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5 Ways to Find Your Property’s APN (Assessor’s Parcel Number)

Our findings from across the industry to help our fellow land investors

An assessor’s parcel number, or APN, is a unique identifier assigned to a parcel by the local assessor for property assessment and tax purposes. You can usually find it by searching your county assessor’s website, checking your property tax bill or reviewing property records.

The terminology varies by location. Your county may call it an APN, assessor’s identification number, property identification number, parcel ID or another similar term, but the purpose is largely the same: helping local government identify a specific parcel.

Key Takeaways

24/02/2024

1. The fastest way to find an APN is often an address search on your county assessor’s website.

2. Property tax bills commonly display the parcel number alongside other identifying information about the property.

3. Parcel-number formats vary by county, so there is no single APN format used nationwide.

4. An APN can help you locate tax, assessment, sale-history and other public records tied to a property.

5. An assessor’s parcel number is not the same thing as the property’s legal description.

What Is an APN in Real Estate?

An assessor’s parcel number is an identification number or code assigned to a parcel of property by the local assessor.

Assessors use parcel numbers to organize property records and connect individual parcels with information used for assessment and taxation.

Depending on the jurisdiction, searching an APN may help you locate information such as:

1. Property tax assessments

2. Ownership information

3. Lot size and basic property characteristics

4. Assessor parcel maps

5. Previous assessments

6. Sale or transfer information

The exact records available vary by county. To go beyond the assessor’s database, see our guide, Your County GIS Map: How to Find It, Search It, and Read What It Tells You.

How Do I Find My Property’s APN?

You don’t usually need special access to find a parcel number. Try these five methods, starting with the county assessor.

1. Search Your County Assessor’s Website

For many properties, this is the easiest method.

Search online for the assessor’s office in the county where the property is located. Many offices provide a public property-search tool that lets you search by street address or owner name.

The property page may display the parcel number along with assessment, tax and property information.

The terminology can differ. Look for phrases such as:

1. Assessor’s parcel number or APN

2. Parcel ID

3. Property ID

4. Assessor’s identification number or AIN

5. Property index number or PIN

If the county does not provide an online search, contact the assessor’s office directly. Staff can usually tell you how to locate the appropriate parcel record.

2. Check the APN Format Used by Your County

Parcel numbers often contain several sets of numbers or letters, but the format is not standardized nationwide.

Some counties organize APNs around assessor map books, pages and individual parcels. Others use different numbering systems or include letters when parcels have been divided.

That means a number such as 123-456-789 may be perfectly normal in one county while another jurisdiction uses a completely different format.

If you’re unsure whether you’ve found the right number, compare it with the format shown on the county assessor’s own website or parcel map.

3. Look at Your Property Tax Bill

If you own the property, your property tax bill is often the fastest place to look.

The parcel number is commonly printed near the property address, owner information or assessed value.

If your mortgage servicer pays property taxes from an escrow account and you do not have a paper bill handy, you may still be able to retrieve the tax record from your county’s website.

Keep in mind that a tax-bill number and a parcel number are not always the same thing. Look specifically for the APN, parcel ID or equivalent property identifier.

4. Review Your Property Documents

Your parcel number may also appear in documents associated with your purchase or ownership of the property.

Depending on the jurisdiction and document, you may find it on:

Your deed

Your title report

A mortgage or deed of trust

An assessor’s parcel map

5. Ask Your Real Estate Agent or Closing Professional

If you’re buying rather than researching a property you already own, your real estate agent may be able to pull the parcel number from listing or property data.

A title company, attorney or other professional handling the transaction may also have documents identifying the parcel.

This can be useful when an address search returns multiple parcels or when the property involves vacant land, multiple lots or a newly created parcel.

Is an APN the Same as a Parcel Number?

Usually. Many assessor websites let you enter a street address and return the parcel record associated with it.

But an address and a parcel do not always have a one-to-one relationship.

One property transaction can include multiple parcels, while vacant land may not have a conventional street address at all. New subdivisions can also experience delays before updated parcel information appears across every database.

If an address search gives you an unexpected result, verify the parcel through the assessor’s map, deed or title documents.