Reviewed and updated October 7, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and September 25, 2026.
Santa Maria, California, in Santa Barbara County, has about 111,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). The title to a parcel in Santa Maria is in the deed records of the County Recorder and its taxable value is set by the County Assessor; what is built on it is a matter for the city. This guide says who keeps each record and where the page for each office is.
This guide covers deeds, assessed values, city permits and records, evictions and court cases, records requests, directory links and common questions.
Related guides: Santa Maria public records, Santa Barbara County property records, Santa Maria warrants, Santa Maria inmate search, Santa Maria criminal records, Santa Maria court records, California arrest records and California inmate search.
Deeds, Mortgages and Liens in Santa Maria
Deeds, mortgages, liens and easements that affect title to land in Santa Maria are recorded by the County Recorder, which indexes them by name and sells copies.
SearchSystems opened and checked the County Recorder's page at records.sbcrecorder.com/web/action/ACTIONGROUP439S2 (page title: Self-Service), phone (805) 568-2250, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 25, 2026.
Assessed Values and the Tax Roll in Santa Maria
What a parcel in Santa Maria is taxed on is the business of the County Assessor, which also keeps the parcel maps. Under Proposition 13 a property's assessed value is set when it changes hands and can rise no more than 2 percent a year after that, so a home owned for decades is often assessed far below its market value.
SearchSystems opened and checked the County Assessor's page at sbcassessor.com/assessor/AssessorParcelMap.aspx (page title: Parcel Details & Value Notice Lookup | Santa Barbara County Assessor), which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
Permits and City Records in Santa Maria
Building permits, zoning and code cases are the city's own. For Santa Maria, SearchSystems opened and checked the city hall page at cityofsantamaria.org/about-us/contact-us/departments-and-facilities (page title: Departments And Facilities | City of Santa Maria), phone (805) 925-0951, 110 E. Cook Street Santa Maria CA 93454-5190, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 25, 2026.
The city clerk's page SearchSystems verified is at cityofsantamaria.org/services/departments/city-clerk-records (page title: City Clerk- Records | City of Santa Maria), phone (805) 925-0951, 110 E. Cook Street Santa Maria, CA 93454, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 25, 2026.
Evictions and Court Cases About Land in Santa Maria
Court cases about land from Santa Maria, evictions among them, are filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara.
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at santabarbara.courts.ca.gov/online-services/case-records-search/case....
Asking a County Office for a Record
Under the California Public Records Act a county office must answer a request within 10 days, with up to 14 more days in unusual circumstances, and it may charge the direct cost of copying only, not staff time.
More Official Property and Land Records Pages for Santa Barbara County
The SearchSystems directory, online since 1997, lists the official pages for Santa Barbara County and California. These property pages from its Santa Barbara County listing were opened again on October 2, 2026 and each one still answers:
- Building Permit Forms & Applications (santabarbaraca.gov)
Frequently Asked Questions
Who records deeds in Santa Maria?
The County Recorder, at records.sbcrecorder.com, phone (805) 568-2250. Deeds, mortgages and liens on land in Santa Maria are filed there, and the County Assessor (sbcassessor.com) has the assessment records.
Who sets the assessed value of a property in Santa Maria?
The County Assessor, whose page SearchSystems verified is at sbcassessor.com.
Where are evictions from Santa Maria filed?
In the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara. The file is public unless the court seals it.
How is property assessed in California?
Under Proposition 13 a property's assessed value is set when it changes hands and can rise no more than 2 percent a year after that, so a home owned for decades is often assessed far below its market value.
Is this the official Santa Maria website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.