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Recorder Office
Contact the recorder's office directly for its records, copies, and recording requirements.
Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk
About the Monterey County Recorder
Land records in Monterey County are recorded by the County Recorder. The office is held by Xochitl Marina Camacho.
Online official records index covers 1978 to present; a separate historical official records index covers 1850 to 1977 (https://montereycountyhistoricalindices.bmiimaging.com).
Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder · On-line Document Access · California Government Code § 27201 (FindLaw)
Recording Fees
These government fees are separate from any Deeds.com service fees. Confirm current charges with the recorder's office.
| Deeds and other conveyances | $13.00 first page, $3.00 each additional page (documents paying documentary transfer tax, all pages 8.5 x 11) |
|---|---|
| Mortgages and deeds of trust | $13.00 first page, $3.00 each additional page (all pages 8.5 x 11; the charges under Added at recording are extra) |
| Releases and satisfactions | $13.00 first page, $3.00 each additional page (all pages 8.5 x 11; the charges under Added at recording are extra) |
| Other standard documents | $13.00 first page, $3.00 each additional page (all pages 8.5 x 11; the charges under Added at recording are extra) |
Added at recording
| Building Homes and Jobs Act fee | $75.00 Documents not paying documentary transfer tax, unless the first page states a statutory exemption (fee cap of $225 reached, not related to real property, residential dwelling to an owner-occupier, or recorded concurrently with a DTT transfer). Gov. Code § 27388.1 |
|---|---|
| Real Estate Fraud Prosecution Fund fee | $10.00 Documents not paying documentary transfer tax, unless the first page carries a DTT declaration or the GC 27388 concurrent-recording exemption statement. Gov. Code § 27388; Resol. 13-806 |
| Survey Monument Preservation Fee | $10.00 Per document; documents titled Grant Deed whose legal description does not reference a lot, block and/or tract. Gov. Code §§ 27584, 27585; Ordinance 5430 |
Other charges
| Document that does not meet the formatting standards | $3.00 per page when A page or sheet does not conform to the dimensions described in Section 27361.5(a) |
|---|---|
| Additional names indexed | $1.00 each ($1.00 per name for the first 10 names; $1.00 per group of 10 after the first 10 names) |
| Copies, per page | $2.00 |
| Certification | $2.00 |
Fee schedule effective March 3, 2026.
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)).
Effective March 3, 2026, the Real Estate Fraud Prosecution Fund fee incorporated in the standard recording fee increased from $9.00 to $10.00. If not all pages are 8.5" x 11": $16.00 first page/$6.00 additional page (documents paying documentary transfer tax) or $101.00 first page/$6.00 additional page (documents not paying). Release of Governmental Lien: $20.00. Federal Liens and Releases: $13.00. Notification of Involuntary Lien: $7.00/debtor + recording fee. Map Filing Fee: $83.00 first page, $2.00/additional page. Map copy fee: $5.00/page.
Paying the office
| Accepted | Cash, Check, Money order, Cashiers check, Credit card, Debit card |
|---|---|
| Checks payable to | Monterey County Recorder |
| Card fee | A transaction fee of $2.50 applies in addition to the recording fees for debit/credit cards. |
All applicable recording fees must be paid at the time of recording.
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).
Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: Recorder | County of Monterey, CA · Fee Schedule | County of Monterey · Recording By Mail · California Government Code § 27361 (FindLaw) · California Government Code § 27388 (FindLaw) · California Revenue and Taxation Code § 11911 (FindLaw) · California Revenue and Taxation Code § 11932 (FindLaw)
Document Requirements
Confirm current requirements with the recorder's office before submitting documents.
| Paper size | 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches (a sheet not greater than 8 1/2 inches by 14 inches) (statewide, Cal. Gov. Code § 27361.5) |
|---|---|
| First page top margin | 2.5 in (statewide, Cal. Gov. Code § 27361.6) |
| Other margins | 0.5 in (statewide, Cal. Gov. Code § 27361.6) |
| Ink and paper | Paper quality and print size and color must reproduce legibly by microphotographic or imaging processes (statewide, Cal. Gov. Code § 27361.6) |
| Return address required | Yes (statewide, Cal. Gov. Code § 27361.6) |
| Tax statement mailing address required | Yes (statewide, Cal. Gov. Code § 27321.5(a)) |
| Printed names under signatures required | Yes (statewide, Cal. Gov. Code § 27280.5) |
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.
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 EqualizationMay 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
| In person | Accepted |
|---|---|
| By mail | Accepted |
| Electronic recording | Accepted |
| How recorded documents come back | Original recorded document returned by mail |
| Processing time | Requests processed in the order received; allow 2-3 weeks to receive the original recorded document back in the mail |
The Salinas office is the only location where documents can be recorded; there are no branch offices. The office does not provide forms.
Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: Recorder | County of Monterey, CA · Recording By Mail · Recorder Memorandum: Monument Preservation Fee · 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)
Report an error or send an update
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