California, Santa Clara County

Palo Alto, California Public Records

Find the right official office in Palo Alto. Court cases, police reports, property records, vital records and city records, each linked to the agency that keeps them, with addresses and phone numbers.

Official sources first Free directory Links checked Sep. 9, 2026 Mobile friendly

Start here

Most requested Palo Alto records

Every card below goes to the government office responsible for that record. Use the category buttons to narrow the list.

Filter by type

Showing 12 official sources

Official

City records

City of Palo Alto

Directory of Palo Alto city records and information

  Official Government Resourcescityofpaloalto.org
Open official site City of Palo Alto
Official

City records

Palo Alto City Clerk

City legal records and files 250 Hamilton Avenue 7th Floor Palo Alto, CA 94301 Phone: (650) 329-2571 Fax: (650) 328-3631

  Official Government Resourcescityofpaloalto.org
Open official site Palo Alto City Clerk

Everything else, organized

More official Palo Alto record sources

Secondary links stay collapsed until they are needed, keeping the page useful without turning it into an endless wall of cards.

Courts & case records
Police, crime & corrections
City government, schools & local offices
State of California agencies
Other official sources

Local record guide

About public records in Palo Alto

Useful local context without burying the official record links above.

Local profile

Palo Alto at a glance

County
Santa Clara County
County seat
San Jose
Population
67,901
Santa Clara County population
1,928,000
Local records
City of Palo Alto
ZIP codes
94028, 94022, 94303, 94301, 94306, 94304, 94302

About Palo Alto public records

Palo Alto public records are kept by the offices listed above. Start with the office that created the record.

The Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters handles all election administration for Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California. Located at 1555 Berger Drive, Building 2, San Jose, CA 95112, the office can be reached at 408-299-8683 or through sccvote.org. Nine City Council members serve staggered four-year terms, with elections every two years for four or five seats These elections are consolidated with statewide contests. The City Clerk's Office at 250 Hamilton Avenue (phone: 650-329-2571, website: cityofpaloalto.org) maintains candidate information, local ballot measures, campaign finance filings.

Straight answers

Palo Alto public-records FAQs

Open only the answer you need.

How do I register to vote in Palo Alto, California?

To register to vote in Palo Alto, California, residents can register online through the California Secretary of State's website, by mail, or in person at the Santa Clara County elections office. California requires voters to be U.S. citizens, at least 18 years old by Election Day, and residents of the state. The standard online and mail registration deadline is 15 days before an election; conditional voter registration is available after that deadline and on Election Day at county election offices and vote centers. Voters can verify their registration status and find polling locations through the California Secretary of State's voter lookup tool. For local municipal elections in Palo Alto, contact the Santa Clara County Clerk's office for schedules and ballot information.

How do I look up property records in Palo Alto, California?

Property records for Palo Alto, California are maintained by the Santa Clara County Assessor's Office and the Santa Clara County Clerk and Recorder. The Assessor's Office is responsible for discovering, listing, and valuing all taxable property within Santa Clara County, including parcels in Palo Alto. Records available include property ownership, assessed values, legal descriptions, parcel maps, and tax history. The Santa Clara County Clerk and Recorder maintains recorded documents including deeds, mortgages, liens, and easements. Many California counties provide online property record searches through their county websites. The Santa Clara County Treasurer handles property tax payments and tax sale information.

How do I get a birth or death certificate in Palo Alto, California?

Birth, death, and marriage records for Palo Alto, California residents are available through both county and state offices. The California Department of Public Health, Vital Records, located in Sacramento, maintains statewide vital records and can issue certified copies of birth and death certificates for events occurring anywhere in California. Orders can be placed online, by mail, or in person. Locally, the Santa Clara County Clerk's office issues marriage licenses and maintains marriage records for Santa Clara County. Birth and death certificates may also be available through local vital records offices. Requestors typically need to provide valid photo identification and proof of their relationship to the person named on the record. Processing times and fees vary by office and record type.

Same county

Nearby Santa Clara County cities

Use the city page when a record was created by a municipal police department or city office; use the county page for courts, deeds, vital records and jail custody.