Santa Cruz County Recorder: Deeds & Records

The Recorder’s Office is inside the County Government Center, Room 230. Check holiday closures before traveling.

Santa Cruz County provides a searchable online index of official records recorded from 1978 to the present.

You can search the index by party name, document number or document type. The index is public, but recorded document images are not freely displayed online.

1. Open the Official Records Database Inquiry.

   Use the county’s own search system rather than a third-party people-search website.

   Open Official Records Search
2. Choose how to search.

   The portal supports a party name, document type/title or document ID.

3. Enter the date range.

   A date range is required. Start with a likely year, then expand the range if you find nothing.

4. Submit the search.

   Review the matching index entries, recording dates, party names and document references.

5. Identify the correct document.

   Compare grantor and grantee names, document type and recording information.

6. Order the image if needed.

   Use the county’s online copy-ordering system, or request a copy in person or by mail.

Why Can’t I See the Deed Image Directly?

California law restricts public internet display of recorded documents. Santa Cruz provides index searching online and allows customers to purchase copies.

You can view recorded documents without charge at the Recorder’s Office during public service hours.

The Recorder’s index is organized primarily by names, recording dates and document numbers, not by a complete property-specific file.

Start with the Assessor to identify the property and available owner information. Then search the Recorder’s index using the relevant parties.

Useful Local Search Tips

Santa Cruz County allows recorded document copies to be ordered online, in person or by mail.

For the fastest request, have the document number, recording year, party name and document type ready.

Regular Copies and Certified Copies

A four-page deed would have a $4 copy charge. Certification adds $3, making the basic certified-copy cost $7 before any applicable online service charges.

The Santa Cruz County Recorder accepts documents authorized or required by California law to be recorded.

Recording staff cannot prepare your deed, choose a legal form or advise how ownership should be transferred.

1. Make sure the property is in Santa Cruz County.

   A deed must be recorded with the county recorder responsible for the property’s location.

2. Prepare the correct legal instrument.

   Confirm grantor, grantee, legal description and the type of deed being recorded.

3. Check signatures and acknowledgment.

   Deeds generally require properly executed signatures and notarial acknowledgment.

4. Check first-page formatting.

   Reserve the required space for recording information, including the return address and Recorder’s stamp.

5. Prepare the PCOR when required.

   A Preliminary Change of Ownership Report is generally submitted with qualifying ownership transfers.

6. Review transfer tax and state recording fees.

   Documentary transfer tax and SB 2 charges may apply. Exemptions must be supported by the appropriate legal basis.

7. Submit the document and payment.

   Use the Recorder counter, authorized mail submission or after-hours drop box.

First-Page Document Requirements

Recording costs depend on the document title, page count and any applicable state or county surcharges.

The county’s published 2025 fee schedule lists the following amounts. Confirm whether an updated schedule applies before submitting a document in 2026.

Why a Deed May Cost More Than the Base Fee

The Recorder’s schedule lists a separate real estate fraud fee for certain instruments, including quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, reconveyances and several lien documents.

The SB 2 housing fee can also apply unless an exemption is properly established.

Santa Cruz County’s Recorder FAQ lists documentary transfer tax at $0.55 per $500 of value, or fraction of $500.

The tax generally applies to transfers where the consideration or value exceeds $100, unless a statutory exemption applies.

This example excludes recording charges and any separate municipal tax or additional transaction-specific obligation.

Transfers without a cash payment can still have tax consequences. An exemption should be claimed only when supported by law.

Santa Cruz County reports a digitized records collection extending back to 1850.

The online index covers records from 1978 onward. Older material is located through historical indexes, microfilm and the county’s Digital Reel system.

How Older Names May Appear

The Recorder explains that older electronic indexes sometimes abbreviated names such as Bank, Company and Trustee.

From January 1, 2010 onward, party names are indexed without those historical word abbreviations.

Recorder records can help you identify documents such as deeds of trust, mechanics’ liens, releases and reconveyances.

Search the names of owners and other parties, then review the recording history for relevant instruments.

After Paying Off a Mortgage

Paying off your mortgage does not mean the Recorder sends you a new deed.

The lender normally arranges a reconveyance or release to show that the deed of trust has been satisfied.

Real estate fraud can involve unauthorized deeds, false ownership claims or other suspicious recorded instruments.

Santa Cruz County’s recording page describes a Fraud Alert service intended to notify property owners about potentially fraudulent activity.

Discriminatory Restrictive Covenant Language

California law provides a process for reviewing and modifying recorded documents containing unlawful discriminatory restrictions.

The county’s restrictive-covenant program reviews identified language and routes proposed modifications through County Counsel.

This process concerns unlawful restrictions in recorded documents, not ordinary disputes about ownership boundaries or title.

These county resources provide the official instructions for searches, document requests, fees and recording procedures.