California Forms

San Francisco County Transfer on Death Affidavit Form

San Francisco County Transfer on Death Affidavit Form

San Francisco County Transfer on Death Affidavit Form

Fill in the blank form formatted to comply with all recording and content requirements.

Validated 6/11/2025 Preview Form
San Francisco County Transfer on Death Affidavit Guide

San Francisco County Transfer on Death Affidavit Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.

Validated 1/29/2025 Preview Form
San Francisco County Completed Example of the Transfer on Death Affidavit Document

San Francisco County Completed Example of the Transfer on Death Affidavit Document

Example of a properly completed form for reference.

Validated 6/30/2025 Preview Form

All 3 documents above included • One-time purchase • No recurring fees

Important: Your property must be located in San Francisco County to use these forms. Documents should be recorded at the office below.

Where to Record Your Documents

Assessor-Recorder's Main Office
Address:
City Hall - 1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Pl, Rm 190
San Francisco, California 94102-4698

Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm / Recording until 4:00pm

Phone: (415) 554-5596

Recording Tips for San Francisco County:
  • Double-check legal descriptions match your existing deed
  • Verify all names are spelled correctly before recording
  • Recorded documents become public record - avoid including SSNs

Cities and Jurisdictions in San Francisco County

Properties in any of these areas use San Francisco County forms:

  • San Francisco

View Complete Recorder Office Guide

Hours, fees, requirements, and more for San Francisco County

How do I get my forms?

Forms are available for immediate download after payment. The San Francisco 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 San Francisco County?

Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed all formatting requirements set forth by San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco County?

Recording fees in San Francisco County vary. Contact the recorder's office at (415) 554-5596 for current fees.

Have other questions? Contact our support team

Using an Affidavit of Death to Claim Real Estate from a California Transfer on Death Deed

Transfer on death deeds allow individual landowners to transfer their real estate when they die, without a will or the need for probate distribution. The transferor simply executes a TODD form, then records it during the course of his/her natural life, and within 60 days of the signing date (5626(a)). Unlike grant deeds or quitclaim deeds, the owner continues to hold title to the property when a transfer on death deed is recorded (5650). As such, TODDs are exempt from transfer taxes and the Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (PCOR).

What happens, then, when the owner dies? Section 5680 defines the process for switching the title over to the beneficiary. The beneficiary may establish the fact of the transferor's death under the procedure provided in California Probate Code Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 210) of Part 4 of Division 2. The first step is obtaining a certified copy of the death certificate. Then research the recording information from the transfer on death deed identifying the beneficiary. Complete an affidavit of death and sign it in front of a notary. Finally, file the affidavit, along with the copy of the death certificate, in the recording office for the county where the property is situated. Note that this act transfers title to the beneficiary, so it also requires the PCOR and any associated taxes and fees.

Beneficiaries take title to the property under the rules set out at section 5652. Be aware that any associated debts, obligations, or agreements in place when the owner died follow the real estate to the beneficiaries. In addition, the title transfers without warranty, so the beneficiaries might find themselves liable for future claims against the property. For these reasons, among others, some beneficiaries might wish to disclaim the gift (5652(a)(1)).

In general, transferring title to the beneficiary of a transfer on death deed is a simple process. Even so, complications may arise. Contact an attorney for complex situations or with any questions.

(California Transfer on Death Affidavit Package includes form, guidelines, and completed example)

Important: Your property must be located in San Francisco County to use these forms. Documents should be recorded at the office below.

This Transfer on Death Affidavit meets all recording requirements specific to San Francisco County.

Our Promise

The documents you receive here will meet, or exceed, the San Francisco 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 San Francisco County Transfer on Death Affidavit 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.

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July 7th, 2022

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March 26th, 2022

The forms are easy to use and the examples and guidance are easy to understand and follow.

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September 15th, 2020

I was very impressed with the quick responses I received from my questions. Usually when forced to communicate via email, responses aren't received right away. Thank you for being on top of things.

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February 3rd, 2023

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January 24th, 2020

I was only able to download the QC form. Had to print the other docs

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Diane W.

January 3rd, 2020

The forms were immediately available for download, which was nice. However, I was not impressed by the lack of several features: 1) there was no way to edit set text in the form, such as where it says you should consult an attorney. That is not necessary for recording the deed and I wanted to deleted it, but could not. 2) Also, under the "Notes" section, there is a limited area to write; I tried adding a fuller explanation of something, but the form would not accept or include it when I printed the final document. The form may do the job, but it's not very sophisticated or elegant.

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February 17th, 2021

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January 28th, 2022

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Susan J.

June 6th, 2023

I was pleased that I could send the documents this way rather than having to mail it or take time out of my day to go down to the records office.

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May 9th, 2023

This site was easy to use with full instructions on how to fill out and file forms very good

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donald h.

January 26th, 2019

very informative and thank everyone involved,my deed needed to be changed and will adjusted.

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Craig P.

August 19th, 2019

Good

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January 29th, 2019

Awesome site!! You guys really make it simple to understand and access any Deeds that I need. I know you keep very up to date forms, as my county is hard core when it comes to the smallest of details, even compared to every other county across the state. Yet you made it simple and quick, and I never had to redo anything. Even the clerk was impressed that I had it filled out correctly the first time, as that usually never happened. Even the size of type/font and the margins were perfect. That saved a lot of time, money and most of all, frustration. I've recommended you to relatives, friends and co-workers. Thanks to the staff at deeds dot com !! I truly appreciate you. j

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February 2nd, 2022

Review: Forms are on point, to the point, and cover the vast majority of situations. Would not suggest if your deal is overly complicated but most situations are not complicated at all.

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February 26th, 2021

This was great. Happy I found you!

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