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Kern County, California public records

In Kern County, deeds are recorded by the Assessor-Recorder; property values come from the Assessor-Recorder; court files are kept by the Superior Court of California, County of Kern.

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. Where to get each record
  2. Deeds and land records
  3. Property values, owners and tax bills
  4. Court records: which clerk keeps which case
  5. Marriage records
  6. Divorce records
  7. Birth certificates
  8. Death certificates
  9. Probate records and wills
  10. Business names (DBA)
  11. Good to know about Kern County records
  12. Office addresses, phones and hours
  13. Records that are not online: public records requests
  14. Questions people ask
  15. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  16. Sources

Where to get each record

RecordOfficeSearch onlineFee
Deeds and land recordsAssessor-Recorder4Search deeds2$3.00 first 8½ x 11 page per document; $0.50 each additional page3
Property values and ownersAssessor-Recorder4Property search5—
Property tax billsTreasurer and Tax Collector4Tax bill search6—
Court casesSuperior Court of California, County of Kern7Superior Court of California, County of Kern8Copies 50 cents per page; certified Judgment of Dissolution $15.00; certified Orders $40.00 plus 50 cents per page; case look-up by clerk for a research fee (see fee schedule)7
Marriage recordsAssessor-Recorder4——
Divorce recordsSuperior Court (Family Law); certified Judgment of Dissolution $15.007——
Birth certificatesRecorder, Hall of Records9——
Death certificatesRecorder, Hall of Records9——
Probate and willsSuperior Court Probate10——
Business names (DBA)Fictitious business names are filed with the County Clerk: initial or renewal 43.00 (as printed, no $ sign)11——

Deeds and land records

Deeds, mortgages and other land documents for property in Kern County are recorded by the Assessor-Recorder (Recorder division).4

Copy fee
$3.00 first 8½ x 11 page per document; $0.50 each additional page3
Certified copy fee
Copy fee plus $0.50 per document for certification under seal3
How to order
In person or by mail only (no phone, fax, email or online); give document number (and book/page), recording year, a party name, return address and page count; pay by check or money order to Kern County Recorder (cash in person only)3

How deeds work in California

Property values, owners and tax bills

The Assessor-Recorder (Assessor division) sets property values4; the Treasurer and Tax Collector bills and collects the tax4.

Property search
kerncounty.com/…5
Appealing a value
Assessment appeals go to the Assessment Appeals Board through the Clerk of the Board, 1115 Truxtun Avenue, 5th Floor, Bakersfield, CA 93301-4617; non-refundable filing fee $75 per application (effective September 19, 2025), one application per parcel; contact the Assessor first at 661-868-348512

How property tax works in California

Court records: which clerk keeps which case

CourtCasesRecords kept byCase search
Superior Court of California, County of KernCriminal; civil and small claims; family law; juvenile; probate; traffic (the court's own division list; California has one unified trial court per county)Superior Court of California, County of Kernportal.kern.courts.ca.gov8
Fees
Copies 50 cents per page; certified Judgment of Dissolution $15.00; certified Orders $40.00 plus 50 cents per page; case look-up by clerk for a research fee (see fee schedule)7
How to search
No phone look-ups7

Criminal records and background checks

Summary
Criminal cases: Superior Court; arrest records: Kern County Sheriff's Office Arrest Records Unit13

How California courts keep their files

Marriage records

Kept by the Assessor-Recorder (Recorder division).4

Public license copy
Public marriage certificates: Recorder (Hall of Records), $19/copy; online via VitalChek (extra fees), by mail or in person9
Confidential
Confidential marriage licenses: County Clerk only, parties to the marriage only (others need a Superior Court order); $19.00 per certified copy per the Clerk's copy page14
Marriage license fee
Public marriage license $101.00; confidential marriage license $123.0011

California marriage records, statewide

Divorce records

Superior Court (Family Law); certified Judgment of Dissolution $15.007

California divorce records: decree or state record

Birth certificates

Recorder, Hall of Records: $31/copy for births in Kern County; mail orders take 10-14 days; in person while you wait (check, money order or cash, no credit cards); online via VitalChek with extra fees9

Ordering a California birth certificate

Death certificates

Recorder, Hall of Records: $26/copy for deaths in Kern County; fetal death certificates $23/copy (from January 2008)9

Ordering a California death certificate

Probate records and wills

Superior Court Probate; copies by written request with case number, fee and SASE; a copy of a will also requires a court order or a certified death certificate10

Finding a will or probate case in California

Business names (DBA)

Fictitious business names are filed with the County Clerk: initial or renewal 43.00 (as printed, no $ sign); search fee $8.00; photocopy $0.75; certified copy $2.00; online FBN search at kerncountyclerk.com/en/dba/FBN-Search.aspx11

Good to know about Kern County records

  • Kern combines the Assessor and Recorder in one Assessor-Recorder department; the Recorder also keeps Kern County birth, death and marriage records.15
  • The Recorder does not issue marriage licenses; the County Clerk does.16
  • The County Clerk's office does not hold recorded public marriage licenses; those are at the Hall of Records. Confidential marriage licenses are held only by the County Clerk.14
  • Online assessor property search is by APN, ATN or address only; owner names are not shown online.5
  • Kern Superior Court case files are not available online.7

Office addresses, phones and hours

Assessor-Recorder (Recorder division)

Address
Recorder Main Office, 1530 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301; Hall of Records, 1655 Chester Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 9330117
Mail
Copy requests: Hall of Records, 1655 Chester Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 933013
Phone
661-868-6400 (recordings fax 661-327-3241; vital records fax 661-868-6432)17
Hours
Recorder Main Office Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.; Hall of Records Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (except Recorder holidays)17

Assessor-Recorder (Assessor division)

Address
Assessor Office, 1115 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 9330117
Hours
Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (except county and Assessor holidays)17

Treasurer and Tax Collector

Mail
Payments: P.O. Box 541004, Los Angeles, CA 90054-1004 (payment processing center)6

County Clerk (marriage licenses, fictitious business names, notary and other registrations)

Address
1115 Truxtun Avenue, First Floor, Bakersfield, CA 93301-463918
Phone
(661) 868-3588; fax (661) 868-379918
Hours
8:30 AM-3:00 PM Monday-Friday18

Assessor-Recorder, Hall of Records (birth, death and public marriage certificates)

Address
Hall of Records, 1655 Chester Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 9330117
Phone
661-868-6400 (Recorder); vital records fax 661-868-643217
Hours
Hall of Records Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.17

Superior Court of California, County of Kern

Address
Metropolitan Division, 1415 Truxtun Ave, Bakersfield, CA 9330119
Phone
(661) 610-6000 (Metropolitan Division)19
Hours
Metropolitan Division Mon-Thu 8:00 am-4:00 pm; Fri 8:00 am-12:00 pm19

Superior Court of California, County of Kern - Criminal Division

Superior Court of California, County of Kern - Probate

Address
Juvenile Justice Center, 2100 College Ave, Bakersfield, CA 93305 (venue for probate, guardianship, conservatorship)10

Superior Court of California, County of Kern - Family Law

Elections

Address
Kern County Elections Division, 1115 Truxtun Ave., 1st floor, Bakersfield, CA 93301-463921
Phone
(661) 868-3590; toll free 1-800-452-VOTE (8683); fax (661) 868-376821

Kern County Sheriff's Office - Arrest Records Unit

County of Kern GIS (GEODAT portal)

Records that are not online: public records requests

Where to send it
Other departments: County Administrative Office (661) 868-3198, [email protected]13

How to write a public records request

Questions people ask

How do I get a copy of a deed in Kern County?

The Assessor-Recorder (Recorder division) keeps deed records. To order copies: In person or by mail only (no phone, fax, email or online); give document number (and book/page), recording year, a party name, return address and page count; pay by check or money order to Kern County Recorder (cash in person only). Plain copies: $3.00 first 8½ x 11 page per document; $0.50 each additional page. Certified copies: Copy fee plus $0.50 per document for certification under seal.43

Where do I get a divorce decree in Kern County?

Superior Court (Family Law); certified Judgment of Dissolution $15.00.7

How much does a marriage license cost in Kern County?

Public marriage license $101.00; confidential marriage license $123.00.11

How do I look up who owns a property in Kern County?

Use the property search of the Assessor-Recorder (Assessor division): kerncounty.com/…5

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any Kern County office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Other counties in California with a full guide: Alameda County, Butte County, Contra Costa County, El Dorado County, Fresno County, Humboldt County, Imperial County, Kings County, Lake County, Los Angeles County, Madera County, Marin County, Mendocino County, Merced County, Monterey County, Napa County, Nevada County, Orange County, Placer County, Riverside County, Sacramento County, San Bernardino County, San Diego County, San Francisco County, San Joaquin County, San Luis Obispo County, San Mateo County, Santa Barbara County, Santa Clara County, Santa Cruz County, Shasta County, Solano County, Sonoma County, Stanislaus County, Sutter County, Tulare County, Ventura County, Yolo County, Yuba County. Every county in the state: California county list.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from; all 24 sources were checked on November 4, 2026. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. Government Units List 2026US Census Bureau
  2. Search for Recorded Documents or MapsKern County Assessor-Recorder
  3. Request Copies of Recorded DocumentsKern County Assessor-Recorder
  4. Listing of County Assessors, Auditors and Auditor-Controllers, Clerks of the Board, and Tax CollectorsCalifornia State Board of Equalization
  5. Assessor Property SearchKern County Assessor-Recorder
  6. Kern County Treasurer and Tax Collector homeKern County Treasurer-Tax Collector
  7. Court RecordsSuperior Court of California, County of Kern
  8. Case Information SearchSuperior Court of California, County of Kern
  9. Birth, Marriage, or Death CertificatesKern County Assessor-Recorder
  10. ProbateSuperior Court of California, County of Kern
  11. Kern County Clerk - Fee ScheduleKern County Clerk
  12. Assessment AppealsKern County Clerk of the Board
  13. Public Records RequestsCounty of Kern
  14. Obtaining a Certified Copy of Marriage LicenseKern County Clerk
  15. About RecorderKern County Assessor-Recorder
  16. Recorder FAQKern County Assessor-Recorder
  17. Contact Assessor-RecorderKern County Assessor-Recorder
  18. Kern County Clerk - Contact InformationKern County Clerk
  19. Metropolitan DivisionSuperior Court of California, County of Kern
  20. Superior Court of California, County of Kern - homeSuperior Court of California, County of Kern
  21. Kern County Elections home pageKern County Elections Division
  22. Kern County Clerk homeKern County Clerk
  23. Mapping & GISKern County Assessor-Recorder
  24. County population totals: Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025)US Census Bureau