SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA • COUNTY RECORDER GUIDE • OCTOBER 2026
San Francisco County CA Recorder: Deeds, Property Records, Copies & Recording Fees
The San Francisco County Recorder maintains deeds, deeds of trust, mortgage reconveyances, liens, maps and other recorded documents.
In San Francisco, these services are handled by the Office of the Assessor-Recorder. Its public records search lets you find recorded documents without visiting City Hall.
You can search records, review available previews and purchase official copies online. Recording a new deed involves additional California and San Francisco requirements.
START HERE
San Francisco County Recorder Quick Facts
The Recorder maintains official land documents. The Assessor side determines taxable property values and handles assessment matters.
Property-tax bill payments are handled separately by the San Francisco Treasurer & Tax Collector.
MOST COMMON TASK
How to Search San Francisco County Deeds Online
San Francisco uses an online Public Index Search system for recorded documents.
It is useful when checking a deed after buying a home, researching an old mortgage or confirming whether a reconveyance was recorded.
Search using the official public index
- Open the official recorded-documents portal.
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Choose the available search method.
The Recorder’s guidance identifies name, document number and block-and-lot searching.
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Enter the information you know.
Use the grantor or grantee name, recorded document reference, or the property’s block and lot.
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Review the matching records.
Compare parties, recording date, document type and available property references.
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Open the record details.
Review any available preview. Purchase an official copy when a complete document is required.
Start with the exact owner name or document number. If a broad name search produces too many results, narrow it using additional search fields supported by the portal.
Do not treat a similar name as proof that the document concerns your property. Match the document references carefully.
Can you search by property address?
A normal mailing address is not the same as a San Francisco Assessor’s parcel identifier.
San Francisco commonly uses Block and Lot numbers to identify real property. These can help connect an address to recorded documents.
First identify the property through official assessment or parcel information. Save its block and lot, then use the Recorder’s available block-and-lot search.
Open San Francisco Property Assessment Data.
Review the available tax-roll datasets for the appropriate year. They contain location information, property identifiers and assessment details, but they are not a substitute for the actual recorded deed.
HISTORICAL RECORDS
How Far Back Do San Francisco Recorded Documents Go?
The online public index provides access to records recorded from approximately 1990 onward.
Older land records may require in-person research at City Hall using the office’s historical records, microfilm or microfiche resources.
Search through the online public index. Available records can be previewed or obtained through the current copy service.
Contact the Assessor-Recorder or visit City Hall, Room 190, to find out which historical materials must be searched in person.
What information should you save?
When you find a relevant document, note the recording date, document number, document type and names of the parties.
Also save the block and lot or legal description when available. These details make later searches and copy requests easier.
ORDERING RECORDS
How to Get a San Francisco Deed or Mortgage Copy
You can obtain available recorded-document copies through San Francisco’s official records system.
The city offers lower-cost self-service electronic copies alongside traditional office-supplied and certified copies.
These amounts come from the Recorder Division schedule effective July 1, 2025. Check for a newer schedule before ordering.
Which copy should you request?
Useful when you want to review a deed, mortgage, lien or reconveyance for personal records.
Request certification when a court, lender, title professional or government agency specifically requires it.
Open San Francisco Public Index Search, find the document and follow the available copy-purchase or download instructions.
If you need certification, confirm the required procedure with the Recorder before purchasing a basic electronic copy.
If you receive an unsolicited offer to buy a copy of your recorded deed, compare its price with the city’s official copy fees before paying.
PROPERTY TRANSFERS
How to Record a Deed in San Francisco County
Recording a deed creates a public record of the document. It does not mean the Recorder has guaranteed the validity of the ownership transfer.
San Francisco reviews submitted instruments for recording requirements and collects applicable documentary transfer tax.
Use an appropriate document with correct parties, legal description and execution.
Review the PCOR and San Francisco Transfer Tax Affidavit requirements.
Include recording charges, documentary transfer tax and applicable surcharges.
Deliver the recording package through a method currently accepted by the office.
Two forms that matter when transferring ownership
This report supplies information relevant to assessment when ownership changes.
San Francisco’s fee schedule identifies a $20 fee when a required PCOR is not presented.
San Francisco requires this affidavit with documents where documentary transfer tax is due or an exemption is claimed.
A claimed exemption needs a valid legal basis. It should not be assumed simply because money was not exchanged.
Before submitting the deed
Confirm the correct grantor and grantee names.
Review the legal description and block-and-lot information.
Make sure signatures and acknowledgments meet California requirements.
Prepare the required PCOR and Transfer Tax Affidavit.
Check SB 2 fee exemptions and the total recording cost.
Confirm the office’s current submission and payment instructions.
Grant deeds, quitclaim deeds and deeds involving trusts, inheritance or survivorship can have different legal and property-tax consequences.
Seek assistance from a California attorney or qualified title professional when the ownership effect is uncertain.
Open the Assessor-Recorder department page and locate its recording services and forms.
If your transaction involves a trust, gift, inheritance or exemption, verify the current form and documentary-transfer-tax treatment with the office before signing.
RECORDING COSTS
San Francisco County Recorder Fees
San Francisco charges document-recording fees under California law and local ordinances.
The published fee schedule effective July 1, 2025 includes the following common items.
Why a $14 document can cost much more
The first-page fee is only the starting charge. Additional pages, multiple document titles, indexing, fraud fees or SB 2 charges may apply.
Documentary transfer tax is separate from ordinary recording fees and can be much larger when property changes ownership.
California’s Building Homes and Jobs Act fee depends on document type and statutory exemptions. Do not automatically add $75 to every owner-occupied home deed.
Open the San Francisco Recorder Division Fee Schedule.
Check the first-page category, additional pages and any applicable SB 2 exemption before calculating the amount to submit.
SAN FRANCISCO-SPECIFIC RULE
San Francisco Documentary Transfer Tax Rates
San Francisco’s transfer-tax schedule uses different rates based on the total consideration or value of the transfer.
This is separate from the fee paid to record a deed. The applicable rate generally applies to the full taxable consideration or value within its bracket.
Illustrative example: $900,000 taxable transfer
Taxable consideration: $900,000
Applicable published bracket: $3.40 per $500
Calculation: $900,000 ÷ $500 × $3.40
Illustrative transfer tax: $6,120This is an example, not a transaction-specific determination. Exemptions, special affordable-housing provisions and other legal conditions can change the result.
A transfer that does not involve a traditional sale may have different transfer-tax and assessment consequences.
A transfer-tax exemption does not automatically mean the transfer is excluded from California property-tax reassessment.
LOCAL OFFICE INFORMATION
San Francisco Recorder Address, Phone, Hours & Google Map
City and County of San Francisco Office of the Assessor-Recorder
San Francisco City Hall1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
Room 190
San Francisco, CA 94102
Assessor-Recorder: Joaquín Torres
Telephone: 628-652-8100
Email: assessor@sfgov.org
General office: Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM
Document recording: Monday–Friday, 8 AM–4 PM
Verify Office Details ↗WHICH GOVERNMENT OFFICE?
Recorder, Assessor, Treasurer and Other San Francisco Services
Contact the Recorder division of the Office of the Assessor-Recorder.
Contact the assessment side of the Office of the Assessor-Recorder.
Contact the San Francisco Treasurer & Tax Collector.
For drafting, probate, trusts or title disputes, consult a qualified California attorney or title professional.
The Recorder also maintains public marriage records. Marriage-record requests follow their own procedures.
For county-government service routing, San Francisco residents may also use 311 when appropriate.
PROBLEM SOLVING
Common San Francisco Recorder Search Problems
Identify the block and lot or owner name first. Try the available index search fields instead of relying only on the mailing address.
Ask the office about older records and historical microfilm or microfiche research at City Hall.
Search for a reconveyance. Contact the lender or trustee when the expected release is missing.
Do not assume an existing recorded document can simply be edited. Ask a legal professional whether a corrective instrument is needed.
Review the relevant recorded instruments and assessment information. A name appearing in a public index does not by itself establish marketable title.
Review the filing party and recording details. Questions about releasing or disputing a lien generally begin with the party that filed it.
YOUR NEXT STEP
Choose the Right Route for Your Task
Find a deed: use the official public index.
Need a complete document: buy an official copy or ask for certification.
Recording a transfer: check deed, PCOR, affidavit and tax requirements.
Mortgage paid off: search for reconveyance records.
Need tax payment information: use the Treasurer & Tax Collector.
Ownership dispute: consult a qualified title professional or attorney.
FREQUENT QUESTIONS
San Francisco County Recorder FAQs
Where is the San Francisco County Recorder?
The Recorder division is part of the Office of the Assessor-Recorder at San Francisco City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 190, San Francisco, CA 94102.
Who is the San Francisco Assessor-Recorder?
Joaquín Torres is the San Francisco Assessor-Recorder.
How do I search San Francisco deeds online?
Use the city’s recorded-document Public Index Search at recorder.sfgov.org. Search using an available name, document number or block-and-lot field.
How far back does the online deed index go?
The online index covers approximately 1990 onward. Older records may require in-person research at City Hall.
How much is an online deed copy?
The Recorder’s fee schedule effective July 1, 2025 lists $1.81 per document for qualifying self-service electronic copies.
How much does it cost to record a deed?
Common fees include $14 for a standard first page and $3 for additional pages, but total charges may include fraud fees, SB 2 fees, other recording charges and documentary transfer tax.
What forms are needed when ownership changes?
San Francisco identifies the Preliminary Change of Ownership Report and Transfer Tax Affidavit as important documents for qualifying ownership transfers. Exact requirements depend on the transaction.
What time does the Recorder close?
The general office operates Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM. In-person document recording hours end at 4 PM.
Can the Recorder fix a deed after recording?
The Recorder preserves the document as recorded. Correcting legal errors can require a new properly prepared instrument or other legal action.
Does a recorded deed prove clear title?
No. Recording provides a public record of an instrument. It is not a guarantee that the property has clear title or that every ownership claim is legally valid.
OFFICIAL REFERENCES
San Francisco and California Government Sources
These resources support the search, recording, copy and transfer-tax information above.
Office of the Assessor-Recorder — official agency contact and services.
Public Index Search — recorded document search and copies.
About the Assessor-Recorder — Recorder and assessment responsibilities.
Recorder Division Fee Schedule — recording, copy, certification and transfer-tax charges.
Assessor-Recorder Fact Sheets — property transfers, deeds, assessments and multilingual resources.
Secured Property Assessment Data — property identifiers, characteristics and assessments.
Treasurer & Tax Collector — property-tax bills and payments.
California Legislative Information — state statutes governing deeds, recording and property transfers.