To find your property ID number, check your most recent property tax bill first — it’s printed near the top, next to your name and address. If you can’t find the bill, the number also appears on your deed, your title insurance policy, and the closing paperwork from when you bought the home. When none of those are handy, your county assessor’s website will let you look it up free by typing in the property address.
The number goes by different names in different places. Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN), Property Identification Number (PIN), tax map number, folio number, and account number all point to the same thing: a unique code the county uses to track your specific parcel for taxes, ownership, and zoning. If you’re searching online or asking a clerk, use whichever term your county uses, but know that any of these labels refers to the same identifier.
Check the Paperwork You Already Have
Before going online, look through documents you’ve likely received at least once. Any of the following will have the number on it:
- Your property tax bill. The most reliable source. The parcel number is almost always printed near the top of the first page, close to the property address and owner name, labeled “APN,” “Parcel No.,” or “Account Number.”
- Your annual property tax assessment notice. The notice showing your assessed value includes the parcel number, often labeled “Account Number.”
- Your recorded deed. The deed you received at purchase typically shows the parcel number within or near the legal description, often on the first page or in a reference line at the top.
- Your title insurance policy. The legal description section generally references the parcel number.
- Your closing documents, including the closing disclosure. Look in the property information section near the top.
If you bought the home in the last several years, dig out the closing folder. Between the deed, the title policy, and the closing disclosure, at least one of them will have the number.
Look It Up on Your County’s Website
Most county assessor’s offices offer free online property searches. These tools let you look up any parcel in the county by address or owner name.
- Go to the right website. Search for “[your county name] assessor property search” or “[your county name] parcel lookup.” You want the county assessor’s office, not a third-party site. The URL will usually end in .gov or .us.
- Search by address. Enter the street number and street name. Most systems don’t need the city, state, or zip — just the street address. If nothing comes back, try abbreviating the street type (St instead of Street) or dropping the directional prefix.
- Search by owner name. Some portals let you search by the owner’s last name, which helps when you know who owns a parcel but don’t have the exact address. Not every county offers this.
The results page displays the parcel number along with basic property details like lot size, assessed value, and tax status. You can print or save the page for your records.
Try the County’s GIS Map When Address Search Fails
Many counties also maintain interactive GIS (Geographic Information System) maps that let you find parcels visually. These are especially useful for a vacant lot, a neighboring parcel, or land where the address is ambiguous. Zoom into your area, click on the parcel, and a pop-up shows the parcel number, owner name, acreage, and other recorded details.
GIS tools are usually linked from the county assessor’s website under labels like “Interactive Map,” “Parcel Viewer,” or “Property Map Search.” They can feel clunky on a phone, so use a desktop browser when you can. Every parcel has a footprint on the map even if it doesn’t have a clean mailing address, which is why the map works when a standard address search doesn’t.
Call or Visit the Assessor’s Office
When online tools aren’t cooperating — the site is outdated, the address isn’t matching, or the property was recently subdivided — call the county assessor’s office. Assessors assign these numbers, so their records are the authoritative source.
Have the property address and the owner’s name ready. If the property changed hands recently or was subdivided, mention that; it explains why an online search might show stale data. Staff can read the current parcel number to you over the phone, and most offices will handle the request by email if you’d rather have it in writing.
The county recorder’s office and the county tax collector’s office also keep property records that include parcel numbers. If you can’t get through to the assessor, either of those offices can help. Visiting in person is an option too.
What You’ll Need the Number For
Once you have it, keep the number somewhere you can find it again. You’ll need it more often than you might expect. Property tax appeals require it, as does any correspondence with the assessor’s office about your valuation. Real estate transactions reference it throughout — your title company, lender, and attorney will all ask. Homestead exemption filings, building permit applications, and zoning disputes all use the parcel number to make sure the right piece of land is on record.