Reviewed and updated October 9, 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.
San Carlos, California, in San Mateo County, has about 29,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). The title to a parcel in San Carlos 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: San Carlos public records, San Mateo County property records, San Carlos arrest records, San Carlos warrants, San Carlos criminal records, San Carlos court records, California arrest records and California inmate search.
Deeds, Mortgages and Liens in San Carlos
Deeds, mortgages, liens and easements that affect title to land in San Carlos are recorded by the County Recorder, which indexes them by name and sells copies.
SearchSystems opened and checked the County Recorder's page at smcacre.gov/county-clerk-recorder/records-documents (page title: Records & Documents | San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections | ACRE), which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
Assessed Values and the Tax Roll in San Carlos
The County Assessor sets the value each parcel in San Carlos is taxed on and 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 smcacre.gov/assessor/property-tax-look (page title: Property Tax Look-up | San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections | ACRE), which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
Permits and City Records in San Carlos
Building permits, zoning and code cases are the city's own. For San Carlos, SearchSystems opened and checked the city hall page at cityofsancarlos.org/city_hall/contact_us.php (page title: San Carlos, CA), phone (650) 802-4100, 600 Elm Street, San Carlos, CA 94070, Monday - Thursday In-Person Counter Hours: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m., which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 25, 2026.
The city clerk's page SearchSystems verified is at cityofsancarlos.org/city_hall/departments_and_divisions/city_clerk/... (page title: San Carlos, CA), phone (650) 802-4222, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 25, 2026.
Evictions and Court Cases About Land in San Carlos
An eviction, a foreclosure, a lien dispute or a quiet title suit is a court case in the Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo, and the file is public unless sealed.
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at sanmateo.courts.ca.gov/online-services/information-accessing-your-c..., phone 650-261-5100.
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. The county records request page SearchSystems verified is at smcgov.org/ceo/public-records-act-request-form (page title: Public Records Act Request Form | County of San Mateo, CA).
More Official Property and Land Records Pages for San Mateo County
The SearchSystems directory, online since 1997, lists the official pages for San Mateo County and California. These property pages from its San Mateo County listing were opened again on October 2, 2026 and each one still answers:
- Secured Property Taxes (smcgov.org)
- Unsecured Property Taxes (smcgov.org)
Frequently Asked Questions
Who records deeds in San Carlos?
The County Recorder, at smcacre.gov. Deeds, mortgages and liens on land in San Carlos are filed there, and the County Assessor (smcacre.gov/assessor/property-tax-look) has the assessment records.
Who sets the assessed value of a property in San Carlos?
The County Assessor, whose page SearchSystems verified is at smcacre.gov/assessor/property-tax-look.
Where are evictions from San Carlos filed?
In the Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo. 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 San Carlos 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.