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San Diego County, California public records

In San Diego County, deeds are recorded by the Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk - Office of the Recorder | County Clerk; property values come from the ARCC - Assessor; court files are kept by the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego.

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. Historical records
  12. Good to know about San Diego County records
  13. Office addresses, phones and hours
  14. Records that are not online: public records requests
  15. Questions people ask
  16. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  17. Sources

Where to get each record

RecordOfficeSearch onlineFee
Deeds and land recordsAssessor/Recorder/County Clerk - Office of the Recorder | County Clerk3Search deeds2$2 for the first page and $0.05 for each additional page2
Property values and ownersARCC - Assessor4——
Property tax billsTreasurer-Tax Collector5Tax bill search5—
Court casesSuperior Court of California, County of San Diego6Superior Court of California, County of San Diego7Copies $0.50 per side; certification $40; search over 10 minutes $15; off-site retrieval $41 standard8
Marriage recordsARCC - Recorder/County Clerk10—$19 (general public)9
Divorce recordsSuperior Court of California, County of San Diego6—Certified record fee: Certified copy of marriage dissolution record: $15 (any applicant other than a public agency)8
Birth certificatesARCC - Recorder/County Clerk10—$34 (general public)9
Death certificatesARCC - Recorder/County Clerk10—$269
Probate and willsSuperior Court of California, County of San Diego - Probate7——
Business names (DBA)ARCC - County Clerk9Search business names11FBN statement $54 (original or renewal); $5 each additional name or owner9

Deeds and land records

Deeds, mortgages and other land documents for property in San Diego County are recorded by the Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk (ARCC) - Office of the Recorder | County Clerk.3

Cost
Account (online index only, no images; copies bought online and mailed, or viewed on office kiosks)2
Who runs it
Acclaim Official Records Index (arcc-acclaim.sdcounty.ca.gov), linked by ARCC2
Years online
Index 1970 to present2
Copy fee
$2 for the first page and $0.05 for each additional page2
Certified copy fee
$1 per document for certification (plus copy fee)2
How to order
Online via the Official Records Index (account required; mailed via USPS), by mail to P.O. Box 121750 with document number/year/party/type, or in person at any office (no appointment)2
APN search restriction
APN searches no longer available online since December 9, 2024 (AB 1785); only on in-person kiosks2

How deeds work in California

Property values, owners and tax bills

The ARCC - Assessor sets property values4; the Treasurer-Tax Collector bills and collects the tax5.

Property search
Assessor data via ParcelQuest (linked by ARCC) and Secured Assessment Roll Search on sdarcc.gov12
Tax bill search
wps.sdttc.com/…5
Parcel map (GIS)
Assessor parcel maps: buy online (ParcelQuest), in person or by mail13
Appealing a value
Assessment Appeals Board via Clerk of the Board of Supervisors: regular filing July 2 - November 30; supplemental within 60 days of bill; online portal14

How property tax works in California

Court records: which clerk keeps which case

CourtCasesRecords kept byCase search
Superior Court of California, County of San DiegoAll case types (unified trial court): civil, small claims, criminal, family, probate, mental health, juvenile, trafficSuperior Court of California, County of San Diego (Clerk)sdcourt.ca.gov/…7
Fees
Copies $0.50 per side; certification $40; search over 10 minutes $15; off-site retrieval $41 standard8
Certified copy fee
$40 (copy fees not included)8
Older records
Central Division Older Records: case indexes 1880 to mid-1974; pre-1974 files at the court location where tried7
Criminal images
Criminal documents cannot be viewed online; purchase online for mailing7

Criminal records and background checks

Which court
Superior Court online case search (index); documents by mail purchase only7

How California courts keep their files

Marriage records

Marriage licenses issued in San Diego County10

Fee
$19 (general public)9

California marriage records, statewide

Divorce records

Superior Court (Family Court); the Recorder does not hold divorce records3

Certified record fee
Certified copy of marriage dissolution record: $15 (any applicant other than a public agency)8

California divorce records: decree or state record

Birth certificates

Kept by the ARCC - Recorder/County Clerk (custodian of vital records).10

Fee
$34 (general public)9
Online
VitalChek is the only authorized online vendor; $12.95 handling fee16
Who may order
Authorized persons get certified copies; others get a certified Informational Copy16
Recent births
Births within the last 2 years: County HHSA Office of Vital Records and Statistics; older: ARCC17

Ordering a California birth certificate

Death certificates

Kept by the ARCC - Recorder/County Clerk (custodian of vital records).10

Fee
$269

Ordering a California death certificate

Probate records and wills

Superior Court; wills are not held by the Recorder3

Estate DOC search
Search for estate documents over 10 minutes: $15; deposit of estate planning documents $208

Finding a will or probate case in California

Business names (DBA)

Kept by the ARCC - County Clerk (marriage licenses, fictitious business names).9

Fee
FBN statement $54 (original or renewal); $5 each additional name or owner9

Historical records

County archives
ARCC County Archives (est. 2020): records from the county's 1850 establishment to present, incl. maps and historic birth, death and marriage records18
Examples
Examples include deeds (1846-1918), chattel mortgages (1860-1920), certificates of sale (1870-1900)19
Viewing
Most documents viewable free on public kiosks at any office19

Good to know about San Diego County records

  • Assessor, Recorder and County Clerk are one elected office (ARCC)9
  • Online APN searches of recorded documents ended December 9, 2024 under AB 1785; APN search now only on office kiosks2
  • Online index covers 1970 forward but shows index data only, not document images2
  • County Archives holds deeds back to 1846 (pre-statehood)19
  • Court case indexes reach back to 18807
  • Births from the last 24 months are issued by the County HHSA vital records office, older ones by ARCC17

Office addresses, phones and hours

Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk (ARCC) - Office of the Recorder | County Clerk

Address
1600 Pacific Highway, Suite 260, San Diego, CA 92101 (Recorder/Clerk main office); plus branch offices20
Mail
San Diego Recorder/County Clerk, ATTN: Real Estate Records, P.O. Box 121750, San Diego, CA 92112-17502
Phone
619-237-0502 (Recorder | Clerk); Document Recording (619) 238-81584
Hours
Monday through Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm20

ARCC - Recorder/County Clerk (custodian of vital records)

Address
1600 Pacific Highway, Suite 260, San Diego, CA 9210120
Mail
San Diego Recorder/County Clerk, ATTN: Vital Records, P.O. Box 121750, San Diego, CA 92112-175016
Phone
(619) 237-0502 (County Clerk Marriages and Vital Records)9
Hours
Monday through Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm20

ARCC - County Clerk (marriage licenses, fictitious business names)

Address
1600 Pacific Highway, Suite 260, San Diego, CA 92101-24809

ARCC - Assessor

Address
1600 Pacific Highway, Suite 103, San Diego, CA 9210120
Hours
Monday through Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm20

Treasurer-Tax Collector

Address
County Admin. Center, 1600 Pacific Hwy, Room 162, San Diego, CA 921015
Phone
877-829-4732 (tax collection questions)4
Website
sdttc.com5

Registrar of Voters

Address
Registrar of Voters, 5600 Overland Avenue, San Diego, CA 92123 (County Operations Center campus)21
Mail
Registrar of Voters, P.O. Box 85656, San Diego, CA 92186-565621
Phone
(858) 565-5800 (general information); toll-free (800) 696-013621
Hours
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (expanded hours possible during election season)21

Superior Court of California, County of San Diego (Clerk)

Superior Court of California, County of San Diego - Probate

ARCC County Archives

Sheriff's Office

Phone
858-868-3200 (non-emergency)4

Records that are not online: public records requests

Where to send it
Online PRA portal (Clerk of the Board page)23

How to write a public records request

Questions people ask

How do I get a copy of a deed in San Diego County?

The Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk (ARCC) - Office of the Recorder | County Clerk keeps deed records. To order copies: Online via the Official Records Index (account required; mailed via USPS), by mail to P.O. Box 121750 with document number/year/party/type, or in person at any office (no appointment). Plain copies: $2 for the first page and $0.05 for each additional page. Certified copies: $1 per document for certification (plus copy fee).32

How much is a birth certificate in San Diego County?

$34 (general public).9

Where do I get a divorce decree in San Diego County?

Superior Court (Family Court); the Recorder does not hold divorce records.3

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 San Diego 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, Kern 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 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. RecordingSan Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk
  3. Office of the Recorder | County ClerkSan Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk
  4. DepartmentsCounty of San Diego
  5. Treasurer-Tax Collector homeSan Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector
  6. Local Rules (list of superior courts)Judicial Council of California
  7. Accessing Court RecordsSuperior Court of California, County of San Diego
  8. Fee Schedule SDSC ADM-001 (effective September 1, 2026)Superior Court of California, County of San Diego
  9. Recorder/County Clerk Fee Schedule (effective January 1, 2026)San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk
  10. Birth/Death/Marriage CertificateSan Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk
  11. Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk homeSan Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk
  12. Property InformationSan Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk
  13. Mapping ServicesSan Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk
  14. Assessment Appeals (FAQ)San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk
  15. Property Tax Assessment AppealsClerk of the Board of Supervisors
  16. Birth CertificateSan Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk
  17. Birth Certificates (Office of Vital Records and Statistics)County of San Diego HHSA Public Health Services
  18. County ArchivesSan Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk
  19. County Archives FAQSan Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk
  20. Office LocationsSan Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk
  21. Contact Us - San Diego County Registrar of VotersCounty of San Diego Registrar of Voters
  22. County of San Diego homeCounty of San Diego
  23. Public Records Act RequestClerk of the Board of Supervisors
  24. County population totals: Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025)US Census Bureau