Palo Alto, CA Public Records
Palo Alto is an incorporated city in Santa Clara County with an estimated population of 67,658 (U.S. Census Bureau, July 2024 estimate) and 24.1 square miles of land. That is down about 927 residents since the 2020 Census base. It was incorporated on 4/22/1894, according to the city's California Roster entry.
🏢 Palo Alto City Clerk
The city clerk keeps Palo Alto's own official records: city council agendas and minutes, ordinances and resolutions, contracts, campaign and conflict-of-interest (Form 700) filings, and responses to California Public Records Act requests. In California, the city clerk does not issue birth, death or marriage certificates or record deeds; those come from the county offices below. The address and phone shown are those the city reported to the Secretary of State; ask for the clerk's office when you call.
🏢 Palo Alto City Clerk
| City Clerk | Mahealani Ah Yun |
| City Hall address | 250 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301 |
| City Hall phone | (650) 329-2100 |
| Office hours | Monday-Friday 8am-5pm |
| Official website | www.paloalto.gov |
| Source | 2026 California Roster, CA Secretary of State ↗ |
🏛️ County Courthouse & Records Office for Palo Alto
Palo Alto is in Santa Clara County. Court cases are handled by the county's Superior Court, and birth, death and public marriage records and recorded property documents (deeds) are kept by the County Recorder.
📍 Santa Clara County at a Glance
| County | Santa Clara County |
| County population (2024 est.) | 1,926,325 Source: www2.census.gov ↗ |
⚖️ Downtown Superior Court (DTS) (Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara)
| Address | 191 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95113 |
| Directions | Get directions ↗ |
| Phone | (408) 882-2100 |
| Hours | Monday - Friday: 8:00am - 5:00pm |
| Records available | Court case files: civil cases, probate (estates, wills), small claims |
| Official website | scscourt.org |
| Sources | scscourt.org/…/downtown-superior-court-dts ↗ courts.ca.gov/…/find-your-court ↗ |
| Last verified | October 16, 2026 |
📜 Santa Clara County Recorder
| Address | 110 W. Tasman Drive, First Floor, San Jose, CA 95134 |
| Directions | Get directions ↗ |
| Phone | (408) 299-5688 |
| Hours | Not stated |
| Records available | Certified copies of birth and death records (all years) and public marriage records; recorded property documents (deeds) |
| Good to know | Confidential marriage records are kept by the County Clerk. Birth and death records from the current and prior year are also available from the county health department (local registrar). |
| Official website | clerkrecorder.sccgov.org |
| Sources | cdph.ca.gov/…/county-registrars-and-recorders.aspx ↗ cdph.ca.gov/…/Obtaining-Vital-Records-From-County-Offi ↗ |
| Last verified | October 16, 2026 |
See the full Santa Clara County records page →
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