How to find out who owns a property
To find who owns a property, search the address or parcel number on the county assessor, auditor or appraisal district website, then confirm the name on the latest deed at the county recorder. The search is free and public. LeadCounty joins both for 99 counties.
Step by step
- Find the county. If you only have an address, check the city and county.
- Open the county assessor, auditor or appraisal district property search.
- Search by address or parcel number.
- Read the owner name and mailing address.
- Confirm the latest deed at the county recorder. The assessor may lag behind a recent sale.
When the owner is a company or trust
Many owners are an LLC or a trust. The county shows the company name. The state secretary of state's business search shows the registered agent and sometimes the people behind it. Trusts are harder: the trustee name may appear on the deed.
When the owner has died
The name may read 'estate of' or the heirs. See the probate and inherited property guide.
What you will not find
The county shows names and mailing addresses, not phone numbers or e-mails. For those you need a skip tracing service.
Privacy
Some people, such as judges and police officers, may have their addresses removed under state law. Do not try to work around those removals.
Examples of county offices that show ownership
- Franklin County Auditor (Franklin County)
- Franklin County Recorder (Franklin County)
- Harris Central Appraisal District (Harris County)
- Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector (Harris County)
- Cook County Assessor's Office (Cook County)
- Maricopa County Assessor's Office (Maricopa County)
- Maricopa County Recorder (Maricopa County)
Every county names these offices differently. The data sources page lists the offices behind each county we cover.
Official sources and further reading
- USA.gov: find local government offices
- National Association of Counties
- International Association of Assessing Officers
- Legal Information Institute: deed
Outside sites are run by their owners. General information, not legal or financial advice.
Questions
Is property ownership public record?
Yes in every U.S. state. Some states hide sale prices.
Can I look up an owner for free?
Yes, on the county's own website. Some counties charge for bulk files.
How do I find the owner of an LLC property?
Search the state secretary of state's business records for the registered agent.
How current is the county record?
It depends on how fast the county updates. A deed filed last week may not show yet.
How we make these guides
Written by the LeadCounty editorial and data team from official county, court and state sources and our own weekly counts. We name the office behind every number, say what we cannot see, and fix mistakes when you tell us. See our editorial standards and methodology. General information, not legal or financial advice. Refreshed weekly.
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