Alameda County Gift Deed Form

Alameda County Gift Deed Form
Fill in the blank form formatted to comply with all recording and content requirements.

Alameda County Gift Deed Guide
Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.

Alameda County Completed Example of the Gift Deed Document
Example of a properly completed form for reference.
All 3 documents above included • One-time purchase • No recurring fees
Additional California and Alameda County documents included at no extra charge:
Where to Record Your Documents
Alameda County Clerk-Recorder
Address:
1106 Madison St
Oakland, California 94607
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 to 4:30 (avoid 12:00 to 2:00)
Phone: 510-272-6362 or 888-280-7708
Dublin Office
Address:
7600 Dublin Blvd, Suite 160 (enter through courtyard)
Dublin, California 94568
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 to 4:30
Phone: as above
Recording Tips for Alameda County:
- Double-check legal descriptions match your existing deed
- Verify all names are spelled correctly before recording
- Documents must be on 8.5 x 11 inch white paper
- Avoid the last business day of the month when possible
Cities and Jurisdictions in Alameda County
Properties in any of these areas use Alameda County forms:
- Alameda
- Albany
- Berkeley
- Castro Valley
- Dublin
- Emeryville
- Fremont
- Hayward
- Livermore
- Newark
- Oakland
- Piedmont
- Pleasanton
- San Leandro
- San Lorenzo
- Sunol
- Union City
How do I get my forms?
Forms are available for immediate download after payment. The Alameda County forms will be in your account ready to download to your computer. An account is created for you during checkout if you don't have one. Forms are NOT emailed.
Are these forms guaranteed to be recordable in Alameda County?
Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed all formatting requirements set forth by Alameda County including margin requirements, content requirements, font and font size requirements.
Can I reuse these forms?
Yes. You can reuse the forms for your personal use. For example, if you have multiple properties in Alameda County you only need to order once.
What do I need to use these forms?
The forms are PDFs that you fill out on your computer. You'll need Adobe Reader (free software that most computers already have). You do NOT enter your property information online - you download the blank forms and complete them privately on your own computer.
Are there any recurring fees?
No. This is a one-time purchase. Nothing to cancel, no memberships, no recurring fees.
How much does it cost to record in Alameda County?
Recording fees in Alameda County vary. Contact the recorder's office at 510-272-6362 or 888-280-7708 for current fees.
Have other questions? Contact our support team
Gifts of Real Property in California
Gift deeds convey title to real property from one party to another with no exchange of consideration, monetary or otherwise. Often used to transfer property between family members or to gift property as a charitable act or donation, these conveyances occur during the grantor's lifetime. Gift deeds must contain language that explicitly states that no consideration is expected or required. Ambiguous language, or references to any type of consideration, can make the gift deed contestable in court.
A lawful gift deed includes the grantor's full name and marital status, as well as the grantee's full name, marital status, vesting, and mailing address. Vesting describes how the grantee holds title to the property. Generally, real property is owned in either sole ownership or in co-ownership. For California residential property, the primary methods for holding title in co-ownership are tenancy in common, joint tenancy, and community property (Cal. Civ. Code 682). An estate conveyed to two or more unmarried people is considered a tenancy in common, unless a joint tenancy is designated (Cal. Civ. Code 683). Spouses vest as community property, with an option for survivorship rights (Cal. Civ. Code 682.1).
As with any conveyance of realty, a gift deed requires a complete legal description of the parcel. Recite the source of title to establish a clear chain of title, and detail any restrictions associated with the property. Each grantor must sign the deed in the presence of a notary public for a valid transfer. All signatures must be original. In California, when real property is conveyed as a gift, no transfer tax is due, pursuant to Cal. R&T Code 11930. This exemption should be indicated on the first page of the instrument. Record the completed deed, along with any additional materials, in the clerk's office of the county where the property is located. Contact the same office to verify accepted forms of payment.
In California, every legal transfer of real property requires a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report. This form should be completed by the grantee and filed with the instrument (Cal. R&T Code 480.3).
With gifts of real property, the recipient of the gift (grantee or donee) is not required to declare the amount of the gift as income, but if the property accrues income after the transaction, the grantee is responsible for paying the requisite state and federal income tax [1].
In California, there is no state gift tax. For questions regarding state taxation laws, consult a tax specialist. Gifts of real property in California are, however, subject to the federal gift tax. The person or entity making the gift (grantor or donor) is responsible for paying the federal gift tax; however, if the donor does not pay the gift tax, the donee will be held liable [1].
In accordance with federal law, individuals are permitted an annual exclusion of $15,000 on gifts. This means that if a gift is valued below $15,000, a federal gift tax return (Form 709) does not need to be filed. However, if the gift is something that could possibly be disputed by the IRS -- such as real property -- a donor may benefit from filing a Form 709 [2].
This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Contact a California lawyer with any questions about gift deeds or other issues related to the transfer of real property.
[1] http://msuextension.org/publications/FamilyFinancialManagement/MT199105HR.pdf
[2] https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/frequently-asked-questions-on-gift-taxes
(California Gift Deed Package includes form, guidelines, and completed example)
Important: Your property must be located in Alameda County to use these forms. Documents should be recorded at the office below.
This Gift Deed meets all recording requirements specific to Alameda County.
Our Promise
The documents you receive here will meet, or exceed, the Alameda 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 Alameda County Gift Deed 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 - ( 4569 Reviews )
Jeffrey W.
October 20th, 2021
You should add a button to cancel a package. I uploaded a document for e-recording, but wanted to cancel because I got a more clear copy.
Thank you!
Lori A.
February 2nd, 2024
My county accessors office recommended this site. My Uncle passed away and did not leave a will and I needed to have his deed transferred into my name. I was able to do it using the sample Deeds.com provided. I used it as a guide to fill out the paperwork that I printed off of the Deeds.com site. I had no problem when I went to the county and turned in the paperwork and the clerk said everything looked great.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience Lori. We are deeply sorry for your loss and understand how challenging managing affairs can be during such a difficult time. It's heartening to hear that our resources were helpful to you in transferring your uncle's deed into your name.
We strive to make complex processes more accessible and manageable, and your feedback affirms the value of our work. Knowing that the county assessor's office recommended us and that the clerk found everything in order with your paperwork is incredibly gratifying.
Heather W.
October 11th, 2019
Easy to use Example provided Clear instructions
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Stephen D.
April 17th, 2020
I recommend you add a box "Add another document or package." The way it is now confused me, so I uploaded the same document two more times, thinking the upload failed the first two times.
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Beverly D.
June 4th, 2022
Deeds.com was a great experience in helping me get some important documents recorded.I would recommend them to anyone wanting documents recorded in a timely manner.
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Larry B.
May 18th, 2021
Poor quality document. Deed did not contain space for mandatory rax info required.
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Caroline E.
June 28th, 2024
Very easy!
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Yvonne W.
December 30th, 2018
I'm not certain yet that this is all I need to do what I need to do. Marion Co. Clerk's office has not been helpful. I found this site from that site & hopefully it will help.
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June 21st, 2019
Worked very smoothly and got the job done
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September 2nd, 2022
Great service... patient with me through the process.
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Sylvia O.
April 27th, 2023
Very efficient, and the samples and instructions are very easy to follow. Thank you Deeds.com
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Nancy B.
August 6th, 2020
This was the easiest, quickest, most understandable way I've seen yet to retrieve deeds from various counties. The government websites are "clunky" and each one seems different than the other. I like this service and will use them again in the future. NANCY
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September 26th, 2022
got what I needed.
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September 13th, 2022
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March 8th, 2019
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