Alameda County Recorder Information

Land records in Alameda County are recorded by the Clerk-Recorder. The office is held by Melissa Wilk.

Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: Clerk-Recorder - Alameda County Auditor-Controller · Main Recorders website

These government fees are separate from any Deeds.com service fees. Confirm current charges with the recorder's office.

Added at recording

Other charges

StatewideThe recorder charges $1 extra per page or sheet when printing on printed forms is spaced more than nine lines per vertical inch or more than 22 characters and spaces per inch (Gov. Code § 27361(a)(1)). Counties may adopt additional fees: up to $10 per real estate instrument for the Real Estate Fraud Prosecution Trust Fund upon a board of supervisors resolution (Gov. Code § 27388); $1 for the first page for a social security number truncation program (Gov. Code § 27361(d)); $1 per instrument fees for micrographics/archive, business-day operation, and indexing within two business days (Gov. Code § 27361.4); and up to $1 per instrument for an electronic recording delivery system (Gov. Code § 27397). A recorder may charge an additional $20 recording fee when a document evidencing a change in ownership is presented without a concurrent Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (Rev. & Tax. Code § 480.3(b)).

The backside of a document page is considered an additional page. If the first page lacks the required recording space, an attached cover sheet carries an additional recording fee of $3.00. The $20 fee for a document evidencing a change of ownership without a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report is imposed under Rev. & Tax. Code § 480.3 and Board of Supervisors Ordinance 85-46.

Paying the office

Personal, company or bank checks must be preprinted with the account holder's name and address. Out of country payments must be in U.S. dollars. Mail payments are by check, money order, cashier's or traveler's check.

Transfer tax

Documentary Transfer Tax. $0.55 for each $500 or fractional part thereof of consideration or value exceeding $100 (county); cities may impose one-half that amount. The tax is collected when the document is recorded. (statewide, Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code § 11911)

StatewideA county's documentary transfer tax is imposed by board of supervisors ordinance under Rev. & Tax. Code § 11911(a). A city within a taxing county may impose its own tax at one-half the county rate (§ 11911(b)), and a credit is allowed against the county tax for the city tax (§ 11911(c)). Some charter cities levy their own rates. Every taxed document must show on its face the amount of tax due and the incorporated or unincorporated location of the realty (§ 11932).

Several cities impose their own city real property transfer tax at full value, with full value rounded up to the nearest $500 before the rate is applied: Alameda $12.00 per thousand (Ordinance No. 2987 AMC); Albany $15.00 per thousand (Ordinance No. 2020-09); Berkeley $15.00 per thousand ($1,700,000 and less) and $25.00 per thousand ($1,700,001 and above) (Ordinance No. 6072-NS); Emeryville $12.00 per thousand (less than $1,000,000), $15.00 ($1,000,000 to $2,000,000), $25.00 ($2,000,001 and above) (Measure O); Hayward $8.50 per thousand (Ordinance No. 92-26); Oakland $10.00 per thousand ($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) (Ordinance No. 11628 CMS); Piedmont $13.00 per thousand (Ordinance No. 546 NS); San Leandro $11.00 per thousand (Ordinance No. 2020-08).

Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: Deeds & Leases - Alameda County Clerk-Recorder · Real Property Sales & Transfers - Alameda County Clerk-Recorder · Fees - Alameda County Clerk-Recorder · Documentary Transfer Tax - Alameda County Clerk-Recorder · California Government Code § 27361 (FindLaw) · California Government Code § 27388 (FindLaw) · California Revenue and Taxation Code § 11911 (FindLaw) · California Revenue and Taxation Code § 11932 (FindLaw)

Confirm current requirements with the recorder's office before submitting documents.

StatewideAt least a 1/2-inch margin on the two vertical sides except in the space reserved for recording information. The left-hand 3 1/2 inches of the top 2 1/2 inches of the first page is used to show the name of the person requesting recording and the return name and address.

StatewideIf the first page does not meet the recording-space requirements, a separate page meeting them and showing the document title must be attached to the front. A document that modifies, releases, or cancels a previously recorded document must state the recorder identification number or book and page of that document. A deed of trust or mortgage with power of sale must specify the trustor's or mortgagor's address and contain a request for notice of default and sale.

The backside of a document page is considered an additional page. Pages larger than 8.5″ x 14″ will not be accepted.

Forms filed along with a transfer

• Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (BOE-502-A) Statewide County assessor and recorder; form prescribed by the State Board of Equalization
  May be filed with the recorder concurrent with the recordation of any document effecting a change in ownership; the recorder may charge an additional $20 recording fee without it

Submitting documents

Document recording cut-off is 4:30 PM at both the Oakland and Tri-Valley (Dublin) offices. Mail transactions are not accepted at the Tri-Valley office.

Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: Clerk-Recorder - Alameda County Auditor-Controller · Real Property Sales & Transfers - Alameda County Clerk-Recorder · Electronic Document Recording - Alameda County Clerk-Recorder · California Government Code § 27361.5 (FindLaw) · California Government Code § 27361.6 (FindLaw) · California Government Code § 27321.5 (FindLaw) · California Government Code § 27280.5 (FindLaw) · California Revenue and Taxation Code § 480.3 (Onecle)