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Recorder Office
Contact the recorder's office directly for its records, copies, and recording requirements.
County Recorder
About the Santa Cruz County Recorder
Land records in Santa Cruz County are recorded by the County Recorder. The office is held by Sheri Thomas.
The online Index of Official Records covers documents recorded from 1978 to the present. Records are digitized from 1850 to present; images from 1850–1996 are on microfilm and in the Digital Reel system. Documents recorded before 1974 are indexed in handwritten volumes at the Santa Cruz office. Filed maps can be viewed at the Santa Cruz office.
Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: Fee Schedule 2025 · Searching Records/Maps · 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 | $14.00 first page, $3.00 each additional page (titles not associated with the Real Estate Fraud Fee; quitclaim and construction deeds listed at $17 first page) |
|---|---|
| Mortgages and deeds of trust | $17.00 first page, $3.00 each additional page (title associated with the Real Estate Fraud Fee) |
| Releases and satisfactions | $17.00 first page, $3.00 each additional page (Reconveyance and Release listed as fraud-fee titles) |
| Other standard documents | $14.00 first page, $3.00 each additional page (titles not associated with the Real Estate Fraud Fee) |
Added at recording
| State Housing Fee (SB2) | $75.00 State Fee per title, up to $225; Gov. Code § 27388.1 |
|---|---|
| Survey Monument Preservation Fund Fee | $10.00 Listed under Miscellaneous Fees; Gov. Code § 27585 |
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 (each group of 10 names after 1st) |
| Additional references or marginal notations | $1.00 each (each additional reference indexed) |
| Copies, per page | $1.00 |
| Certification | $3.00 |
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)).
Release of lien by a local/state government entity (excludes Federal): $20.00. Map recording: $10.00 first page, $2.00 each subsequent page. Notification of Involuntary Lien: $7.00 first debtor, $3.00 each additional debtor. Financing Statement-Request for Information: $15.00. UCC-1 & UCC-3: $10.00 for 1-2 pages, $20.00 for 3 or more pages. Preliminary 20 day Filing & Notice: $37.00. Conformed copies with label: $1.00 per page.
Paying the office
| Accepted | Cash, Check, Money order, Credit card, Debit card |
|---|---|
| Checks payable to | Santa Cruz County Recorder |
| Card fee | Credit and debit card users are charged a transaction fee by the office's service provider. |
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: Fee Schedule 2025 · Document Recording · 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)) |
| Parcel number required | Yes |
| 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 |
Documents received between 3:01-4:00 PM are examined for recording the next business day. An after-hours drop box is outside the Santa Cruz office at 701 Ocean Street, Room 230; drop box documents are examined the following business day. Electronic documents are received from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. For a conformed copy, include a copy of the document and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: Document Recording · 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
Help improve the information for Santa Cruz County, California. Recorder staff and the public may report an error, suggest an update, or request a special message.
This goes to Deeds.com Customer Care, not the recorder's office. It is not for submitting documents, requesting deed copies, getting legal advice, or account support. We review submissions before making changes; publication is not guaranteed. Contact details are for our staff and are not displayed publicly. Do not include Social Security numbers, payment details, or other sensitive information.
Deeds.com Resources & Services
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How to Get a Copy of Your Deed
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Deeds.com eRecording
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