Sacramento County Property Search
Sacramento County property records are legal documents or records containing information on ownership of land or property, as well as related tax information, deeds, property valuation, and liens. These records often comprise blueprints, surveys, land specifications, plats, mortgages, licenses, leases, and other property documents.
A property search is crucial to purchasing real property in Sacramento County, California. It is necessary to reduce the risks of owning or using a real estate property. Property searches uncover lien information attached to a property or encumbrance against a property. Additionally, it helps prospective homeowners be sure that the current owner is the legal owner of the property and has possessory right or immediate possession of the property.
The Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder handles recording and requests for property documents and records within the county’s jurisdiction. Property owners are required by law to submit property-related documents for recording, including grants, deeds of trust, tax lien, and building permits. Property documents presented for recording to the Sacramento County Recorder”s office must align with the following rules for recorded documents:
- All documents must have original signatures on all instruments, papers, affidavits, or certificates submitted for recording except as otherwise stated by law.
- All documents must follow the first page and sheet-defined format as stated in the rules.
- All documents must possess the title or titles of documents and attachments contained in them.
- The Recorder's office shall charge a penalty fee of $3.00 per page or sheet of the document if it does not follow the paging format.
- Certificates of acknowledgment taken in the State of California shall be in this prescribed format.
- Affidavits signed, stamped, and sworn before a notary in California must have a jurat attached in the state-required format.
- Documents intended to modify, release, or cancel the previous positions of a previously recorded document should include the recorder identification number of the book and page being modified, released, or canceled.
In addition to accepting property records, the Sacramento County Clerk/Recorder also maintains a publicly accessible online index of property records in the county as far back as 1849.
Are Sacramento Property County Records Public?
Property records in Sacramento County are accessible by members of the public. The California Public Records Act (CPRA) considers all documents and records prepared and maintained by the government as public records. Sacramento property records kept by the Assessor are regarded as Sacramento County Public Records, and are, therefore, public documents. Provided that the document in question is not exempt by law in force from public disclosure, members of the public may access property records and information by email, written requests, or in person.
There are instances where the law expressly prohibits records from public access because of their nature and sensitivity. These documents are called confidential, non-public records. The law states that only current property owners and specific government and state of California agencies can access those records. For example, the Assessor’s Office cannot give confidential records like building permits or building plan documents to mere requesters without the Property Owner’s Letter of Authorization. Also, there is a prescribed fee for viewing public and confidential records.
However, property owners and their agents view all property information and statements for their property free of charge. But they must have a valid photo identification (owner) or an original authorization letter bearing an original signature (owner’s agent).
What Do Sacramento County Property Records Contain?
Sacramento County property records are in two categories - public information and confidential non-public records. Public documents contain secured and unsecured assessment rolls, parcel information, property owners' names (secured), property address, email address, zoning, and planning records, parcel maps, tax rates, tax exemption figures, building codes, deeds (an official record that shows proof of legal ownership of the property), and mortgages.
- Secured and Unsecured Tax Roll: Assessment rolls are an index of properties in a jurisdiction assessed for tax valuation. A secured tax roll is a list of properties with tax liens. When a property has tax liens, the taxes owed must be paid before the title or possessory right in the property can pass to a buyer or third party. An unsecured tax roll is a record of real estate and personal properties free from lien.
- Parcel maps: Parcel maps is a tax and property map that indicates the subdivisions of lands into four or fewer parcels for sale, lease, or finance.
The County Assessor also maintains an index of confidential, non-public records as the law requires. These documents are exempt from public disclosure and are not readily available online. Examples include business property statements, change of ownership statements, property appraisal reports, exclusion forms, property building records, building characteristics, building permits, architectural layouts, Homeowners Association (HOA) documents, homeowner’s exemption claims, real estate sales data, property-related correspondence, and account statements.
- Property Appraisal Report: This is a written report by an assessor detailing the estimated value of a property based on its quality, condition, location, and market stability.
- Building Permit: A building permit is a legal authorization by a government or a building regulatory body that permits an individual or company to start new building construction or remodeling. The law requires an assessor to keep permits contained in property records confidential except to the current owner.
Where to Perform a Sacramento County Property Lookup
Interested individuals may access Sacramento County property information by sending an email to the Sacramento County Assessor’s Office at assessor@saccounty.gov. They also have the option to visit the office in person or send a fax to:
Sacramento County Assessor's Office
Customer Service/General Information
3636 American River Drive, Suite 200
Sacramento, CA 95864-5952
Phone: (916) 875-0700
The office requests that all mail orders include postage and handling fees. Files cost $0.25 or less depending on the type of document requested. Certification of records from the assessor’s office costs a mandatory $1.25 per page; the postage fee is $0.75 - $2.00. Other fees can be found and reviewed in the Assessor's Office Service Fee Schedule.
How to Perform a Property Owner Lookup in Sacramento County
Members of the public can examine information on owners of secured property in person at the self-service public information center in the County’s Assessor’s Office. The office is open to researchers from Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, except on holidays. Researchers cannot request ownership information with the names of the property holders only via email or phone call. Such a person must have the property's address or the assessors’ unique 14-digit parcel number to obtain ownership information.
How to Find Sacramento County Property Online Records
In Sacramento, researchers can conduct a simple or advanced search for property records free of charge on the County Clerk/Recorder Online Index of Recorded Documents. Some of the most commonly documented property records are deeds, deeds of trust, assignments of deeds of trust, liens, and deeds of reconveyance. This online search helps researchers find their documents of interest to allow them to request copies. Researchers cannot view the actual records here.
Meanwhile, researchers can also utilize third-party search functions to conduct their search. While some of these sites provide property information for free, others may require a paid subscription at a low cost. It is pertinent to note that third-party databases are not as updated and accurate as government sources.
To get precise search results, a searcher may need - the property address, the state where the property is located, the physical description of the property, the sale history, the owner’s name, the assessor’s parcel ID, the name of a previous owner, and others. The information a researcher may need depends on the aggregate database used.
How to Find Property Owner by Address Free
Due to privacy and security concerns, Sacramento Treasury and Tax Collector’s Office does not provide online information on property owners or personal addresses. Researchers cannot conduct property searches by names either by email request or phone call. Such information is exempt from public disclosure. In order to obtain ownership information, a researcher must have the property's address or the owner's 14-digit parcel number. When they have received the information required above, they can contact or visit the assessor’s office. Information about a property owner is only accessible through the County Assessor's Office.
Sacramento County Property Tax Lookup
The Sacramento Treasury and Tax Collector’s Office has an online tax bill information system to keep people in the county updated. Information on tax bills payable, payment deadlines, debts, direct levy, and much more are available for free on e-Prop-Tax and is accessible with an individual's 14-digit parcel number.
Requests can be made via phone call or in person to the Tax Collector’s Office between 9 am to 4 pm on working days. This service costs a fee. A tax collection specialist will calculate the cost of copies needed, and they will only be mailed to requesters after payment is processed.
Tax Collection & Licensing Division
700 H Street, Room 1710 (First Floor)
Sacramento, CA 95814
P.O. Box 508
Sacramento, CA 95812-0508
Secured Property Tax Bill
Email: TaxSecured@saccounty.gov
Phone: (916) 874-6622
Unsecured Property Tax Bill
Email: TaxPprop@saccounty.gov
Phone: (916) 874-7833
How to Find Sacramento County Property Appraiser
People living in Sacramento can find a property appraiser on the Sacramento County Assessor's Office website. Researchers can visit the county assessor's office from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. on weekdays. Alternatively, they can call the assessor's office with requests and other inquiries. Their phone lines are open from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M. Alternatively, persons finding a property appraiser may search the appraisers registry maintained by the Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers.
The Sacramento County assessor's office provides business property and real property assessment and other services, including:
- Business Property Information
- Assessment/ Value Information
- Assessor’s Records, Copies/Purchase Maps
- Deed, Transfer, and Change in Ownership Inquiries
- Disabled Transfer of Property
- Removals, Fire Damage, and Disaster Relief
- Property Transfer Information
- Disabled Veterans, Homeowners, Institutional Exemptions, etc.
Individuals in need of a property appraiser may contact the assessor’s office at
Sacramento County Assessor’s Office
3636 American River Drive, Suite 200
Sacramento, CA 95864-5952
E-mail: assessor@saccounty.gov
Phone: (916) 875-0700 (Real Estate Assessment)
Phone: (916) 875-0730 (Business Property Assessment)
Sacramento County Property Assessor
The Sacramento County property assessor's office is responsible for the following:
- All real estate, business, and personal property assessment and valuation
- Identifying taxable properties in the county
- Accessing and making ownership inquiries for taxable properties
- Evaluating new construction
- Keeping and managing the assessor’s records, copies, and purchase maps
- Reporting changes in business locations
- Granting tax exemptions to eligible applicants (e.g., veterans, non-profit organizations)
- Preparing annual records of properties subject to property tax within the county.
Individuals who seek any of the above services can reach the Sacramento County Assessor's Office using the contact details provided in the Office’s directory.
Sacramento County Assessor’s Office
3636 American River Drive, Suite 200
Sacramento, CA 95864-5952
Phone: (916) 875-0700 (Real Property Assessment)
Phone: (916) 875-0750 (Property Transfer Information)
Phone: (916) 875-0700 (Mobile Manufactured Homes)
Phone: (916) 876-6745 (Mapping)
Phone: (916) 875-0730 (Business Property Assessment)
Phone: (916) 875-0745 (Leasing and Leased Equipment)
Phone: (916) 875-0740 (Marine, Boats, and Aircraft)
Phone: (916) 875-0720 (Disabled Veterans' Exemption)
Phone: (916) 875-0710 (Homeowner's Exemption)
Phone: (916) 875-0720 (Institutional Exemptions)
