Watsonville, CA Public Records
Watsonville is an incorporated city in Santa Cruz County with an estimated population of 51,320 (U.S. Census Bureau, July 2024 estimate) and 6.8 square miles of land. That is down about 1,263 residents since the 2020 Census base. It was incorporated on 3/29/1868, according to the city's California Roster entry.
🏢 Watsonville City Clerk
The city clerk keeps Watsonville'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.
🏢 Watsonville City Clerk
| City Clerk | Irwin I. Ortiz |
| City Hall address | 275 Main Street, Suite 400, Watsonville, CA 95076 |
| City Hall phone | (831) 768-3010 |
| Office hours | Monday - Friday 8 am to 5 pm |
| Official website | www.watsonville.gov |
| Source | 2026 California Roster, CA Secretary of State ↗ |
🏛️ County Courthouse & Records Office for Watsonville
Watsonville is in Santa Cruz 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 Cruz County at a Glance
| County | Santa Cruz County |
| County population (2024 est.) | 262,406 Source: www2.census.gov ↗ |
⚖️ Santa Cruz Courthouse (Superior Court of California, County of Santa Cruz)
| Address | 701 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 |
| Directions | Get directions ↗ |
| Phone | (831) 420-2200 |
| Hours | Not stated |
| Records available | Court case files: civil cases, criminal cases, probate (estates, wills), traffic |
| Official website | santacruz.courts.ca.gov |
| Sources | santacruz.courts.ca.gov/…/santa-cruz-courthouse ↗ courts.ca.gov/…/find-your-court ↗ |
| Last verified | October 16, 2026 |
📜 Santa Cruz County Recorder
| Address | 701 Ocean Street, Room 230, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 |
| Directions | Get directions ↗ |
| Phone | (831) 454-2800 |
| 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 | co.santa-cruz.ca.us |
| 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 Cruz County records page →
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