City
San Bernardino
San Bernardino is an incorporated city in San Bernardino County with an estimated 2025 population of 222,044. It handles many rules and services inside its limits. The county still handles property records, taxes, elections, public health, and many household programs.
Starting point
Confirm the address is inside local limits first.
If the address is inside San Bernardino, city offices may handle local permits, code, and services. If it is outside local limits, county planning or building may handle the work instead.
What changes the answer: A mailing city is not always the same as city government jurisdiction.
Place answer
San Bernardino County tax questions split between value and payment
The Assessor sets taxable value and applies exemptions; the Tax Collector sends bills, records payments, and handles delinquency.
Read the local noteCity offices
Start with the task in front of you.
San Bernardino is incorporated. Start with the city for work inside its limits, while San Bernardino County still handles property records, taxes, courts, elections, many benefits, and county alerts. San Bernardino County handles local public health.
- Property Open the property-tax guide
Assessed value, exemptions, tax bills, and appeals
San Bernardino County assessor handles value and exemptions. The clerk of the board handles a formal value appeal. The tax collector handles the bill, payment, and penalties.
- Records Open the records guide
Deeds, birth and death records, marriage records, and name changes
San Bernardino County recorder is the usual office for deeds and many public records. Vital-record access depends on the record and year. A legal name change or divorce decree can involve Superior Court.
- Property work Open official city planning
Building permits, ADUs, zoning, code, water, and septic
Start with the city planning or building office for an address inside San Bernardino. Start with the county for an address outside local limits.
Browse planning and building offices - Housing Open rent and housing help
Rent rules, repairs, notices, and eviction papers
Start with a local rent, housing, or code office if one serves the address. Court papers go to the Superior Court self-help path, and the deadline on the papers keeps running.
- Household help Open the benefits guide
CalFresh, Medi-Cal, CalWORKs, General Assistance, and IHSS
San Bernardino County social-services agency is the main local office. Coverage, food, cash aid, and in-home support remain separate programs with separate notices.
- Public health Open health and benefits help
Vaccines, disease reporting, health records, and local health programs
San Bernardino County public health is the local health jurisdiction. Health coverage and benefits still use separate programs and offices.
- Business Open the business guide
Business setup, seller's permits, local licenses, and regulated work
State filings and tax accounts do not replace San Bernardino zoning, licensing, building, fire, or health approvals for the address.
- Neighborhood services Open official service requests
Potholes, streetlights, graffiti, trash, and service requests
For a city-maintained street or service inside San Bernardino, start with the local request system. County roads, Caltrans routes, utilities, private property, and separate service providers use different reporting systems.
Browse city service-request systems - School and care Open the school and care guide
School enrollment, student records, and child-care checks
The school district handles assignment and records. County offices can help with some family services, while the state licenses child-care facilities.
- Parking Open parking help
Residential, guest, overnight, and local parking permits
A local parking permit is separate from a citation, moving ticket, and toll notice. Match the permit to the address, vehicle, district, or parking facility.
- Tickets Open ticket help
Traffic court, parking citations, and toll notices
San Bernardino County Superior Court handles traffic court matters. A city or issuing agency handles parking. The toll operator handles toll notices.
- Safety Open emergency checks
Emergency alerts, evacuations, smoke, roads, and power
Use the county or city alert system for local warnings. Follow the local emergency office for evacuation wording, then check the matching state fire, smoke, road, or utility update.
Official city links
Start local when the address is inside San Bernardino.
The official website is always listed. A direct service link appears only after an official public page has been checked; an unlisted service has not been guessed.
County offices
County offices still handle countywide work.
San Bernardino does not replace the county for records, property taxes, courts, elections, benefits, public health, or county alerts. The official links stay together below.
San Bernardino County
City, county, and district responsibilities
The city line changes some rules, but not every public office.
The mailing address can say San Bernardino even when the property sits outside local limits. Check the city line before relying on a local rule or permit page.
City limits choose the local permit office
Inside San Bernardino, the city usually handles permits, zoning, parking, business licenses, and local code. Outside the city line, start with county planning or building.
The county still handles county work
San Bernardino County handles property value and tax bills. It also handles deeds, elections, health, and many aid programs. Living inside San Bernardino does not move those jobs to the city.
A provider can have its own boundary
Water, sewer, fire, schools, transit, trash, and power may belong to a special district or other provider. Use the address, parcel, or service bill to find the right agency.
Practical notes
Office, map, permit, and paperwork notes for San Bernardino
Place answer · Rules and licenses · Reviewed July 3, 2026
San Bernardino County records start with recorder or clerk
San Bernardino County record errands are easier when you split official recorded documents, vital records, marriage services, fictitious business names, notary filings, and other clerk work before you start.
Place answer · Rules and licenses · Reviewed July 3, 2026
A San Bernardino County DBA starts with the Recorder-Clerk
San Bernardino County fictitious business name filings start with the Recorder-Clerk, separate from city business licenses and state tax accounts.
Place answer · Rules and licenses · Reviewed July 3, 2026
Go SBCity helps San Bernardino route everyday city requests
San Bernardino residents can use Go SBCity, SB Access Online, or SB Direct to report many non-emergency city issues, ask questions, and get service requests routed.
Place answer · Home and property · Reviewed July 28, 2026
San Bernardino water and trash use separate accounts
SBMWD handles water accounts in its service area. Burrtec separately handles city trash, recycling, organics, bulky collection, billing, and street sweeping.
Place answer · Home and property · Reviewed July 14, 2026
San Bernardino alerts use county TENS and city backup channels
County TENS sends targeted disaster messages, while San Bernardino's emergency page adds the SB Ready app and AM 1610 as other information paths.
Place answer · Home and property · Reviewed July 7, 2026
San Bernardino building questions split permits and inspections
San Bernardino Building and Safety handles building permits, plan check, permit status, inspection status, and inspection scheduling through SB Direct.
Stories & Notes
Stories and local context in San Bernardino County
Place story · History and culture
The California Theatre keeps San Bernardino's movie-palace layer
San Bernardino's California Theatre is a 1928 downtown landmark, with movie-palace roots, live performances, and a long civic role.
Place story · History and culture
San Bernardino helped turn a drive-in into a fast-food model
San Bernardino is where the McDonald brothers opened their early restaurant and later refined the Speedee Service System that shaped modern fast food.
Place story · History and culture
San Bernardino's Wigwam Village keeps Route 66 playful
Wigwam Village No. 7 in San Bernardino is a Route 66 motel landmark, with cone-shaped rooms, roadside design, National Register status, and a vivid travel-era look.
Place story · History and culture
Santa Fe Depot shows San Bernardino's rail city side
San Bernardino's Santa Fe Depot gives the city a clear railroad landmark, a museum stop, and a reminder that its location has long mattered for movement.
Place story · Outdoors
The mountains give San Bernardino an outdoor layer right above town
San Bernardino National Forest sits close to the Inland Empire, with hiking, scenic drives, picnic areas, winter sports, and mountain conditions to check ahead of time.
Countywide story · History and culture
The Integratron gives Landers a wooden dome and an unusual story
The Integratron in Landers is a wooden desert dome tied to George Van Tassel, UFO-era ideas, unusual acoustics, restoration work, and sound-bath visits.
Countywide story · Outdoors
Mojave National Preserve is the big desert trip in San Bernardino County
Mojave is a remote preserve with desert habitats, long human history, and road conditions that visitors should check before they go.
County place story · History and culture
Roy Rogers left Apple Valley with a Happy Trails layer
Apple Valley's Roy Rogers story ties the high desert to the Apple Valley Inn, a family home, the first Roy Rogers Museum, and a lasting local cowboy-memory thread.
- 2025 population
- 222,044
- Land area
- 62.141 sq mi
- Water area
- 0.329 sq mi