Butte County Property Records
A county rebuilding its property records infrastructure after the 2018 Camp Fire devastated Paradise and surrounding communities — the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history.
Recording Office & Contact Information
The Butte County Clerk-Recorder maintains and preserves all real property records for the county. The office is located at 155 Nelson Avenue, Oroville, CA 95965. General office hours are Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 5 PM (closed 12–1 PM). Recording counter hours are Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 4 PM (closed 12–1 PM). Phone: (530) 552-3400.
Recording Fees
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| First page (standard 8.5" × 11") | $15.00 |
| Each additional page | $3.00 |
| First page — fraud-fee documents* | $18.00 |
| Non-conforming page size surcharge | $3.00/page |
| SB2 Building Homes & Jobs Act fee | $75.00/parcel |
| Documentary transfer tax | $1.10/$1,000 |
*Fraud-fee documents include: deed of trust, assignment of deed of trust, reconveyance, request for notice, notice of default, substitution of trustee, notice of trustee sale, rescission of declaration of default.
The documentary transfer tax throughout Butte County is $1.10/$1,000 of property value. Additional city transfer taxes: None.
After the Fire: Property Records in a Rebuilding County
On November 8, 2018, the Camp Fire swept through the town of Paradise and neighboring communities of Concow and Magalia, killing 85 people and destroying 18,804 structures — nearly 14,000 of them residences. It was the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history, and it fundamentally reshaped Butte County's property records landscape.
The recording implications were immediate and far-reaching. Thousands of insurance claim settlements, lot clearance certifications, FEMA buyout deeds, and disaster-related title transfers flooded the Recorder's office. New construction permits in the Paradise rebuild zone now generate a steady stream of deeds of trust, builder's liens, and subdivision maps. Property owners who lost homes faced complex title issues: fire damage assessments, debris removal liens from the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, PG&E settlement claims recorded against properties, and Proposition 19-enabled base year value transfers for displaced homeowners rebuilding elsewhere in the state.
Chico: The Anchor Market
While Paradise rebuilds, Chico has become Butte County's dominant real estate market. Home to California State University, Chico — with roughly 15,000 students — the city absorbed thousands of displaced Camp Fire residents, driving rents and home prices sharply higher. Title work in Chico involves a mix of older downtown properties with pre-war deed histories, student rental conversions near campus, and newer suburban developments east of town along the Highway 32 corridor. The Bidwell Park area — one of the largest municipal parks in the U.S. — generates conservation easements and park district assessments that appear in adjacent property titles.
Oroville & the Dam Crisis Legacy
Oroville — the county seat — sits below the tallest dam in the United States. The 2017 Oroville Dam spillway crisis, which forced the evacuation of 188,000 people, triggered its own wave of property record activity: emergency easements for construction staging, DWR (Department of Water Resources) access agreements, and updated flood zone designations that now encumber downstream parcels. Properties in the Thermalito area and along the Feather River carry flood easements and State Water Project right-of-way instruments that require careful title examination.
Agricultural Butte County
South of Chico and Oroville, Butte County's valley floor is prime agricultural land — rice, almonds, walnuts, and olives. Gridley and Biggs anchor an agricultural economy where Williamson Act contracts, agricultural conservation easements, and irrigation district assessments from the Western Canal Water District and Richvale Irrigation District are standard title items. The Bureau of Reclamation holds flowage easements along the Sacramento River corridor that affect properties in the northwestern portion of the county.
Online Records & Document Access
Records from 1980 to present searchable online; pre-1980 records on microfilm at the office. Documents can be submitted for recording in person, by mail to the Oroville office, or through authorized e-recording vendors where available.
Understanding Butte County Property Documents & Title Complexities
Property transactions in Butte County carry distinctive characteristics shaped by the county's post-Camp Fire rebuilding has created complex title situations in Paradise, Lake Oroville water rights. Title searches and lien investigations here must account for these local factors that standard nationwide databases often miss.
Grant deeds are the primary instrument for transferring real property in Butte County. Under California law, grant deeds provide two implied warranties: that the grantor has not previously conveyed the same property, and that the property is free from encumbrances created by the grantor except those already disclosed. Each transfer in the chain of title is examined to verify these warranties were maintained throughout the ownership history.
Deeds of trust function as the security instrument for Butte County mortgages, creating a three-party arrangement between the trustor (borrower), beneficiary (lender), and trustee (neutral third party). When loans are satisfied, a reconveyance deed must be recorded to release the lien. Unreleased deeds of trust are a common title search finding that requires remediation before clear title can be established for a property transfer.
One of the critical title considerations unique to Butte County involves fire-destroyed properties with unresolved insurance claims, FEMA buyout program properties with deed restrictions prohibiting future development. These factors require specialized knowledge of local recording practices and cannot be identified through automated title plant searches alone. Professional title examiners familiar with Butte County's recording history are essential for identifying and resolving these issues before they delay a transaction.
Mechanic's liens in California follow strict recording deadlines that vary based on the claimant's role. Direct contractors, subcontractors, and material suppliers each face different preliminary notice and lien recording timeframes. For Butte County properties, these liens take priority from the date work commenced rather than the recording date, making them particularly important in title searches for recently constructed or renovated properties near Oroville.
Abstract of judgment liens attach to all real property owned by the judgment debtor in Butte County upon recording. These liens remain effective for ten years with renewal options, making historical judgment searches essential. Comprehensive title examinations check for abstracts of judgment filed against both current and prior owners to prevent undisclosed liens from surviving a property transfer.
Easements recorded against Butte County properties encompass utility easements, access easements, conservation easements, and prescriptive easements established through continuous use. Given that post-Camp Fire rebuilding has created complex title situations in Paradise, Lake Oroville water rights, easement research in this county often reveals encumbrances that significantly affect property use and development potential. A preliminary title report identifies all recorded easements and their specific terms, enabling buyers to make informed decisions before committing to a purchase.
Lis pendens notices recorded in Butte County alert prospective buyers to pending litigation that may affect title. These can involve boundary disputes, partition actions among co-owners, foreclosure proceedings, or challenges to the validity of prior conveyances. Any active lis pendens identified during a title search should be carefully evaluated with legal counsel before proceeding with a transaction, as these notices can cloud title and complicate financing.
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How to Record a Document in Butte County
Butte County requires all documents to be on 8.5" × 11" white paper with black ink. The recorder processes documents in the order received, with a typical same-day turnaround for walk-in submissions before 4:00 PM. Mail-in recordings should include a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check payable to "Butte County Clerk-Recorder." The office closes from 12:00–1:00 PM for lunch and from 8:30–9:00 AM on the first Wednesday of each month for staff meetings. Title companies with regular submissions may establish deposit accounts.
Documents submitted for recording in Butte County must meet California Government Code §27361 standards: 8.5" × 11" white paper, black ink, minimum 3-inch top margin on the first page, and 1-inch margins elsewhere. Non-conforming documents incur a $3.00 surcharge per non-standard page or may be rejected outright.
Pro tip: Butte County is particularly strict about the 3-inch top margin on the first page — documents without adequate margin space will be rejected at the counter. The office also requires that all notary acknowledgments comply with Civil Code Section 1189 format requirements.
Butte County Property Issues — Local Market Insights
Camp Fire Rebuild Title Layers
The 2018 Camp Fire generated the most complex title situation in Butte County history. Parcels in Paradise carry up to six additional recorded instruments beyond normal chain of title: FEMA buyout deeds, PG&E settlement releases, debris removal liens (and their subsequent releases), insurance subrogation documents, Proposition 19 base-year value transfer certificates, and town lot consolidation deeds where multiple burned lots were merged for new development.
Oroville Dam Spillway Assessments
The 2017 Oroville Dam spillway crisis prompted emergency flood easement recordings and subsequent DWR (Department of Water Resources) remediation assessments against downstream parcels. Properties in the Feather River flood plain carry recorded dam inundation zone notices that affect both title insurance underwriting and lender requirements.
Cannabis Operation Permits
Butte County's cannabis cultivation ordinance requires conditional use permits recorded against the parcel. These permits run with the land and create title obligations including annual compliance verification, setback requirements, and water source documentation. Properties with expired or revoked cannabis permits may carry enforcement liens.
University Housing Pressure
CSU Chico's 17,000+ students create sustained rental market pressure that has driven the conversion of single-family homes to multi-unit rentals. These conversions generate recorded instruments including conditional use permits, parking variance approvals, and rental inspection program compliance certificates.
Complete Guide to Butte County Property Records
Understanding Property Title Search
A property title search (also called a title examination or title abstract) is a comprehensive review of public records to determine the legal ownership of real property in Butte County. This title search process examines the chain of title – the sequence of historical transfers of title to a property – to verify that the seller has the legal right to transfer ownership and to identify any property encumbrances that may affect the buyer.
Types of Deeds in Butte County
When you search property records in Butte County, you'll encounter several types of deeds. A grant deed is the most common form used in California, transferring ownership with implied warranties. A quitclaim deed transfers whatever interest the grantor has without warranties. A warranty deed provides the strongest buyer protection, while a trustee deed is used in foreclosure sales. Understanding these deed types is essential when conducting a title property search.
Lien Search and Encumbrance Records
A thorough lien search reveals all claims against Butte County properties. This includes mortgage records and deeds of trust, tax liens, mechanic's liens, judgment liens, and HOA liens. The property lien search is a critical component of any title report search, as these encumbrances must be satisfied or accounted for before property conveyance can occur.
Accessing Butte County Recorder Records
The Butte County Recorder of Deeds (or County Recorder) maintains all real estate records and land records for the county. These public property records include recorded documents such as deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, and other instruments affecting property recording. While some records are available online, a comprehensive title search often requires professional access to the county's title plant database.
Property Tax Records and Assessments
The property tax records maintained by Butte County provide valuable information about assessed values, tax payment history, and any tax delinquencies. When you search a property title, reviewing tax records helps identify potential tax liens and confirms the owner of record as listed with the tax assessor's office.
Preliminary Title Reports and Title Insurance
A preliminary title report (often called a "prelim") is an essential document in California real estate transactions. This report summarizes the results of the title examination, showing current ownership (the vesting deed), all recorded liens and encumbrances, and any matters that would be excluded from title insurance coverage. Before closing any Butte County real estate transaction, obtaining a preliminary title report protects all parties involved.
Why Choose U.S. Title Records for Butte County Searches?
✓ Direct Title Plant Access
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✓ Same-Day Processing
Most Butte County property record searches begin processing immediately. Standard title report delivery within 1-2 business days.
✓ Comprehensive Coverage
Our property title search covers all recorded documents including deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments, lis pendens, and tax records for any Butte County property.
✓ Expert Support
Have questions about your Butte County title search? Our team provides free consultation 7 days a week to help you understand your property records.
Title Search FAQs for Butte County
Property Title Search Services for Butte County
Need to search a property title or conduct a title report search in Butte County? U.S. Title Records provides comprehensive property title search services covering all recorded documents. Our title search professionals deliver accurate results for residential and commercial real estate.
Whether you need to search title of property for a purchase, refinance, or investment due diligence, our title searches examine the complete chain of ownership. We provide public property records research including deeds, liens, judgments, and encumbrances recorded against any Butte County property.
As one of California's trusted title search companies, we help buyers, investors, lenders, and attorneys search for property title information quickly and accurately. Our property record searches cover Butte County's entire recorder database, delivering results in 1-2 business days.
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Official California Resources
For additional property record research and verification, these official California government resources provide authoritative information:
- California Secretary of State – Business entity searches and UCC filings
- California Department of Real Estate – Licensing and regulatory information
- State Board of Equalization – Property tax assessment standards