What are Idaho Property Records?
Idaho property records are official documents that bear information on real estate (lands, buildings) within the state's borders. These records are important to all persons who want to buy, sell, or transfer real estate in Idaho, as they can reveal who owns a property (and can legally sell or transfer it) and other details. By reviewing property records, individuals can make safe investments in real estate.
In Idaho, citizens can file different property records in the county recorder's office where a property physically exists. This includes deeds and transfers of title, liens, powers of attorney, trust deeds or mortgages, rights-of-ways, easements, reconveyances, surveys, wills admitted to probate, etc. Once a property record is filed, the recorder's office maintains the document in paper or electronic formats and shares it upon request.
Are Idaho Property Records Public?
Yes, the public has access to property records in Idaho under I.C. § 74-102 (the state's public records act) and I.C. § 55-1607. Thus, anyone can search, inspect, or purchase copies of Idaho property records from government offices (e.g., a county clerk/auditor/recorder's office) or third-party property public record providers.
However, certain property records are subject to disclosure exemptions under the Idaho public records act. Per regulation, a property record may not be released to the public if the inspection will threaten personal, property, or public safety or if a law or court order restricts access.
Property records are available for public viewing through government agencies or third-party aggregate websites. Accessing property records through third-party sites is typically straightforward, and the records are not geographically limited. However, because the sites are not government-affiliated and run independently, the information contained in the records may vary. Searching parties should include the following information to obtain complete property records:
- The property’s exact location.
- The property owner’s details.
What Information is Included in Idaho Property Records
Information that may be found in Idaho property records includes:
- General information, such as a property owner's full name and mailing address, the property address, deeded acres, the recording date, and the property ID, type, and class
- Ownership history
- Legal description
- Square footage, number of rooms, and year of construction
- Improvements made to the property
- Sales history
- Current assessed value and historical value
- Permits
- Recorded liens and judgments
- Property survey reports
- Mortgage information
- Plats (a map or sketch showing property lines and boundaries)
(Ada County's Appraisal Glossary contains definitions of some of the above terms.)
Note that while some U.S. state laws mandate the listing of property sale records in county property records, Idaho is a non-disclosure state as regards sales information. The state does not obligate property owners to disclose purchase prices to a county recorder or assessor's office. Hence, one may not always find sales information in government records. In such instances, a person must rely on a real estate agent, property owner, or any other person who may have the information.
Where to Search Idaho Public Property Records
Members of the public can search Idaho public property records at the following local public offices:
- A county clerk/auditor/recorder's office
- A county assessor's office
Of the two government offices, the county recorder's office provides comprehensive property records for the region they serve. However, individuals can still find some property information and documents at a local assessor's office.
Like with all property public records requests submitted to an official government custodian in Idaho, a requester is not expected to explain why they need a document. However, each custodian requires some information to find a record and, sometimes, to determine if fulfilling the request would violate a law. The information required to search Idaho property records varies by custodian's offices but often includes:
- A grantor/grantee's name
- The recording date
- A property's address
- A property's legal description
- An identifying number (e.g., a document/instrument number, book/page number, or parcel ID).
Moreover, an individual can search Idaho public property records through title companies, real estate attorneys, and independent parties that provide public record search services.
How to Do a Property Records Search in Idaho
Owing to the freedom of information law that grants every person access to property records in Idaho, individuals have more than one way to carry out a property records search in the state. The popular methods that the official custodians utilize to let the public search, inspect, or copy Idaho property records include in person, in writing (by mail), or online. Some offices also accept fax and email requests.
Persons who prefer to search property records in person or via mail can obtain the proper addresses from a local custodian's office or website. Whether visiting a county recorder or assessor's office to perform the land records search, an in-person inquirer can search and inspect records for free and obtain copies for a fee. Mail requesters can only obtain copies from these offices upon paying the copy fee and providing the information needed to locate a record. Compared to mail-in orders, in-person orders for copies of Idaho property records have a shorter processing time.
Besides the previous methods, interested individuals can also search property records online via property/land records databases provided by government agencies. These self-service tools can be found on an agency's official website and are accessible for free with a few keywords (for example, a property owner's last or first name). Several county offices (like the Ada County Assessor's Office, Latah County Auditor's Office, and Bonneville County Clerk's Office) also allow subscribers to view unofficial, scanned documents or purchase official copies of property records on the internet.
Note that a county assessor or recorder's office can only provide data on properties in their jurisdictions. Requesters cannot find other U.S. land records in these offices. To obtain U.S. land records from another jurisdiction, one should query the relevant recorder's office. The services of legal experts and third-party public records providers may also be employed for these investigations.
How to Find the Owner of an Idaho Property Using Public Records
Individuals who want to find the owner of an Idaho property using public records can search property records preserved at local government offices, specifically records maintained at the recorder or assessor's office where the property lies. The county recorder's office records all land documents (including deeds) within a county and provides these documents to individuals upon a written or verbal request. Meanwhile, the assessor's office estimates property at market value, determines the value that can be taxed, and maintains property ownership records. The official documents kept by these offices are available under Idaho's public records law and carry property ownership information.
Members of the public can contact or visit the county offices to search public records for property ownership information or look up property history with public records. In addition, these agencies often provide self-service portals as a way for the public to obtain ownership data and other property details instantly. An example is the Kootenai County Public Access Service Portal.
What are Idaho Property Records Used For?
Because Idaho property records contain extensive information about properties located in the state, real estate buyers, investors, brokers, attorneys, and other persons can obtain the documents from county offices for different reasons. Among these are:
- To determine who owns or owned a piece of property
- To find out a property's taxable value or know how much is due in property taxes
- To discover if a property is encumbered. For example, if a lien has been placed on the property
- To find out what improvements have been made to the property
- To review mortgage information and property survey records
Generally, most people request and peruse property records before a sale or transfer to confirm property ownership rights and verify a transaction's legitimacy. This research also allows the requesters to look into a property's history and objectively assess the viability of a real estate transaction. Property records are also helpful in resolving real estate disputes - for example, boundary line, easement, or title conflicts.
How to Find Idaho Property Tax Records
Idaho property tax records are available at the county treasurer's offices. Requests can be made in person, by fax/email, or in writing. Interested parties can also access online databases provided by these county offices (like in the case of the Kootenai County Treasurer's Office) to search and view tax records for property in Idaho. Usually, the online portals are accessible with an assessor's parcel number (a series of digits that identifies a piece of property), a property's address, or a primary owner's name.
What to Do When You Can't Find Property Records in Idaho
Now and then, an individual may carry out a property records search through a county recorder's office in Idaho and fail to find records on the property in question. If the search was executed to determine the property owner, the interested person should request a search of an assessor or treasurer's records to find out who owns or is paying taxes on the real estate. The taxpayer is likely the primary property owner or can provide information about them. However, if no property ownership record exists, it may be necessary to file a legal action to clear up who rightfully owns the property title. A real estate attorney can advise on the legal procedure for filing these actions.
Notwithstanding, the nonexistence of property records can stem from negligence in filing the proper documents in a county recorder's office. Property owners who discover missing property records are advised to file the correct documents immediately or get a lawyer or title company to deal with the matter.
Finally, one may experience difficulties in locating an Idaho property record when the county where the search is being performed is different from where the property information is recorded. In such cases, individuals may enlist experts (e.g., a real estate agent or lawyer) to help with the search.
A person may also try searching with third-party aggregate websites, which provide a convenient way to look up property records across different regions at once.
