Sonoma County, California • Recorder guide • October 2026
Sonoma County Recorder: Deeds, Property Records, Online Search, Fees & Office
The Sonoma County Recorder records and maintains deeds, deeds of trust, liens, easements, reconveyances and other documents affecting real property in Sonoma County, California.
The Recorder is part of the Clerk-Recorder-Assessor department. The official online records index is available to the public, while copies and certified documents can be ordered separately.
The Recorder’s Office is at 585 Fiscal Drive, Room 103, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. Deva Marie Proto is the elected County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor-Registrar of Voters.
Quick reference
Sonoma County Recorder Office Facts
The Recorder accepts qualifying documents for recording, preserves them and maintains an index so people can locate recorded instruments.
The office does not prepare deeds or give legal advice. The county specifically warns that its staff cannot advise which form to use or how to complete a legal document.
Need a recorded deed? Use the Recorder’s online document search. Need assessed value or property characteristics? Contact the Assessor’s Office instead.
Public online index
How to Search Sonoma County Deeds and Recorded Records
Sonoma County provides an online Official Records search system. It is intended for searching the county’s recorded-document index.
The index is primarily based on grantor and grantee names. It is not a complete property-title report or a guaranteed history of every parcel.
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Open the official Document Records Search.
Start with Sonoma County’s online record-search disclaimer.
Open Sonoma Records Search -
Review the disclaimer and accept it.
Read the county’s notice describing the limitations of index information.
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Search the relevant party name.
Use the grantor or grantee name and try alternative spellings where necessary.
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Compare matching records.
Review document type, recording date, document number and indexed parties.
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Identify the correct instrument.
Keep its recording or document number before requesting a copy.
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Order the document when needed.
Use the available online copy service or the Clerk-Recorder’s copy desk.
After opening this link: select I Accept, use the available search fields, review the result list and record the document number.
If an owner name produces no match, try a prior owner, trust name or spelling variation.
Can you search Sonoma deeds by address?
The Recorder’s index is designed around the names appearing in recorded documents, not a complete address-based ownership history.
If you only know a street address, begin with the Assessor’s property information to identify the parcel and relevant ownership details.
Some recorded documents include Assessor’s Parcel Numbers, but not every transfer or recorded instrument can be located reliably by parcel number.
For a property purchase or disputed title, use a qualified title professional or attorney.
What types of records can you find?
Documents commonly used to transfer real property interests.
Instruments conveying whatever interest the grantor may hold.
Recorded security instruments connected with real-estate loans.
Documents that may show release of a deed-of-trust lien.
Recorded notices or claims that may affect real property.
Documents involving access or another legally recognized property right.
Local office and directions
Sonoma County Recorder Address, Phone, Hours and Google Map
Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder
Clerk-Recorder-Assessor: Deva Marie Proto
County Clerk-Recorder Office585 Fiscal Drive, Room 103
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Phone: 707-565-3800
24-hour information: 707-565-3700
Fax: 707-565-3905
Email: ClerkRecorder@sonomacounty.gov
Office hours
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8:00 AM–5:00 PM.
Wednesday: 8:00 AM–4:00 PM.
Telephone service: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–4:00 PM.
The county’s recording guidance lists in-person recording until 4:00 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and until 3:00 PM on Wednesday.
County guidance also notes that fee transactions and document processing stop within 30 minutes of closing. Arrive early for time-sensitive documents.
After opening this link: review the current office hours, recording cutoff, mailing address and delivery instructions before visiting.
Recording procedure
How to Record a Deed in Sonoma County
A new deed should be properly prepared, signed and acknowledged before it is submitted for recording.
Sonoma County does not provide deed forms or choose the right form for an owner. Different deed types have different legal consequences.
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Prepare the appropriate deed.
Confirm the legal description, names of grantors and grantees, and intended transfer.
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Check signatures and notarization.
Documents affecting title generally require a properly acknowledged signature.
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Include the parcel number.
The Assessor’s Parcel Number must appear on the first page of a document transferring title.
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Prepare the Preliminary Change of Ownership Report.
Sonoma requires a PCOR with a deed or Affidavit of Death when applicable.
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State transfer-tax treatment.
Include the documentary transfer tax declaration or applicable exemption statement on the deed.
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Calculate the recording charges.
Check page fees, documentary transfer tax and any Building Homes and Jobs Act fee.
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Submit the original document.
Use in-person recording, mail, the county drop box or an authorized electronic-recording method.
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Keep the recorded document details.
Save the document number and returned copy for future reference.
Sonoma County deed checklist
Grantor: correct name of the person or entity transferring the property interest.
Grantee: correct recipient name and intended ownership designation.
Legal description: full and accurate description of the property.
APN: parcel number on the first page.
Notary: proper acknowledgement of the grantor’s signature.
Return address: address for the recorded document.
Tax statement address: mailing address for future property-tax statements.
PCOR: Preliminary Change of Ownership Report when required.
Transfer-tax declaration: tax statement or applicable exemption.
After opening this link: review the deed requirements, ownership considerations, PCOR information, transfer-tax rules and recording-fee guidance.
Submission methods
Recording by Mail, In Person, Drop Box or Electronically
Bring the original document and correct payment during recording counter hours.
Send the original document, payment and contact information to the Clerk-Recorder.
Place documents inside a secured envelope or package and use the drop box outside the office.
Eligible documents may be submitted through an authorized eRecording process.
Mailing address
Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder
585 Fiscal Drive, Room 103
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
The county instructs filers to include an original signed document, payment payable to County Recorder, and a separate page showing the submitter’s name, phone number and email.
Include a photocopy of the document and a self-addressed stamped envelope along with the original recording submission.
Sonoma County’s recording instructions say an original signed document is required for regular recording.
Recording costs
Sonoma County Recorder Fees and California SB 2 Charges
Sonoma County recording fees depend on the document type, number of pages, indexing, tax treatment and applicable fee exemptions.
Some recordings also require documentary transfer tax and California’s Building Homes and Jobs Act fee.
California’s Building Homes and Jobs Act charge has statutory exemptions and a fee cap.
Where an exemption applies, the county requires the basis to appear on the face of the document or permitted cover sheet.
Page count, document titles and nonstandard pages can change the charge.
A Sonoma recording-fee example can differ substantially depending on whether the document qualifies for an SB 2 exemption.
Do not assume that every deed costs the same amount. Verify the current first-page fee and additional charges on the county’s official schedule.
After opening this link: select Recorder Fee Schedule. Match the document type, page count, transfer-tax treatment and SB 2 exemption.
Call 707-565-3800 if you need the exact amount before mailing the deed.
SB 2 fee exemptions
California provides exemptions for certain documents, including some instruments recorded in connection with a transfer subject to documentary transfer tax.
Other exemptions may apply to qualifying residential transfers or government recordings. An exemption must meet the legal requirements.
After opening this link: locate the Building Homes and Jobs Act section and review the fee and exemption instructions.
California and city-specific costs
Sonoma County Documentary Transfer Tax
Documentary transfer tax generally applies when real property is transferred for taxable consideration, unless a legal exemption applies.
Sonoma County’s standard documentary transfer tax rate is $0.55 per $500, or fraction thereof, of taxable consideration.
Some city transfers have an additional local real-estate transfer tax.
Illustrative transfer-tax example
$400,000 ÷ $500 = 800 taxable units.
800 × $0.55 = $440 in illustrative county documentary transfer tax.
This example excludes any additional city tax, recording charges and qualifying exemptions.
Santa Rosa and Petaluma considerations
Local transfer-tax rules can increase the total cost for some Sonoma County properties within city boundaries.
County materials identify additional city transfer taxes in Santa Rosa and Petaluma. Verify the current municipal rate and effective date before estimating costs.
A deed stating nominal consideration may still be subject to transfer-tax rules based on the actual transaction.
Family transfers, trusts and estate-related conveyances can have different tax consequences. Seek legal or tax advice where appropriate.
Recorded deed copies
How to Get a Sonoma County Grant Deed or Certified Copy
Sonoma County provides several ways to obtain copies of recorded deeds and other official instruments.
Find the document number first using the official online index. The copy desk requires identifying information to locate the requested document.
County consumer guidance lists this price for an online official-record download, plus an online transaction fee.
Published county copy-request pricing for paper records.
Additional certification charge for a qualifying official copy.
The county’s consumer guidance also lists a $2 online transaction fee and different card convenience fees for in-person payments.
Requesting copies by mail
Address the request to:
Sonoma County Recorder
Attn: Copy Desk
585 Fiscal Drive, Room 103
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Include the document number or book/page reference, record type, number of pages and correct payment.
Include a self-addressed stamped envelope when possible. County consumer guidance indicates mailed copy requests can take two to three weeks to process.
After opening this link: read the Grant Deeds section for online, in-person and mail copy options.
Compare the county’s published charges with any private company requesting a large payment for a deed copy.
Related county offices
Recorder vs. Assessor vs. Property Tax Collector
Real-estate records, assessment information and property-tax collection are related but separate government functions.
County Recorder
Recorded deeds, deeds of trust, liens, reconveyances and certified copies.
Room 103
County Assessor
Assessed property value, assessment records and qualifying assessment exclusions.
585 Fiscal Drive, Room 104F
Tax Collector
Property-tax bills, tax payments, delinquency and payment-related questions.
Contact the county Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector for tax collection services.
After opening this link: review Assessor contact details and use the linked assessment resources for value or property-characteristic questions.
The recorder’s index can help locate documents, but it does not determine legal ownership or guarantee that a property’s title is clear.
Fraud prevention
Sonoma County Deed Scams, Liens and Property-Record Safety
Sonoma County warns residents about private solicitations offering deed copies or property assessment profiles at inflated prices.
Some notices imitate government paperwork. Do not pay an unfamiliar company merely because it references a recorded deed or lien.
Unexpected recorded lien
The county has warned about fraudulent payment requests describing tax investigations or public lien records.
Before paying, use the official document index to determine whether a matching recording exists.
If you locate a recorded lien and have questions, contact the Recorder with its document number.
After opening this link: compare any suspicious notice with the county’s described grant-deed and lien scams.
Call 707-565-3800 to verify the recording information before making payment.
Unlawful restrictive covenants
California law provides a process to remove certain unlawful discriminatory restrictions from recorded property documents.
Sonoma County supplies Restrictive Covenant Modification information and forms. Eligible modifications can be recorded without a fee.
After opening this link: choose the appropriate modification form, follow the redaction or affordable-housing instructions and submit the required supporting documents.
Do not assume that a neighboring California county’s owner-alert system covers Sonoma property.
Use Sonoma’s own recorder search and current county guidance to verify available monitoring options.
Special deed situations
Trusts, Death of an Owner, Mortgage Payoff and Deed Changes
Adding or removing someone from a deed
Changing the names on a deed can alter ownership rights and trigger property-tax reassessment or transfer-tax questions.
The county cannot select the correct deed type or advise you how to hold title.
Property held in a trust
Transfers involving a revocable trust, an irrevocable trust or a change in trustees may require specific instruments and assessment forms.
Do not assume that every trust-related transfer is automatically exempt from tax or reassessment.
Death of a property owner
Sonoma County’s updating-deeds guidance identifies an Affidavit of Death as a document that may require a PCOR.
Whether a deed, affidavit, court order or probate document is appropriate depends on the ownership arrangement.
After paying off a mortgage
A California deed of trust is generally released through a recorded reconveyance or other appropriate instrument.
Search the recorder index for a reconveyance associated with the borrower, lender or recorded deed of trust.
Recorder staff preserve and index documents. They cannot determine whether a particular deed, affidavit or trust document legally accomplishes the intended transfer.
Avoid delays
Common Sonoma Recorder Search and Filing Mistakes
Searching by address alone: the Recorder’s main index is a grantor/grantee name index.
Missing alternate names: search prior owners, trustee names and variations in spelling.
Using a photocopy to record: the county generally requires the original signed document.
Leaving out the APN: title-transfer documents require an Assessor’s Parcel Number on the first page.
Omitting the PCOR: check Preliminary Change of Ownership Report requirements.
Missing the tax statement: include the documentary transfer-tax declaration or applicable exemption.
Assuming SB 2 always applies: review the statutory exemptions before calculating payment.
Arriving too late: recorder processing stops earlier than general office closing.
Paying a private deed-copy mailer: compare charges with the official copy desk.
Common questions
Sonoma County Recorder FAQs
Where is the Sonoma County Recorder’s Office?
The Sonoma County Recorder is at 585 Fiscal Drive, Room 103, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.
Who is the Sonoma County Recorder?
Deva Marie Proto is Sonoma County’s Clerk-Recorder-Assessor-Registrar of Voters. The Recorder’s Office phone number is 707-565-3800.
Can I search Sonoma County deeds online?
Yes. Sonoma County provides an official online recorded-document search system. It is primarily a grantor/grantee name index.
Can I search Sonoma County Recorder records by address?
The Recorder’s primary index is based on recorded party names. Start with Assessor information if you only know the street address.
What documents are required to record a deed in Sonoma County?
A deed generally needs correct parties, a legal description, acknowledged signatures, an APN, a documentary transfer-tax declaration and a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report.
How much does it cost to record a deed in Sonoma County?
Recording costs depend on document pages, titles, indexing, transfer tax and applicable exemptions. Review the county’s current Recorder Fee Schedule before paying.
What is the Sonoma County documentary transfer tax rate?
The standard county documentary transfer tax rate is $0.55 per $500, or fraction thereof, of taxable consideration. Certain cities may impose additional transfer taxes.
How much does a Sonoma County deed copy cost?
County guidance lists an online download at $4 per document plus a transaction fee, and paper copies at $5 per page. Certification costs extra.
Can I mail documents for recording?
Yes. Mail the original signed document, required payment and contact details to the Clerk-Recorder at 585 Fiscal Drive, Room 103, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.
Can Recorder staff prepare or change my deed?
No. Sonoma County Recorder staff cannot prepare deeds, choose deed forms or provide legal advice about transferring property.
Government resources
Official Sonoma County Recorder Links and Forms
Use the county’s official services for document searches, filing requirements, copy requests and ownership-related information.