Nevada County Recorder: Deeds & Records

Official agency

Nevada County Clerk-Recorder

County Clerk-Recorder

Armando Salud-Ambriz

Office address

950 Maidu Avenue, Suite 210, Nevada City, CA 95959

Phone number

530-265-1221

Email

NC.Recorder@nevadacountyca.gov

Public office hours

Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM, excluding holidays

Online grantor/grantee index

1987 to present

Earlier records

Pre-1987 indexes available on microfilm at the Recorder’s Office

Nevada County provides an online grantor-grantee index covering documents recorded from 1987 onward.

The county explains exactly how to search by party name, document category and recording date. You do not need to know the property’s full legal description to begin a name search.

1. Open the official recorded-document search page.

   Use Nevada County’s own Clerk-Recorder website.

   Open Nevada County Records Search

   After opening: select the county’s online search link in the Search section.

2. Choose grantor or grantee.

   Select a Party Type. A grantor generally transfers an interest, while a grantee receives one.

3. Enter the person’s name.

   The county instructs users to enter the last name first, followed by the first name. For example: SMITH JOE.

   Search requirement: the name must contain at least three characters.

4. Choose a document category, if known.

   Select a document type to narrow results, or leave the category as N/A to search across document types.

5. Set the date range.

   Add approximate starting and ending dates when known. Leaving the dates blank allows a broader search of available records.

6. Review the results near the bottom of the screen.

   The county notes that search results appear farther down the page. Scroll to the results rather than assuming nothing happened.

7. Identify the correct recorded instrument.

   Compare the recording date, document type, parties and recording reference before ordering a copy.

Understanding the search results

What if the deed does not appear?

Check alternate spellings, prior owner names, maiden names and the possible recording year. A document may also have been recorded under a trust or business name.

If you only know a street address, use the Assessor’s property information to identify an owner or parcel before searching the name-based Recorder index.

For a recently recorded document, check the next business day’s index or contact the Recorder if the expected filing is still missing.

Before visiting: check the Clerk-Recorder page for holiday closures and any updated appointment or service instructions.

The Recorder maintains a broad range of instruments affecting real estate and public records.

The county’s official responsibilities page identifies deeds, liens, maps, homestead declarations, mining claims and many other recorded documents.

The Recorder also handles marriage records, certain vital records and military discharge documents.

A deed must meet California recording requirements before the county can accept it.

The Recorder reviews documents for recordability. It does not prepare deeds, choose the correct form or guarantee that a recorded document creates valid title.

1. Prepare the correct legal document.

   Choose the appropriate deed with help from a qualified attorney or title professional when ownership rights are uncertain.

2. Check the names and legal description.

   Verify the grantor, grantee, property description and any recording references.

3. Check signatures and acknowledgment.

   Ensure signatures and notarization satisfy applicable California requirements.

4. Prepare ownership-change information.

   A Preliminary Change of Ownership Report may be required when real property changes ownership.

5. Review applicable taxes and fees.

   Recording page fees, documentary transfer tax and additional statutory fees can all affect the amount due.

6. Submit the document to the Recorder.

   Use the county’s accepted submission procedure and include the correct payment.

7. Retain proof of recording.

   Keep the instrument number and recording date. Check that the document appears correctly in the public index.

Before submission, check these details

Nevada County’s published Recorder fee schedule identifies a basic charge of $15 for the first page and $3 per additional page.

Other fees depend on the document, the transaction and whether exemptions apply.

Example: Three-page deed

The example excludes transfer tax, statutory surcharges and other document-specific charges.

Documentary transfer tax

Nevada County’s fee schedule lists $0.55 per $500 of taxable consideration, equivalent to $1.10 per $1,000.

For example, a taxable $400,000 transaction would generally produce $440 in county documentary transfer tax at this rate.

The applicable taxable consideration and exemptions must be determined from the actual transaction.

SB 2 and the restrictive covenant fee

California’s Building Homes and Jobs Act can add a $75 charge to certain recordings, subject to exemptions and a statutory cap.

Nevada County also publishes a $2 restrictive-covenant modification program fee for qualifying real estate recordings.

Its published notice links this additional $2 fee to documents not exempt from the SB 2 recording fee.

After opening: select the Recorder fee schedule, check the document’s page count and verify any SB 2, transfer-tax or specialized fee treatment.

Nevada County offers recorded-document copies in person, by mail and by phone.

The county also allows free in-office viewing of public recorded documents.

Option 1: Request a copy in person

Visit the Recorder at 950 Maidu Avenue, Suite 210, Nevada City. Identify the recorded document using the grantor-grantee index.

You may view the document without charge, then purchase a regular or certified copy if needed.

Option 2: Request a copy by mail

1. Find the document reference.

   Record the document number and recording date from the online index.

2. Complete the county Copy Request form.

   Use the form linked on the official document-ordering page.

3. Include the appropriate fee.

   Make payment as directed by the county. The copy-request page lists Nevada County Recorder as the check payee for mailed copy requests.

4. Mail the request.

   Send it to Nevada County Recorder’s Office, 950 Maidu Avenue, Nevada City, CA 95959.

The county states that mailed document-copy requests are generally processed within one to two business days after receipt.

Option 3: Order by phone

Call 530-265-1221 with the document number and recording date.

The county lists a $2 additional card-service charge for telephone copy orders.

After opening: choose in-person, mail or phone ordering. Download the Copy Request form if mailing, and confirm certified-copy charges before payment.

Example: Certified four-page deed

Nevada County offers a free Recording Notification Service (RNS).

The service sends an email when a newly recorded document matches a registered name or name variation.

1. Open the county RNS page.

   Review the service details and follow the official registration link.

2. Register your email.

   Complete the email-verification process shown by the county’s provider.

3. Add names to monitor.

   Include your name, former names or relevant ownership entities when appropriate.

4. Review unexpected notifications.

   Compare the recording details against legitimate sales, refinances and other property transactions.

After opening: select the Recording Notification System link, register your email and add the names you want to monitor.

The Nevada County Recorder is the countywide office for recorded land documents, even when the property is outside Nevada City.

That includes recorded property documents associated with Grass Valley, Truckee, Penn Valley and other Nevada County communities.

Check the county before searching

Some property addresses and postal names do not make the recording jurisdiction obvious.

A deed is generally recorded in the county where the property is located, not where the owner lives or where the mailing address appears.

Mining and historical land records

Nevada County’s recording responsibilities include mining claims, proofs of labor and other historical land instruments.

Older research may require microfilm records, map references and legal descriptions rather than a simple modern address search.

Restrictive covenant modification

California provides procedures to address unlawfully restrictive covenants in recorded documents.

The Recorder’s fee page explains its restrictive-covenant modification program and related recording charge.