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Recorder Office
Contact the recorder's office directly for its records, copies, and recording requirements.
Clerk-Recorder-Assessor-Registrar
About the Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor
Land records in Sonoma County are recorded by the Clerk-Recorder-Assessor. The office is held by Deva Marie Proto.
The online index covers Official Public Records from 1964 to the present; Grantor/Grantee index books for 1830-1963 are searchable separately. Recorded documents may be viewed in the office at no cost; records from 1835 to 1979 are on microfilm and from 1980 to the present as digital images. When searching for a record prior to 2010, use abbreviations; after January 1, 2010, search under the exact name.
Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: Clerk-Recorder-Assessor | County of Sonoma · Recorder Services | County of Sonoma
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 (standard pages when transfer tax paid or SB2/AB1466 exemption stated) |
|---|---|
| Mortgages and deeds of trust | $14.00 first page, $3.00 each additional page (standard pages when SB2/AB1466 exemption stated) |
| Releases and satisfactions | $14.00 first page, $3.00 each additional page (standard pages when SB2/AB1466 exemption stated) |
| Other standard documents | $14.00 first page, $3.00 each additional page (standard pages when SB2/AB1466 exemption stated) |
Added at recording
| SB2 – Building Homes and Jobs Act fee | $75.00 Per title on documents accepted for recording unless exempted by statute; maximum $225. Gov. Code § 27388.1 |
|---|---|
| AB1466 - Restrictive Covenant Modification Program fee | $2.00 Per title on documents accepted for recording unless exempted by statute, effective July 1, 2022. Gov. Code § 27388.2 |
| Survey Monument Fee | $10.00 Grant Deeds, with listed exceptions. Gov. Code §§ 27584, 27585; Resolution 10-0900 |
| PCOR Fee (no PCOR with deed) | $20.00 Transfers of title not accompanied by a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report. Rev. & Tax. Code § 480.3; Resolution 85-1260 |
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) |
| Additional references or marginal notations | $1.00 each (per additional reference indexed) |
| Copies, per page | $5.00 |
| Certification | $4.00 |
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)).
Without a documentary transfer tax payment or a stated SB2/AB1466 exemption, the schedule lists standard pages at $91.00 first page and $3.00 per additional page. Double documents and combined documents: $14.00 per additional title with SB2 and AB1466 exemption stated, $91.00 per additional title without (Gov. Code 27361.1, 27388.1, 27388.2). Release of Lien by a Public Agency: $20.00 (Gov. Code 27361.3). Maps: $9.00, $2.00 per additional page. Filed documents (building contracts): $6.00. UCC filings: 1 or 2 pages $10.00 with exemption / $87.00 without; 3 or more pages $20.00 / $97.00. Involuntary Lien Notice Notification $7.00; Preliminary Lien Notice Notification $35.00. If there is not enough room for the Recorder's endorsement (approximately 3 inches by 3 inches) at the top of the first page, an additional $3.00 fee is charged for a separate page. PCOR fee (no PCOR with deed) $20.00 (Rev. & Tax. 480.3/Resolution 85-1260).
Paying the office
| Accepted | Cash, Check, Money order, Credit card, Debit card |
|---|---|
| Checks payable to | County Recorder |
| Card fee | An additional $2.50 convenience fee applies with the use of a credit or debit card. |
By mail: check or money order from bank or Post Office only. The office cannot take payment over the phone.
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).
Sonoma County transfer tax: $0.55 per $500.00, minus any loans assumed in the sale; the county rate includes the cities of Cloverdale, Cotati, Healdsburg, Rohnert Park, Sebastopol, Sonoma and the Town of Windsor (Sonoma County Ordinance No. 1058). Santa Rosa City Transfer Tax and Petaluma City Transfer Tax: $2.00 per $1,000.00 each, collected in addition to the county transfer tax, with no exemption for assumed loans.
Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: Recorder Fee Schedule | County of Sonoma · Payment Information | County of Sonoma · Recording Requirements | County of Sonoma · Documentary Transfer Tax | County of Sonoma · 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) |
| Cover sheet | Optional |
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.
Only the address to which the document is being returned is entered in the return area, leaving a 2 inch margin from top of page. The Recorder's endorsement needs approximately 3 inches by 3 inches at the top of the first page.
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 address for mailing tax statements should be at the bottom of the first page. Documents affecting title to real property must be properly acknowledged. Documents shall be identified as to type, and names of parties to be indexed must be contained in the document. For recording purposes, two printed sides of a single sheet equal two standard pages.
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 | Recorded documents are microfilmed as a permanent record and the original document is returned to the customer after filming. A free conformed copy is provided upon recording when a photocopy of the document and a self-addressed stamped envelope are included. |
Documents may be left enclosed in a secured envelope or package in the Drop Box outside the front door. Submissions must include the original signed document (a photocopy is not acceptable), payment, and a separate page with contact name, phone number, and email address.
Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: Clerk-Recorder | County of Sonoma · Recording Requirements | County of Sonoma · Building Homes and Jobs Act Fee | County of Sonoma · 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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