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

Pima County contains approximately 475,000 housing units and more than 448,000 registered property parcels. The county’s real estate market is fairly competitive, with homes going under contract within 30 to 35 days on average. Although the county's housing inventory is dominated by single‑family detached homes, manufactured and mobile homes are becoming more popular in Tucson.

Whether you're exploring new market opportunities or buying a property, it is always in your best interest to conduct property research. You can find Pima County's property records at the offices of the Recorder, the Assessor, and the Treasurer. All three offices are located in downtown Tucson and maintain records dating back to 1864.

Recent records reveal the underlying factors influencing the local real estate market, with a median home value of $264,400 and median rent of $1,169, alongside a median household income of $65,611 and a median real estate tax rate of 0.82 as a percentage of the property's assessed value.

How to Look Up Pima County Property Records

Pima County provides access to property records through several online portals listed below.

Who Keeps Pima County Property Records

You can contact the following Pima County offices for access to property records:

• The Pima County Recorder maintains all official real estate documents including deeds, deeds of trust, plats, liens, and easements.

• The Pima County Assessor maintains assessment and valuation records of every parcel in the county.

• The Pima County Treasurer collects tax payment, handles delinquencies, and runs the annual tax lien sale.

How to Search Pima County Property Records Online

Pima County's property records are not stored in a single database. This means that you may need to use more than one database when conducting a property records search. Follow the steps below to conduct a thorough property records search in the county:

1. Start at the Assessor's property information portal. This portal allows you to view a parcel's ownership information, the Full Cash Value, Limited Property Value, and property characteristics. Searches can be completed by property address or owner name.
2. Next, visit the county Recorder’s public records portal. Here, you can look up deeds linked to the property owner's name. You can search from both the seller and buyer side to build a full chain of titles.
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 Pima County Recorder’s Office handles the recording of documents related to real estate ownership and transfer. These records include deeds, deeds of trust, judgment liens, easements, and subdivision plats. To make record searches easier, the office indexes documents by grantor, grantee, document type, and recording date. You can search these records using the County Recorder’s public records portal.

County Assessor: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

The Pima County Assessor’s Office appraises every parcel in the county to establish fair market value for tax purposes. In addition to property valuation, the office maintains official ownership records and administers property tax exemptions for eligible residents.

County Treasurer: Tax Bills and Payments

The Treasurer’s Office is the official tax collector for the county. Under Arizona state law, property owners may pay their taxes in two installments. The first installment is due on October 1 and becomes delinquent after November 1. The second installment is due on March 1 and becomes delinquent after May 1.

Alternatively, taxpayers may choose to pay the full annual amount by December 31. Payments not received by the due dates accrue interest charges. If a tax bill remains unpaid, the Treasurer’s Office may initiate foreclosure proceedings.

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

Pima County property taxes are calculated by multiplying your property’s Limited Property Value (LPV) by the local assessment ratio. The result is then multiplied by the combined local tax rate and divided by 100 to determine the final tax amount.

Full Cash Value and Limited Property Value

The Full Cash Value and Limited Property Value serve different purposes. The Full Cash Value is the Assessor’s estimate of market value. On the other hand, 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 do not agree with your property's valuation, you may file an appeal with the Assessor's Office. If your appeal is denied, you can report the matter to the county or state's Board of Equalization, or file directly with the state's Tax Court.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

Pima County runs an interactive GIS mapping system that provides access to parcel data, zoning information, and aerial imagery. If you seek records that go beyond county boundaries, you may use the Arizona State Land Department tool.

Tax Lien Sales and Foreclosure

Arizona handles delinquent taxes in two ways.

Tax lien sales

Arizona law authorizes the Pima County Treasurer to foreclose on properties with delinquent taxes. The Treasurer may sell unpaid property tax liens to investors through 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. Under state law, property owners have up to three years to redeem the lien by paying the outstanding taxes and interest.

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.

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 formatting rules, including having 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 Pima County Property Records Checklist

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

Key Contacts and Official Portals