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 on September 23, 2026.
San Diego County, California, has about 3.3 million residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). The title to a parcel in San Diego County 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 or the county. This guide says who keeps each record and where the page for each office is.
This guide covers deeds, assessed values, directory links, city permits, evictions and court cases, records requests and common questions.
Related guides: San Diego County public records, San Diego County arrest records, San Diego County warrants, San Diego County criminal records, San Diego County court records, California arrest records and California inmate search.
Deeds, Mortgages and Liens in San Diego County
Who owns a parcel in San Diego County and what it sold for are in the deed records of the County Recorder, with every lien or mortgage against the land.
SearchSystems opened and checked the County Recorder's page at sdarcc.gov/content/arcc/home/divisions/recorder-clerk/county-archiv... (page title: County Archives), phone 619-237-0502, 10144, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
Assessed Values and the Tax Roll in San Diego County
What a parcel in San Diego County 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 sdarcc.gov/content/arcc/home/divisions/assessor/property-records.html (page title: Property Information), phone (619) 236-3771, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
More Official Property and Land Records Pages for San Diego County
The SearchSystems directory, online since 1997, lists the official pages for San Diego County and California. These property pages from its San Diego County listing were opened again on October 2, 2026 and each one still answers:
- Tax Rate Area Search (trasearch.sandiegocounty.gov)
Permits and City Records in the Cities of San Diego County
Building permits, zoning and code cases inside a city are the city's own records. The cities in San Diego County with a SearchSystems guide to their offices, the largest twelve first, with the city page SearchSystems verified:
- Chula Vista: the city hall page SearchSystems verified is at chulavistaca.gov/departments/contact-us, phone (619) 409-5811 (verified September 25, 2026).
- Escondido: the city hall page SearchSystems verified is at escondido.gov/facilities/facility/details/City-Hall-41 (verified September 25, 2026).
- Carlsbad: the city hall page SearchSystems verified is at carlsbadca.gov/city-hall, phone 442-339-2820 (verified September 25, 2026).
- El Cajon: the city hall page SearchSystems verified is at elcajon.gov/i-want-to/contact-the-city, phone 619-441-1776 (verified September 25, 2026).
- Vista: the city hall page SearchSystems verified is at vista.gov/city-hall, phone 760.639.6177 (verified September 25, 2026).
- San Marcos: the city hall page SearchSystems verified is at sanmarcosca.gov/Quick-Links/Office-Locations-and-Hours (verified September 25, 2026).
- Encinitas: the city hall page SearchSystems verified is at maintenance.encinitasca.gov/contact, phone (858) 868-3200 (verified September 25, 2026).
- La Mesa: the city hall page SearchSystems verified is at cityoflamesa.gov/584/Business-Hours, phone 619.463.6611 (verified September 25, 2026).
- Santee: the city hall page SearchSystems verified is at cityofsanteeca.gov/departments/department-directory, phone 619-258-4100 (verified September 25, 2026).
- National City: the city hall page SearchSystems verified is at nationalcityca.gov/government/city-clerk, phone (619) 336-4228 (verified September 25, 2026).
- Poway: the city hall page SearchSystems verified is at poway.org/521/City-Hall-Operating-Hours, phone 858-668-4700 (verified September 25, 2026).
- Lemon Grove: the city hall page SearchSystems verified is at lemongrove.ca.gov/our-government/about-us, phone (619) 825-3800 (verified September 25, 2026).
The rest: Imperial Beach, Coronado and Solana Beach.
Evictions and Court Cases About Land in San Diego County
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 Diego, and the file is public unless sealed.
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at sdcourt.ca.gov/sdcourt/generalinformation/accesscourtrecords.
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 pra.sandiegocounty.gov (page title: Public Records Request CenterNextRequest | Modern FOIA & Public Records Request Software).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who records deeds in San Diego County?
The County Recorder, at sdarcc.gov, phone 619-237-0502. Deeds, mortgages and liens on land in San Diego County are filed there, and the County Assessor (sdarcc.gov) has the assessment records.
Who sets the assessed value of a property in San Diego County?
The County Assessor, whose page SearchSystems verified is at sdarcc.gov.
Where are evictions from San Diego County filed?
In the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego. 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 Diego County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.