butte County website is where parcel lookups are conducted.

The tool opens on the Search tab with two lookup methods available: By Address and By APN. The address search accepts a house number paired with a street name, formatted as a simple entry such as 133 GRAND, without requiring additional location details. The APN option allows direct lookups by Assessor Parcel Number for those who already have it.

Once a property is located, the remaining tabs, including Property Detail, Recorded Documents, Supplemental Tax Estimator, Recent Sales, and Property Reports, offer deeper access to assessment records, transaction history, and tax estimation tools all in one place.

Displayed here are charts summarizing the county's tax rates, accompanied by insights into median home values, income figures, and rent rates.

Median Rent

$1,158.00

California	$1,260.00
National	$840.25

• -8.1 %
  vs California
• +37.8 %
  vs National

Median Home Value

$321,900.00

California	$403,775.00
National	$173,750.00

• -20.3 %
  vs California
• +85.3 %
  vs National

Median Household Income

$63,187.00

California	$78,109.75
National	$65,108.00

• -19.1 %
  vs California
• -3.0 %
  vs National

Median Property Tax Rate

0.71%

California	0.69%
National	0.74%

• +2.9%
  vs California
• -4.1 %
  vs National

Unemployment Rate

3.97%

California	3.72%
National	2.87%

• +6.7 %
  vs California
• +38.3 %
  vs National

Renter Occupied Housing

26.65%

California	33.49%
National	21.81%

• -20.4 %
  vs California
• +22.2 %
  vs National

The Butte County Clerk-Recorder Department serves as the registrar of deeds, which manages all real property records within the county. This office houses deeds, liens, subdivision plans, surveys, and a spectrum of other real estate documents.

Several county offices use these records to carry out their duties. For example, the County Treasurer-Tax Collector Department uses them to manage future delinquent tax collections and property liens. These same records also guide the County Development Services Department in assessing zoning requirements and identifying land use classifications.

Aside from using the Official Records Search – Web portal, individuals may use the Public Records Center to obtain specific documents. Users must first register using an email address to access the system. While there is no upfront cost to submit a request, some records may incur costs if copies are needed.

To facilitate these copy requests, the County Clerk-Recorder charges $5 for the first page, $2.50 for each extra page, and $5 per document for certified copies. For the complete fee schedule, individuals should contact the office at 530-552-3400.

Although Butte County maintains unified records at the county level, individual municipalities generally manage zoning, building permits, and local regulations. The county’s incorporated areas are as follows:

For properties within incorporated areas, the corresponding municipal or town planning and building department serves as the primary source for records that may not be available in county databases.

• Biggs
• Chico
• Gridley
• Oroville
• Paradise