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

Mohave County is located in the northwestern part of Arizona. It is home to Lake Havasu, the Colorado River, and portions of the Mojave Desert. With an estimated population of about 228,000, the county has approximately 258,000 land parcels that spread across 13,332 square miles of land. When researching property records in Mohave County, work with the Recorder, Assessor, and Treasurer’s offices. These agencies maintain land, ownership, assessment, and tax records and provide public access to these documents pursuant to state law.

An average home in Mohave County typically goes pending in about 38 days. The local housing market is supported by retail trade, healthcare, transportation, tourism, construction, and other service industries. Communities such as Kingman, Lake Havasu City, Bullhead City, and Fort Mohave contain a substantial share of the county's residential properties. Most of these properties are single-family detached houses.

Recent housing records reveal the underlying factors influencing the local real estate market, with a median home value of $197,500 and a median rent of $962, alongside a median household income of $52,425 and a median real estate tax of 0.5, expressed as a percentage of the property’s assessed value.

How to Look Up Mohave County Property Records

You can access Mohave County property records through county-designated online portals, each with different responsibilities:

Who Keeps Mohave County Property Records

In Arizona, property records are managed at the county level under the Public Records Law. If you wish to access these documents in Mohave County, designated offices share the responsibilities, with each handling different parts:

• The Mohave County Recorder serves as the official custodian of all recorded land documents. The office records and indexes deeds, deeds of trust, liens, releases, affidavits, subdivision plats, maps, and other official documents. Concerning the state’s Recording Law, the recorder handles all land documents in the county. Nonetheless, it does not set assessed property values, process tax payments, or provide legal advice concerning real estate.

• The Mohave County Assessor locates and identifies taxable property in the county. It establishes Full Cash Value, maintains parcel information, and handles property value appeals. In addition, the Office assigns Assessor Parcel Numbers (APNs) in the county.

• The Mohave County Treasurer collects tax payments, maintains tax records, handles delinquencies, and conducts the annual tax lien sale. Through the Treasurer’s Tax payment portal, you can access tax-related records using a parcel number or owner name.

• The Mohave County Clerk of Superior Court maintains court records, including cases involving property-related legal proceedings. Be aware that foreclosure actions and other property-related court proceedings are handled through the Superior Court. On the other hand, deeds of trust and other real estate documents are recorded with the County Recorder.

How to Search Mohave County Property Records Online

Anyone can search Mohave County property records through the county’s official webpages. You can take the following steps to view the documents:

1. Start with the Assessor Search or Property Tax Search webpages. Anyone can search the portals using the parcel number, owner’s name, or the property address. The search results will reveal ownership information, parcel characteristics, assessment values, and tax information.
2. Continue with the Basic Search portal. You can search the platform using document type, owner’s name, recording date, fee number, or book and page numbers. Using the portal, you can access records such as deeds, deeds of trust, liens, releases, affidavits, and other recorded instruments.
3. Trace the property's ownership history. Begin with the most recent deed and work backward through earlier recorded documents. You should ensure that the grantor's name listed on one deed matches the grantee’s name on the previous deed. Any missing link in the chain of title may signal potential problems and require additional title research.
4. Also, you can check the Recorder’s index for outstanding deeds of trust, judgments, liens, and other documents that can affect the use or ownership of a property. Keep in mind that the Affidavit of Property Value information recorded with a deed may provide an estimate of the property’s most recent sale price.
5. Finally, you can confirm the property tax status using the Tax payment webpage. Through this platform, individuals can review tax information, payment history, and tax bills. Keep in mind that payments made on the same day and other tax-related activity may not appear on the webpage immediately.

County Recorder: Deeds, Deeds of Trust, and Plats

The Mohave County Recorder is the official recording office for real estate documents. The office records and indexes deeds, deeds of trust, liens, releases, affidavits, subdivision plats, maps, and other documents affecting property in Mohave County. Be aware that Arizona typically uses deeds of trust rather than mortgages to secure real estate loans.

Anyone can search Mohave County's recorded documents online through the Recorder's portal, with records available from 1988 to the present.

County Assessor: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

The Mohave County Assessor is responsible for locating, identifying, and valuing every taxable property in the county. Individuals can use the Assessor Search or Property Tax Search webpages to locate the current owner, parcel number, property characteristics, and other assessment-related documents.

County Treasurer: Tax Bills and Payments

In Mohave County, the Treasurer is responsible for issuing tax bills, collecting property taxes, and maintaining tax payment records. The Treasurer’s Office provides online access to tax statements, property tax information, and payment services. Like other Arizona counties, Mohave County bills property taxes annually on a calendar-year basis rather than a fiscal year. Similarly, property taxes in Mohave County are typically billed in two installments.

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

Depending on the property class, the basis for calculating property tax in Mohave County is the Limited Property Value (LPV). The Full Cash Value (FCV) represents the property’s market value shown on the annual Notice of Value. To calculate the tax, the LPV is multiplied by the applicable assessment ratio to determine the assessed value. Then, the result is multiplied by the combined tax rates (county, school, and special district rates).

Full Cash Value and Limited Property Value

Arizona assigns two important values to real property. The Full Cash Value (FCV) represents the property's market value and is used when reviewing the Assessor's valuation. The Limited Property Value (LPV) is the statutory value used to calculate property taxes. LPV is generally limited to a 5% annual increase from the previous year, although that is subject to certain exceptions. The FCV is not used to calculate the property tax bill.

Exemptions and relief

Mohave County administers several Arizona property tax relief programs for qualifying property owners. Applicants must file their application forms with the Mohave County Assessor’s Office, but deadlines vary by program.

Appealing your value

If you disagree with your property's valuation, the appeal process begins after receiving the Notice of Value. You may challenge the Assessor's valuation through the statutory administrative appeal process. If the Assessor issues an adverse decision, a petition for review may generally be filed with the Mohave County Board of Equalization. The petition is typically filed within 25 days after the Assessor's decision is mailed. If you disagree with the Board’s decision, you may appeal to the Arizona Tax Court after the administrative process.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

Individuals can access Mohave County's Geographic Information System (GIS) through the QUICKSTART viewer. The viewer provides parcel boundaries, streets, aerial imagery, generalized topography, zoning information, and other geographic data.

Tax Lien Sales and Foreclosure

Foreclosure processes in Mohave County typically fall into two categories, namely tax lien sales and deed-of-trust foreclosures.

Tax lien sales

Each year, the Mohave County Treasurer conducts a tax-lien sale for parcels with delinquent property taxes. A successful bidder receives a tax lien certificate rather than immediate ownership of the property. If the tax lien remains unredeemed, the certificate holder may eventually seek to foreclose the property owner’s right to redeem through the Mohave County Superior Court. The county provides foreclosure instructions for certificate holders. Concerning A.R.S. 42-18201, foreclosure process may not begin until three years after the date of sale. The lien may expire if the required foreclosure action is not commenced within the statutory period.

Deed-of-trust foreclosure

Residential properties secured by a deed of trust may also be subject to a trustee's sale after a default in Mohave County. Pursuant to A.R.S. 33-807, the trustee may exercise the power of sale after the required default and statutory procedures. The trustee generally cannot conduct the sale until at least the 91st day after recording the notice of sale. Arizona law also requires notice of the trustee's sale to be recorded with the County Recorder and provided through the statutory notice procedures. The notice identifies the property, sale date and location, and other required information.

Costs to Access Property Records

Under the provisions of state law, individuals can record or obtain copies of Mohave County property records for a nominal fee:

How to Record a Document

You must comply with Arizona recording requirements when recording a property document in Mohave County. Documents must meet the formatting requirements under A.R.S. 11-480. Also, deeds and conveyances must satisfy the applicable requirements of A.R.S. 33-401 and 33-411.

• Prepare the Document: Prepare the document according to Arizona recording requirements. It should include a legal description of the property, the names of the parties, the required signatures, and the grantee’s mailing address. In addition, the document should be prepared with at least a 2-inch top margin on the first page.

• Complete the Affidavit of Property Value: The standard recording fee in Mohave County is $30 per document, unless otherwise specified. For a property sale that requires an Affidavit of Property Value, complete the form and submit it with the deed to the Recorder’s Office. If the transfer qualifies for an exemption, provide the applicable exemption number on the document. Keep in mind that the affidavit must be signed by both the seller and buyer, or their agents, and notarized.

• Submit the Document: You can submit the original document in person at the Kingman, Bullhead City, or Lake Havasu City Recorder's Office, or mail it to the Recorder. You can also submit these documents electronically via the approved electronic recording vendors, such as Simplifile, ePN, and CSC.

• Obtain a Copy of the Recorded Document: After recording, anyone may view and download a copy of the recorded land document through the Basic Search webpage. In addition, you can visit the Recorder’s Office to obtain a certified copy of the recorded document.

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