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State guides / California / Stanislaus County

Stanislaus County property data

Where Stanislaus County's property records live, how its tax and foreclosure sales work, and what Deedplat puts on one map, including Modesto.

  • 9Cities and towns
Hover a town to see its name

Where the records are

The county offices an investor deals with in Stanislaus County, and what each one puts online.

Deeds and mortgages

Stanislaus County Clerk-Recorder. The Official Records Index can be searched free online by name, document number, book and page, recording date or parcel number, with records indexed back to 1850, and copies can be bought through the online shopping cart.

Owners and values

Stanislaus County Assessor. Owners can look up their assessed value free with the Assessor Value Notice Inquiry, and wider property searches are offered through ParcelQuest, which has free and paid options.

Tax sales

Stanislaus County Treasurer-Tax Collector. The tax sale notice, property list, terms of sale, minimum bids and past results are posted free on the Tax Collector's site, and bidding is online on Bid4Assets.

Foreclosure sales

Private trustees (notices recorded with the Clerk-Recorder). Notices of default and notices of trustee sale are recorded documents that can be found in the Clerk-Recorder's free online index.

Parcel maps

Stanislaus County Assessor GIS Maps Viewer. The Assessor's free GIS viewer shows parcels and the Assessor's map books, and the county also runs a free open data GIS hub.

How property is sold here

Stanislaus 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, once taxes have gone unpaid for five years, or three years for nonresidential commercial property. The Stanislaus County Tax Collector holds one public internet auction a year on Bid4Assets; in 2026 it ran May 18 to 20, with a $2,000 deposit plus a $35 fee and registration due by May 13. Winning bidders also pay a 3% buyer's premium and the $0.55 per $500 transfer tax, and unsold parcels may be reoffered within 90 days.

Foreclosure sales

Most Stanislaus County foreclosures are private trustee sales under a deed of trust, with the notice of default and notice of trustee sale recorded with the Clerk-Recorder before the auction. These notices can be found in the Clerk-Recorder's online index.

Assessed values

Under Proposition 13 the Stanislaus County Assessor resets a property's value only when it sells or has new construction, and otherwise raises it by no more than 2% a year; the 2026-27 roll of $76.38 billion uses values as of January 1, 2026.

Transfer tax

Stanislaus County charges a documentary transfer tax of $0.55 per $500 of value ($1.10 per $1,000), less any loans the buyer assumes, paid when the deed is recorded; the county fee list shows no added city tax.

Worth knowing

The 2026-27 assessment roll rose 4.88% to $76.38 billion.

Worth knowing

Tax sale property can be redeemed by the owner only until 5:00 p.m. on the last business day before the auction; California has no redemption period after the sale.

Worth knowing

The Clerk-Recorder's office is at 1021 I Street, Suite 101, in Modesto.

Every town in Stanislaus County

The cities, towns and townships inside the county line.

  • Ceres city
  • Hughson city
  • Modesto city
  • Newman city
  • Oakdale city
  • Patterson city
  • Riverbank city
  • Turlock city
  • Waterford city

Questions

Where are deeds recorded in Stanislaus County?

Deeds are recorded by the Stanislaus County Clerk-Recorder at 1021 I Street, Suite 101, in Modesto. The deed must include a documentary transfer tax declaration and be filed with a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report.

When is the Stanislaus County tax sale?

The Tax Collector holds one online auction a year on Bid4Assets, usually in May. In 2026 it ran May 18 to 20.

How do I find who owns a property in Stanislaus County?

Search the Clerk-Recorder's free Official Records Index by parcel number or name to find the latest deed, or use the ParcelQuest service linked from the Assessor's site. You can also call the Assessor at (209) 525-6461.

Are Stanislaus County property records online?

Yes. The recorded documents index, assessed values, parcel maps and tax sale lists are online free, and copies of recorded documents can be bought online.

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.

Every parcel in Stanislaus County, on one map

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