Property Information

The Assessor's Office provides a public information service to assist taxpayers with questions about their property.

Property ownership, parcel maps and other property information is available to the public.

  1. Public Information
  2. Building Records Request
  3. Parcel Maps
  4. Permits | Zoning

By Phone:

Property ownership and address information are provided over the phone.

Call the Assessor's Office Public Information Line (619) 236-3771.

In Person:

Property ownership, parcel maps, and other property information are available for public view on our computer kiosks.

Visit any of our office locations for assistance.

For a list of copies of recorded documents fees, please see the Fee Schedule

Online:

Assessor Parcel Numbers, Property Characteristics, and Assessor Maps are available online through ParcelQuest.

By Mail:

To have copies of recorded documents such as deeds, liens, and others mailed to you, go to the Official Records Index.

For information concerning Refunds and Mello-Roos, visit the Auditor & Controller Page.

FAQs

What information is available at the Assessor's Public Information?

All property-related records, including property ownership, assessed values, maps, property sales listings and characteristics, historical Tax Collector information; also, an online property index is available for research and viewing.

Will staff be available to help and assist the public for research purposes?

Yes. Staff is always available to assist the public on how to research these property records and to answer any questions they may have.​

Can copies of property records be obtained?

Yes. Copies of any property record are available for a fee of $2 for the first page of a document and $0.05 for each additional page. ​

Do the offices have handicapped access?

Yes, all of our offices are ADA compliant.

Are there any other locations where this information is available?

Yes, you may visit any of our available office locations.

Assessor's Parcel

An Assessor's parcel is an area of land delineated on a map by the County for the sole purpose of collecting taxes on property. Each Assessor’s parcel is assigned a number (the Assessor’s Parcel Number or APN) that corresponds to a location on a page in a book of maps maintained by the Assessor’s Office.

How can I obtain an Assessor's parcel map?

You may obtain an Assessor's parcel map by one of the following options:

Purchase a copy at the County Administration Center, 1600 Pacific Highway, Room 103, in downtown San Diego or go to the Online Parcel Map Search on the Internet. ​​

How many Assessor's maps are there?

There are more than 29,128 Assessor’s maps, showing almost 1,001,029 parcels of land. These maps cover the county, including all the cities, as well as the unincorporated areas. ​

What information is available from the Assessor's maps?

The parcel maps show the Assessor’s parcel numbers, recorded dimensions, acreage, street widths, parcel and lot boundaries, adjoining parcels and recorded map information.​

How does the Assessor's Office obtain this information?

This office receives information from government maps, recorded maps, subdivision maps, record of surveys and road surveys.​

Are street addresses and ownership shown on Assessor's maps?

No. However, the map will show an Assessor’s Parcel Number (APM) which can be used to obtain ownership and address information.

Do Assessor's maps show dimensions and acreage?

Yes. In most instances, the dimensions are noted in feet and any acreage of one-half acre or more is shown on the maps. ​

How do I determine if my parcel/lot is legal?

Please click here for a guide that explains how lots were created, what a legal lot is, and what steps you may be able to take to resolve any legal discrepancies regarding your lot.

County Planning & Development Services Policy G-3 Determination of Legal Parcel provides additional guidelines that can be used to determine if a lot is legal. Please click here for more information.

A Building permit is required to construct any new structure or improve existing buildings and other structures. The more common building permit applications are for new or remodels to single dwelling units, multi-dwelling units, commercial and industrial buildings, and accessory structures.

Building construction plans and other documents must be submitted for review to ensure that construction projects comply with federal, state and local standards for building safety, accessibility and land use, zoning and standards that help safeguard life or limb, public health, property and welfare.

Zoning is the legislative process for dividing land into zones for different uses. Zoning laws are the laws that regulate the use of land and structures built upon it.

Permits and Zoning are regulated by the Cities and by the County in unincorporated areas. City and/or County staff review and approve these applications to ensure all applicable regulations are met.

For more information and how to apply for a building permit, please contact one of the County of San Diego Zoning Departments.