Madera County Recorder: Deeds & Records

Official agency

Madera County Clerk-Recorder

County Clerk-Recorder

Rebecca Martinez

Recorder location

200 W. 4th Street, Suite 1400, Madera, CA 93637

Recorder contact

559-675-7724

Email

RecorderInfo@maderacounty.com

Public service hours

Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM

Recording acceptance

Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM

Online record index

Mid-1980 to present, updated daily

Madera provides an online index of official records, including deeds, recorded liens and deeds of trust.

The modern searchable index covers records from approximately mid-1980 onward. Earlier records from 1893 through 1979 are held in historical indexes.

1. Open the county’s official search portal.

   Use the Tyler-hosted Madera County Clerk-Recorder Online Index.

   Open Online Index

   After opening: read the disclaimer and select I Accept. Then choose the available official-records search option.

2. Search by a recorded party’s name.

   For a sale, try the buyer’s name as grantee or the seller’s name as grantor. Try spelling variations where needed.

3. Use a useful time period.

   Enter an approximate recording year when you know it, or expand the search period if the first results are empty.

4. Review the indexed matches.

   Compare recording date, names, document title and recording reference before deciding which instrument you need.

5. Save the reference and order a copy.

   Record the document number or book/page reference. The underlying document image must be reviewed through the Recorder’s copy or in-office services.

What you can and cannot search

Need a deed recorded before 1980?

Madera maintains 1893–1979 records in historical indexes and microfilm collections.

The county has also identified a historical grantor/grantee index. Start from its official index page and confirm the historical index’s current availability.

After opening: look for the current-record and historical-record index options. If a legacy document is not accessible online, ask the Recorder to help locate it.

Plan to arrive before 4:00 PM if you need a document recorded. The public business hours are longer than the recording acceptance window.

The Madera County Recorder accepts documents affecting real estate located within Madera County.

The office checks documents for recordability and collects required fees and taxes. It does not decide whether a deed is legally appropriate for your situation.

1. Prepare the legally appropriate deed.

   Use a qualified attorney or title professional if you are uncertain about grant deeds, quitclaim deeds, trusts, inheritance or co-ownership.

2. Check the legal description and APN.

   The county requires the nine-digit Assessor’s Parcel Number on conveyance documents. A street address alone may not satisfy the legal-description requirement.

3. Check signatures and notarization.

   Original signatures and a proper acknowledgment are generally required unless a legal exception applies.

4. Include the Preliminary Change of Ownership Report.

   For ownership changes, include the completed PCOR, Form BOE-502-A, when required.

5. Calculate every applicable charge.

   Account for page fees, documentary transfer tax, the possible SB 2 housing fee and any document-specific charges.

6. Submit the document.

   Record in person during the acceptance window or mail the properly prepared original to the Recorder’s published address.

7. Keep the recording information.

   Madera says the original recorded document is generally returned to the address shown on its first page within two to three weeks after recording and archival processing.

After opening: review the signature, acknowledgment, APN, return-address, page-size and transfer-tax requirements before submitting.

Formatting issues that can delay recording

California document recording costs are more than the basic page fee.

Madera’s published fee information includes the following charges. Check the current schedule for document-specific additions or exemptions.

Example: Two-page deed

The $17 example excludes documentary transfer tax, the SB 2 fee when applicable, and any other recording surcharges.

Documentary transfer tax

Madera lists a standard county documentary transfer tax of $0.55 per $500 of consideration or value, equivalent to $1.10 per $1,000.

For example, a taxable transfer valued at $400,000 would produce $440 in county documentary transfer tax under that rate.

The county provides transfer-tax exemptions for certain transactions. Whether a particular transfer qualifies requires examining the legal facts.

SB 2 Building Homes and Jobs Act fee

An additional $75 can apply to certain real-property recordings, subject to statutory exemptions and a transaction cap.

Documents connected with a transaction subject to documentary transfer tax or with a qualifying owner-occupied residential transfer can fall within the published exemptions.

Do not simply add $75 to every deed. Check whether the fee applies and whether the recording document must state an exemption.

After opening: review the recording, transfer-tax, PCOR and housing-fee sections. Check whether your document qualifies for an exception.

Madera offers public inspection of recorded documents at the Recorder’s Office without a viewing charge.

If you need a copy sent to you, identify the document in the online index first.

1. Search the online index.

   Find the relevant grant deed, quitclaim deed, deed of trust, lien or reconveyance.

2. Write down its reference.

   Save the recording number or book/page information.

3. Open the county’s Copy Request form.

   The official Online Index page links to the form.

   Open Online Index and Copy Request

   After opening: locate Copy Request.ONLINE, download the form, and enter the requested document references.

4. Email the request.

   Send the completed form to RecorderInfo@maderacounty.com.

5. Complete payment with staff.

   The county says staff will contact you for card payment once the order is ready to process.

Example: Certified four-page deed

Madera County introduced a property recording courtesy notification program in May 2025.

When certain documents affecting ownership are recorded, the county mails notice to the current owner listed with the Assessor.

Common examples include grant deeds and quitclaim deeds. The notice can include the first two pages of the recorded document.

What if a notice arrives unexpectedly?

First check whether you recently transferred property, added a family member, refinanced or placed the home into a trust.

If the document is unfamiliar, contact the Recorder at 559-675-7724. Have the recording date and document number available.

A courtesy notification is not an official finding of fraud. A mistaken APN or another indexing issue can also create confusion.

After opening: read the county’s example situations and FAQ. Compare the notice to any recent deed or refinancing activity before contacting staff.

After opening the Assessor: use the Parcel Search & Information service to identify the APN or assessable owner. For taxes, the Collector’s page provides payment options and explains the 12-digit assessment-number requirement.

Electronic recording

Madera supports electronic recording for government offices, title companies, attorneys, lenders and other authorized submitters.

This is a professional submission process, not an unrestricted public deed-upload website.

After opening: check the participating submitter requirements. Professionals can use eRecordingSupport@maderacounty.com for support.

Recorded maps

Madera maintains subdivision, parcel, survey and assessment maps filed with the Recorder.

The official fee schedule lists different prices for 11 × 17-inch prints, larger prints and digital map copies.

Vital records and county clerk services

The broader Clerk-Recorder department also handles vital records, marriage-related services and certain county clerk filings.

Divorce judgments, building permits, zoning violations and blueprints are not maintained as Recorder services. Contact the responsible court or county department instead.