Frequently Asked Questions

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This is a list of questions often asked about San Benito County. If you don’t find the information you need below, please call the County Administrative Office on 831-636-4000. Contact us to suggest additional topics for this page.

Expand/Contract Questions and Answers

Abandoned Vehicle?
Contact the County Sheriff's Department at 831-636-4080, ext. 3 for information.
Agricultural matter?
Contact the Agriculture Commissioner on 831-637-5344.
Anniversary?
San Benito County was created on February 12, 1874 from part of eastern (inland) Monterey County.
Area?
San Benito County encompasses 1,396 square miles or 893,440 acres of which 14% is owned by the government.
Area Code, Telephone?
831 is the area code for Hollister, San Juan Bautista and the rest of San Benito County.
Assembly District?
29th Assembly District.
Assembly Member?
Robert Rivas,
State Assembly Member, 29th District
916-319-2030 or 831-638-3228
Assessed Valuation?
Net taxable value of all real and personal property subject to local property taxes was $4,160,309,359 in 2001-2002. For more recent or detailed information, contact the Assessor’s Department on 831-636-4030.
Assessment Appeal?
Further information on filing an assessment appeal for your property tax is available from the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors on 831-636-4000.
Birth or Death Certificate?
County Clerk/Recorder.
Board of Supervisors Agenda?
Go to the Board’s meeting calendar for the latest agenda. Or call the Clerk of the Board, 831-636-4000. The complete agenda, including staff reports and back-up materials, is available for public inspection on the Friday immediately prior to the meeting date in the County Administration Building Lobby.
Board of Supervisors Calendar?
A calendar showing Board meetings and holidays is available. Generally, the Board of Supervisors meets on the 1st, 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held in the County Administration Bldg., 481 4th St., 1st Floor, Hollister, California.
Board of Supervisors, Contact Information
Phone 831-636-4000, fax 831-636-4010 or e-mail supervisors@cosb.us
County Budget?
View the County Budget.
Building Permit?
Contact the Planning & Building Department on 831-637-5313 or your city building Building Department office.
Burning Permit?
Visit the Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District page for more information, or call them on 831-647-9411.
Bus Schedule?
Visit the San Benito County Express webpage or call 831-636-4161 for schedules and routes served.
Children’s Protective Services?
CPS investigates reports of known or suspected abuse and neglect. If you are aware of a child that is being abused or neglected or have concerns that a child may be being abuse or neglected, please call to report. The number to call is 831-636-4190. All reports are kept strictly confidential.
Cities?
Hollister and San Juan Bautista are the two incorporated cities in San Benito County. Unincorporated communities include Aromas, Tres Pinos, Ridgemark, Panoche, Paicines, and Bitterwater.
Code Enforcement Issue?
Call the Code Enforcement Division, San Benito County Planning & Building: 831-637-5313.
County Committees and Commissions?
For more information, contact San Benito County Clerk of the Board on 831-636-4000.
County Code?
Not available online. For more information, contact the Clerk of the Board on 831-636-4000 or the County Counsel on 831-636-4040.
Commercial food preparation?
Environmental Health, 831-636-4035.
Congressional district?
18th District, California.
Congressional representative?
San Benito County’s representative in the U.S. Congress is  Zoe Lofgren,

Washington DC
1401 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-3072

Local
635 North First Street Suite B
San Jose, CA  95112
Phone: (408) 271-8700, (831) 837-6000
County employment or job?
- View online job listings updated weekly, call our 24-7 Job Hotline on 831-636-4000, or go to the Lobby of the County Administration Building, 481 4th Street, Hollister.
- Social Services and Child Support Services positions: Call Merit Systems job hotline: 916-263-3604.
- San Benito County One-Stop Career Center: 831-637-JOBS.
San Benito County Courts?
The Courts provide information on their website. You can also call 831-636-4057. They are a separate State Agency and not a county department.
County Elected Officials?
Board of Supervisors (5), County Auditor-Controller, County Clerk-Recorder, District Attorney, Treasurer-Tax Collector-Public Administrator, District Attorney, and Sheriff.
Dial-A-Ride?
831-637-7665
Earthquake, Emergency and Disaster Planning and Response?
Call 831-636-4168, San Benito County Department of Emergency Services
County Fire Department?
- San Benito County Fire – CAL FIRE, 1979 Fairview Road, Hollister 831-637-4475
- Burn Day Status 1-800-225-BURN
- Fire Marshal 831-636-2080
Garbage disposal sites? Recycling? Waste reduction?
- San Benito County Integrated Waste Management Department. Call 831-636-4110 or visit their Website.
- The John Smith County Landfill is located at 2650 John Smith Rd. Call 831-637-4515 for more information.
County General Plan?
Contact the Planning & Building Department on 831-637-5313.
Grand Jury Reports?
Grand Jury Website
Income?
Median household income was $57,469, median family income was $60,665, and per capita income was $20,932, in 1999, according to the U.S. Bureau of the Census. Total personal income countywide was $1.1 billion.
In-Home Supportive Services?
Call 831-636-4190, Health & Human Services Agency.
Jail?
Sheriff’s Department, County Jail
710 Flynn Rd.

831-636-4060

Website, including visitation hours.
Jury duty?
Jury Call-in: 831-637-7975.
LAFCO Agenda?
Call 805-647-7612.
Landlord-Tenant Disputes?
California Rural Legal Assistance
1131 San Felipe Rd.
831-637-7435
Land use?
Contact the Planning & Building Department at 831-637-5313.
Library?
The San Benito County Free Library is located in downtown Hollister in 470 5th St. Phone 831-636-4107 or visit the Library Website for more information.
Marriage licenses?
County Clerk-Recorder
831-636-4029

440 5th St., Room 206
Hollister, CA. 95023

https://www.sanbenitocounty-ca-cre.gov/
Park Facilities Reservations?
Contact San Benito County Public Works on 831-636-4170 for inquiries concerning Veterans Memorial Park (including the Bertha Briggs Memorial Bldg.), San Justo Reservoir Park, and the Historical & Recreational Park.

To reserve the Veterans Memorial Building, call Hollister Recreation on 831-636-4390.
Planning documents?
Contact the Planning & Building Department on 831-637-5313.
Passport?
Contact the Post Office or County Library.
Planning Commission Agenda?
Call 831-637-5313.

Population? San Benito County’s population was 56,300 on January 1, 2003, according to the official estimate of the Demographic Research Unit, California State Department of Finance.
President, White House
Joseph Biden, President
- White House
- 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
- Washington, DC 20500
- 202-456-1111
- president@whitehouse.gov
Register to vote?
Elections Division, County Clerk-Recorder
831-636-4016

440 5th St., Room 206
County Courthouse
Hollister, CA.

Register Here.
Retail Sales, taxable?
Total taxable retail sales were $475,986,000 in 2000, including $123,959,000 in the unincorporated area of the county, according to the California State Board of Equalization.
Rideshare?
831-637-POOL.
Senate District?
17th Senate District.
State Senator?
Anna Caballero, State Senate

Website: https://sd14.senate.ca.gov/
831-769-8040
Office: 132 W Gabilan St, Suite 101 Salinas CA 93901
U.S. Senator?
Alex Padilla, U.S. Senator
- 202-224-3553
- https://www.padilla.senate.gov/
Diane Feinstein, U.S. Senator
- 202-224-3841
- www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-me
Sheriff’s Office?
451 4th St.
Hollister, CA

831-636-4080

Sheriff's Office Website
Web pages translated into Spanish?
- http://translate.google.com/
- http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=en&tl=es&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cosb.us
Tax Question?
Assessor (regarding valuation) 831-636-4030 or Treasurer-Tax Collector (regarding a bill) 831-636-4034. Both offices are located next to each other on the 1st Floor, County Courthouse, 440 5th St., Hollister.
Traffic Court?
Traffic Information: 831-637-3968.
Zip Codes?
95023 – Hollister Post Office.
County Zoning?
Contact the Planning & Building Department on 831-637-5313.

Property Taxes are due! Deadline is December 10th

Abandoned Vehicle?

Agricultural matter?

Anniversary?

Area?

Area Code, Telephone?

Assembly District?

Assembly Member?

Assessed Valuation?

Assessment Appeal?

Birth or Death Certificate?

Board of Supervisors Agenda?

Board of Supervisors Calendar?

Board of Supervisors, Contact Information

County Budget?

Building Permit?

Burning Permit?

Bus Schedule?

Children’s Protective Services?

Cities?

Code Enforcement Issue?

County Committees and Commissions?

County Code?

Commercial food preparation?

Congressional district?

Congressional representative?

County employment or job?

San Benito County Courts?

County Elected Officials?

Dial-A-Ride?

Earthquake, Emergency and Disaster Planning and Response?

County Fire Department?

Garbage disposal sites? Recycling? Waste reduction?

County General Plan?

Grand Jury Reports?

Income?

In-Home Supportive Services?

Jail?

Jury duty?

LAFCO Agenda?

Landlord-Tenant Disputes?

Land use?

Library?

Marriage licenses?

Park Facilities Reservations?

Planning documents?

Passport?

Planning Commission Agenda?

President, White House

Register to vote?

Retail Sales, taxable?

Rideshare?

Senate District?

State Senator?

U.S. Senator?

Sheriff’s Office?

Web pages translated into Spanish?

Tax Question?

Traffic Court?

Zip Codes?

County Zoning?

Property Taxes are due!
Deadline is December 10th