deedplatState guides / California / Fresno County
Fresno County property data
Where Fresno County's property records live, how its tax and foreclosure sales work, and what Deedplat puts on one map, including Clovis.
- 15Cities and towns
Where the records are
The county offices an investor deals with in Fresno County, and what each one puts online.
Deeds and mortgages
Fresno County Recorder. The Official Records Search has a searchable index of documents recorded since January 1, 1981, with older scanned index books back to 1856; copies cost $1.50 for the first page and $0.50 for each added page, and records can be viewed free at the office.
Owners and values
Fresno County Assessor. The Assessed Value Lookup shows a property's assessed value as of January 1 and is updated each July; owner names are not given online, so contact the Assessor for ownership.
Tax sales
Fresno County Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector. Tax-defaulted property is sold in online auctions hosted by Realauction, with property lists, bidder rules and excess proceeds lists posted on the Tax Sale and Excess Proceeds page.
Foreclosure sales
Private trustees (notices recorded with the Fresno County Recorder). Notices of default and notices of trustee sale are recorded documents that can be found by name or document type in the Recorder's online index.
Parcel maps
Fresno County Public Works and Planning, GIS Online, and Assessor Mapping Division. GIS Online shows parcel numbers, addresses, zoning, city limits and flood zones, and the Assessor's Mapping Division lets you view parcel maps by APN; ownership is not shown online.
How property is sold here
Fresno County follows California's rules, with its own calendar and offices. Read the California guide for how the state works.
Tax sales
California sells the property itself, not tax liens, after taxes go unpaid for five years. Fresno County's Tax Collector holds its main sale online through Realauction, usually in March (March 27 to 28 in 2025 and March 14 to 15 in 2024), and re-offers unsold parcels within about 90 days, as on June 13, 2025 and June 7, 2024. Bidders must post a single $5,000 deposit, and sale dates and property lists are posted on the Tax Sale and Excess Proceeds page.
Foreclosure sales
Most Fresno County home foreclosures are private trustee sales under a deed of trust, with the notice of default and notice of trustee sale recorded with the County Recorder.
Assessed values
Under Proposition 13 values reset to market only on a sale or new construction, and the Fresno County Assessor updates its online assessed values once a year in July, based on values as of January 1.
Transfer tax
Fresno County charges a documentary transfer tax of $0.55 per $500 of value (about $1.10 per $1,000), excluding existing liens, and the Recorder says this rate already includes the share for incorporated cities such as Fresno and Clovis.
Worth knowing
Fresno County bidders pay one $5,000 deposit to take part in its online tax auctions, and the balance is due by wire to Realauction within a few business days of the sale.
Worth knowing
The Recorder moved out of the Hall of Records and is now at 1250 Van Ness Ave. in Fresno.
Worth knowing
Online assessor and GIS tools do not show owner names, so ownership must come from the Assessor's office or recorded deeds.
Every town in Fresno County
The cities, towns and townships inside the county line.
- Clovis city
- Coalinga city
- Firebaugh city
- Fowler city
- Fresno city
- Huron city
- Kerman city
- Kingsburg city
- Mendota city
- Orange Cove city
- Parlier city
- Reedley city
- San Joaquin city
- Sanger city
- Selma city
Questions
Where are deeds recorded in Fresno County?
Deeds are recorded by the Fresno County Recorder at 1250 Van Ness Ave. in Fresno. The documentary transfer tax of $0.55 per $500 is paid when the deed is recorded.
When is the Fresno County tax sale?
The Tax Collector usually holds an online tax sale through Realauction in March and re-offers unsold parcels a few months later. Dates and lists are posted on the county's Tax Sale and Excess Proceeds page.
How do I find who owns a property in Fresno County?
Owner names are not shown in the county's online tools, so contact the Fresno County Assessor or search the Recorder's online index for the latest deed by name.
Are Fresno County property records online?
Partly. The deed index from 1981 on, assessed values, GIS parcel maps and the tax sale are online, but owner names must come from the Assessor's office or recorded deeds.
Sources for this guide
Office hours, fees and sale dates change. We checked these sources in October 2026; confirm with the county before you act.
- fresnocountyca.gov/Departments/Recorder/Recorded-Documents
- fresnocountyca.gov/Departments/Recorder/Copy-of-Recorded-Documents
- fresnocountyca.gov/Departments/Assessor/Value
- fresnocountyca.gov/Departments/Assessor/Mapping
- fresnocountyca.gov/Departments/Public-Works-and-Planning/maps-and-gis-information
- fresnocountyca.gov/Departments/Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax-Collector/Property-Tax-Inf
- fresnocountyca.gov/files/assets/county/v/1/auditor-controller-treasurer-tax-collector/tax-
- fresnocountyca.gov/files/assets/county/v/1/auditor-controller-treasurer-tax-collector/tax-
Every parcel in Fresno County, on one map
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