California Deed Copy Services

Deed Retrieval Across All 58 Counties

Every real property transfer in California is documented by a deed recorded with the County Clerk-Recorder in the jurisdiction where the property sits. These recorded instruments — grant deeds, quitclaim deeds, interspousal transfer deeds, trust transfer deeds — form the backbone of the state's property ownership records and are essential for proving who owns what.

U.S. Title Records retrieves copies of recorded deeds from every California county recorder's office, from Los Angeles County's massive archive at the Registrar-Recorder in Norwalk to Santa Clara County's office at 110 West Tasman Drive in San Jose, where the Official Records Index has been taken offline and records can only be accessed in person or by mail. Whether you need a current deed to confirm ownership or a historical instrument from the 1800s, we handle the search, retrieval, and delivery.

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Types of Deeds in California

California law recognizes several deed types, each offering a different level of protection to the person receiving the property. Understanding which deed was used in a transaction is essential for evaluating title quality and potential risk.

The grant deed is the standard instrument for California real estate sales. By statute, use of the word "grant" triggers two implied warranties: that the grantor has not already conveyed the same property to someone else, and that the property is free from encumbrances created by the grantor beyond those already disclosed. Grant deeds also carry after-acquired title — meaning if a grantor purports to convey property they don't yet own and later acquires it, the title automatically passes to the grantee.

Quitclaim deeds, by contrast, offer no warranties and no after-acquired title. They transfer only whatever interest the grantor currently holds, which might be full ownership — or nothing at all. Because of this lack of protection, quitclaim deeds are primarily used in non-sale contexts: removing a former spouse from title after divorce, transferring property between family members, or clearing minor title clouds.

Deed Copy Fees by County

California has no statewide standard for document copy fees. Each County Clerk-Recorder sets its own schedule, and rates can differ significantly. Below is a sampling of copy fees across major counties.

Keep in mind that these are only the fees for obtaining copies of already-recorded documents. Recording a new deed involves a separate — and substantially higher — fee schedule that includes base recording fees, Real Estate Fraud Prevention surcharges, Building Homes and Jobs Act (SB2) fees, and documentary transfer taxes.

California-Specific Deed Issues

Online Access Restrictions

California has been steadily restricting online access to recorded property documents. Government Code Section 6254.21 limits online publication of certain personal information including home addresses of protected persons such as law enforcement officers, judges, and prosecutors. Assembly Bill 1785, which took effect December 9, 2024, prohibits county recorders from including Assessor Parcel Number (APN) searches in any online grantor/grantee index — forcing APN-based searches to in-person kiosks only. Santa Clara County went further, removing the Official Records Index from online access entirely as of November 2018 under a County Executive directive. These restrictions make professional deed retrieval increasingly valuable, as many self-service options that existed a few years ago are no longer available.

Documentary Transfer Tax Indicators

Recorded deeds in California contain documentary transfer tax (DTT) declarations that can be used to estimate what the buyer paid for the property. The base county DTT rate is $0.55 per $500 of consideration (or $1.10 per $1,000). However, three cities in Santa Clara County — San Jose, Palo Alto, and Mountain View — impose an additional city conveyance tax of $1.65 per $500 ($3.30 per $1,000). San Jose also levies a graduated Measure E transfer tax on transactions above $2.3 million (effective July 1, 2025): 0.75% on values from $2,300,000.01 to $5,000,000; 1.0% from $5,000,000.01 to $10,000,000; and 1.5% above $10,000,000. Mountain View added a Measure G surcharge of $15 per $1,000 on transactions above $6,000,000 (effective March 25, 2025). These figures, recorded on the face of the deed, are crucial data points for valuations and comparable sales analysis.

Proposition 13 and Deed Timing

Because California's Proposition 13 (1978) limits annual assessed value increases to 2% unless a change of ownership occurs, the timing and type of deed recorded can have enormous property tax consequences. A grant deed from parent to child that would have been fully exempt from reassessment under the old rules now triggers reassessment under Proposition 19 (effective February 16, 2021) unless the child uses the property as a primary residence — and even then, the exclusion is capped at $1 million above the property's factored base year value. Reviewing the actual recorded deeds is essential for understanding a property's tax basis and identifying whether past transfers were properly excluded from reassessment.

Transfer on Death Deeds

California's Revocable Transfer on Death (TOD) Deed, authorized under Probate Code Sections 5600-5696, allows property owners to name a beneficiary who will receive the property upon the owner's death without probate. These deeds are recorded with the county recorder like any other instrument but do not take effect until the owner dies. If the beneficiary does not record a change in ownership within 180 days after the owner's death, the transfer can become complicated. TOD deeds also expire by operation of law if the owner outlives the deed's effectiveness period. Searching for recorded TOD deeds is an increasingly important part of title due diligence, particularly for properties owned by elderly owners.

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