Document Recording

The County Recorder, upon payment of proper fees and taxes, will accept any document which is authorized or required by California law to be recorded, if the document contains required information and if it is photographically reproducible. General recording requirements are as follows:

• Format: The first page of the document must include the name(s) of the party requesting the document to be recorded and a return address in the top left 2.5 inches. The top right corner must have enough room for the recorder’s stamp (4” wide by 2.5” high). The document title must appear on the first page. Deeds require the address for tax statements on the first page of the document.
• Layout: Documents should be on 8 ½ x 11” paper with a minimum ½” margin. Documents on paper other than 8 ½ x 11” are subject to a non-conforming page fee. 8 ½ x 14” is the largest size page acceptable for recording.
• Clarity: All documents presented for recording must be legible and reproducible. Excessively faint print, broken or cut-off text, or smudged or “bleeding” stamps or seals cannot be accepted. Documents should be printed in ink or typed. Original signatures are required on most documents.
• The property must be located in Santa Cruz County. (CC1169)
• The document must be properly acknowledged, unless exempt. California requires an all-purpose acknowledgement. (GC 27201, 27289, 27285, 27287, 27288, CC 1189)
• The Assessor’s Parcel Number is required on deeds by local Ordinance. (R&T 11911.1)
• The notary seal must be legible for microfilm reproduction. (GC 8207)

Additional Requirements

Depending on the type of document, additional requirements may apply.

Once your document is prepared, we accept recordings in the following ways:

In Person

• In-person Santa Cruz:  8:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM, Monday through Friday, excluding County holidays.
• In-Person Watsonville: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM, Monday and Friday ONLY, excluding County holidays.
• Documents received between 3:01-4:00 PM will be examined for recording the next business day.
• In person payment methods include: cash, check, money order, debit, or credit card.  Credit and debit card users are charged a transaction fee by our service provider.

Drop Box

• An after hours Drop Box is located outside of the Santa Cruz Recorder’s Office at 701 Ocean Street, Room 230.  Include a check or money order payable to Santa Cruz County Recorder.  Our fee schedule is available here.
• Documents left in the drop box will be examined for recording the following business day.

By Mail

Mail original signed documents to us at:

Santa Cruz County Recorder
701 Ocean Street Room 230,
Santa Cruz CA 95060

Include a check or money order payable to the Santa Cruz County Recorder. Our fee schedule is available here.

Conformed Copies

For a conformed copy, please include a copy of the document to be recorded, and a self-addressed-stamped-envelope.  If the customer does not provide their own copy for conforming, standard copy charges will apply.

The complete fee schedule can be found here.

Below, you’ll find explanations and additional information of some of these fees:

Documentary Transfer Tax (DTT) (R&T 11911)

• Pursuant to Revenue and Taxation Code Section 11911, Documentary Transfer Tax is due on all taxable conveyances in excess of $100 at a rate of $0.55 per $500 (or a fraction thereof) of real property value, excluding any existing liens or encumbrances.
• Documentary Transfer Tax is collected at the time of recording for each deed or instrument.  A Documentary Transfer Tax Declaration must be completed and signed for all deeds.
• If no Documentary Transfer Tax is due, indicate “0” on the tax line, sign the declaration, and include the applicable Revenue and Taxation exemption code.

Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (PCOR) (R&T 480.2)

• When transferring property to anyone, a "Preliminary Change of Ownership Report" is REQUIRED per the Revenue and Taxation Code 480.2.  If a "Preliminary Change of Ownership Report" is required but not submitted at the time of recording, there is an additional recording fee of $20.
• Preliminary Change of Ownership Forms can be downloaded here.

Building, Homes, and Jobs Act Fee (SB2) (GC 27388.1)

• Pursuant to SB2, documents accepted for recording may be charged an additional $75 as follows:
• A fee of $75 shall be paid at the time of recording of every real estate instrument, paper, or notice required or permitted by law to be recorded, except those expressly exempted from payment of recording fees.
• This fee will be calculated per document, with a maximum of $225 based on the number of documents and titles.
• The fee shall not be imposed when recorded concurrently or on any real estate instrument, paper, or notice recorded in connection with a transfer subject to the imposition of a documentary transfer tax as defined in Section 11911 of the Revenue and Taxation Code or on any real estate instrument, paper, or notice recorded in connection with a transfer of real property that is a residential dwelling to an owner-occupier.
• A declaration of valid exemption may be placed on the face of each document, or on an SB2 Exemption Cover Page which shall become part of the document, prior to depositing with the Recorder. If no valid exemption is declared, the fee will be assessed.

By law, the Recorder’s Office must record any document authorized or required under California law, provided it meets the necessary recording requirements and is photographically reproducible.

Real estate fraud is a serious concern and safeguarding your property is essential.  That’s why the Santa Cruz County Recorder’s Office is initiating an Owner Alert service – a proactive tool to alert property owners of potential fraudulent activity.

COMING SOON (Fall 2025)

The Santa Cruz County Recorder’s Office is proud to introduce Owner Alert, a FREE notification service designed to keep you informed. This service alerts subscribers whenever a document is recorded on a property they have subscribed to, helping you stay ahead of potential real estate fraud.

The Recorder’s Office will initiate a press release and public outreach as soon as this service is available.

If you suspect fraudulent activity, click here to visit the District Attorney’s website.

The Recorder's Office is pleased to announce that electronic recording is available for government offices and other agencies including title companies, attorneys, and lending institutions.  This service is currently being utilized by EDD, Franchise Tax Board, Department of Child Support Services, as well as local and national title companies and attorneys.

The service is provided by the California Electronic Recording Network Authority or CeRTNA, a joint powers authority which provides an AB 578 compliant Multi-County Electronic Recording Delivery System for counties in California to be able to streamline the e-recording of documents.

Documents submitted electronically by non-governmental agencies must be done using a CeRTNA authorized agent.   To learn more about electronic recording visit eRecording with CeRTNA Counties - CeRTNA

If you are a local governmental entity wishing to record electronically, please send an inquiry directly to the County Recorder's office at rcd.web@santacruzcountyca.gov

Documents are received by the County for electronic recording from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.