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Santa Cruz County, California public records

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

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

Where to get each record

RecordOfficeSearch onlineFee
Deeds and land recordsAssessor-Recorder, Recorder's Office4Search deeds2$1.00 per page3
Property values and ownersAssessor-Recorder, Assessor's Office5Property search6—
Property tax billsAuditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector, Tax Collection Division7Tax bill search7—
Court casesSuperior Court of California, County of Santa Cruz, Records Division8Superior Court of California, County of Santa Cruz9Photocopies $0.50 per page; certification $40.00 per document; search over 10 minutes $15.00; certified divorce (dissolution) copy $15.00 + copy fee; criminal standard packet $47.0010
Marriage recordsAssessor-Recorder, Recorder's Office4—Certified copy fee: $19.00 per certified marriage certificate (Fee Schedule 2026)3
Divorce recordsSuperior Court of California, County of Santa Cruz, Records Division8—Certified copy fee: Certified copy of dissolution $15.00 + copy fee10
Birth certificatesAssessor-Recorder, Recorder's Office4—$34.00 per certified copy or search (Fee Schedule 2026)3
Death certificatesAssessor-Recorder, Recorder's Office4—$26.00 per certified copy or search3
Probate and willsSuperior Court of California, County of Santa Cruz, Records Division8——
Business names (DBA)County Clerk11——

Deeds and land records

Deeds, mortgages and other land documents for property in Santa Cruz County are recorded by the Assessor-Recorder, Recorder's Office.4

Years online
Online index of official records from 1978 to present2
Copy fee
$1.00 per page3
Certified copy fee
$3.00 per document for certification (plus $1 per page)3
How to order
Online (registered account), in person, or by mail with document number, year, a party name and document type, plus check or money order payable to Santa Cruz County Recorder2
Recording fee
First page $14.00 ($17.00 for titles subject to the Real Estate Fraud Fee); each additional page $3.00; SB2 housing fee $75.00 per title where applicable3
Transfer tax
Documentary transfer tax $0.55 per $5003
Map copies
Filed maps: $5 first page, $2 each additional; in person, by mail or by email2
No search service
The Recorder does not do searches2
Pre
Documents before 1974 are indexed in handwritten volumes viewable free in the Santa Cruz office2

How deeds work in California

Property values, owners and tax bills

The Assessor-Recorder, Assessor's Office sets property values5; the Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector, Tax Collection Division bills and collects the tax7.

Appealing a value
Informal review with the Assessor (no form); Decline-in-Value (Prop 8) applications July 2 - December 31; base year value review within 60 days of a supplemental/escape notice; formal assessment appeals (Assessment Appeals Board, Clerk of the Board)12
Values online
Assessed values for the upcoming tax year online from July 112

How property tax works in California

Court records: which clerk keeps which case

CourtCasesRecords kept byCase search
Superior Court of California, County of Santa Cruz (unified trial court: civil, criminal, family, probate, juvenile, small claims)All case types; civil and small claims documents viewable online; probate, family law and restraining orders not9Superior Court of California, County of Santa Cruz, Records Divisionportal-casantacruz.tylertech.cloud/Portal9
Fees
Photocopies $0.50 per page; certification $40.00 per document; search over 10 minutes $15.00; certified divorce (dissolution) copy $15.00 + copy fee; criminal standard packet $47.0010
How to order
Certified copies only mailed or picked up10
Restricted
Juvenile records confidential; sealed records need a court order8

Criminal records and background checks

Which court
Superior Court; criminal standard packet (complaint, plea & disposition) $47.0010

How California courts keep their files

Marriage records

Kept by the Assessor-Recorder, Recorder's Office.4

License office
Licenses issued by the County Clerk by appointment11
Certified copy fee
$19.00 per certified marriage certificate (Fee Schedule 2026)3
Records held
Marriage records from 1851 to present (Recorder)13
Confidential
Confidential marriage license copies: separate County Clerk procedure14

California marriage records, statewide

Divorce records

Divorce records are held by the Superior Court, not the Recorder15

Certified copy fee
Certified copy of dissolution $15.00 + copy fee10

California divorce records: decree or state record

Birth certificates

Kept by the Assessor-Recorder, Recorder's Office.4

Fee
$34.00 per certified copy or search (Fee Schedule 2026)3
Years
Births in Santa Cruz County from 1905 to present16
Who may order
Authorized copies: registrant, close relatives and other parties defined by California law; others get an Informational Copy16
How to order
Complete the application and sign in front of Recorder staff; ID needed for authorized copies; no record = non-refundable fee16

Ordering a California birth certificate

Death certificates

Kept by the Assessor-Recorder, Recorder's Office.4

Fee
$26.00 per certified copy or search3
Years
Deaths in Santa Cruz County from 1873 to present17

Ordering a California death certificate

Probate records and wills

Wills and probate: Superior Court records (Requesting Civil, Probate, and Appeals Records)15

Finding a will or probate case in California

Business names (DBA)

Fictitious Business Name Statement filed with the County Clerk within 40 days of first transacting business18

Scam warning
Third-party vendors send fee-charging FBN renewal notices; file directly with the County Clerk18

Voter records

Kept by the County Clerk / Elections Department.19

Historical records

Digitized
Recorded records digitized from 1850; 1850-1996 images on microfilm and the Digital Reel system2

Good to know about Santa Cruz County records

  • One elected Assessor-Recorder runs both the Assessor's and Recorder's offices4
  • Recorded document images cannot be shown online under California law; online index covers 1978 onward, older volumes are in the office2
  • Since January 1, 2025 many filed maps are offline because of Government Code 7928.205; view them at public kiosks2
  • Marriage records go back to 1851 and recorded documents to 185013
  • Auditor-Controller and Treasurer-Tax Collector are one office7

Office addresses, phones and hours

Assessor-Recorder, Recorder's Office

Address
701 Ocean Street, Room 230, Santa Cruz, CA 95060; Watsonville office 500 Westridge Dr.4
Mail
Santa Cruz County Recorder's Office, 701 Ocean Street Room 230, Santa Cruz, CA 950602
Phone
(831) 454-2800; fax (831) 454-3169; vital records (831) 454-305320
Hours
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM (closed 12-1); recording 8:00-12:00 and 1:00-3:00 PM20

Assessor-Recorder, Assessor's Office

Address
County Government Center, 701 Ocean Street, Rm. 130, Santa Cruz, CA 950605
Phone
Real Property 831-454-2270; general 831-454-20025
Hours
Monday-Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm5

Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector, Tax Collection Division

Address
County Government Center, 701 Ocean Street, Rm. 150, Santa Cruz (Mon-Thu); South County Government Center, 500 Westridge Dr., Watsonville (Mon and Fri)7
Phone
831-454-2510; fax 866-282-26607
Hours
Santa Cruz Monday - Thursday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM; Watsonville Monday and Friday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM; phone and email Mon-Fri 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM7

County Clerk (also Registrar of Voters)

Address
County Government Center, 701 Ocean Street, Rm. 310, Santa Cruz, CA 9506011
Phone
831-454-2060; toll free 866-282-5900; TDD/TTY 71111
Hours
Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm (8am-4:30pm for passports); in-person services by appointment11

Superior Court of California, County of Santa Cruz, Records Division

Address
701 Ocean Street, Room 110, Santa Cruz, CA 95060; Watsonville Courthouse, 1 Second Street, Watsonville, CA 950768
Mail
Superior Court of California, County of Santa Cruz, Records Division, 701 Ocean Street, Room 110, Santa Cruz, CA 9506010
Phone
Santa Cruz Courthouse (831) 420-2200; Watsonville Courthouse (831) 786-7200 (phones answered 8:00 AM-1:00 PM Monday-Friday)21
Hours
Clerks' offices open 8am-3pm (Santa Cruz and Watsonville courthouses)21

County Clerk / Elections Department

Address
701 Ocean Street, Room 310, Santa Cruz, CA 9506019
Phone
(831) 454-2060; (866) 282-5900; fax (831) 454-244519
Hours
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.19

Records that are not online: public records requests

How to write a public records request

Questions people ask

How do I get a copy of a deed in Santa Cruz County?

The Assessor-Recorder, Recorder's Office keeps deed records. To order copies: Online (registered account), in person, or by mail with document number, year, a party name and document type, plus check or money order payable to Santa Cruz County Recorder. Plain copies: $1.00 per page. Certified copies: $3.00 per document for certification (plus $1 per page).423

How much is a birth certificate in Santa Cruz County?

$34.00 per certified copy or search (Fee Schedule 2026).3

Where do I get a divorce decree in Santa Cruz County?

Divorce records are held by the Superior Court, not the Recorder.15

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

Use the property search of the Assessor-Recorder, Assessor's Office: www2.santacruzcountyca.gov/ASR6

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 Santa Cruz 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 Diego County, San Francisco County, San Joaquin County, San Luis Obispo County, San Mateo County, Santa Barbara County, Santa Clara 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 22 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. Searching Records/MapsCounty of Santa Cruz, California
  3. Recorder Fee Schedule 2026 (PDF)County of Santa Cruz, California
  4. Santa Cruz County Recorder's OfficeCounty of Santa Cruz, California
  5. Assessor's Office homeCounty of Santa Cruz, California
  6. Parcel InfoCounty of Santa Cruz, California
  7. Tax CollectorCounty of Santa Cruz, California
  8. Records & Information | Superior Court of California | County of Santa CruzSuperior Court of California, County of Santa Cruz
  9. Case Lookup | Superior Court of California | County of Santa CruzSuperior Court of California, County of Santa Cruz
  10. Requesting a Copy | Superior Court of California | County of Santa CruzSuperior Court of California, County of Santa Cruz
  11. County Clerk HomeCounty of Santa Cruz, California
  12. Contesting your Assessed ValueCounty of Santa Cruz, California
  13. Marriage CertificatesCounty of Santa Cruz, California
  14. Marriage LicensesCounty of Santa Cruz, California
  15. Divorce, Wills, ProbateCounty of Santa Cruz, California
  16. Birth CertificatesCounty of Santa Cruz, California
  17. Death CertificatesCounty of Santa Cruz, California
  18. Fictitious Business NamesCounty of Santa Cruz, California
  19. County Elections Offices :: California Secretary of StateCalifornia Secretary of State
  20. Contact UsCounty of Santa Cruz, California
  21. Locations & Contact InfoSuperior Court of California, County of Santa Cruz
  22. County population totals: Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025)US Census Bureau