About Assessor Parcel Maps (2024)

• An assessor's parcel number is a series of fourteen numbers/digits that are used as a file number to inventory or identify property.
• The first three numbers of the series are used to identify the map book the real property is located in.
• The next three digits represent the page number within the map book.
• The seventh digit represents a block number within a page. Not all pages have blocks. In these cases a 0 appears in this space.
• The eighth, ninth, and tenth digits are used to identify the number assigned to a parcel.
• The last four digits are zero if the assessment represents a fee simple estate, but unique numbers are assigned if the rights have been divided for assessment purposes (for example condominiums, possessory interests, and tax segregations).

Example:

The Sacramento County Assessor sends letters to property owners when the legal description shown on a recorded deed does not properly identify the assessor parcel. Sometimes title companies make mistakes in filing deeds, so you are not exempt if you used a title company. You should correct the document whenever possible, as it is the legal basis for your property ownership.

The Sacramento County Assessor does not verify, insure or guarantee title. If you used a title company, that should be your first stop toward getting the issue resolved. If you did not use a title company, you may need to seek legal help from an attorney or professional land surveyor. The Assessor’s Office cannot provide legal advice. Despite recording errors, the assessor is required by law to assess all property in the County based on the information available.​​

Assessor's parcel maps may reference records of surveys or other recorded maps within a given area. On the assessor's parcel map, parcels or blocks of parcels with bolded corners and a reference number indicate recorded maps are available for the designated area. Recorded maps and surveys can be viewed in person at the County Clerk-Recorder'sOffice.

Please note that the lack of notation of a recorded map or survey on an assessor parcel map does not mean a recorded map or survey does not exist. Contact theCounty Clerk-Recorderto confirm the presence (or lack thereof) of a recorded map or survey.

Official Survey records are maintained on file in theSacramento County Survey Sectionwithin the Sacramento County Engineering Division located at 827 7th Street Room 2235, Sacramento, CA 95814. Contact them by phone at (916) 874-6546.

The jurisdiction of your property can be verified using theAssessor’s Parcel Viewer.

Please note that the United States Post Office may designate or associate your property with the city responsible for mail delivery which may be a different jurisdiction than the jurisdiction where the property is located.

For example, your property is located in the unincorporated area of the County of Sacramento. However, the post office assigned to process the mail for your property is located nearby but in the City of Elk Grove. As a result, the property address is “Elk Grove” but the jurisdiction that governs the property is the County of Sacramento.​

For questions regarding subdividing your property, contact thePlanning Department of the jurisdictionswhere your property is located.​

You may be eligible for an assessor parcel combination to combine your multiple parcels into a single parcel for assessment purposes. Please note that application for an Assessor Parcel Combination does not result in the immediate issuance of a new single assessor parcel number (APN).

Combining two or more properties together is possible if certain requirements are met. A parcel combination is two or more assessor parcels combined into one assessor’s parcel resulting in a single annual property tax bill. This action does not imply legal lot status nor does it constitute legal lot approval by any planning/building authority. If you have any questions regarding legal lots, you should contact the appropriatePlanning Department of the jurisdictionwhere the property is located.

To combine assessor parcels,allof the following conditions must be met:

• Only the property owner or legally authorized agent can request to have a parcel combined for property tax purposes.
• Taxes are current on all parcels; no delinquent taxes are due.
  
• The recorded ownership of all parcelsmustbe exactly the same.
• All parcelsmustbe in the same Tax Rate Area (TRA); unless the size of the parcel to be combined or moved across existing TRA boundaries is less than 45,000 square feet or less than $50,000 in value (R&T Code 606 (b) (c)).
• All parcelsmustbe contiguous (directly adjoining each other and not separated by a roadway).
• Parcels are not subject to a Williamson Act land conservation agreement.
• Requests must be received by May 1 to ensure timely processing for the next property tax year.

AnAssessor's Parcel Combination Request formmust be submitted.Send completed forms by email toASR-Mapping@saccounty.netor mail to 3636 American River Dr, Suite 200, Sacramento, CA 95864-5952, Attention: Mapping Section.Contact the Mapping Section at (916) 875-0700 orASR-Mapping@saccounty.netif you have questions about theParcel Combination Request process.Please note that the Assessor does not process changes toParcel Maps inMay or June.

The assessor parcel maps are used by the County GIS staff to assist in the maintenance of the County GIS map. The County GIS map is the visual interactive tool used to display County map and parcel information, including parcel lines, on theAssessor Parcel Viewer.

The assessor parcel maps are based on recorded documents and therefore may not match exactly what is seen or measured in person and overlays on aerial photographs used to create the County GIS map may not reflect actual parcel boundaries. Some differences can be attributed to the curvature of the land area.

Changes to assessor maps are not simultaneously displayed on County GIS map and there can be a delay of up to 4 weeks for assessor map changes to be visible on the County GIS map.