I own a home in California
Property tax assessments, Prop 13 and Prop 19 rules, deeds, and wildfire risk.
From Prop 13 and property taxes to court records, wildfire season, and starting a business, CountyOffices gives you clear California-specific guidance for the things that matter.
Reviewed against official California government sources • Updated as laws and requirements change
Property tax assessments, Prop 13 and Prop 19 rules, deeds, and wildfire risk.
Your property tax bill in California is shaped almost entirely by one thing: when you bought. Proposition 13 caps how much your assessed value can rise each year at 2%, and that value only resets to full market value when the property is sold or substantially remodeled - which is why a longtime owner and a recent buyer next door, in identical homes, can have wildly different tax bills. Tax bills arrive in the fall covering two installments: the first due November 1 (delinquent after December 10) and the second due February 1 (delinquent after April 10). Deeds and mortgages on your property are recorded with the county Clerk-Recorder. If you disagree with your assessed value, most counties accept appeals to the local Assessment Appeals Board between July 2 and either September 15 or November 30, depending on the county. And because California carries real wildfire risk in many areas, keep your homeowner's insurance current and know your property's defensible space requirements before fire season.
Sources: California State Board of Equalization, county Assessor and Clerk-Recorder offices, California Constitution Article XIII A
Closings, title searches, disclosures, documentary transfer tax, and property records.
California closings go through a title/escrow company, and disclosure requirements here run deeper than in many states - sellers must complete a Transfer Disclosure Statement covering known material defects, plus additional disclosures for natural hazard zones (flood, fire, earthquake fault) that a licensed disclosure company typically prepares. Deeds are recorded with the county Clerk-Recorder, and recording triggers a documentary transfer tax, generally calculated per $1,000 of the sale price and set locally, so the rate varies by county and sometimes by city within a county. The single biggest thing to understand as a buyer: your purchase price becomes your new assessed value under Proposition 13, replacing whatever the seller was paying, which is often a significant jump from a longtime owner's capped assessment. Expect a supplemental tax bill in addition to your regular bill, covering the gap between the old and new assessed value for the remainder of the tax year.
Sources: county Clerk-Recorder offices, California State Board of Equalization, California Civil Code Section 1102
Defensible space rules, evacuation zones, insurance documents, and county alerts.
California's wildfire season runs roughly late spring through fall, though in dry years it can extend nearly year-round in Southern California. If you live in a designated fire hazard severity zone, you're subject to defensible space requirements - generally clearing vegetation within 100 feet of structures - enforced by your county or local fire district, and rules can vary meaningfully between jurisdictions, so check with your specific fire district rather than assuming statewide uniformity. Know your evacuation zone before a fire starts; it's set by your county Office of Emergency Services and is separate from flood zone designations. After a fire, county Assessors can reassess destroyed or damaged property to reflect the loss, and under Proposition 19 you may be able to transfer your prior home's tax base to a replacement home if the loss was due to a declared disaster like wildfire. FEMA assistance, when a federal disaster is declared, runs on its own application timeline separate from any insurance claim.
Sources: Cal Fire, FEMA, county Office of Emergency Services, county Assessor offices
Probate, wills, estates, Prop 19 inheritance transfers, and county court filing.
Because California is a community property state, settling an estate often starts with sorting community property (owned equally by both spouses regardless of title) from separate property (owned before marriage or received individually). A surviving spouse automatically owns their half of community property, and generally inherits the deceased spouse's half too unless a will directs otherwise. Probate is filed with the Superior Court in the county where the deceased lived; California offers a simplified process for small estates under a statutory threshold that lets heirs avoid full probate. If the estate includes a home, Proposition 19 matters a great deal here: since 2021, a child inheriting a parent's home generally only keeps the parent's lower Prop 13 assessed value if they make the home their own primary residence within a year, and even then, only up to a certain value cap above the original assessment - otherwise the property reassesses to current market value, which can mean a dramatically higher tax bill for the heir.
Sources: California Courts, California State Board of Equalization, California Probate Code, California Constitution Article XIII A (Prop 19)
Marriage licenses, divorce filing, community property, and name changes.
Marriage licenses are issued by the county Clerk (often combined with the Recorder's office), both parties apply together with photo ID, and fees range roughly $45 to over $100 depending on the county. California has no waiting period, so you can marry the same day you get the license, which stays valid for 90 days. Couples can choose either a public marriage license (part of the public record) or a confidential marriage license (sealed from public search, available if you're already living together as a couple). Divorce is more involved: California requires 6 months of state residency and 3 months of county residency before filing, filing fees run around $435, and even once both spouses agree on everything, state law imposes a mandatory 6-month waiting period from the date the other spouse is served before the divorce can be finalized - one of the longer mandatory waits in the country. As a community property state, marital assets and debts from the marriage are generally split roughly equally regardless of whose name they're under.
Sources: California Courts, county Clerk-Recorder offices, California Family Code
Security deposits, tenant protections, eviction notices, and local rent rules.
California caps security deposits at one month's rent as of July 1, 2024 under AB 12, regardless of whether the unit is furnished - down from the previous two- or three-month cap. Small landlords (natural persons owning two or fewer properties totaling four or fewer units) are exempt and can still charge up to two months' rent, except when renting to a service member, who's covered by the one-month cap regardless. Statewide, the Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482) caps annual rent increases at 5% plus local inflation (capped at 10% total) for most buildings over 15 years old, and requires "just cause" for eviction once a tenant has lived somewhere 12 months or more - meaning a landlord generally can't simply decline to renew without a legally recognized reason. Many California cities layer additional, often stricter, rent control and eviction protections on top of the state law, so check your specific city's rules in addition to the statewide baseline. Eviction notices and unlawful detainer filings go through county Superior Court.
Sources: California Civil Code Sections 1946.2, 1950.5, 1947.12; California Courts
Birth, death, marriage, court, property, and business records.
Birth and death certificates can be ordered either through the California Dept. of Public Health's Vital Records office (by mail, statewide) or through the county Recorder where the event occurred (often faster, in person) - a certified state-level copy runs about $29. Marriage records are held by the county Recorder where the marriage license was issued; note that a confidential marriage license, if the couple chose that option, is sealed from public search even though the standard public license is searchable. Property records - deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments - are recorded and searchable through the county Clerk-Recorder, generally free to search online with a fee for certified copies. Court records vary by county, with most Superior Courts offering some online case search; California doesn't have one single statewide portal covering every county's court records. Business entity records are filed with the California Secretary of State, searchable statewide regardless of county.
Sources: California Dept. of Public Health, county Clerk-Recorder offices, California Courts, California Secretary of State
Business licenses, fictitious business names, permits, EIN, and local requirements.
Forming an LLC in California means filing Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State ($70 filing fee, roughly 5–10 business days standard or 24 hours expedited), then filing a Statement of Information within 90 days. The bigger ongoing cost is the $800 annual minimum franchise tax owed to the Franchise Tax Board - every California LLC owes this regardless of income or whether the business made a profit, and higher-revenue LLCs owe an additional gross receipts fee on top of it. If you're using a name other than your own legal name or your entity's registered name, you'll likely need to file a Fictitious Business Name (DBA) statement with the county Clerk-Recorder where your business operates, which typically also requires publishing a notice in a local newspaper. Businesses selling taxable goods need a seller's permit from the California Dept. of Tax and Fee Administration. Local business licenses and zoning permits come from your city or county separately, and requirements vary significantly across California's cities.
Sources: California Secretary of State, California Franchise Tax Board, California Dept. of Tax and Fee Administration
Assessed value is capped and only resets on sale or new construction, with special rules for inherited homes.
Proposition 13, passed by voters in 1978, is the single biggest factor shaping property tax in California. It caps annual assessed value growth at 2% and, critically, only resets your assessment to current market value when the property is sold or undergoes new construction - meaning two identical homes on the same street can carry very different tax bills depending purely on how long the owner has held it. Proposition 19, passed in 2020, narrowed a longstanding exception: previously, a parent could pass a home to a child and the child would keep the parent's low assessed value regardless of what they did with the property. Now, a child inheriting a parent's home generally keeps that lower assessed value only if they move in and make it their own primary residence within a year, and even then only up to a value cap above the original assessment - otherwise the property reassesses to market value, which can substantially raise the heir's tax bill. Prop 19 also lets eligible homeowners 55+, severely disabled, or wildfire/disaster victims transfer their tax base to a replacement home anywhere in the state.
Sources: California State Board of Equalization, California Constitution Article XIII A
The Assessor determines property value. The Treasurer-Tax Collector bills and collects the tax.
California splits property tax between two separate county offices. The Assessor determines your property's value, tracks Prop 13's 2% annual cap, processes exemptions, and reassesses property after a sale, new construction, or destruction (like wildfire damage). The Treasurer-Tax Collector then bills you based on that assessed value, collects the two annual installments (due November 1 and February 1), and handles delinquent payment questions. If you think your assessed value is wrong, that's an Assessor issue, resolved by filing with the local Assessment Appeals Board within your county's specific window (typically July 2 through September 15 or November 30, depending on the county). If your question is about an actual bill, a payment, or a supplemental tax notice after a purchase, that's the Treasurer-Tax Collector.
Sources: California State Board of Equalization, county Assessor and Treasurer-Tax Collector offices
From deeds and marriage licenses to fictitious business names, your County Clerk-Recorder handles a lot.
Many California counties combine the Clerk and Recorder into a single elected or appointed office, and the range of duties it covers surprises a lot of people. The Clerk-Recorder records deeds, mortgages, liens, and judgments; issues marriage licenses and performs civil marriage ceremonies in many counties; often issues birth, death, and marriage certificates for events in the county; and processes Fictitious Business Name (DBA) filings for local businesses. Some counties keep Clerk and Recorder as genuinely separate offices, so titles and exact responsibilities vary - but in most, one office and one website covers this whole range, which is convenient once you know it, since in many other states these functions are spread across two or three separate departments.
Sources: county Clerk-Recorder offices, California State Association of County Recorders
Driver licenses and vehicle registration are handled by state DMV field offices, not the county.
Driver's licenses, ID cards, and vehicle registration in California are handled entirely by the state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) through its own field offices - there's no county-run equivalent anywhere in the state. This is different from some states where a county Tax Collector or similar office handles vehicle-related transactions locally. DMV field offices are placed by the state based on population and demand, not aligned with county boundaries, so your nearest DMV office may or may not be in your own county depending on where you live. Many transactions (registration renewal, address changes) can be done online or by mail directly through DMV, but new licenses, driving tests, and most title transfers require an in-person visit to a DMV field office, often requiring an appointment given wait times. If you're searching for "the county DMV" in California, the answer is simply: DMV, not county government.
Sources: California Dept. of Motor Vehicles
California divides most marital property equally, which may affect divorce, debt, and inheritance.
California is one of a handful of community property states, and it shapes marriage, divorce, and inheritance differently than most of the country. Property acquired during the marriage generally belongs equally to both spouses, regardless of whose name is on the title, account, or paycheck. Property owned before the marriage, or received individually by gift or inheritance, stays separate property. At divorce, community property is divided roughly equally between spouses. At death, a surviving spouse automatically retains their half of the community property, and typically inherits the deceased spouse's half too, unless a will specifically directs otherwise. This affects far more than divorce: it shapes how debt is treated (debt taken on during the marriage is often a shared community obligation), how estate planning documents need to be drafted, and how property passes when one spouse dies without addressing it explicitly in a will.
Sources: California Family Code, California Courts
Brush clearance, permits, and rebuilding rules after a fire can vary by county and fire district.
Wildfire risk touches California's building, insurance, and tax rules in ways most states don't have to think about. If your property sits in a designated Fire Hazard Severity Zone, you're generally required to maintain defensible space - clearing brush and flammable vegetation within 100 feet of structures - and requirements are enforced locally by your county or fire district, with real differences in specifics between jurisdictions, so don't assume your neighbor's county rules apply to yours. Rebuilding after a fire brings its own permit process, and many counties expedite permits for like-for-like rebuilds on a property destroyed by wildfire, though anything beyond the original footprint typically triggers standard review. On the tax side, county Assessors can reduce a damaged or destroyed property's assessed value to reflect the loss, and under Proposition 19, homeowners who lose a home to a wildfire (or other declared disaster) may be able to transfer their prior tax base to a replacement home rather than starting over at market value.
Sources: Cal Fire, county Assessor offices, California Public Resources Code Section 4291
The California county records research approach starts with the specific county's Recorder, Clerk, or Superior Court website. Most California counties offer online court record search, property record search, and recording document search. Statewide systems exist for corporate records through the Secretary of State and for some court records through county-specific portals. The California State Association of Counties provides links to all 58 county websites for California county records access.
Proposition 13 (1978) caps annual property tax assessment increases at 2% and resets assessed value to market value only on transfer or new construction. This creates dramatic differences in California county records for property tax purposes between long-term owners (paying tax on decades-old assessed values) and recent buyers (paying tax on current market value). Proposition 19 (2020) further limited the parent-child transfer reassessment exclusion that previously allowed inherited property to retain its old assessed value.
California is a community property state. Property acquired during marriage belongs equally to both spouses regardless of titling. At divorce, community property is divided roughly equally. At death, the surviving spouse automatically owns the deceased spouse's half of community property unless a will provides otherwise. Separate property (owned before marriage or received by gift or inheritance) remains separate. California county records on marriage establish the start date for community property; California community property rules affect estate planning, divorce, and asset protection planning.
California property taxes have two installments: the first installment is due November 1 and becomes delinquent after December 10. The second installment is due February 1 and becomes delinquent after April 10. Property owners receive an annual tax bill in fall covering both installments. The California county records system also issues supplemental tax bills when property is transferred or new construction is completed, capturing the difference between the prior assessed value and current market value.
Apply at the County Clerk's office in any California county. Both applicants must appear together. Required documents include government-issued photo ID and proof of age. License fees range from approximately $45 to over $100 depending on county. California has no waiting period, so couples can marry the same day they obtain the license. California county records on marriage are maintained by the county recorder where the marriage occurred. Licenses are valid for 90 days. Either a confidential marriage license or a public marriage license may be issued depending on the couple's choice.
Order through the California Department of Public Health Vital Records office or the county recorder where the birth occurred. State Vital Records processes orders by mail; county recorders typically allow in-person ordering for faster service. California county records on births can be ordered from either state or county. Required information includes the full name on the certificate, date of birth, place of birth, parents' names, and proof of your identity and relationship. California birth certificate fees are approximately $29 per certified copy at the state level.
California divorce filing requires meeting the 6-month state residency requirement and 3-month county residency requirement, completing the petition for dissolution, and filing with the Superior Court Family Law Division. Filing fees are approximately $435. California is a no-fault state with "irreconcilable differences" as the standard grounds. California has a 6-month mandatory waiting period from the date the petition is served before divorce can be finalized, one of the longer waiting periods in the United States.
The California Assessment Appeals Board (AAB) is the county-level body that hears property tax appeals. Property owners who believe their assessment exceeds market value can file an appeal with the county AAB. Filing windows vary by county: July 2 through September 15 in standard counties, July 2 through November 30 in counties using the alternative period. The AAB conducts hearings and issues decisions on assessment values within the California county records system. The California property tax guide covers the process in detail.
File Articles of Organization with the California Secretary of State. The filing fee is $70. California LLC formation typically processes within 5-10 business days for standard filing or 24 hours with expedited service. After state formation, obtain a federal EIN, file the Statement of Information within 90 days, and pay the $800 annual minimum franchise tax to the Franchise Tax Board. Most California LLCs must also pay an additional gross receipts fee for higher revenue levels.
Register through the California Secretary of State Elections or through your county Registrar of Voters. California allows online voter registration. Registration deadline is 15 days before each election. California also allows same-day voter registration at any polling place through election day. California requires no voter ID at the polls. All registered California voters automatically receive mail ballots before each election under California's vote-by-mail system. California county records on voter registration are maintained by each county Registrar of Voters.
The California county records maintained by the County Recorder include deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments, tax liens, and other recorded real estate instruments. The County Recorder typically also issues birth, death, and marriage certificates for events in the county. Each California county has its own Recorder. Most offer online search through their county website. The California State Association of County Recorders provides additional information.
California criminal record expungement (technically called dismissal under Penal Code section 1203.4) requires petition to the Superior Court where the original case was prosecuted. California allows dismissal of certain misdemeanor and felony convictions after probation completion. The dismissed conviction is removed from California county records on public record for most purposes but remains available to law enforcement and certain employers. The California court records guide covers expungement procedures.
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Get Help Now → Private. Secure. Always free.California property taxes are billed in two installments, and missing either delinquency date carries a real 10% penalty.
California property taxes are billed in two installments, and missing either delinquency date carries a real 10% penalty. The first installment is due November 1 and becomes delinquent after December 10; the second is due February 1 and becomes delinquent after April 10 - note these are different months for "due" versus "delinquent," a distinction that trips people up. If you're purchasing property or completing new construction, expect a separate supplemental tax bill capturing the difference between the prior assessed value and the new market value, arriving apart from your regular annual bill. Assessment Appeals Board filing windows vary genuinely by county: most counties run July 2 through September 15, but counties using the alternative period extend through November 30 - confirm your specific county's window rather than assuming the standard dates apply. If you're a new California resident, you have just 10 days to obtain a California driver's license and 20 days to register your vehicle - both genuinely tight windows compared to many states, with real penalties for missing them. Business filings carry their own clock too: California LLCs must file their Statement of Information within 90 days of formation and pay the $800 annual minimum franchise tax to the Franchise Tax Board.
Sources: California State Board of Equalization, California DMV, California Franchise Tax Board, county Assessor and Tax Collector offices
If you believe your assessed value exceeds actual market value, California's county-level Assessment Appeals Board (AAB) is where you challenge it - but the filing window genuinely varies by county.
If you believe your assessed value exceeds actual market value, California's county-level Assessment Appeals Board (AAB) is where you challenge it - but the filing window genuinely varies by county. Most counties use the standard period, July 2 through September 15; others use an alternative period that runs July 2 through November 30, so confirm your specific county's dates rather than assuming the shorter window applies everywhere. This appeal is specifically about whether the assessed value exceeds fair market value - a genuinely different question from Prop 13's separate 2% annual growth cap, which limits how much your assessed value can rise year to year but doesn't determine whether that starting value was accurate. Bring real supporting evidence: comparable sales, an independent appraisal, or documentation of property condition issues that a standard assessment might have missed. The AAB conducts a hearing and issues a decision; if you're not satisfied with the outcome, further appeal to superior court remains available. Because a supplemental tax bill often follows a purchase or new construction - reflecting the jump from the prior owner's assessed value to current market value - new buyers sometimes have grounds to appeal that supplemental valuation specifically, separate from any appeal of the base annual assessment.
Read the full property tax appeal guide →
Sources: California State Board of Equalization, county Assessment Appeals Board and Assessor offices
The California Public Records Act (CPRA) presumes that records held by state and local government agencies are open to public inspection, and like most states' open-records laws, you generally don't need to explain your reason for the request or demonstrate a personal interest in the records.
The California Public Records Act (CPRA) presumes that records held by state and local government agencies are open to public inspection, and like most states' open-records laws, you generally don't need to explain your reason for the request or demonstrate a personal interest in the records. Agencies must respond within 10 days indicating whether they'll provide the records, though that response can extend the actual production timeline in some cases; a specific statutory exemption must be cited if a request is denied. Common exemptions include certain law enforcement investigative records, personnel records, and specific categories the legislature has carved out. Real estate records - deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments, tax liens - are held by the County Recorder, an office in many California counties combined with the County Clerk into a single Clerk-Recorder handling a genuinely broad range of functions including marriage licenses and fictitious business name filings. Court records for civil, criminal, and probate matters come from the Superior Court in each county. Business entity records are filed with the California Secretary of State, searchable statewide. Vital records (birth, death, marriage certificates) can be ordered through either the California Dept. of Public Health at the state level or the county Recorder where the event occurred - the county route is often faster for in-person requests.
Read the full open records guide →
Sources: California Attorney General's Office, California Government Code §7920 et seq. (Public Records Act), county Clerk-Recorder offices
California's wildfire season genuinely spans late spring through fall in most years, with specific timing and severity varying by region and current drought conditions.
California's wildfire season genuinely spans late spring through fall in most years, with specific timing and severity varying by region and current drought conditions. Defensible space requirements are real and enforceable: California law requires clearing vegetation and flammable material within 100 feet of structures in designated fire hazard severity zones, with specific zone-by-zone rules that can vary by county and local fire district - check with your county fire authority for exact requirements on your property. Know your evacuation zone before fire season starts, since counties in fire-prone areas maintain zone systems and issue evacuation orders that assume residents already know their specific zone. Cal Fire and county Offices of Emergency Services coordinate response and maintain current fire and evacuation information during active incidents. After a wildfire causes damage, your county Assessor can reassess destroyed or damaged property, and disaster relief provisions may allow deferring reassessment until rebuilding is complete rather than being taxed on pre-fire value while the property sits unusable. If a federal disaster is declared, FEMA assistance becomes available for both individuals and local governments. Rebuilding after a wildfire often involves updated fire-hazard building codes that didn't apply to the original structure, so building permits and requirements can differ meaningfully from a standard remodel - check with your county or city building department early in the process.
Sources: Cal Fire, California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, FEMA, county Assessor and Office of Emergency Services offices
California runs genuinely tight clocks for new residents: you have 10 days after establishing residency to obtain a California driver's license and 20 days to register your vehicle - both meaningfully shorter windows than many states allow, with real penalties (including possible "back-tax" charges) for missing them.
California runs genuinely tight clocks for new residents: you have 10 days after establishing residency to obtain a California driver's license and 20 days to register your vehicle - both meaningfully shorter windows than many states allow, with real penalties (including possible "back-tax" charges) for missing them. Vehicle registration for an out-of-state car requires an in-person DMV visit, a VIN verification, and in most cases a California smog check, since California maintains the strictest vehicle emissions standards in the country - even a car that passed smog in another state must be retested here. If you've purchased a home, understand that Prop 13 caps your assessed value's annual growth at 2%, but your starting assessed value resets to current market value at the point of purchase - a genuinely different number from what the previous long-term owner was paying tax on, sometimes dramatically so. Expect a supplemental tax bill separate from your regular annual bill, capturing this reassessment. Register to vote through your county Registrar of Voters or online through the Secretary of State - California allows registration up to 15 days before an election, plus same-day registration at any polling place through election day, and registered voters automatically receive mail ballots for every election.
Sources: California DMV, California State Board of Equalization, California Secretary of State Elections, county Assessor offices
California laws apply statewide, but offices, services, procedures and local requirements can vary by county. Select your county for verified local offices, services and official resources.
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