Alameda County Recorder Information

About Alameda County Recorder

The Clerk-Recorder is responsible for recording and maintaining real property records in Alameda County.

Recording Fees

*Recording Title - 1st page (Standard size: 8.5" x 11")...............................................$89.00

Recording Title - each additional page..........................................................................$3.00

Recording Title - Real Estate Fraud Prosecution Titles (In addition to the recording fees, unless exempted by statute). - Documents below......................................................$10.00
, Abstract of Judgment
, Affidavit
, Amended Deed of Trust
, Assignment Deed of Trust
, Assignment of Lease
, Assignment of Rents
, Construction Trust Deed
, Covenants
, Conditions
, and Restrictions
, Declaration of Homestead
, Deed of Trust
, Easement
, Lease
, Lien
, Lot Line Adjustment
, Mechanic's Lien
, Modification of Deed of Trust
, Notice of Completion
, Notice of Default
, Notice of Rescission of Declaration of Default
, Notice of Trustee's Sale
, Quitclaim Deed
, Reconveyance
, Release
, Request for Notice of Default
, Subordination Agreement
,Substitution of Trustee
, Trustee's Deed Upon Sale
, Uniform Commercial Code (amendment, assignment, continuation, statement or termination)

Recording Title - Non-standard size document penalty (For ALL pages of a
document containing any page which is NOT 8.5" x 11" with a maximum sheet
size of 8.5" x 14")......................................................................$3.00

Penalty Print (More than 9 lines per vertical inch, or more than 22 characters
per horizontal inch per page)....................................................$1.00

*Combined documents (Each additional title).........................$89.00

DOCUMENTS REQUIRING ADDITIONAL INDEXING:
Each group of 10 names or fractional portion thereof after the initial group of 10
Names.......................................................................................$1.00

Blanket Assignment of Deed of Trust or Substitution of Trustee requires
additional fee of $1.00 for each reference to a previously recorded document,
other than the first reference (each)......................................$1.00

ADDITIONAL RECORDING FEES:
*Per SB 780, Local Government Omnibus Act of 2019, the fee for recording every release of lien, encumbrance, or notice executed by the state, or any municipality, county, city, district, or other political subdivision will change to $20. This is done in accordance with Government Code Section 27361.3.

*Release of Lien, encumbrance or notice by political subdivision (State, County,
City, etc.), if original lien, encumbrance or notice recorded without fee.............$20.00

*Reconveyance by political subdivision (State, county, city, etc.).........................$20.00

Recording of a document evidencing a change of ownership without concurrent
filing of a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (Penalty fee)........................$20.00

Survey Monument Preservation Fund (Dependent upon type of transfer
transaction and legal description) per parcel.....................................................$10.00

Involuntary lien notification (In addition to regular recording fee) per debtor........$7.00

IRS Tax Lien Search (Only IRS liens will be searched)..............................................$15.00

FILING FEES: *UCCs (Financing Statement) Standard National UCC Form(1-2 pages) flat fee...$95.00

*UCC (Financing Statement) Standard National UCC Form (3 or more pages)
flat fee..............................$105.00

Preliminary 20-Day Notice.....................................................................$45.00

Builders Contract Filing.............................................................................$81.00

Maps (1st page)................$83.00, Maps (Each additional page)..........$2.00

DOCUMENTARY TRANSFER TAX:
County of Alameda per $500.00 or fraction thereof, on equity or full value of
Transfer.......................................................................$0.55
Cities' Real Property Conveyance Tax per $1,000 of full value of transfer (collected in addition to Documentary Transfer Tax). The rates are calculated with the full value rounded up to the nearest $500 before the tax rate is applied: ***The following cities have passed an ordinance imposing changes in tax rates effective January 1, 2024.

***As a result of the passage of Measure P, on November 6, 2018, and Ord. No. 6072-NS, 68,585-NS to allow the City of Berkeley to adjust annually the real property conveyance transfer tax threshold: from $15.00 ($1,800,000 and less) to $15.00 ($1,600,000 and less) and from $25.00 ($1,800,001 and above) to $25.00 ($1,600,001 and above).

Alameda (510) 748-4562...............................................$12.00
Albany (510) 528-5730...................................................$15.00
***Berkeley (510) 981-2489....$15.00 ($1,600,000 and less) $25.00 ($1,600,001 and above)
Emeryville (510) 596-4352........ $12.00 (less than $1,000,000)
$15.00 ($1,000,000 to $2,000,000) $25.00 ($2,000,001 and above)
Hayward (510) 583-4009...................................................$8.50
Oakland (510) 238-3084......................................................$10.00 ($300,000 and less) $15.00
($300,001 to $2,000,000) $17.50 ($2,000,001 to $5,000,000) $25.00 ($5,000,001 and above)
Piedmont (510) 420-3045.....................................................$13.00
San Leandro (510) 577-3399.................................................$11.00

COPY FEES:
Recorded documents (per page).................................................$3.50
Certification (They will only certify copies issued there, and only at the time of issuance)..$1.00
CERTIFICATION FEES:
For each certification as to the official capacity of any notary public or public
official (Per signature)..............................................................$12.00
Certificate re: Certification of sureties.....................................$3.50
Translation Certificate (per document)......................................$10.00

Methods of Payment:
- Cash, Debit/ATM Card - In Person Only
- Credit cards are not accepted for in person and mail requests.
- Money Order, Cashier's or Traveler's Check
- Personal, Company or Bank Check (preprinted with account holder's name). Out of country payments must be in U.S. dollars.
All checks must be payable to Alameda County Clerk Recorder.
- Credit cards (Master Card or Visa) are ONLY accepted for online copy request of Birth, Death, Marriage Certificates, Fictitious Business Name Statements, and Official Public Records.

Call the recorder's office directly with questions.

*Documents subject to documentary transfer tax are exempt. The fee is due for the following document types: Abstract of Judgment, Affidavit, Amended Deed of Trust, Assignment Deed of Trust, Assignment of Lease, Assignment of Rents, Construction Trust Deed, Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions, Declaration of Homestead, Deed of Trust, Easement, Lease, Lien, Lot Line Adjustment, Mechanic's Lien, Modification of Deed of Trust, Notice of Completion, Notice of Default, Notice of Rescission of Declaration of Default, Notice of Trustee's Sale, Quitclaim Deed, Reconveyance, Release, Request for Notice of Default, Subordination Agreement, Substitution of Trustee, Trustee's Deed Upon Sale, Uniform Commercial Code.

On January 1, 2018, California Senate Bill 2, a.k.a., the "Building Homes and Jobs Act," goes into effect and may increase recording fees for real estate instruments. The fee will address homelessness and housing shortages, and help to increase the rate of home ownership within the State by creating a Building Homes and Jobs Trust Fund to which the additional fee will be remitted.

Upon taking effect, the recorder's office will impose a fee of $75.00 to be paid when recording every real estate instrument, paper, or notice required or permitted by law to be recorded, per each single transaction per single parcel of real property, not to exceed $225.00.

Transfers subject to the 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 are exempt from this fee.

If you have any questions about how the Building Homes and Jobs Act affects your recording fees, please speak with a clerk with the Recorder's Office or a licensed attorney within the state.

Document Formatting Requirements

The backside of a document page is considered an additional page. If any page of a document is not 8.5" x 11", then all pages of the document will be subject to a supplemental fee. Pages larger than 8.5" x 14" will not be accepted.

Each document submitted for recording shall have at least a 1/2" margin on each vertical side. In addition, the top 2.5" of the first page (from the left to the right edges), shall be reserved for document return and recording information. The left 3/5" of this space is used by the public to show the recording requestor's name and the name and address to which the document is to be returned following recording. The remaining portion of the space is for the Recorder's recording label.

In the event the first page or sheet of a document does not contain the above required space, a cover sheet must be attached to the front of the document. This page shall contain the requesting party information and shall reflect the title or titles of the document, and the cover sheet will be charged as an additional page.