Los Angeles County Property Records & Title Search Services
Obtain property records, title searches, and deed copies for Los Angeles, Long Beach, Pasadena, Glendale, and all 88 cities within LA County. Access deeds, liens, mortgages, judgments, and recorded documents. Reports delivered in PDF format — 7 days a week. No login required.
Los Angeles County Property Records Search: Access LA County deed records, property ownership information, title searches, and recorded documents for all 88 cities. Search property records by address, owner name, or APN. Order professional title reports, lien searches, and chain of title reports online.
Los Angeles County Property Records Overview
Los Angeles County property records encompass the largest real estate market in California, with over 2.4 million parcels across 88 incorporated cities. The LA County Registrar-Recorder maintains deed records, property titles, and recorded documents dating back to 1850. Whether you need to search Los Angeles County property records for a home purchase, verify property ownership, or conduct a title search, understanding how to access LA County real estate records is essential for any property transaction. The county spans 4,751 square miles — stretching from the Pacific coastline through dense urban centers, suburban valleys, and into the western edges of the Mojave Desert. It contains 88 incorporated cities, from Los Angeles proper to Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Pasadena, Long Beach, Pomona, and dozens more, along with substantial unincorporated areas governed directly by the county.
Property records for this vast jurisdiction are maintained by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC), one of the largest recording offices in the world. The RR/CC's real estate archives extend back to 1850 — the year California achieved statehood — making it one of the deepest property record repositories on the West Coast. Whether you are researching a condominium in Downtown LA, verifying the title on a multi-family property in the San Fernando Valley, or conducting due diligence on commercial acreage in the Santa Clarita Valley, all recorded documents pass through this single county office.
The sheer scale and diversity of LA County's real estate market makes thorough property record research essential. Property values range from modest inland homes to some of the most expensive real estate in the world along the Westside and in communities like Malibu, Bel Air, and Pacific Palisades. Each transaction carries unique title complexities — from historic easements and oil drilling rights to complex trust structures and rent-stabilized properties. A professional California title search reveals the full picture before any commitment is made.
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Office Information
Main Office — Norwalk Headquarters
Office: Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk
Address: 12400 Imperial Highway, Norwalk, CA 90650
Mailing (Recording): P.O. Box 1250, Norwalk, CA 90651-1250
Phone: (800) 201-8999
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Website: www.lavote.gov
Los Angeles County Property Records Search
Los Angeles County is California's largest county by population, with over 2.4 million property parcels. Our LA County property records search provides access to deeds, liens, and title information dating back to 1850.
Search property records Los Angeles County CA for residential homes, commercial buildings, and vacant land throughout all 88 cities including Los Angeles, Long Beach, Glendale, Santa Clarita, Pasadena, and Pomona.
The LA County RR/CC also operates satellite offices in multiple locations throughout the county where you can access property record services, request copies of recorded documents, and file instruments for recording. Because of the county's geographic spread, having a satellite office nearby can save substantial travel time.
How to Search Property Records in Los Angeles County
Searching property records in Los Angeles County requires understanding the available channels and their respective strengths. The county's restriction on online document access means researchers must rely on a combination of in-person visits, assessor tools, and professional services.
In-Person Record Searches at RR/CC Offices
Visiting any LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk office provides the most direct access to recorded property documents. Real estate documents — including deeds, mortgages, and liens — are indexed alphabetically by name and organized by the year the document was recorded. Name-based searches cover documents from 1977 to the present. If you know the ten-digit Assessor's Identification Number (AIN) for a property, you can enter it without dashes for more precise search results. You may view all records in person at no cost; copies are available for a fee.
Los Angeles County Assessor's Online Portal
While recorded documents are not available online, the LA County Assessor maintains a separate public database that provides valuable property information at no cost. Through the Assessor's portal, you can look up assessed property values, ownership information, property characteristics (square footage, lot size, year built), and the most recent sale date and price. This is an excellent starting point for basic property research and for obtaining the AIN needed for deeper record searches.
Professional Title Search Services
Given LA County's restriction on online record access, professional title search services offer the most efficient route to comprehensive property information. U.S. Title Records maintains access to LA County title plant databases that include the full scope of recorded instruments — deeds, deeds of trust, liens, judgments, reconveyances, and more. Our searches go beyond what any individual researcher can achieve at a county office, examining cross-referenced indices and historical records across the county's 175-year archive.
Types of Property Records in Los Angeles County
The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder maintains millions of recorded instruments covering every conceivable type of real estate transaction. Understanding what records exist and how they affect property ownership is critical for buyers, sellers, lenders, attorneys, and investors.
Deeds and Ownership Transfers in LA County include grant deeds (the standard California conveyance instrument with implied warranties), quitclaim deeds (transferring whatever interest the grantor holds without warranties), interspousal transfer deeds (between spouses, often in divorce or estate planning), tax deeds from county auction sales, and trustee's deeds issued through foreclosure proceedings. The county also records certificates of trust and affidavits of death of joint tenant, both common in LA's extensive trust-based ownership landscape.
Liens and Encumbrances recorded against LA County properties encompass a broad spectrum. Mechanic's liens from contractors and subcontractors are particularly significant in a county with constant construction and renovation activity. Judgment liens from court proceedings, federal and state tax liens, HOA assessment liens, and municipal code enforcement liens all appear in the county's records. The Involuntary Lien Notification system charges $13 per judgment debtor or owner to ensure proper notice is given when involuntary liens like abstracts of judgment or mechanic's liens are recorded. A complete lien search identifies all recorded encumbrances.
Deeds of Trust and Financing Documents constitute a massive portion of LA County's recorded instruments. California uses deeds of trust rather than traditional mortgages, and in a county where property values frequently reach seven and eight figures, the financing documentation can be complex. Related instruments include assignments of deed of trust (when loans are sold between lenders), substitutions of trustee, full reconveyances (confirming loan payoff), and modifications of deed of trust for loan restructuring.
Foreclosure-Related Documents carry particular significance in Los Angeles County given the scale of its housing market. Notices of default mark the beginning of California's non-judicial foreclosure process, followed by notices of trustee's sale when properties proceed toward auction. Lis pendens filings alert the market to pending litigation affecting a property. Following the 2008 financial crisis, LA County saw historic volumes of these filings — and monitoring them remains important for investors and distressed property buyers.
Unique LA County Considerations: Los Angeles County property records frequently reflect complexities not found in most other jurisdictions. Oil and mineral rights — particularly in areas like Signal Hill, Inglewood, and the Baldwin Hills — may be severed from surface ownership and documented through separate recorded instruments. Properties in the Hollywood Hills, Malibu, and other hillside areas often carry recorded geological hazard assessments and landslide abatement district notices. Rent-stabilized properties in the City of Los Angeles carry implications that affect title and transfer, though the rent stabilization ordinance itself is not recorded in county records.
Los Angeles County Recording Fees and Costs
Los Angeles County's recording fee structure includes multiple components that accumulate per document. Understanding the full fee breakdown prevents surprises when submitting documents for recording.
| Service / Fee Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Base Recording Fee — First page/title | $15.00 |
| Each additional page | $3.00 |
| Each additional title in combined documents | $15.00 |
| Building Homes and Jobs Act Fee (SB 2) | $75.00 per transaction (max $225) |
| Fraud Notification Fee (deeds, deeds of trust, notices of default/sale) | $7.00 |
| District Attorney Fraud Fee (quitclaim deeds not subject to transfer tax) | $3.00 |
| Assembly Bill 1466 Restrictive Covenant Fee | $2.00 |
| Documentary Transfer Tax | $0.55 per $500 of value |
| Penalty Print (more than 9 lines/inch or 22 chars/inch) | $1.00 per page |
| Copy — First page (in person, uncertified) | $1.00 self-service |
| Copy — Plain copy | $2.00 first page, $1.00 additional |
Payment at RR/CC offices can be made by cash, check (payable to "Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk"), money order, or credit/debit card (American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa) with a $1.75 service fee. Apple Pay and Samsung Pay are also accepted with the same surcharge. For mail-in recording, make checks payable to "Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk" and send to P.O. Box 1250, Norwalk, CA 90651-1250. Out-of-state checks are accepted; e-checks, temporary checks, and foreign checks (except Canada and Mexico) are not.
Order Los Angeles County Title Search
Professional title search, lien search, and preliminary title reports for any property across all 88 LA County cities and unincorporated areas. Results delivered in 2–5 business days.
Order Your Search NowLos Angeles County Deed Records & Property Ownership Search
Los Angeles County deed records document every property transfer, ownership change, and real estate transaction recorded since 1850. Our LA County property records search provides access to grant deeds, quitclaim deeds, trust deeds, and all recorded ownership documents. Search Los Angeles County property ownership records to verify current titleholders, review transfer history, and identify any recorded liens or encumbrances.
Whether you need to search property records in Los Angeles County for a home purchase, verify ownership for a refinance, or conduct investment due diligence, our professional title search services deliver comprehensive results. Access LA County deed records for properties in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Santa Monica, Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank, Torrance, Pomona, and all 88 incorporated cities plus unincorporated county areas.
LA County Property Records by City
Los Angeles County encompasses 88 incorporated cities, each with properties recorded through the central LA County Registrar-Recorder. Major cities include:
- Los Angeles property records
- Long Beach property records
- Santa Monica property records
- Pasadena property records
- Glendale property records
- Burbank property records
- Torrance property records
- Pomona property records
- West Covina property records
- Norwalk property records
- El Monte property records
- Downey property records
- Inglewood property records
- Whittier property records
- Hawthorne property records
- Compton property records
- Arcadia property records
- Redondo Beach property records
- Manhattan Beach property records
- Beverly Hills property records
- Culver City property records
- West Hollywood property records
- Santa Clarita property records
- Lancaster property records
LA County Property Records Coverage
Our Los Angeles County title search services cover every city and community in the county, including:
How to Search LA County Property Records Online
While the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder does not provide online access to recorded deed images, you can still search LA County property records online through multiple channels:
LA County Assessor Property Search: The Los Angeles County Assessor's Office provides free online access to property assessment data, ownership information, property characteristics, and recent sale prices at assessor.lacounty.gov. This is an excellent starting point to obtain the Assessor's Identification Number (AIN) needed for deeper title research.
Professional Title Search Services: For comprehensive Los Angeles County property records search including recorded deeds, liens, mortgages, and encumbrances, professional title search companies like U.S. Title Records provide direct access to LA County title plant databases. Our LA County title search services deliver complete results in 24-48 hours — far faster than manual courthouse research.
In-Person Records Access: Visit any LA County Registrar-Recorder office to search property records indexes and view recorded documents. The main office at 12400 Imperial Highway, Norwalk is open Monday-Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Satellite offices operate in Van Nuys, Lancaster, and other locations throughout the county.
Los Angeles County Property Lien Search
A comprehensive Los Angeles County lien search identifies all recorded encumbrances against a property or property owner. LA County property liens include:
- Mortgage liens (deeds of trust) from lender financing
- Mechanic's liens from contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers
- Tax liens from IRS, California FTB, and LA County
- Judgment liens from court proceedings
- HOA liens from homeowner association assessments
- Child support liens and spousal support liens
- Municipal liens from code enforcement actions
Order a professional LA County lien search to identify all recorded liens before purchasing property, making loans, or filing judgments. Our lien search covers both property-specific liens and liens recorded against the property owner's name.
Los Angeles County Title Search Services
U.S. Title Records provides professional Los Angeles County title search services for real estate professionals, investors, attorneys, and homebuyers. Our LA County title searches include:
Preliminary Title Report
Comprehensive ownership and encumbrance report for purchase or refinance transactions. Includes current owner, legal description, recorded liens, and exceptions.
Order LA County Prelim Report →Chain of Title Search
Complete ownership history from origin or specified period. Essential for quiet title actions, litigation support, and historical research.
Order LA County Chain of Title →Property Lien Report
All recorded liens and encumbrances against a Los Angeles County property. Includes mortgages, judgments, tax liens, and mechanic's liens.
Order LA County Lien Search →Deed Copy Retrieval
Certified or uncertified copies of any recorded LA County deed. Grant deeds, quitclaim deeds, trust deeds, and all property transfer documents.
Order LA County Deed Copies →Los Angeles County Real Estate Market Context
The Los Angeles County real estate market is the largest in California by transaction volume and total property value. The county's economy — driven by entertainment, technology, international trade through the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, aerospace, and healthcare — creates constant real estate demand across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors.
Distinct sub-markets within the county each carry unique property record considerations. The Westside (Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades) features high-value properties with complex ownership structures often involving trusts and LLCs. The San Fernando Valley encompasses massive suburban development with some of the highest transaction volumes in Southern California. The South Bay (Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach) commands premium coastal values. The San Gabriel Valley serves as a center for international investment, particularly from Asian markets, with unique title structures reflecting cross-border ownership.
Commercial and industrial real estate in LA County — from the Arts District's converted warehouses to the massive logistics centers near the ports — involves property records that include environmental assessments, conditional use permits referenced in title, and complex lease memoranda. A preliminary title report for commercial properties in LA County often reveals layers of recorded instruments not typical in other markets.
Title Search and Lien Search Services for Los Angeles County
Given the size, complexity, and online-access restrictions of Los Angeles County's property records, professional title search services are not just convenient — they are often the only practical way to obtain comprehensive title information. U.S. Title Records provides full-scope property research across all of LA County's 88 cities and unincorporated areas.
Our Los Angeles County services include preliminary title reports essential for any purchase or refinance closing, complete chain of title searches covering ownership history from origin, comprehensive lien searches identifying all recorded encumbrances, and owner and property detail reports combining ownership data with lien information. Our team accesses the county's title plant databases directly, providing results that would take an individual researcher days of in-person visits to compile.
Los Angeles Neighboring Counties
Los Angeles County borders five other California counties. Many real estate transactions and investment portfolios span multiple jurisdictions, requiring property record research across county lines.
Complete Guide to Los Angeles County Property Records
Why Choose U.S. Title Records for Los Angeles County Searches?
✓ Direct Los Angeles Records Access
Our title search professionals have direct access to Los Angeles County's title plant database, providing faster and more comprehensive results than manual courthouse searches.
✓ Fast Los Angeles Processing
Los Angeles County: Typical turnaround 24-48 hours. Largest county database.
✓ Los Angeles County Coverage
Our property title search covers all recorded documents including deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments, lis pendens, and tax records for any Los Angeles County property.
✓ Los Angeles Experts
Los Angeles County questions? Call 302-269-3942. 88 cities with varying requirements.
Los Angeles County Property Records by Address
Search Los Angeles County property records by address to find ownership information, deed history, and recorded documents for any LA County property. Enter a street address to access property details including current owner name, assessed value, lot size, square footage, year built, and most recent sale information through the LA County Assessor's portal.
For comprehensive property records including recorded deeds, mortgages, liens, and title history, order a professional LA County property search by address. Our title search reports cover all recorded documents for the specified property, providing complete chain of title and encumbrance information essential for real estate transactions.
Free Los Angeles County Property Records Access
Limited free Los Angeles County property records are available through official county resources:
- LA County Assessor Portal (assessor.lacounty.gov) – Free access to property ownership, assessed values, property characteristics, and sale history
- LA County Registrar-Recorder Offices – Free in-person viewing of recorded document indexes (copies require fees)
- PropertyShark/Zillow – Limited free property data aggregated from public sources
Note: Recorded deed images and complete title information are not available for free online in Los Angeles County. The Registrar-Recorder restricts online document access. For LA County deed copies and comprehensive title searches, professional services or in-person courthouse visits are required.
Los Angeles County Property Tax Records
Los Angeles County property tax records are maintained by the LA County Treasurer and Tax Collector. Property tax information including current tax amounts, payment history, and delinquency status can be accessed through the Treasurer's portal at ttc.lacounty.gov. The LA County Assessor determines assessed values that form the basis for property tax calculations.
Property tax liens are among the most serious encumbrances on Los Angeles County real estate. Delinquent property taxes result in tax liens that take priority over most other recorded claims. Our LA County lien search identifies property tax delinquencies along with all other recorded liens affecting the property or owner.
Los Angeles County Public Records Search
Los Angeles County public records encompass property records, court records, vital records, and business filings. For real estate transactions, the most critical public records are those maintained by the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk including:
- Real property records – Deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments, lis pendens
- UCC filings – Personal property security interests
- Fictitious business names – DBA filings for LA County businesses
- Marriage records – Certificates and licenses
- Birth and death records – Vital statistics
Our Los Angeles County property records search focuses specifically on recorded real estate documents essential for title examination, lien searches, and ownership verification. We access the LA County title plant database for comprehensive results unavailable through basic public record searches.
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Los Angeles County Official Resources
For Los Angeles County property record verification, these 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
- Los Angeles County Recorder – Official county recording office