Maricopa County, AZ Property Records: Search Deeds, Owners, Tax Records, and Maps

Maricopa County’s rising property demand has been fueled not only by economic growth, but also by a wide range of housing options. The county has more than 1.6 million active property parcels, with a real estate market that includes single‑family detached homes, multifamily complexes, townhomes, and high‑rise condominiums.

Whether you are exploring new market opportunities or purchasing property, conducting property research is always in your best interest. Maricopa County’s records are maintained by the Recorder, the Assessor, and the Treasurer. The Recorder documents deeds, deeds of trust, and plats. The Assessor values each parcel, while the Treasurer manages property tax billing and collections. All three offices are located in Phoenix and preserve records dating back to 1871.

Recent records reveal the underlying factors influencing the local real estate market, with a median home value of $363,600 and median rent of $1,515.5, alongside a median household income of $78,282 and a median real estate tax rate of 0.5 as a percentage of the property's assessed value.

How to Look Up Maricopa County Property Records

Several county portals cover most property questions in Maricopa County. See the table below for more information about the property records portals in the county.

Who Keeps Maricopa County Property Records

Arizona property records are maintained by county offices, and access to these records is governed by Arizona Public Records Law. You can contact the following Maricopa County offices for access to property records:

• The Maricopa County Recorder maintains all recorded real estate documents, including deeds, deeds of trust, plats, liens, and easements. This office provides details that help researchers build a chain of titles.

• The Maricopa County Assessor maintains the records of every parcel's assessment and valuation in the county. It also assigns each parcel an APN, sets the property class, and administers exemptions.

• The Maricopa County Treasurer keeps tax records. The office also collects tax payment, handles delinquencies, and runs the annual tax lien sale.

Records for cities and towns are filed with the county, not city hall.

How to Search Maricopa County Property Records Online

Maricopa County does not have a single database for all its property records. The county's property records are spread across different official databases, which means you may need to visit more than one database to complete your search. Follow the steps below to conduct a thorough property records search in Maricopa County:

1. Use the Assessor's parcel viewer to view the parcel information, the Full Cash Value, Limited Property Value, and property characteristics. Copy the property's APN. You can search records on this tool using the property address or owner name.
2. Next, take the owner's name to the Recorder document search portal. Arizona indexes by grantor and grantee, so search from both the seller and buyer side to build a full chain of title.
3. Confirm the current owner on the most recent deed. Then work backward through earlier deeds, checking that each grantor matches the grantee on the deed before it.
4. Run the same index for deeds of trust, liens, and easements. The Affidavit of Property Value filed with a deed also tells you what the property last sold for.
5. Complete the search by confirming the property's current tax status using the Treasurer tax portal.

County Recorder: Deeds, Deeds of Trust, and Plats

The Maricopa County Recorder's Office is responsible for indexing and recording all official real estate documents in the county. Document types recorded include:

• Deeds, including warranty deeds and quitclaim deeds

• Deeds of trust, releases, assignments, and reconveyances

• Judgment liens, mechanic's liens, and state and federal tax liens

• Easements, restrictive covenants, and powers of attorney

• Subdivision plats, surveys, and maps

The Recorder organizes documents by grantor, grantee, document type, and recording date. You can search the office’s online index for free. Full document images often require a fee.

County Assessor: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

The Maricopa County Assessor’s Office is responsible for discovering, listing, and valuing every parcel in the county. This process helps the office to establish fair market value for all property for tax purposes. The Assessor's Office also maintains property records for all the registered parcels in the county. You can find the following information using the Assessor's parcel viewer:

• The current owner of record for any parcel

• The APN and legal description

• Full Cash Value and Limited Property Value

• The property class and assessment ratio

• Property characteristics such as square footage, year built, and acreage

County Treasurer: Tax Bills and Payments

The Maricopa County Treasurer’s Office is responsible for billing and collecting property taxes. In Arizona, homeowners are allowed to pay their taxes in two installments. The first is due October 1 and becomes delinquent after November 1, while the second is due March 1 and becomes delinquent after May 1. Taxpayers may alternatively pay the full annual amount by December 31. Delinquent taxes accrue interest, and unpaid balances may be sold as a tax lien during the county’s February sale.

Property Tax in Maricopa County: Values, Exemptions, and Appeals

Arizona bases property taxes on a property’s Limited Property Value (LPV), not its market value. The LPV is multiplied by the assessment ratio to get the assessed value. Maricopa County then computes annual property taxes by dividing the limited net assessed value by 100 and multiplying the result by the applicable tax rate.

Full Cash Value and Limited Property Value

These two values do different jobs. The Full Cash Value is the Assessor's estimate of market value, and is the one you would challenge in an appeal. The Limited Property Value is the taxable figure, held down by the 5 percent annual cap. For an owner-occupied home, the assessment ratio is 10 percent, so only a tenth of the Limited Property Value feeds into the rate calculation.

Exemptions and relief

Appealing your value

If you are not satisfied with your property's valuation, you may file an appeal with the Maricopa’s County Assessor. You can submit your appeal online or by mail. Mail applications require you to download, complete, and file a petition form. If your appeal is denied, you may appeal to the state Board of Equalization, and then to the Arizona Tax Court.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

Maricopa County runs a GIS portal that links each parcel to its ownership and assessment record. For data that crosses county lines, the Arizona State Land Department offers additional statewide mapping.

Tax Lien Sales and Foreclosure

Arizona handles delinquent taxes in two ways.

Tax lien sales

Arizona uses a tax lien certificate system. Each February, Maricopa County sells unpaid property taxes to investors at a public auction. Interested persons compete by lowering the interest rate from a 16 percent cap. The winner receives a Certificate of Purchase, which gives them the lien but not ownership. The property owner can redeem the lien at any time by paying the taxes and interest. If the lien is not redeemed within three years, the investor may file a court case to foreclose the owner’s right to redeem under ARS 42-18201.

Deed-of-trust foreclosure

This is a nonjudicial process that is initiated when a borrower defaults on a mortgage loan. The trustee named in the deed of trust can sell the property at a public auction without going to court. After a trustee's sale, there is generally no right of redemption, which makes the process faster than judicial foreclosure.

Costs to Access Property Records

Searching the online index is free. Fees only apply when you need a copy or are recording a new document.

Recording fees are set statewide by ARS 11-475. Confirm the current schedule with the Recorder before filing, since the flat fee is updated from time to time.

How to Record a Document

Arizona law governs the form of any instrument that conveys an interest in real property. The four-step process:

1. Confirm the document meets Arizona format rules, including original signatures, a notary acknowledgment, a proper legal description, and the required margins and paper size for recording.
2. Complete an Affidavit of Property Value where required, stating the sale price or the basis for an exemption. It is filed with the deed at recording.
3. Submit to the Recorder in person, by mail, or through an approved e-recording vendor. Pay the flat recording fee.
4. Once recorded, the original is returned to the filer, and the document image posts to the online index within a short processing window.

FAQs

Quick Reference: Your Maricopa County Property Records Checklist

Match each row to your task to find the fastest path through the system.

Key Contacts and Official Portals