Santa Barbara County, CA Property Records

    According to the U.S. Census Bureau estimates, Santa Barbara County, CA, is home to over 444,000 residents, making it the eighth-most populous county in Southern California. While the typical home in California costs $755,330, the median home value in Santa Barbara County is $964,591, a 0.1% decrease from prior years.

    Properties for sale in the county are typically sold under contract within 25 days, with approximately 33% of such homes selling for more than the listing price. This indicates an active and competitive market, where demand remains high, and a significant share of listings attract higher offers due to the county's economy. However, Santa Barbara County households face a rising affordability crisis, with approximately 42.2% of them spending 30% or more of their income on rent, mortgages, and other housing expenses, according to the Federal Reserve Economic Data.

    The Office of the Assessor is responsible for assessing all properties within the county. It maintains a public database for looking up property-related information online. You can search for a property to obtain information such as valuations, tax details, ownership records, exemptions, and other parcel data.

    Who Keeps the Official Land Records?

    In Santa Barbara County, the Clerk-Recorder's Office is responsible for recording, maintaining, and providing copies of official land records.

    The county offers an official online index for property records. You can also obtain these records physically by contacting the Clerk-Recorder's office. The following are the addresses, contact details, and coverage area of the County Recorder:

    • Santa Barbara County Clerk-Recorder (Santa Barbara Office): 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Real Estate Records Index.

      Phone: (805) 568-2250

      Coverage: All municipalities

    • Santa Barbara County Clerk-Recorder (Santa Maria Office): 511 Lakeside Parkway, Suite 115, Santa Maria, CA 93455-1310.

      • Phone: (805) 568-2250

      Coverage: All municipalities

    What Santa Barbara County Property Records Include

    Santa Barbara property records typically include real estate records documented by the County Clerk-Recorder, such as deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, liens, easements, agreements, covenants, homestead declarations, lis pendens, amendments, foreclosure notices, and plans.

    Santa Barbara County provides online access to historical archives of recorded property records dating back to 1931. You can also visit the county's real estate search portal to view or obtain copies of property records from 1850 in person at the Clerk-Recorder's office.

    How to Access Santa Barbara County Property Records

    Official Santa Barbara County property records are in the custody of the Clerk-Recorder's Office. You can access them through any of the following channels:

    Online Access (Free):

    You can access the Santa Barbara County Clerk-Recorder property records indexes online to obtain recorded property documents:

    • Real Estate Records Index (Official Records Search): Visit this search portal to access real estate documents recorded by the County Clerk from 1975 to the present. Users can look up records on the portal by name, document type, document number, recording date, and map book/page. After searching, individuals can request copies or certified copies of documents by adding them to their cart and completing the checkout process. Copy fees on the portal include $10 per document and $2 for document certification.

    • Historical Records Index: The Historical Index serves as the official online source for property documents recorded between 1931 and 1974 by the Santa Barbara Clerk-Recorder's office. You can search the index by name to view information on property documents recorded during this time frame.

    In Person:

    To access Santa Barbara property records in person, go to the lobby kiosks at either of the Clerk-Recorder's offices located at:

    • Santa Barbara County Clerk-Recorder (Santa Barbara Office): 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101.

      • Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.

    • Santa Barbara County Clerk-Recorder (Santa Maria Office): 511 Lakeside Parkway, Suite 115, Santa Maria, CA 93455-1310.

      • Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.

    You can search the index and view scanned document images dating back to 1850 using the lobby computers. Searches can be conducted by party name, document title, or document number.

    By Phone or Email:

    You can contact the Clerk-Recorder's Office in Santa Barbara by phone or email to obtain official property records:

    You can place orders for plain or certified copies of property records in the county by email.

    By Mail/Overnight:

    To obtain Santa Barbara County property records, mail a completed Real Estate Record Copy Order Form or a written request to the Clerk-Recorder's mailing address. The request must include some necessary details about the record sought, such as document number, recording date, document type, and the person's personal information. Mail orders must include the appropriate fees, which may consist of a $10 copy fee per record and a $2 certification fee. Stamp and other mailing fees may also apply. A user can pay with a money order, check, or credit card.

    You can mail the completed form or your request by regular mail to P.O Box 159, Santa Barbara, CA 93102, or via express courier to 1100 Anacapa Street, Hall of Records, Santa Barbara, CA 93101.

    E-Recording (Professionals):

    Santa Barbara County does not offer e-recording services for recording real estate documents with its Clerk-Recorder's Office. However, you can record such documents by mail or in person at either of the office locations.

    What's Not at the Registry (But Matters for Property Research)?

    In Santa Barbara County, the Clerk-Recorder's office has custody of real estate records related to property titles, while other county officials are responsible for maintaining other property-related documents. For example, the County Assessor's office maintains details such as assessed valuations, property characteristics, tax details, and district information.

    You can also get access to officially recorded maps, such as parcel maps and tracts, from the County of Santa Barbara Surveyor's Office.

    Additionally, you can visit the California State Board of Equalization (BOE) website for resources on statewide property tax data.

    Step-by-Step: How to Pull a Deed Online

    You can follow these steps to obtain a deed online in Santa Barbara County:

    1. Visit the Santa Barbara County Official Records Search portal.

    2. Select any of the listed search methods, such as name search, document type search, document number search, and map book/page search.

    3. Enter the relevant details in the appropriate search fields, including the recording date range, and click the search button.

    4. To keep your search results to include only deed documents, you can choose the document type option and select or input "Deed" in the document types field.

    5. You can click the print icon on the portal to print the document directly from the browser, or click the view document icon to check a preview of the deed images for free.

    6. To obtain certified copies of the deed documents, add the desired item to your cart and finalize the purchase by completing the checkout process and paying the required copy fees.

    Cities & Towns in Santa Barbara County (and Their Registry Districts)

    The Santa Barbara County Clerk-Recorder's Office serves all municipalities within the county, including the following incorporated cities:

    • Santa Barbara Municipalities: Buellton, Carpinteria, Goleta, Guadalupe, Lompoc, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, and Solvang.

    City/Town Resources for Assessments & Taxes

    Assessments and taxes in Santa Barbara County are handled at the county level by the Assessor's office. This office provides a searchable database for accessing parcel information, maps, and property tax details. You can use the Assessor lookup tool to find such information. Searches can be conducted by parcel number, house number, street name, or house number.

    Additionally, you can check for statewide tax rates and finance data on the California State Board of Equalization (BOE) website.

    Santa Barbara County County-Specific Nuances

    The following are things you should note when conducting property research in Santa Barbara County:

    • The Santa Barbara County Clerk-Recorder's Office manages recorded real estate documents countywide, including deeds, liens, mortgages, and discharges.

    • The County Assessor's office handles assessments for properties across all Santa Barbara municipalities.

    • Santa Barbara County's online indexes offer digitized property documents recorded since 1931. You can search for such records and view unofficial property documents for free.

    • The County Recorder's office maintains property records dating back to 1850 in person. You can search the historical index on public computers at the office.

    Typical Contents of a Santa Barbara County Property Record

    Santa Barbara County property records refer to official documents regarding the ownership of real estate and real property within the county. Such documents also contain details of financial transactions and encumbrances associated with properties in the county. You will typically find the following information when checking out these records:

    • Deeds (proof of ownership transfer):

      • Grantor and grantee names

      • Legal description of the property

      • Consideration (sale price)

      • Book and page number

      • The date of the deed's signing and notarization

    • Mortgages/Deeds of Trust and Discharges (evidence of debt):

      • Mortgagor and mortgagee names

      • Loan amount and repayment terms

      • Recording date

      • Promissory note

      • Satisfaction details

    • Plans (visual maps):

      • Survey or plan number

      • Subdivision references

      • Lot dimensions and layout

      • Zoning information

      • Aerial images

    • Encumbrances (claims and restrictions)

      • Easements

      • Restrictions or covenants

      • Leases

      • Lis pendens notices

      • Rights of way or shared access agreements

    Recording Changes to Property Titles

    To record any change to a property title in Santa Barbara County, including new deeds, liens, and related instruments, an individual must submit the necessary documents to the Clerk-Recorder's office, either in person or by mail.

    Documents can be submitted at the offices on weekdays, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. However, it is recommended that users arrive before 4:00 p.m. to guarantee same-day services. All submissions must adhere to the county's recording standards, and the applicable fees must be paid.

    You can consult the Clerk-Recorder's website for detailed information on Santa Barbara recording guidelines, document standards, operating hours, and fees. Note that the Recorder's office cannot offer you legal advice or assist with preparing your documents for recording.

    Practical Research Flow (Checklist)

    You can use this checklist as a guide for conducting property research in Santa Barbara County, CA:

    1. Visit/contact the Clerk-Recorder's Office: People can begin their property research at the Clerk-Recorder's Office. Recorded real estate documents are available on public computers at both office locations, and the staff can assist you with locating such records.

    2. Search for the property records on the Clerk-Recorder's online portal: Search for recorded property documents by name, document number, or other available criteria.

    3. Search and note reference numbers: You can note the unique identifiers of desired property records, such as document number and book/page. Reference numbers can be used to look up records.

    4. Trace the chain of title: Recorded property documents, such as deeds, which transfer title ownership between businesses and individuals, can be accessed to identify previous property owners.

    5. Review plans and encumbrances: Review all recorded plans and related documents for any encumbrances on the property, including liens, covenants, or easements.

    6. Verify parcel data with the County Assessor's office: Parcel information, such as building characteristics, assessed values, and tax details, can be verified by searching for the property on the Assessor's online database. You can also contact the office for such information.

    Appendix A - Municipalities in Santa Barbara County

    Santa Barbara County, CA, has 8 incorporated municipalities, which are cities*.

    • Cities:Buellton, Carpinteria, Goleta, Guadalupe, Lompoc, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, and Solvang.

    *Santa Barbara County is also home to several unincorporated communities. (Wikipedia).

    Appendix B - Key Contacts & Portals