Fresno Property Records

Fresno property records are kept by Fresno County offices. The county recorder maintains all deeds, trust deeds, and lien documents for properties in the city. You search these files through the county, not through the city of Fresno. Property tax bills and assessed values come from the Fresno County Assessor. The county treasurer-tax collector handles tax payments. If you need to find who owns land in Fresno or check for liens, you use Fresno County resources. The county recorder office is at 2281 Tulare Street, Room 201, in downtown Fresno. This is the same building as the assessor office, making it easy to get both types of information in one visit.

Fresno County Recorder Office

All property documents for Fresno are recorded with Fresno County. The recorder office is at 2281 Tulare Street, Room 201, in Fresno. They keep deeds and liens for the whole county, not just the city. When a home in Fresno is sold, the deed goes here. When a lender releases a loan, the reconveyance gets filed here. The office is open on weekdays during business hours.

You can call (559) 600-5956 for help with recording questions. The staff can tell you 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. Recording fees in Fresno County start at $19 for the first page. This includes the base fee and additional state-mandated fees. Each extra page costs $3.

Fresno County keeps property records going back over a century. Older files are on microfilm or in bound volumes. Newer records are digital. If you need an old deed, staff can help you find it. They may need to pull microfilm or look in a book. Copies cost a few dollars per page. Certified copies have an official stamp and cost more.

The county charges several fees on top of the base recording fee. Senate Bill 2 adds $75 to most real estate sales to fund affordable housing. Some transactions are exempt, like gifts between family members. You can call the office to ask about specific exemptions before you record a document.

Search Fresno Property Records Online

Fresno County provides online access to property records. You can search by name, document type, or recording date. The system shows basic details like when a document was filed and what type it is. Some documents have images you can view online. Others may require a visit to the office to see the full file.

The county does not charge to view the index online. If you want to print or download documents, there may be a small fee. The online system is free to use for basic searches. You do not need an account or login to access the public index.

The Fresno 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 changes. For that, you use the recorder search.

If you are doing research on multiple properties, the online tools save time. You can search from home without driving to the office. For complex title searches or legal matters, you may want to hire a title company. They have access to more detailed databases and can trace ownership back many years.

Fresno Property Tax Bills

Property taxes for Fresno are collected by the Fresno County Treasurer-Tax Collector. You can view and pay your tax bill online. The county website has a tax payment portal where you search by address or parcel number. Once you find your bill, you can pay with eCheck for free or with a credit card for a service fee.

Tax bills go out in October each year. 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 are late on the second half.

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 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 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 office for forms and eligibility rules.

Fresno Planning and Development

The City of Fresno Planning and Development Department handles building permits and construction records. Their website is at fresno.gov/planning/. You can call (559) 621-8277 for questions about permits or planning. The office is at 2600 Fresno Street, Room 3054. The city runs an online portal called Fresno Accela Citizen Access where you can apply for permits and check permit status.

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

Permit records show what construction has been done on a property. 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.

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

Access to Property Records

Most property records in Fresno 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. The true address 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 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. Even a few minutes can matter in a dispute.

Other Central Valley Cities

Other large cities in the Central Valley include Clovis which is also in Fresno County, Bakersfield in Kern County, Stockton in San Joaquin County, Modesto in Stanislaus County, and Visalia in Tulare County. Clovis uses the same recorder and assessor as Fresno. The other cities are in different counties and use their own county offices.