How to Search District of Columbia Public Records

District of Columbia's court, criminal, vital, property, voter, and licensing records are maintained by D.C. government agencies. Use the tabs to filter by record type, or jump directly to any source.

  • Courts: The D.C. Court of Appeals sits at the top of the system; trial-court business is handled by the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Most courts publish dockets and case lookups online.
  • Criminal history: The state's criminal-history repository handles official background checks. Fees and procedures are set by the state agency — see the linked official source.
  • Vital records: Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates are issued by the DC Health Vital Records Division. Marriage records are filed with the Marriage Bureau of the D.C. Superior Court.
  • Property & recorded documents: Maintained by the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue (Real Property) and the D.C. Recorder of Deeds.
  • Business filings: The Secretary of State (or equivalent) operates the official business-entity search.
Population
1,051,917
Households
411,859
Median Income
$101,027
Median Home Value
$705,000
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Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: District of Columbia property records URL verified against the official state publisher at otr.cfo.dc.gov on the review date. 7 primary .gov sources cited below.

District of Columbia Property Records — Key Facts (2026)

Deeds, mortgages, taxes, and assessments for property in District of Columbia — where each record lives and who maintains it in 2026.
County
Where records live
Not federal, not state
Assessor
Official value
Not Zillow estimate
Recorder
Deed & mortgage
Permanent record
Treasurer
Tax amount
Current bill & history
UCC
Business filings
Usually Secretary of State
Where each property record lives
Deed
100%
Mortgage
100%
Tax bill
100%
Lien (county)
100%
Lien (federal IRS)
50%
UCC (business)
10%
Unit: % kept at the COUNTY level.

What Changed in 2026 — District of Columbia Property Records

2026
District of Columbia property records portal active
The official District of Columbia portal at otr.cfo.dc.gov continues to serve as the canonical entry point for property records in 2026.
2026
Latest federal complement for property records
The BLM General Land Office Records at glorecords.blm.gov provides federal-level context that complements District of Columbia state records.
2026
District of Columbia access in 2026
For 2026, District of Columbia continues to publish property records information through state-authorized portals; check otr.cfo.dc.gov for current fees and processing times.
2026
Federal records framework refresh
Federal record types (federal liens, federal land, federal vital statistics) continue to live OUTSIDE District of Columbia's state portal — see the Primary Sources below for the .gov complement.

The 5-Tier District of Columbia Property Records Stack

1
Tier 1 — Deed / title
District of Columbia County Recorder or Register of Deeds. The legal record of ownership.
2
Tier 2 — Assessment
District of Columbia County Assessor. Taxable value (NOT market value).
3
Tier 3 — Tax
District of Columbia County Treasurer or Tax Collector. Amount owed and paid.
4
Tier 4 — Liens
Most liens at the county; federal tax liens (IRS) and UCC filings often at the Secretary of State.
5
Tier 5 — Federal land
BLM General Land Office (glorecords.blm.gov) for federally administered land.

Five Things People Get Wrong About District of Columbia Property Records

❌ Myth: "Zillow shows the official District of Columbia value."
✓ Truth: False. Zillow is an algorithm. The official value comes from the District of Columbia County Assessor.
❌ Myth: "Assessed value = market value in District of Columbia."
✓ Truth: False. Assessed value is for tax purposes. Most District of Columbia counties assess at less than 100% of market value.
❌ Myth: "There's a national property database."
✓ Truth: False. No federal property registry exists. District of Columbia property records are kept county-by-county.
❌ Myth: "The deed shows the current mortgage balance."
✓ Truth: False. The recorded mortgage shows the original amount. The current balance is held by the lender, not the county.
❌ Myth: "All District of Columbia liens appear in one search."
✓ Truth: False. Property liens are at the county; federal tax liens may be at the IRS; UCC liens are at the Secretary of State.

Primary Sources (All .gov / Official)

Related Property Records Resources

📍 Other District of Columbia records:
🇺🇸 Property Records in other states:
Related Public Records
National view of this topic: All states: Property records

Property Records Databases

In the District of Columbia, recording is handled by the D.C. Recorder of Deeds.

Property Records

District of Columbia - A DC Real Property Assessment Mapplication by Real Property Tax Administration
Official Free
The meaning of SITE is the spatial location of an actual or planned structure or set of structures (such as a building, town, or monuments). How to use site in a sentence. Cite, Sight, and Site
🌐 catalog.data.gov
Recorder of Deeds | otr - DC Office of Tax and Revenue
Official Free
Your Trusted Source for Real Property Records and Document Services The Recorder of Deeds, is a part of the Office of Tax and Revenue . This office keeps all official records about land and property in Washington, D.C. It collects taxes and fees when people file documents involving property.
🌐 otr.cfo.dc.gov
DCGIS.PublicEasementsLN
Official Free
... Introduction: The Vector Property data was developed with the oversight of the Office of Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) - DC GIS, Department of Consumer of Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) - Office of the Surveyor (OS), and Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) - Real Property Tax Administration (RPTA). This effort was undertaken with 2 primary goals: - Support and improve the daily business processes of the two DC agencies that originate and manage land record in the District of Columbia.
🌐 dcatlas.dcgis.dc.gov
Sales & Use Tax | otr - DC Office of Tax and Revenue
Official Free
Sales and use tax is applied to the sale, lease, or rental of tangible personal property and certain services in the District of Columbia. OTR provides tools, resources, and guidance for businesses and individuals to accurately report, pay, and comply with sales and use tax requirements. ... Learn which services are subject to sales and use tax in the District and which are exempt. ... Find examples of property maintenance services that are taxable versus those that are exempt. ... Review which types of data processing services are subject to sales tax and which qualify for exemptions.
🌐 otr.cfo.dc.gov

Frequently Asked Questions

In District of Columbia, property records — including parcel data, assessed value, deeds, and tax history — are primarily maintained at the county level by each county's Assessor and Recorder. Statewide oversight and reporting are provided by the Official District of Columbia Property Records at otr.cfo.dc.gov. See the cards below or the county page for direct local search links.

District of Columbia does not have a single statewide free property search; deed and assessment data are searched at the county level. The Official District of Columbia Property Records publishes statewide property-tax rules and aggregate data at otr.cfo.dc.gov; for individual parcels, use the county assessor or recorder.

The county Assessor determines property values for tax purposes and maintains the parcel roll. The county Recorder (sometimes Clerk-Recorder) records deeds, mortgages, liens, and other instruments affecting title. In some District of Columbia countys these are combined offices; in others they're separate. The Official District of Columbia Property Records at otr.cfo.dc.gov publishes the full list.

Parcel identification numbers (APN, PIN, or parcel number depending on the county) are assigned by the county assessor. They appear on every tax bill and on the county's online property-search interface. Once you have the parcel ID you can look up assessed value, ownership history, and recorded documents through the county site; the statewide overview is at otr.cfo.dc.gov.

Assessment appeals in District of Columbia are filed at the county level with the local assessment appeals board, typically within a deadline set after annual valuation notices are mailed. The Official District of Columbia Property Records publishes the statewide rules, deadlines, and appeal forms at otr.cfo.dc.gov.