Eligible people, such as police officers, judges, election officers and people under protective orders, can now ask a court to hide a broad range of their identifying information in county recorder, assessor and treasurer records, though property identifiers like parcel numbers and property addresses are not covered by the new definition and voter registration records are excluded.
Official title: identifying information; records; confidentiality
- September 12, 2026
What changes
BeforeFor county recorder records, an eligible person could ask that the public be blocked from seeing the unique identifier and recording date in the recorder's electronic indexes (covering information from January 1, 1987 on).
NowAn eligible person may ask that the public be blocked from seeing that person's identifying information contained in recorded instruments kept by the county recorder, including any data that could directly or indirectly identify the person. A court order in the highest-danger cases now covers this identifying information instead of the index entries.
BeforeThe law did not define "identifying information" for these record-shielding requests.
Now"Identifying information" is defined as recorded data that alone or combined with other records can identify or trace a specific person, that person's ownership interest in a business or other entity, or a trust where the person is a trustee, trustor or beneficiary. It includes names, maiden names and aliases, government-issued identifiers, biometric identifiers, digital or device identifiers, sensitive personal data, and other information that reasonably enables identification. It does not include a parcel number, legal description of a property, property address or any other property identifier.
BeforeFor county assessor and treasurer records, an eligible person could ask that the public be blocked from seeing that person's identifying information in those records.
NowThe request may also cover any data in those records that could be used to directly or indirectly identify the person, using the new definition of identifying information.
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NowThe record-shielding rules for the county recorder, assessor and treasurer do not apply to an eligible person's voter registration record.
BeforeParties to the instrument, law enforcement officers with a subpoena, court order or search warrant, title insurers, title insurance agents and licensed escrow agents were not prohibited from accessing county recorder records.
NowThese same groups are not prohibited from accessing the unredacted county recorder records.
Who it affects
- Eligible people under the law, including peace officers and their spouses, judges, justices, prosecutors, public defenders, election officers, public officials, health professionals, corrections staff, child safety and adult protective services workers, people under orders of protection or injunctions against harassment, and address confidentiality program participants
- Parties to recorded documents, title insurers, title insurance agents and escrow agents
- County recorders, county assessors and county treasurers
- Superior court presiding judges
What you need to do
Nothing, unless an eligible person wants their identifying information shielded; they would file an affidavit under the existing court process.
What the law doesn't answer
- Whether court orders granted before this law automatically expand to cover the broader identifying information
- How the exclusion of property addresses from the definition affects the existing option for public officials to shield the address of a property held in trust
- How county offices will redact the broader information in older records
- Any cost or funding for counties to carry out the changes
- What counts as "sensitive personal data" under the definition
This summary describes the law as enacted. Later laws, court rulings or referendum petitions can change the picture. Check the official text for the current wording.