You can check tax records to find a history of tax payments for a residential or commercial property. The county tax collector keeps these records. The office is responsible for locating taxable property, establishing value and collecting tax. Most offices allow public access to tax information at no charge.
Property Identification
You will need identifying information about the property to search property tax records, such as the address, lot number, name of the owner, assessor’s ID number, or map book page number. If you don't have these pieces of information, you can visit the county courthouse to search the deed records. Some offices charge a fee for this service.
County
Tax assessors maintain records for residential and commercial property in their respective counties. You’ll need to know the county in which the property is located to find the appropriate tax assessor’s office. If you are unsure, you can perform a county search on a website such as Naco.org. Enter the property's zip code to view the name of the county.
Locating Assessment Office
Each county maintains a website with information and links to local offices, including the county tax assessor’s office. Visit the county’s website to locate the website and office for the county tax assessor.
Searching Records
The tax assessment offices maintain property records in a database, and some provide access to it on the official website. You can enter the information you have gathered about the property and the tax year you are interested in to view the records. If your county does not allow an online search, you can visit the office. Most provide free access to computers that you can use to locate property tax information.
References
Writer Bio
Tina Amo has been writing business-related content since 2006. Her articles appear on various well-known websites. Amo holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration with a concentration in information systems.