Butte County, California • Recorder and land records • Reviewed October 2026
Butte County Recorder: Search Deeds, Property Records, Copies & Recording Fees
The Butte County Recorder maintains official documents affecting real property in Butte County, California. These include grant deeds, deeds of trust, reconveyances, liens, easements and recorded maps.
You can search the public records index online, identify a document and order a regular or certified copy through the county.
If you need to record a new deed, check the document requirements and applicable fees before visiting the Clerk-Recorder’s Office in Oroville.
Start here
Butte County Recorder Quick Facts
The office also closes from 8:30 AM to 9 AM on the first Wednesday of each month. Holiday closures may change availability.
This guide covers Butte County, California, including Oroville, Chico, Paradise, Gridley and Biggs. Butte County, South Dakota has a separate Register of Deeds.
Choose your task
Which Recorder Service Do You Need?
Official records lookup
How to Search Butte County Deeds and Recorded Documents
The county provides an online Official Records Look-Up service. It is intended for finding recorded documents and ordering copies.
A recorded document is usually easier to identify using a grantor, grantee or other party’s name, a recording date or a document reference.
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Open the county’s official lookup page.
Use the Clerk-Recorder website rather than a third-party people-search service.
Open Official Record Look-UpAfter opening: select Official Records Look Up under Online Services to enter the county’s record-search system. -
Enter the information you have.
Search using the appropriate party name or document information offered by the portal.
For an older transaction, try the former property owner’s name or a different spelling.
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Check the recording details.
Compare the document type, date, parties and document identifier with the transaction you are researching.
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Keep the Document ID or recording reference.
The county’s ordering instructions use the party name and Document ID to help identify the record.
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Order the complete document when needed.
Butte County sells complete recorded documents, not individual selected pages from a document.
Start with the Assessor’s address or APN search to identify the correct parcel. Then return to the Recorder’s index with the relevant ownership and transaction details.
A parcel assessment record is not, by itself, proof of legal ownership.
Copies and certification
How to Get a Copy of a Butte County Deed
You may need a deed copy for a refinance, estate matter, title review or personal records. A certified copy is different from a regular informational copy.
Regular copy
Use a regular copy when you only need to read or retain the recorded document.
First page: $5
Each additional page: $2.50
Certified copy
A certified copy is appropriate when the receiving institution specifically requests recorder certification.
First page: $10
Each additional page: $2.50
The county also lists a $12 digital-format fee on its Official Record Look-Up page.
Credit-card orders are returned by regular mail unless expedited UPS delivery is requested.
Open official copy-order informationThe copy-order prices above are from the county’s public lookup page. Confirm current charges before paying, particularly for special formats or delivery.
New deeds and instruments
Recording a Deed in Butte County: Requirements and Steps
The Recorder accepts legally recordable documents affecting real property. It does not prepare deeds or advise which ownership arrangement a person should choose.
California’s recording requirements include legibility, signatures, acknowledgment, formatting and sufficient recording information.
Prepare the correct legal instrument
A grant deed, quitclaim deed, deed of trust, reconveyance or other instrument must match the transaction being documented.
Check signatures and notarization
Recorded deeds generally require original signatures and a legally sufficient acknowledgment unless an exception applies.
Review page formatting
The county specifies at least half-inch side margins and a reserved recording area at the top of the first page.
Confirm tax declarations and supporting documents
Check whether documentary transfer tax, a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report or a specific exemption statement applies.
Submit during recording hours
Present the complete instrument and applicable payment during the county’s recording window.
Open California deed-format checklist
- Original signatures unless an applicable law permits another method.
- Correct acknowledgment or other required proof of execution.
- Readable text, attachments and notary information.
- At least half-inch side margins.
- Top 2.5 inches of page one reserved for recording information.
- Recording requester and return-mail information in the designated area.
- Document title on the first page beneath the recording space.
- Reference to the original recording when modifying or releasing an earlier document.
A recording does not guarantee that the document correctly transfers title or resolves legal defects. Use a qualified California attorney or title professional when the transaction is uncertain.
Costs before filing
Butte County Recorder Fees, Transfer Tax and Extra Charges
Recording a deed can involve several charges. The base page fee is only one part of the possible total.
The county recording FAQs identify the $15 first-page and $3 additional-page charges. Its fee publications also describe special fees and statutory surcharges.
Under California’s Building Homes and Jobs Act, a $75 fee can apply to qualifying recorded instruments. Exemptions and a statutory cap can affect the amount owed.
Documentary transfer tax is based on consideration or value subject to tax. Transfers qualifying for statutory exemptions may be treated differently.
At the published $15 first-page and $3 second-page rates, the basic recording charge would be $18.
This does not include any applicable SB 2 charge, documentary transfer tax, additional indexing fee or other document-specific fee.
Fee figures should be confirmed using the current county fee schedule because statutory and county-adopted charges may change.
Visit or contact
Butte County Clerk-Recorder Address, Hours and Google Map
Butte County Clerk-Recorder — Recorder Division
Street address: 155 Nelson Avenue, Oroville, CA 95965
Phone: 530-552-3400, Option 2
Fax: 530-538-7975
Email: recorders@buttecounty.ca.gov
Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–5 PM
Recording hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–4 PM
Lunch closure: 12 PM–1 PM
The office also reports a delayed 9 AM opening on the first Wednesday of each month.
If you are traveling from Chico, Paradise, Gridley or another Butte County community, check office hours and document requirements before driving to Oroville. Parking and entrance conditions should be confirmed on arrival.
Find the right government office
Recorder vs Assessor: How to Find Property by Address or APN
A property address search and a recorded deed search are not identical.
The Butte County Assessor maintains parcel descriptions, assessed values and assessment maps. The Recorder maintains the recorded instruments.
Use the Assessor for
- Street-address property lookup
- Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN)
- Land and improvement values
- Assessment exemptions
- Parcel maps
Use the Recorder for
- Grant deeds and quitclaim deeds
- Deeds of trust
- Reconveyances
- Recorded liens and releases
- Easements and recorded maps
How the APN helps
Butte County uses an Assessor’s Parcel Number to identify parcels for assessment. The county gives an example such as 036-011-015.
Assessor parcel maps are arranged by book and page. In that example, the corresponding map is Book 36, Page 01.
An APN and tax map help locate assessed property. Recorded deeds and other instruments must be reviewed when researching legal interests or ownership history.
Other local records services
Liens, Recorded Maps and Restrictive Covenant Modifications
Liens and releases
The Recorder’s index may contain mechanic’s liens, tax liens and releases or reconveyances. A recorded filing must be evaluated in its legal context.
Recording a release and actually resolving the underlying obligation are distinct matters.
Subdivision and survey maps
Recorded assessment, survey, parcel and subdivision maps may be obtained through the Recorder.
Assessor maps are prepared for property-assessment purposes and should not be substituted for a boundary survey or recorded legal instrument.
Restrictive Covenant Modification Program
Butte County maintains a process for modifying recorded documents containing unlawful discriminatory restrictive covenants under California law.
Open Restrictive Covenant Modification ProgramAvoid expensive mistakes
Common Butte County Deed and Recording Problems
Searching only by address: use the Assessor first to identify the parcel and property details.
Ordering the wrong instrument: compare the recorded date, parties and document reference before paying.
Sending an incomplete deed: review signatures, acknowledgment, legal description and formatting requirements.
Underpaying fees: calculate possible SB 2, documentary transfer tax, indexing and other charges in addition to page fees.
Assuming recording equals legal approval: recording does not establish that a document is legally effective for every purpose.
Missing the 4 PM cutoff: general office hours continue later than recording hours.
What to do next
Choose the Correct Next Step
Need the deed itself? Search the Recorder’s official records index.
Know only the street address? Find the APN and parcel information with the Assessor.
Need a certified deed? Use the Recorder copy-order process and verify the Document ID.
Recording a new transfer? Review recording requirements, PCOR and possible tax charges first.
Dispute a lien or ownership right? Contact an attorney or title professional; Recorder staff cannot decide the legal dispute.
Common questions
Butte County Recorder FAQs
Where is the Butte County Recorder’s Office?
The Butte County Clerk-Recorder is at 155 Nelson Avenue, Oroville, CA 95965.
What is the Butte County Recorder phone number?
Call 530-552-3400 and select Option 2 for the Recorder Division.
How do I find a deed recorded in Butte County?
Open the county’s Official Record Look-Up page and select its Official Records search service. Search with available party names or document references.
Can I search Butte County property by street address?
Yes. Use the Butte County Assessor Parcel Search, which supports address and APN lookups. Use the Recorder to research recorded instruments.
How much is a regular recorded deed copy?
The county lists $5 for the first page and $2.50 for each additional page of a regular copy.
How much is a certified recorded document copy?
The county’s lookup page lists $10 for the first page and $2.50 for each additional page.
What are the Butte County Recorder recording hours?
Recording hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4 PM, with a lunch closure from noon to 1 PM.
Does recording a deed require notarization?
California deeds generally require a legally sufficient acknowledgment or other authorized proof of execution before recording. Exceptions depend on the document and applicable law.
Does Butte County charge the California SB 2 recording fee?
A $75 Building Homes and Jobs Act charge may apply to certain recorded real estate instruments. Statutory exemptions and the applicable cap can affect the fee.
Will the Recorder prepare or correct my deed?
No. The Recorder provides recording requirements but cannot give legal advice or prepare your legal instrument. A qualified attorney or title professional can assist.
Official references
Butte County Government Resources
These are official county sources for the procedures, fees, contacts and search tools discussed above.
Independent Information Notice
This article is an independent guide and is not the official website of Butte County, the Clerk-Recorder, the Assessor or any California government agency.
Recording and copy fees, office procedures and legal requirements may change. Check the official county website before submitting documents or payment.
This article does not provide legal advice. Public property records must not be used for employment, tenant screening, credit, insurance or other purposes regulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act.