Find Burbank Property Records

Burbank property records are stored at Los Angeles County offices. The county registrar-recorder-county clerk keeps all deeds, trust deeds, and lien files for properties in the city. You cannot search these records through the city of Burbank. Everything goes through the county system. Tax information and property values come from the Los Angeles County Assessor. The county tax collector handles bill payments. All of these offices are part of the county structure, not the city. If you need to look up ownership or check for liens on a Burbank property, you use Los Angeles County resources.

Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder

All property records for Burbank are filed with Los Angeles County. The main office is at 12400 Imperial Highway in Norwalk. This office keeps deeds and other documents for the entire county, including all 88 cities. When a home in Burbank is sold, the deed goes to this office. When a loan is paid off, the lender records the release here. The county has branch offices in Beverly Hills, Lancaster, and Van Nuys to serve different parts of the county.

You can call (800) 201-8999 and press option 3 to reach the property records section. Staff can answer questions about fees, document types, and how to order copies. If you need a certified copy of a deed, you can request it in person at any branch office or by mail to the Norwalk location. Copy fees start at $5 for a plain first page and $6 for a certified first page. Each extra page costs $3.

Los Angeles County does not offer online searches of real estate documents. The county website says clearly that property records are not accessible online. If you need to search for a deed or lien, you must visit one of the branch offices in person. Public terminals are available at each location where you can search by name, year, and document type. Staff can show you how to use the system if you are not familiar with it.

Recording fees in Los Angeles County include a base fee of $15 for the first page. The SB 2 building homes fee adds $75 to most real estate sales. A fraud notification fee of $7 applies to grant deeds. Each extra page costs $3. Some documents have additional fees like the monument preservation fee. The total can add up depending on the type and size of your document.

Property Values and Taxes

The Los Angeles County Assessor keeps track of property values for tax purposes. You can search their database at portal.assessor.lacounty.gov. This site lets you look up properties by address or parcel number. You can see the current assessed value, last sale price, and tax bill. The assessor does not keep ownership documents. For deeds and liens, you go to the recorder office.

Property tax bills are sent out by the Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector. You can view and pay your bill online at vcheck.ttc.lacounty.gov. The site lets you pay with eCheck for free or with a credit or debit card for a service fee of 2.22%. If you prefer to pay by phone, call 1-888-473-0835. The same card fee applies.

Tax bills are due twice a year. 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 a 10% penalty plus a $10 cost fee if you are late on the second half. If taxes go unpaid for several years, the county can sell the property at auction.

Some homeowners qualify for exemptions that lower their tax bill. The homeowner exemption saves about $70 per year. You apply once and it stays in place as long as you own and live in the home. Other exemptions exist for seniors, disabled veterans, and people with low incomes. Contact the assessor office for forms and eligibility rules.

Burbank Community Development

The City of Burbank Community Development Department handles building permits and zoning records. Their website is at burbankca.gov. You can call (818) 238-5250 for questions about permits or planning. The city keeps records of all construction done in Burbank. This includes new buildings, additions, pools, fences, and major repairs.

If you want to know what has been built on a property, check with the city. The county shows ownership and liens. The city shows construction and permits. Both types of records matter when you buy a home. You want to see if past work was done with permits. Unpermitted work can cause problems when you try to sell or get a loan.

Building permits are required for most construction. Small jobs like painting or changing a faucet may not need one. Bigger work like adding a room or replacing a roof does. The city checks that the work follows building codes. An inspector visits the site during construction to make sure everything is done right. If the work passes, the city closes the permit.

Zoning and land use files are kept by the city planning office. These records show what you can do with a piece of land. Some areas are zoned for homes only. Others allow businesses or mixed use. Before you buy land or start a project, check the zoning rules. The city can tell you what is allowed and what restrictions apply.

Common Property Documents

Grant deeds are the main way to transfer property in California. When you sell a home, you sign a grant deed to pass ownership to the buyer. This deed includes promises that you own the property and have not sold it to anyone else. It does not guarantee there are no liens, but it gives some protection to the buyer.

Deeds of trust are recorded when you borrow money to buy a home. The lender holds a lien on the property until the loan is paid. If you stop paying, the lender can foreclose. Once the loan is done, the lender files a reconveyance deed. This removes the lien from the public record. Both the trust deed and the reconveyance 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 lawsuit. All these liens attach to the property. They must be cleared before you can sell with a clean title. Title companies search for liens before a sale closes.

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

Access to Property Records

Most property records in Los Angeles County are public. Anyone can view them. You do not need to own the property or have a legal interest. California law says these files are open so people can check ownership and liens before they buy or lend. This protects everyone who deals in real estate.

Some personal info is kept private. Social security numbers and driver license numbers are redacted from public documents. 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 extra privacy. Victims of domestic violence, judges, and law enforcement officers can use a confidential address program. 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 in California

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 in good faith to be protected.

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

Other Los Angeles County Cities

Other large cities in Los Angeles County include Los Angeles, Long Beach, Glendale, Pasadena, and Torrance. All use the same county recorder and assessor. Property records for any of these cities are filed at the Los Angeles County offices in Norwalk or at one of the branch locations. The city you live in does not change where your deed gets recorded.