Imperial County Property Records

Imperial County Clerk-Recorder — Overview

The Imperial County Clerk-Recorder's office maintains all official real property records for the county, including deeds, deeds of trust, liens, reconveyances, notices of default, and other instruments affecting title to real property. The office is located at 940 W. Main Street, Suite 202, El Centro, CA 92243.

Clerk-Recorder's Office serves as the Clerk-Recorder. Office hours are Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, with document recording accepted during 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Phone: (442) 265-1076.

✓ E-Recording Available

Imperial County Recording Fees

Below Sea Level: Water Rights, the Mexican Border & the Salton Sea's Uncertain Future

Imperial County is unlike any other county in California's recording system. Much of it lies below sea level — the Imperial Valley floor sits as low as 235 feet below sea level, making it one of the lowest inhabited areas in the Western Hemisphere. The county's 4,482 square miles span from the Mexican border to the Chocolate Mountains, and its property records are inseparable from two dominating forces: water and the international border.

The Imperial Irrigation District (IID) — the largest irrigation district in the United States — controls virtually all water delivery in the county. Every agricultural parcel's value is fundamentally tied to its IID water allocation, and these water rights assessments are recorded encumbrances that transfer with ownership. The IID's Colorado River water entitlement — the single largest in California — is the subject of ongoing interstate negotiations, and changes to allocation can directly affect farmland values.

The Salton Sea, California's largest lake by surface area, is simultaneously shrinking and becoming more toxic. Properties around the Salton Sea's perimeter — particularly in the communities of Bombay Beach, Salton City, and Desert Shores — carry unique risks related to air quality hazards from exposed lakebed, potential state environmental cleanup liens, and declining property values. Some speculative purchases from the 1950s–1960s era Salton Sea resort developments still appear in the title record as undeveloped lots with expired or lapsed improvements.

The U.S.–Mexico border running along the county's southern edge creates cross-border property considerations. While no parcels straddle the border, proximity to Calexico and the Mexicali metropolitan area of over 1 million people creates unique commercial property dynamics, maquiladora-related industrial zoning, and Foreign Trade Zone designations that affect property use.

Large-scale solar energy development has transformed the desert landscape in recent years, with solar farm leases and easements becoming increasingly common recorded instruments on former agricultural or BLM-adjacent land.

Imperial County Online Records

The Imperial County Clerk-Recorder's office provides online access through the County portal. Online records are available from varies to present. You can search by grantor/grantee name, recording date, document type, or document number.

For records predating the online index, visit the Clerk-Recorder's office at 940 W. Main Street in El Centro for in-person research. Document copies can also be requested by mail with appropriate fees and a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Need a Imperial County Title Search or Lien Report?

How to Record a Document in Imperial County

Imperial County records documents at the Main Street office in El Centro, Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Given the county's proximity to the Mexican border, many transactions involve binational ownership structures that require additional documentation. The office accepts documents in person and by mail. Payment by cash, check, or money order. Title companies with regular submissions may arrange deposit accounts.

Documents submitted for recording in Imperial 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: Imperial County experiences extreme summer temperatures that can affect document delivery by mail. During June through September, consider in-person recording or priority mail to avoid heat-related delivery delays.

Imperial County Property Issues — Local Market Insights

Imperial County Property Landscape

Imperial County's property landscape is defined by two forces: the most productive irrigated farmland in North America and the speculative legacy of the Salton Sea. Agricultural properties in the Imperial Valley between El Centro, Brawley, and Calexico are among the most valuable farmland in the world, with IID water allocations that can be worth more than the land itself. Every agricultural property transaction requires verification of the water allotment status through IID records — a step that has no parallel in other California counties.

The Salton Sea's northern and eastern shoreline contains thousands of platted but undeveloped "subdivision" lots from the 1950s-60s resort era. These lots — many now below the receding waterline or on salt-encrusted desert — carry delinquent tax liens measured in decades, expired infrastructure bonds, and assessment district obligations that exceed the land's current market value. Acquiring these lots through tax sale requires careful examination of all outstanding obligations.

The Calexico-Mexicali border corridor creates binational transaction patterns unique in California. Properties near the border may carry federal easements for border infrastructure, CBP access agreements, and DHS security zone restrictions. Cross-border ownership structures involving Mexican nationals require additional documentation under California foreign ownership disclosure requirements.

Imperial County FAQ

Counties Neighboring Imperial