City
Union City
Union City is an incorporated city in Alameda County with an estimated 2025 population of 65,282. It handles many rules and services inside its limits. The county still handles property records, taxes, courts, elections, public health, and many household programs.
Starting point
Confirm the address is inside local limits first.
If the address is inside Union City, city or town offices may handle local permits, code, and services. If it is outside limits, county routing may be the better first stop.
What changes the answer: A mailing city is not always the same as city government jurisdiction.
How local government works here
The city line changes some rules, but not every public office.
The mailing address can say Union City 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 counter
Inside Union City, 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
Alameda County handles property value and tax bills. It also handles deeds, court, elections, health, and many aid programs. Living inside Union City 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.
Place answer
Union City permits depend on what kind of work is happening
Union City separates building, fire, encroachment, grading, transportation, alarm, and City Clerk permits, so the permit type matters before applying.
Read the full explanation2025 population
65,282
Land area
19.398 sq mi
Water area
0 sq mi
Local front desk
Start with the task in front of you.
Union City is incorporated. Start with the city for work inside its limits, while Alameda County still handles property records, taxes, courts, elections, many benefits, and county alerts. Alameda County is the public-health layer.
- Property Open the property-tax path
Assessed value, exemptions, tax bills, and appeals
Alameda 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
Alameda 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 official city planning
Building permits, ADUs, zoning, code, water, and septic
Start with the city planning or building office for an address inside Union City. Start with the county for an address outside local limits.
Browse planning and building offices - 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
Alameda 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
Alameda County public health is the local health jurisdiction. Health coverage and benefits still use separate program doors.
- Business Open official business licensing
Business setup, seller's permits, local licenses, and regulated work
State filings and tax accounts do not replace Union City zoning, licensing, building, fire, or health approvals for the address.
Browse business licensing offices - Neighborhood services Open the local-office path
Potholes, streetlights, graffiti, trash, and service requests
For a city-owned street or service inside Union City, start with the local request system. County roads, Caltrans routes, utilities, private property, and separate service providers use different doors.
- 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
Alameda 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 city doors
Start local when the address is inside Union City.
The official website is always here. Direct service links appear only when the California Porch source trail supports them; an unlisted service has not been guessed.
County handoff
Keep the county layer close.
Union City does not replace the county for records, property taxes, courts, elections, benefits, public health, or county alerts. The official doors stay together below.
Alameda County
Practical notes
Office, map, permit, and paperwork notes for Union City
Place answer · Rules and licenses · Reviewed July 4, 2026
Union City business licenses include a zoning review
Union City business license applications for locations inside city limits go through Planning for zoning compliance before Finance finishes the license side.
Place answer · Cars and driving · Reviewed June 30, 2026
Union City BART is the local bus-and-rail hinge
Union City Station brings BART, Union City Transit, AC Transit, Dumbarton Express, and local fare rules together in one practical transfer point.
Countywide answer · Rules and licenses · Reviewed June 29, 2026
Alameda County has named unincorporated communities to check first
Alameda County names places like Ashland, Castro Valley, Cherryland, Fairview, Hayward Acres, San Lorenzo, and Sunol as unincorporated communities.
County practical note · Rules and licenses · Reviewed July 3, 2026
Alameda County records start with the exact record type
Alameda County Clerk-Recorder errands are easier when you first name whether you need a birth, death, marriage, recorded property document, fictitious business name, notary filing, or public record search.
County practical note · Home and property · Reviewed July 14, 2026
Berkeley emergency info works best with AC Alert and the map
Berkeley residents can pair AC Alert with the city's live emergency map and outdoor warning system, since one method may reach people another misses.
County practical note · Home and property · Reviewed July 14, 2026
Fremont evacuation zones are worth checking before you need them
Fremont's Genasys zones, AC Alert, Nixle, Wireless Emergency Alerts, and Hi-Lo sirens are overlapping warning layers with different jobs.
Stories & Notes
Stories and local context in Alameda County
Place story · History and culture
Union City still has Alvarado and Decoto under the map
Union City was formed from older Alvarado and Decoto roots, with railroads, canneries, steel work, and historic district buildings still shaping the local story.
Place story · Outdoors
Dry Creek and Garin give Union City a ranch-hills escape
Dry Creek Pioneer and Garin Regional Parks connect Union City to former ranch land, Bay Area views, rolling hills, gardens, barns, trails, and open space.
County place story · History and culture
Ardenwood keeps Fremont's farm layer alive
Ardenwood Historic Farm gives Fremont a living farm history stop, with the Patterson estate, old farm work, and open East Bay space in one place.
County place story · Outdoors
Oakland has a quiet rose garden tucked into the city
Morcom Rose Garden gives Oakland a calm garden stop with thousands of roses, winding walkways, a reflecting pool, stairways, fountains, and a hillside feel.
County place story · History and culture
Berkeley's Free Speech Movement still shapes Sproul Plaza
UC Berkeley's Free Speech Movement began in 1964 and made Sproul Plaza one of California's clearest places to understand student protest, civil rights energy, and campus speech.
County place story · History and culture
Oakland's Paramount Theatre still knows how to make an entrance
Oakland's Paramount Theatre opened in 1931, survived hard years for old movie palaces, and remains one of downtown's grand Art Deco landmarks.
County place story · History and culture
USS Hornet gives Alameda a ship with war and moon-mission stories
The USS Hornet Museum in Alameda preserves an Essex-class aircraft carrier tied to World War II, Vietnam-era service, Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 recovery, aircraft, exhibits, and public tours.
County place story · Outdoors
Joaquin Miller Park gives Oakland redwoods above the city
Joaquin Miller Park covers 500 acres of Oakland hills with redwood groves, oak woodlands, creeksides, wet meadows, trails, and picnic areas.