County · code 06049
Modoc CountyCalifornia
Modoc County is in northeastern California and was formed in 1874, with its seat in Alturas. The county is named after the Modoc people.
- Founded1874
- County seatAlturas
- Named forModoc people
- Land area3,948 sq mi + 255 sq mi water
- Population8,700 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped32,472 checked 15 October 2026
Where it is
Modoc on the map of California
California has 58 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1874 from Siskiyou County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Modoc County was created on February 17, 1874, from Siskiyou County.
- 1874Modoc County created Modoc created from Siskiyou. · Calif. Stats. 1873, 20th sess., ch. 107/pp. 124-129
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Modoc
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 32,472 parcels from Modoc County. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 10 June 2024 · checked 15 October 2026 -
Address points Missing
No public address points layer found for Modoc County yet.
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Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Modoc by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
Zoning and code
County government
- County government
The official website of Modoc County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Modoc County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Modoc County
- When was Modoc County founded?
- Modoc County was founded in 1874, formed from Siskiyou County, and named after Modoc people.
- What is the county seat of Modoc County?
- The county seat of Modoc County is Alturas.
- Is there an online parcel map for Modoc County?
- Yes. Modoc County publishes a parcel map of 32,472 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Modoc County's boundary or name changed?
- Modoc County was created in 1874 from Siskiyou County. The Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records no boundary change since.
- Who issues building permits in Modoc County?
- The county's page on building permits: Building permit Building permits and planning applications. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Modoc County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby