Recorder

Responsibilities:


The county recorder maintains and provides public access to a permanent archive of recorded documents. The recorder is responsible for examination and recording of all documents presented to this office that deal with establishing ownership of land in the county or as required by law.

Disclaimer:

Under California law, employees in the Recorder's Office are not allowed to give legal advice, cannot advise which forms are needed, nor advise how to fill them out.

Effective January 1, 2008, Section 1798.89 of the Civil Code was added to read: "Unless otherwise required to do so by state or federal law, no person, entity, or government agency shall present for recording or filing with a county recorder a document that is required by any provision of law to be open to the public if that record displays more than the last four digits of a Social Security number." 

Recording Fees:


Effective February 2012, recording fees have increased to $14 for the first page and $3 for each additional page of the same document. Copies of official records are a $1.00 per page.

Restrictive Covenant Modification Information:


Beginning 7/1/2022, Assembly Bill 1466 authorizes any person including those who do not have an ownership interest of record in the property, including County Recorders, who believe is the subject of an unlawfully restrictive covenant in violation of Government Code Section 12955(1) to record a Restrictive Covenant Modification document to have the illegal language reacted (blacked-out). Unlawful restrictions include those restrictions based on age, race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, familial status, marital status, disability, genetic information, national origin, source of income as defined in subdivision (p) of Section 12955, veteran or military status, or ancestry.

Beginning 1/1/2022, Assembly Bill 721 authorizes an owner of an Affordable Housing Development(s) to submit a copy of the original restrictive covenant and a Restrictive Covenant Modification-Affordable Housing document pursuant to Government Code Section 12956.2 that modifies or removes any existing restrictive covenant language that restricts the number, size, or location of the residences that may be built on the property, or that restricts the number of persons or families that may reside on the property, to the extent necessary to allow the affordable housing development to proceed under the existing declaration of restrictive covenants.

Forms:


Restrictive Covenant Program Plan

Search Requests:


Real property records dating back to 1850 can be found alphabetically by names of parties identified on the documents. All records are open to the public during regular office hours. Records dating back to 1985 to present may be searched and purchased on the SELF-SERVICE KIOSK online.