Contra Costa County Affidavit of Surviving Spouse Form (California)
All Contra Costa County specific forms and documents listed below are included in your immediate download package:
Affidavit of Surviving Spouse Form

Fill in the blank form formatted to comply with all recording and content requirements.
Included Contra Costa County compliant document last validated/updated 10/9/2024
Affidavit of Surviving Spouse Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.
Included Contra Costa County compliant document last validated/updated 4/2/2025
Completed Example of the Affidavit of Surviving Spouse Document

Example of a properly completed form for reference.
Included Contra Costa County compliant document last validated/updated 4/17/2025
The following California and Contra Costa County supplemental forms are included as a courtesy with your order:
When using these Affidavit of Surviving Spouse forms, the subject real estate must be physically located in Contra Costa County. The executed documents should then be recorded in the following office:
Contra Costa Clerk-Recorder
555 Escobar St / PO Box 350 , Martinez, California 94553
Hours: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday
Phone: (925) 335-7910
Local jurisdictions located in Contra Costa County include:
- Alamo
- Antioch
- Bethel Island
- Brentwood
- Byron
- Canyon
- Clayton
- Concord
- Crockett
- Danville
- Diablo
- Discovery Bay
- El Cerrito
- El Sobrante
- Hercules
- Knightsen
- Lafayette
- Martinez
- Moraga
- Oakley
- Orinda
- Pinole
- Pittsburg
- Pleasant Hill
- Port Costa
- Richmond
- Rodeo
- San Pablo
- San Ramon
- Walnut Creek
How long does it take to get my forms?
Forms are available immediately after submitting payment.
How do I get my forms, are they emailed?
Immediately after you submit payment, the Contra Costa County forms you order will be available for download directly from your account. You can then download the forms to your computer. If you do not already have an account, one will be created for you as part of the order process, and your login details will be provided to you. If you encounter any issues accessing your forms, please reach out to our support team for assistance. Forms are NOT emailed to you.
What does "validated/updated" mean?
This indicates the most recent date when at least one of the following occurred:
- Updated: The document was updated or changed to remain compliant.
- Validated: The document was examined by an attorney or staff, or it was successfully recorded in Contra Costa County using our eRecording service.
Are these forms guaranteed to be recordable in Contra Costa County?
Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed all formatting requirements set forth by Contra Costa County including margin requirements, content requirements, font and font size requirements.
Can the Affidavit of Surviving Spouse forms be re-used?
Yes. You can re-use the forms for your personal use. For example, if you have more than one property in Contra Costa County that you need to transfer you would only need to order our forms once for all of your properties in Contra Costa County.
What are supplemental forms?
Often when a deed is recorded, additional documents are required by California or Contra Costa County. These could be tax related, informational, or even as simple as a coversheet. Supplemental forms are provided for free with your order where available.
What type of files are the forms?
All of our Contra Costa County Affidavit of Surviving Spouse forms are PDFs. You will need to have or get Adobe Reader to use our forms. Adobe Reader is free software that most computers already have installed.
Do I need any special software to use these forms?
You will need to have Adobe Reader installed on your computer to use our forms. Adobe Reader is free software that most computers already have installed.
Do I have to enter all of my property information online?
No. The blank forms are downloaded to your computer and you fill them out there, at your convenience.
Can I save the completed form, email it to someone?
Yes, you can save your deed form at any point with your information in it. The forms can also be emailed, blank or complete, as attachments.
Are there any recurring fees involved?
No. Nothing to cancel, no memberships, no recurring fees.
Transferring California Community Property to the Surviving Spouse
Section 100(a) of the California Probate Code states that when a married person dies, one-half of the couple's community property belongs to the surviving spouse and the other half stays in the decedent's name, ostensibly for probate distribution. For transfers occurring after July 1, 2001, California property owners gained the option to hold title as community property with the right of survivorship. By vesting this way, the remaining spouse acquires the deceased spouse's portion of the shared property without the need for probate (Cal Civ Code 682.1(a)).
The surviving spouse files an affidavit (a statement of facts, made under oath), along with an official copy of the death certificate, at the recording office for the county where the property is located. The content may vary depending on the circumstances, but it generally contains the names of both spouses, a formal legal description of the shared real estate, and the recording information for the deed transferring ownership to the couple, confirming their intention to hold title as community property. Note that the right of survivorship is not automatic with community property -- it must be written on the face of the deed. To alleviate any questions about the survivorship status, consider including an official copy of the recorded deed.
The affidavit should also confirm, among other things, that the co-owners were married when the decedent died, that there are no probate actions related to the property, and that the surviving spouse is submitting the affidavit to ensure clear title. A clear title is important because it makes future transactions involving the real estate less complicated.
Each case is unique, so contact an attorney with specific questions or for complex situations.
(California Affidavit of Surviving Spouse Package includes form, guidelines, and completed example)
Our Promise
The documents you receive here will meet, or exceed, the Contra Costa County recording requirements for formatting. If there's an issue caused by our formatting, we'll make it right and refund your payment.
Save Time and Money
Get your Contra Costa County Affidavit of Surviving Spouse form done right the first time with Deeds.com Uniform Conveyancing Blanks. At Deeds.com, we understand that your time and money are valuable resources, and we don't want you to face a penalty fee or rejection imposed by a county recorder for submitting nonstandard documents. We constantly review and update our forms to meet rapidly changing state and county recording requirements for roughly 3,500 counties and local jurisdictions.
4.8 out of 5 - ( 4562 Reviews )
MARY LACEY M.
June 30th, 2025
Great service! Recording was smooth and swiftly performed. Deeds.com is an excellent service.rn
We are delighted to have been of service. Thank you for the positive review!
Robert F.
June 30th, 2025
Breeze.... It feels silly to hire an attorney to do this for just one beneficiary. Thanks.
Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!
Pauline C.
June 29th, 2025
Everything that was stated to be included in my order was complete. Very satisfied
Thank you for your positive words! We’re thrilled to hear about your experience.
Georgia R.
March 29th, 2023
Great experience, fast and efficient, no hassle. Will use again!
Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!
Anthony F.
April 7th, 2020
quick, easy and simple. Also thank you for having the e-submission area particularly with the Covid-19 /Shelter in place things happening.
Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!
Rahul P.
July 19th, 2023
Excellent Site for recording documents to respective county Recorder Office.rnExcellent customer service, very well informed and experienced staff who responds promptly and guide customers throughout recording process.rnMy recording was suspended But KVH (Staff) gave me proper timely advise and guided me for the procedure till recording was done by county office.rnI would like to give 6 stars or more to the site as per my experience with this site. Highly recommended site
Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!
Judy C.
February 13th, 2019
Both sets of deeds were complete and easy to understand. Both states accepted the forms to transfer property.
We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!
Terrill M.
January 10th, 2020
Great forms and information
We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!
Remi W.
April 13th, 2020
Submitting documents electronically through Deeds.com saved me time and provided the best possible service for me in the comfort of my own home. There's no faster, better way to record documents than e-recording with Deeds.com.
Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!
Donald S.
July 7th, 2020
Good
Thank you!
Marcia H.
April 18th, 2021
This was so easy and fast! Plus it had all the information I needed in one place. The example was right on point too!
Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!
Julie L.
April 3rd, 2019
Great documents! with complete instructions and the CTC as well. I work with a lot of recordings and transfers, this is a great comprehensive set..
Thank you!
Jan O.
April 22nd, 2021
This was so easy and just what I needed.
Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!
Michelle D.
March 4th, 2019
Very professional service, they were timely and proficient with answers and sending in the documents that I requested. Will work with them again in the future
We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!
Frazer W.
December 19th, 2024
Deeds.com does a great job getting our legal documents filed with the D.C. Recorder of Deeds.rnrnFrazer Walton, Jr.rnLaw Office of Frazer Walton, Jr.
Your appreciative words mean the world to us. Thank you.