Search Bakersfield Property Records

Property records for Bakersfield are kept by Kern County offices. The county assessor-recorder maintains all deeds, trust deeds, and liens for land in the city. You search these files through Kern County systems, not through the city itself. If you need to find who owns a piece of land or check for liens, you go to the county recorder. Tax data and property values come from the county assessor. Both offices are in the same building at 1115 Truxtun Avenue in Bakersfield. This makes it easy to get both types of info in one visit.

Kern County Property Records

All Bakersfield property documents are recorded with Kern County. The office is at 1115 Truxtun Avenue in downtown Bakersfield. They keep deeds and liens for the whole county, not just the city. When a home is sold, the deed goes on file here. When a loan is paid off, the reconveyance deed gets recorded here too. The office is open on weekdays during normal business hours.

Kern County charges $19 for the first page of most documents. This includes a base fee and the fraud prevention fee. Each extra page costs $3. Senate Bill 2 adds a $75 fee to many real estate sales. This fee funds affordable housing programs. Some transfers are exempt, like gifts between family members or some trust transfers. You can call (661) 868-3485 to ask about fees for a specific document type.

The recorder office keeps files going back over 100 years. Older records are on microfilm or in books. Newer ones are digital. If you need a copy of an old deed, staff can help you find it. They may need to pull a microfilm reel or look in a bound volume. Copies cost a few dollars per page. Certified copies cost more because they have an official stamp and signature.

Kern County also uses an anti-fraud fee that shows up on most recordings. This fee pays for a program to catch fake deeds and forged documents. The county DA prosecutes real estate fraud cases. The fund from this fee supports investigators and legal staff who work on these crimes. It is a small fee, but it helps protect property owners from scams.

Online Property Search in Bakersfield

Kern County had online searches by APN until late 2024. Assembly Bill 1785 removed that feature. You can no longer search by parcel number on the public website. You can still search by name or document number. If you need to use an APN, you must go to the office in person or use one of their public kiosks.

The county has computers set up for public use at their main office. These kiosks let you search by APN and print results. You do not need an appointment. Just walk in and use the terminal. Staff can show you how if you are not sure. The kiosks are free to use, but you pay for any copies you print.

Some title companies and real estate firms have access to private databases that still allow APN searches. These are not free services. They charge a subscription or per-search fee. If you do a lot of property research, a paid service might be worth it. For one-time searches, the county kiosk is the better choice.

The Kern County Assessor has a separate system for property values and tax data. You can search by address to find the assessed value and tax bill. This system does not show deeds or ownership changes. It only shows the current owner and the value set by the assessor. If you want to see who bought the property last year, you need the recorder index, not the assessor site.

Property Tax Bills and Payment

Kern County sends out tax bills each fall. The first half is due November 1 and late after December 10. A 10% penalty hits right away if you miss the deadline. The second half is due February 1 and late after April 10. You get another 10% penalty plus a small cost fee if you are late on the second half.

You can pay online, by phone, or by mail. Online payment with eCheck is usually free. Credit cards come with a service fee around 2 to 3%. Some people prefer to mail a check. Just make sure it gets postmarked before the due date. Since late 2025, USPS postmarks reflect when mail hits the sorting machine, not when you drop it in the box. If you wait until the last day, go to the counter and ask for a manual stamp to be safe.

If taxes go unpaid for five years, the property can be sold at auction. Kern County holds tax sales for defaulted parcels. The county publishes a list of properties going to auction. You can view this list at the tax collector office or sometimes online. Buyers at these sales must pay all back taxes and fees. The prior owner has a limited time to redeem the property by paying everything owed.

Bakersfield Building and Permit Records

The City of Bakersfield Development Services Department handles building permits and planning records. Their office is at 1715 Chester Avenue. You can call (661) 326-3720 for building permit questions. The city keeps files on all construction work done in Bakersfield. This includes new homes, additions, pools, fences, and major repairs.

If you want to know what has been built on a property, ask the city, not the county. The county shows ownership. The city shows construction. Both matter when you buy a home. You want to see if past work was done with permits. Unpermitted work can be a problem when you try to sell or get insurance.

Building permits are required for most construction. Small jobs like painting or replacing a water heater may not need one. Bigger work like adding a room or changing the roof does. The city checks that the work follows building codes. An inspector visits the site at key points during construction. If work passes inspection, the city signs off and closes the permit.

Zoning and land use records are also kept by the city. If a property has a zoning variance or a conditional use permit, that file is at the planning office. These records show what you are allowed to do with the land. Some areas are zoned for homes only. Others allow businesses. Zoning can limit the size of a building or the type of use. Before you buy land or start a project, check the zoning rules.

Common Property Documents in Kern County

Grant deeds are the most common way to transfer property in California. The seller signs a grant deed to pass ownership to the buyer. This deed includes basic promises that the seller owns the property and has not sold it to anyone else. It does not guarantee there are no liens, but it does give some protection to the buyer.

A deed of trust is recorded when you borrow money to buy a home. The lender holds a lien on the property until the loan is paid off. If you stop paying, the lender can foreclose. Once the loan is done, the lender records a deed of reconveyance. This removes the lien from the public record. Both documents go to the county recorder.

Liens come in many forms. A mechanic lien is filed by a contractor who did work and did not get paid. A tax lien comes from the IRS or state when taxes are owed. A judgment lien results from a court case. All these liens attach to the property. They must be cleared before a clean sale can happen. Title companies search for liens before closing a deal.

Some filings are just notices. A notice of default starts foreclosure. A lis pendens warns that a lawsuit is pending. These do not transfer ownership, but they tell the public something is going on with the property. Buyers and lenders check for these before they commit money.

Who Can View Property Records

Anyone can look at most property records in Kern County. You do not need to be an owner or have a legal interest. The state says these files are public so people can check ownership and liens before they buy or lend. This rule protects everyone who deals in real estate.

Some personal info is kept private. Social security numbers and driver license numbers get redacted. You will see them blacked out or covered with a box. Financial account numbers are also hidden in many cases. The county does this to prevent identity theft.

Certain people can request confidential address programs. Victims of domestic violence, judges, and police officers can keep their home address off public records. If someone uses this program, the property file shows an alternate address. The real one is still on file but only certain officials can see it.

Recording Laws That Apply in Bakersfield

California Civil Code Section 1213 says that recording a deed gives legal notice to everyone. Once a document is on file, future buyers are assumed to know about it. This protects people who record their papers first. It also means you should always check the public record before you buy land.

Civil Code Section 1214 sets the order of priority. If two people claim the same property, the one who recorded first usually wins. This is true as long as the first person did not know about the other claim. California uses a race-notice system. You must record fast and without bad faith to be protected.

Government Code Section 27320 requires the county recorder to timestamp every document. The exact date, hour, and minute go on the paper. This timestamp controls the order if two filings come in on the same day. Even a short delay can matter in a dispute.

The California Public Records Act gives you the right to see government files. This law is at Government Code Section 7920.000 and beyond. Agencies must respond to requests within ten days. If they need more time, they must explain why. Fees for copies must be reasonable. They cannot set fees so high that people cannot afford to see public records.

Other Central Valley Cities

Other large cities in the Central Valley include Fresno, Stockton, Modesto, and Visalia. Each uses its own county recorder and assessor. Fresno is in Fresno County. Stockton is in San Joaquin County. Modesto is in Stanislaus County. Visalia is in Tulare County. If you need records for those cities, you go to their county offices, not to Kern County.