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Instant Access to San Diego County, CA Property Records

  • Owner(s)
  • Deed Records
  • Loans & Liens
  • Values
  • Taxes
  • Building Permits
  • Purchase History
  • Property Details
  • And More!

San Diego County, California, contains 18 incorporated cities. San Diego County property records typically include property ownership, assessed value, parcel number, property boundaries, number of units, and tax assessment information.

These San Diego County, CA records allow the public to research details on any property in the county for purposes like real estate transactions, development projects, property disputes, or out of general interest.

Recent San Diego County property records show a median home value of $692,300.00, a median rent of $1,986.50, and a median household income of $96,807.50. The records also indicate that San Diego County collects 0.68% of a property's value as property tax.

The County Clerk-Recorder maintains the official property records in San Diego County, CA. It keeps documents related to property transactions, such as deeds, liens, mortgages, leases, land contracts, financial statements, and more.

Aside from visiting the office, these records can be accessed online through the Official Records Search system. In this system, recorded property documents can be retrieved by document type, book/page, grantor/grantee name, document number, recording date, map number, and assessor's parcel number.

Copies of most real estate documents in San Diego County cost $2 for the first page and $0.05 per additional page, with a $1 certification fee per document. For further inquiries, contact the County Clerk-Recorder at (619) 237-0502.

For information on the fair market value of a property, contact the San Diego County Assessor's Office. The Assessor is legally obligated to locate, identify, and establish values for various types of properties, including vacant land, improved real estate, business property, and certain manufactured homes.

To verify zoning, file a Zoning Verification Permit application with the San Diego County Planning & Development Services Department. The application requires forms, a plot plan, stormwater documents, and fees. The Planning & Development Services Department will research the property records and provide official zoning verification.

7% match

San Diego County Property Statistics

For an easier overview of the difference in tax rates between counties, explore the charts below. You can also get additional insights on median home values, income levels and homeownership rates in your area.

Median Rent

San Diego County
$1,986.50
California
$1,260.00
National
$840.25

Median Property Tax Rate

San Diego County
0.68%
California
0.69%
National
0.74%

Median Home Value

San Diego County
$692,300.00
California
$403,775.00
National
$173,750.00

Median Income

San Diego County
$96,807.50
California
$78,109.75
National
$65,108.00

Unemployment Rate (%)

San Diego County
3.73%
California
3.72 %
National
2.87 %

Renter Occupied Housing (%)

San Diego County
37.73%
California
33.49 %
National
21.81 %
San Diego

Property Tax Records in San Diego County, CA

Property tax records in San Diego County, CA, are official documents and data that provide detailed information about real estate properties. Various stakeholders rely on them to confirm details, analyze costs, and support negotiations or planning based on verified county data.

San Diego County Property Tax Information

Property tax information and other property details in San Diego County, CA, can be accessed through the following:

Property Tax Assessors

The San Diego County Assessor's Office is responsible for identifying and establishing values for all taxable properties. It maintains records such as parcel maps, ownership details, land use, improvements, and property assessments. These assessments affect the amount of property tax owed and are accessible online through the Assessor's website.

If a property owner disputes an assessment, they can request an informal review by calling (858) 505-6262. If unresolved, a formal appeal may be filed through the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors using forms available on the San Diego County Assessment Appeals Board website.

Property Treasurer-Tax Collector

The San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector maintains records for secured, unsecured, and supplemental property taxes, including delinquent and prior year payments. Property owners can access these records online at their official website using mainly parcel or bill numbers.

Property Appraisers

In San Diego County, property appraisers, whether within the Assessor's Office or independent firms, help determine a property's appraised (market-based) value.

This differs from the assessed value, which is used to calculate property taxes and may be lower due to limits like Proposition 13. Appraisers assist property owners in understanding these values and accessing tax information.

Tools like the San Diego County Assessor's website and third-party services such as PropertyChecker allow individuals to check appraised property values and tax details online.

Property Parcel Search

Each parcel in San Diego County is identified by an Assessor's Parcel Number (APN) for tax and record purposes. As of January 1, 2025, California Assembly Bill 1785 restricts APN-based searches on personal devices to protect privacy.

However, ParcelQuest remains a comprehensive tool for obtaining property information. Individuals can visit the website directly or through the County Assessor's portal. Users can search by address or owner name. The platform provides property data, zoning information, and assessor maps, with limited free searches monthly.

For full access, including APN searches, users can visit any of the five San Diego County ARCC office locations to use public computer kiosks.

Tax Assessor

Free Property Tax Lookup

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Tax Records
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  • Total Parcels: 1,102,919
  • Commercial Parcels: 41,269
  • Residential Parcels: 1,000,980
  • Other Parcels: 60,670
  • Tax Amount Population: 90.20%
  • Tax Year: 2022
  • Last Assr Update: 2022-11-14
  • Tape Cutoff Date: 2022-07-01
  • Assessment Year: 2022
  • FIPS Code: 06073

Recorder

  • Deed Min: 1989-01-01
  • Deed Max: 2023-04-10
  • Commercial Deed Docs: 579,512
  • Residential Deed Docs: 3,852,920
  • Mortgage Min: 1989-01-03
  • Mortgage Max: 2023-04-10
  • Commercial Mortgage Docs: 500,542
  • Residential Mortgage Docs: 3,721,112
  • FIPS Code: 06073
  • Deed Docs: 4,432,432
  • Mortgage Docs: 4,221,654

AVM

  • County Population: 1102919
  • Most Current Valuation Date: 2023-03-21
  • Total Parcels: 772,888
  • Residential Parcels: 772,888
  • FIPS Code: 06073

Foreclosure

  • State FIPs: 06
  • County FIPs: 073
  • Judicial/Non-Judicial: Non-Judicial
  • Min Recording Date: 1999-05-19
  • NOD Document Count: 766140
  • NOD Max Recording Date: 2023-04-10
  • NTS Document Count: 1396068
  • NTS Max Recording Date: 2023-04-17
  • LP Document Count: 1725
  • LP MaxRecording Date: 2015-06-05
  • NOS Document Count: 1
  • NOS Max Recording Date: 2014-04-22

Geocode

  • Total Parcels: 1,101,350
  • Geocode Unavailable: 0
  • Parcel-Centroid Geocodes: 1,091,102
  • Street-Level Geocodes: 309
  • Other Geocodes: 9,939
  • FIPS Code: 06073

Assignment and Release

  • FIPs: 06073
  • Total Records: 3639875
  • Assignment Min Recording Date: 2005-01-03
  • Assignment Max Recording Date: 2023-04-13
  • Assignment Doc Count: 566450
  • Release Min Recording Date: 2001-09-10
  • Release Max Recording Date: 2023-04-13
  • Release Doc Count: 3059155
  • Other Min Recording Date: 2005-01-06
  • Other Max Recording Date: 2023-01-06
  • Other Doc Count: 14270

San Diego County Registrar of Deeds

In San Diego County, the Recorder/County Clerk's office plays a key role in maintaining official real estate documents, which are often closely tied to property tax records.

Through the Official Records Search Portal, property owners can view indexed information such as deeds, liens, and transfers. While these records support the data used by the Assessor's Office to calculate property taxes, the actual documents are not freely available online.

To obtain full copies, individuals must either visit the Recorder/County Clerk's offices in person or submit a formal request by mail. These records are essential for verifying ownership history, understanding property boundaries, and ensuring appropriate tax assessments.

San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk

Address: 1600 Pacific Highway
Phone: 619-237-0502
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Email: ARCCRecorderCountyClerk.FGG@sdcounty.ca.gov
Website: https://www.sdarcc.gov/content/arcc/home.html
Official Records Search: https://arcc-acclaim.sdcounty.ca.gov/
eRecording: https://www.sdarcc.gov/content/arcc/home/divisions/recorder-clerk/recording.html

Cities in San Diego County

Municipality-Level Property Tax Information

Below are five of the largest municipalities in San Diego County, and how to access their property tax information and other property details like zoning information:

San Diego

As the largest city in the county, San Diego property tax administration is handled by the County of San Diego, while the City of San Diego manages local fees and assessments, such as maintenance districts and infrastructure financing programs.

For zoning information, residents can use the City of San Diego Zoning Portal, which provides land use designations, zoning overlays, and development restrictions.

Chula Vista

In the City of Chula Vista, property taxes are assessed by the San Diego County Assessor's Office and collected by the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector.

For zoning and development information, Chula Vista maintains a GIS and Mapping Service, where users can look up zoning codes, land use maps, and development guidelines.

Oceanside

While the San Diego County TTC handles property tax billing and collection for Oceanside, the city manages its own local assessments, liens, and permit records.

For local land use details, the City of Oceanside's GIS Viewer provides zoning maps and parcel data. Public records such as ordinances, council minutes, and property liens can be accessed via the City Clerk's Office.

Escondido

In Escondido, property taxes are administered by the county offices, but the city has Community Facilities Districts (CFDs) that add special taxes to the property tax bill.

For zoning information, the City of Escondido Planning Division offers access to zoning maps and land use planning tools. Additional property records, including CFD information and public documents, are available through the City Clerk's Public Records Portal.

Carlsbad

Carlsbad's property tax information is handled entirely by the San Diego County Assessor's Office and the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector. The city also imposes CFD-related assessments, particularly in newer developments.

For zoning data, the City of Carlsbad GIS Map Viewer provides zoning codes, land use types, and parcel boundaries.

Instant Access to San Diego County, CA Property Records

  • Owner(s)
  • Deed Records
  • Loans & Liens
  • Values
  • Taxes
  • Building Permits
  • Purchase History
  • Property Details
  • And More!