Butte County Public Records /Butte County Property Records

Butte County Property Records

What Is Butte County Property Records

Property records in Butte County are official documents maintained by county government offices that record ownership, transfers, encumbrances, and other legal interests affecting real property — including land, structures, and improvements — located within the county's jurisdiction. These records serve several foundational legal purposes: they establish a verifiable chain of title, provide constructive public notice of all recorded interests in a given parcel, protect the rights of property owners and lienholders, and facilitate real estate transactions by ensuring buyers and lenders can confirm the status of title before closing.

Under California Government Code § 27201, the County Recorder is required to record instruments affecting title to real property upon proper presentation and payment of applicable fees. This statutory mandate ensures that all conveyances, deeds of trust, liens, easements, and similar instruments become part of the permanent public record. The Butte County Recorder-Clerk's Office serves as the primary custodian of these documents.

Butte County Clerk-Recorder 155 Nelson Avenue, Oroville, CA 95965 (530) 538-7691 Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM Butte County Clerk-Recorder

The Butte County Assessor's Office maintains complementary records, including parcel maps, assessment rolls, and ownership information used for property tax purposes. Together, these two offices hold the most comprehensive property record data available at the county level.

Butte County Assessor's Office 25 County Center Drive, Suite 100, Oroville, CA 95965 (530) 538-7721 Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM Butte County Assessor

Are Property Records Public Information In Butte County?

Property records in Butte County are public information under both state recording law and California's open records framework. Pursuant to California Government Code § 6253, public records are open to inspection by any member of the public, and no requester is required to state a reason or demonstrate a personal interest in the records sought. Property ownership is inherently a matter of public record because recording statutes are designed to provide constructive notice to all persons — meaning that once a document is recorded, the public is legally presumed to have knowledge of its contents.

The legal basis for public access rests on several principles. Transparency in land ownership protects against fraud, supports fair taxation, and enables informed real estate transactions. California's recording statutes require that instruments affecting title be indexed and made available for public inspection upon recordation. Any individual — whether a prospective buyer, title researcher, attorney, journalist, or private citizen — may inspect and obtain copies of recorded property documents without providing justification.

The Butte County official website provides access to public records request procedures, including the county's online Public Records Act Request portal, which members of the public may use to submit formal requests for documents not immediately available through self-service search tools.

How To Search Property Records in Butte County in 2026

Members of the public may search Butte County property records through several official channels. The following steps outline the standard process currently available:

Identify the parcel: Obtain the Assessor's Parcel Number (APN) or the property's street address before beginning a search. The APN is the most reliable identifier for locating records across multiple county databases.
Use the online parcel lookup tool: The county's parcel search portal allows users to search by address or parcel number to retrieve basic ownership and assessment data.
Search recorded documents: Visit the Butte County Clerk-Recorder's online index to search for deeds, liens, easements, and other recorded instruments by grantor/grantee name, APN, or document number.
Visit the Recorder's Office in person: Members of the public may inspect the public index terminals at the Clerk-Recorder's Office during regular counter hours. Staff can assist with locating documents and ordering certified copies.
Submit a Public Records Act request: For records not available through self-service tools, a formal written request may be submitted to the appropriate county office pursuant to California Government Code § 6253.
Request certified copies: Certified copies of recorded documents may be ordered in person, by mail, or through the county's online services portal. Fees apply per document page as established by the county fee schedule.

Butte County Clerk-Recorder 155 Nelson Avenue, Oroville, CA 95965 (530) 538-7691 Butte County Clerk-Recorder

How To Find Property Records in Butte County Online?

Several official online resources are currently available for locating Butte County property records without visiting a government office in person.

Butte County Parcel Lookup: The county's parcel lookup tool enables searches by street address or parcel number and returns ownership information, parcel boundaries, and assessment data maintained by the Assessor's Office.
Clerk-Recorder Document Index: The Butte County Clerk-Recorder maintains a searchable online index of recorded instruments. Users may search by name, document type, recording date range, or APN to locate deeds, deeds of trust, notices of default, and other recorded documents.
Property Tax Information: The Butte County Tax Collector's online portal provides access to current and historical property tax billing records, payment history, and assessed value data linked to individual parcels.
California Secretary of State: For records involving business entities that hold property, the California Secretary of State's business search tool provides entity status and registered agent information.

Butte County Tax Collector 25 County Center Drive, Suite 125, Oroville, CA 95965 (530) 538-7681 Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM Butte County Tax Collector

How To Look Up Butte County Property Records for Free?

Multiple no-cost options are currently available for members of the public seeking Butte County property records without incurring fees.

Online parcel lookup: The county's parcel search tool is available at no charge and provides ownership, parcel, and assessment information for all parcels within Butte County.
In-person inspection at the Recorder's Office: Members of the public may inspect the public index terminals and view document images at the Clerk-Recorder's Office free of charge. Fees apply only when requesting printed or certified copies.
Assessor's public records: The Butte County Assessor's Office makes assessment roll data, parcel maps, and ownership records available for public inspection at no cost during regular business hours.
Property tax records: Basic property tax billing and payment status information is accessible through the county's online tax portal at no charge.
California Public Records Act requests: Pursuant to Government Code § 6253, agencies must make records available for inspection free of charge; fees may only be charged for duplication at the direct cost of reproduction.

Note that while inspection of records is free, obtaining certified copies, title reports, or document reproductions involves fees established by the county's official fee schedule.

What's Included in a Butte County Property Record?

Butte County property records encompass a broad range of documents and data maintained across multiple county offices. The specific contents vary by document type and the office maintaining the record.

Recorded instruments (Clerk-Recorder):

Grant deeds, quitclaim deeds, and warranty deeds reflecting ownership transfers
Deeds of trust and mortgage documents
Notices of default, notices of trustee's sale, and reconveyances
Easements, covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs)
Subdivision maps and parcel maps
Liens, including mechanics' liens and judgment liens
Release and satisfaction of lien documents

Assessor's records:

Current and historical ownership information
Assessed value of land and improvements
Parcel maps and legal descriptions
Property characteristics (square footage, year built, use code)
Change of ownership statements

Tax Collector's records:

Annual property tax bills and payment history
Delinquent tax status and redemption amounts
Special assessments and Mello-Roos charges

California law distinguishes between real property (land and permanently affixed structures) and personal property (movable assets). The Assessor's Office maintains separate assessment rolls for each category. Under California Revenue and Taxation Code § 75.10, supplemental assessments are issued upon change of ownership or completion of new construction, generating additional recorded documents that become part of the property's official record.

How Long Does Butte County Keep Property Records?

Butte County retains property records in accordance with California state law and the county's adopted records retention schedule. Recorded instruments — including deeds, deeds of trust, liens, and maps — are maintained permanently by the Clerk-Recorder's Office, as these documents constitute the official chain of title and must remain accessible indefinitely to serve their legal notice function.

Retention periods for related records by office are as follows:

Recorded documents (Clerk-Recorder): Permanent retention; documents are indexed and preserved in perpetuity
Assessment rolls (Assessor): Retained for a minimum of five years under California Government Code provisions; historical rolls may be retained longer
Property tax records (Tax Collector): Generally retained for seven years for active billing records; delinquent tax records retained until resolution
Parcel maps and subdivision maps: Permanent retention as part of the official map record

The California Secretary of State's Local Government Records Management Guidelines and the California Government Code establish minimum retention requirements for county records. Butte County's adopted retention schedule, available through the County Administrative Office, specifies retention periods for all record series maintained by county departments.

How To Find Liens on Property In Butte County?

Liens recorded against real property in Butte County are part of the official public record maintained by the Clerk-Recorder's Office and are searchable through the county's recorded document index.

Search the Clerk-Recorder's index: Members of the public may search the recorded document index by property owner name or APN to identify any recorded liens, including mechanics' liens, judgment liens, state and federal tax liens, and notices of default.
In-person search: The Clerk-Recorder's public counter provides access to index terminals where staff can assist in locating lien documents. Copies may be ordered for a per-page fee.
Property tax liens: Delinquent property taxes constitute a lien on real property by operation of law. Current tax lien status is available through the Tax Collector's online portal and the county's property tax information page.
Federal tax liens: The Internal Revenue Service files notices of federal tax lien with the county recorder. These are searchable through the Clerk-Recorder's index under the taxpayer's name.
UCC filings: Liens on personal property (as opposed to real property) are filed with the California Secretary of State under the Uniform Commercial Code and are not maintained at the county level.
Title search: A comprehensive lien search is typically conducted by a licensed title company or title attorney as part of a real estate transaction, drawing on the Clerk-Recorder's index and other public records.

Butte County Clerk-Recorder 155 Nelson Avenue, Oroville, CA 95965 (530) 538-7691 Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM Butte County Clerk-Recorder

What Is Property Owner Rule In Butte County?

Property ownership in Butte County is governed by California state law, which establishes the rights, responsibilities, and limitations applicable to all property owners within the county. Under California law, property ownership confers the right to use, enjoy, transfer, encumber, and exclude others from real property, subject to applicable zoning regulations, easements, deed restrictions, and government regulations.

Several key principles currently govern property ownership in Butte County:

Proposition 13 (California Constitution, Article XIII A): Property is assessed at its fair market value at the time of acquisition. Annual increases in assessed value are limited to no more than 2 percent per year unless a change of ownership or new construction triggers a reassessment. This constitutional provision directly affects the property tax obligations of all Butte County property owners.
Change of ownership reporting: Under California Revenue and Taxation Code § 480, property owners are required to file a Change of Ownership Statement with the Assessor's Office within 45 days of a transfer of real property. Failure to file may result in penalties.
Zoning and land use: The Butte County Planning and Development Department administers the county's General Plan and Zoning Ordinance, which regulate permissible uses of property within unincorporated areas of the county.
Property tax obligations: All owners of real and personal property in Butte County are subject to annual property tax assessment and collection administered by the Assessor and Tax Collector. The county's property tax division is responsible for billing and collecting taxes on all taxable property within the county.
Adverse possession: California Civil Code § 1007 permits a party to acquire title to real property through continuous, open, hostile, and exclusive possession for a statutory period of five years, subject to payment of property taxes during that period.

Butte County Planning and Development Department 7 County Center Drive, Oroville, CA 95965 (530) 552-3700 Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM Butte County Planning and Development