County
Shasta County
Shasta County has an estimated 2025 population of 181,648 across about 3,775.651 square miles of land. The county handles work tied to parcels, courts, records, elections, health, and countywide services. Cities inside it still set many permit and local-service rules.
Starting point
Start with the county layer.
County offices are the usual first stop for records, taxes, courts, elections, public health, social services, sheriff services, and unincorporated-area routing.
What changes the answer: Cities inside the county can still control city permits, local code, utilities, business licenses, and city-specific rules.
How local government works here
County and city rules can share one address.
An address in Shasta County can sit inside a city. It can also sit on county land outside any city. That line picks the permit desk and some local rules. It does not move every county job to city hall.
County jobs stay with the county
The county assessor sets property value. The tax collector handles bills. The recorder, court, elections office, benefits office, and usually the health office also stay with Shasta County. Berkeley, Long Beach, and Pasadena run separate city health departments.
Permits follow the city line
A city or town usually handles permits, zoning, parking, business licenses, and local code inside its lines. Shasta County handles these jobs on county land outside a city.
Districts can cross both layers
Water, sewer, fire, schools, transit, trash, and flood work may belong to a special district or other provider. The parcel or service bill is often the quickest way to name that agency.
2025 population
181,648
Land area
3,775.651 sq mi
Water area
71.745 sq mi
Local front desk
Start with the task in front of you.
Shasta County is the working county layer. Use the task rows for the division of work, then open the official office door below.
- Property Open the property-tax path
Assessed value, exemptions, tax bills, and appeals
Shasta 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 path
Deeds, birth and death records, marriage records, and name changes
Shasta County recorder is the usual deed and public-record door. Vital-record access depends on the record and year. A legal name change or divorce decree can involve Superior Court.
- Property work Open the local-office path
Building permits, ADUs, zoning, code, water, and septic
For an unincorporated address, start with Shasta County planning or building. An address inside a city or town starts with that local permit counter.
- Housing Open the housing path
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 path
CalFresh, Medi-Cal, CalWORKs, General Assistance, and IHSS
Shasta County social-services agency is the main local door. Coverage, food, cash aid, and in-home support remain separate programs with separate notices.
- Public health Open the health path
Vaccines, disease reporting, health records, and local health programs
Shasta County public health is the local health jurisdiction. Health coverage and benefits still use separate program doors.
- Business Open the business path
Business setup, seller's permits, local licenses, and regulated work
State filings and tax accounts do not replace county zoning, licensing, building, fire, or health approvals for the address.
- Neighborhood services Open the local-office path
Potholes, streetlights, graffiti, trash, and service requests
For a county-maintained road or service in an unincorporated area, start with Shasta County. Caltrans, utilities, transit systems, waste haulers, and special districts can own separate reporting paths.
- School and care Open the school and care path
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 the parking path
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 the ticket path
Traffic court, parking citations, and toll notices
Shasta County Superior Court handles traffic court matters. A city or issuing agency handles parking. The toll operator handles toll notices.
- Safety Open the emergency path
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 use the state fire, smoke, road, and utility sources for the matching layer.
Official county doors
Open the office that owns the next step.
California's statewide directories and verified official corrections supply the county-specific links below. Property and recorder links open the state directory because several county offices can share one task.
Shasta County
Practical notes
Office, map, permit, and paperwork notes for Shasta County
Community answer · Rules and licenses · Reviewed July 4, 2026
Redding business starts with the license and the location
Redding business owners may need a city business license, a home occupation affidavit, county or state permits, and a separate permit-center path for building work.
Community answer · Home and property · Reviewed July 3, 2026
Redding utilities are mostly under one city roof
Redding is unusual because city public utilities cover electric, water, wastewater, storm drain, and solid waste service, with start, stop, and transfer links on the utility pages.
Community answer · Rules and licenses · Reviewed July 4, 2026
Redding project permits start at the Permit Center
Redding's Permit Center handles building and development questions, online permit checks, inspection requests, forms, parcel information, fee requests, and local agency contacts.
Stories & Notes
Stories and local context across Shasta County
Community story · History and culture
Redding has a bridge that really works like a sundial
The Sundial Bridge crosses the Sacramento River in Redding and uses its tall design to cast a moving time shadow.
Community story · History and culture
Anderson River Park gives the city its Sacramento River backyard
Anderson's 440-acre River Park ties the Shasta County city to the Sacramento River with trails, shade, fishing, sports, and summer events.
Community story · Outdoors
Burney Falls is loud, cold, and fed from hidden springs
Burney Falls drops 129 feet, but the surprising part is the spring water pouring from the basalt cliff around the main falls.
Community story · History and culture
Old Shasta's brick ruins show where the northern road once mattered
Shasta State Historic Park preserves brick ruins, streets, cemeteries, and courthouse history from a Gold Rush town that once anchored northern California travel and trade.
Community story · Outdoors
Whiskeytown gives Shasta County a clear lake and mountain park
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area sits west of Redding with a clear lake, waterfalls, mountain trails, Gold Rush history, and forested hills.
Community story · History and culture
Shasta Dam puts California water in one big view
Shasta Dam, built on the Sacramento River between 1938 and 1945, is a major Central Valley Project site for water storage, power, and recreation.