Fontana Property Records

Fontana property records are kept by San Bernardino County. The county assessor-recorder-county clerk holds all deeds, liens, and trust deeds for properties in the city. You search these files through the county, not through the city. Tax information and assessed values come from the county assessor. The county tax collector handles bill payments. If you need to look up who owns land in Fontana or check for liens, you use San Bernardino County resources. The main office is at 222 W. Hospitality Lane in San Bernardino. The county also has a self-service portal online where you can search documents from home.

San Bernardino County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk

All property records for Fontana are filed with San Bernardino County. The office is at 222 W. Hospitality Lane in San Bernardino. They keep deeds and liens for the whole county, including all cities. When a home in Fontana is sold, the deed goes here. When a loan is paid off, the reconveyance gets filed here. The office is open on weekdays during business hours.

You can call the recorder at (909) 387-8306 or the assessor at (909) 387-8307. Staff can answer questions about fees, document types, and how to get copies. If you need a certified copy of a deed, you can request it in person or by mail. Copy fees start at $3 for the first page and $1 for each additional page. Certification adds $1 per page.

San Bernardino County has an online self-service portal at arcselfservice.sbcounty.gov. This site lets you search for documents from 1958 to the present. You can view the index for free. If you want to see full document images, there may be a small fee. The system is easy to use and does not require an account for basic searches.

Recording fees in San Bernardino County follow state law. The base fee is $15 for the first page. Additional fees include the SB 2 building homes fee and the fraud prevention fee. The total depends on the type of document and whether multiple parcels are involved. You can call the office to ask about fees before you record a document.

Search Fontana Property Records Online

San Bernardino County provides a self-service portal for property record searches. You can search by name, document type, or recording date. The system shows an index of documents from 1958 forward. Older records may be on microfilm and require a visit to the office.

The online portal is free for basic searches. You type in a name or document number and the system shows matching results. Click on a result to see details like the recording date and number of pages. Some documents have images you can view online. Others may require a visit to the office or a request by mail.

The San Bernardino County Assessor has a separate system for property values and tax data. You can search by address or parcel number. This site shows the current assessed value, last sale price, and tax bill. It does not show deeds or ownership history. For that, you use the recorder self-service portal.

If you are doing detailed research or need a full title search, consider hiring a title company. They have access to databases that go back many years and can trace ownership through multiple sales. For a simple check on who owns a property now, the free county tools work fine.

Pay Property Taxes in Fontana

Property taxes for Fontana are collected by the San Bernardino County Tax Collector. You can view and pay your tax bill online at mytaxcollector.com. The site lets you search by address or parcel number. Once you find your bill, you can pay with eCheck, credit card, or debit card. Fees vary by payment method.

Tax bills are mailed in October. The first half is due November 1 and late after December 10. A 10% penalty is added if you miss the deadline. The second half is due February 1 and late after April 10. You get another 10% penalty plus a cost fee if you pay late.

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

Some property owners qualify for exemptions. The homeowner exemption saves about $70 per year. You file once and it stays in place. Other exemptions exist for seniors, disabled veterans, and people with low incomes. Contact the assessor for forms and rules.

Fontana Community Development

The City of Fontana Community Development Department handles building permits and planning records. Their website is at fontana.org/communitydevelopment. You can call (909) 350-7640 for building questions or (909) 350-6718 for planning. The city keeps records of all construction done in Fontana.

Building permits are required for most construction work. This includes new buildings, additions, major repairs, and some electrical or plumbing jobs. Small repairs may not need a permit. If you are not sure, call the city and describe the work. They can tell you if a permit is required.

Permit records show what has been built on a property over the years. If a past owner added a room or changed the roof, there should be a permit on file. Unpermitted work can cause problems when you sell. Buyers often check permit history before closing. You can request permit records for any address from the city.

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

Common Property Documents

Grant deeds are used to transfer ownership. When you sell a home, you sign a grant deed to pass the property to the buyer. This deed includes promises that you own the land and have not sold it already. It does not give a full guarantee of clear title, but it offers 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. If you stop paying, the lender can foreclose. Once the loan is done, the lender files a reconveyance. This removes the lien from the public record.

Liens attach to property when someone has a legal claim. 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 must be cleared before you can sell with a clean title.

Access to Property Records

Most property records in San Bernardino County are public. Anyone can search them. You do not need to own the property or prove a legal interest. California law says these files are open so people can check ownership and liens before they buy or lend money.

Some personal info is kept private. Social security numbers and driver license numbers are redacted. You will see them blacked out or covered. 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 can use a confidential address program. If active, the property record shows an alternate address instead of the real one.

California Recording Laws

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 first.

Civil Code Section 1214 sets priority rules. If two people claim the same property, the one who recorded first wins, as long as they had no knowledge of the other claim. This is a race-notice system. You must record fast to protect your interest.

Government Code Section 27320 requires the county recorder to timestamp every document. The exact date, hour, and minute go on each filing. This timestamp decides order if two documents come in on the same day.

Other Inland Empire Cities

Other large cities in San Bernardino County include San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, and Victorville. All use the same county recorder and assessor. Property records for any of these cities are filed at San Bernardino County offices.