San Mateo County, California • Recorded deeds and land records • Updated October 14, 2026
San Mateo County Recorder: Deeds, Records Search, Fees, Copies & Redwood City Office
The San Mateo County Recorder is part of the county’s Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder and Elections department, also known as ACRE.
It records and preserves deeds, deeds of trust, liens, reconveyances, releases, maps and other documents affecting real estate in San Mateo County, California.
You can search the online Grantor–Grantee Index, request recorded-document copies or submit eligible instruments at the Redwood City office.
The Recorder is located at 555 County Center, First Floor, Redwood City, CA 94063.
San Mateo County’s online index provides recording information, but not document images. Use the index to find a reference, then order a copy if you need the deed itself.
San Mateo County Recorder Quick Facts
The county identifies Mark Church as its Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder in 2026. He has announced that he will not seek another term.
His current term is scheduled to conclude in January 2027. The next officeholder should be verified after that transition.
The Recorder holds recorded legal documents. The Assessor handles property assessments and ownership-change reporting. Property-tax payment information is handled separately.
How to Search San Mateo County Deeds Online
San Mateo County operates an online Grantor–Grantee Index, also accessible through RecorderWorks.
The index can help identify recorded deeds, liens, reconveyances and related documents. It does not provide downloadable document images.
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Open the RecorderWorks search
Start with the county’s official public index.
Open San Mateo County RecorderWorksAfter opening: Review the disclaimer and choose a search method. You can begin with a recorded party’s name or a known recording reference. -
Search the grantor or grantee
Enter a person or business name associated with the recorded transaction.
A grantor is generally the transferring party. A grantee is generally the receiving party.
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Narrow the date range
Use the approximate year or recording date to reduce unrelated results.
RecorderWorks offers indexed information from January 1, 1985 onward.
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Review the matching entry
Confirm the names, instrument type, recording date and document number.
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Save the reference
Keep the document number, recording date and parties’ names.
Use those details to request a regular or certified recorded-document copy.
Why can’t I see the deed image online?
The county excludes document images from the online index for privacy reasons.
You can search the reference online and then obtain the document through the Recorder’s copy service.
Read official Grantor–Grantee search guidanceThe Recorder index is mainly organized around recorded parties and document references. If you only know a property address, identify the owner through county assessment records first.
San Mateo County Recorder Address, Phone, Hours & Map
San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder Division
Office address:
555 County Center, First Floor
Redwood City, CA 94063
Document recording and copies: 650-363-4500
Appointment assistance: 650-599-1713
Recorder email: recorder@smcacre.gov
Office hours:
Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
Walk-ins: Welcome. Appointments are optional for supported services.
The office handles document recording, deed and map copies, the Grantor–Grantee Index and several Clerk services.
Professional electronic recording is available, and documents may also be mailed.
Open official office location and servicesHow to Record a Deed in San Mateo County
California recorders examine documents for recording requirements, not whether the document is legally correct or sufficient.
The San Mateo County Recorder cannot prepare legal documents, choose your deed type or provide title advice.
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Prepare the correct legal instrument
Choose the appropriate deed or other document with help from a qualified professional when needed.
The real property must be located in San Mateo County for recording there.
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Check parties and legal description
Confirm the grantor, grantee, legal property description and signatures.
An ordinary street address may not be enough to identify the conveyed property legally.
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Confirm notarization and document format
Ensure the document has required acknowledgments or other legally acceptable verification.
Review first-page recording space, margins and legibility before printing.
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Prepare the Preliminary Change of Ownership Report
A PCOR generally must accompany a deed or other conveyance document, subject to stated exceptions.
If a required PCOR is missing, a $20 fee applies.
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Complete documentary transfer-tax information
Include the signed transfer-tax declaration or the required exemption information on the instrument.
Property inside the City of San Mateo may require an additional city declaration.
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Calculate fees and submit
Check the current fee schedule and any SB 2, fraud-prosecution or survey fees.
Submit in person or by mail using the county’s accepted procedures.
The Recorder retains an image in its permanent records and mails the original document to the return address. The county estimates approximately four to six weeks for return delivery.
California Recording Format Requirements
San Mateo County publishes detailed document standards based on California law.
Check these requirements before submitting a deed, deed of trust, release or other recordable instrument.
Paper size: Standard 8.5 × 11 inches. Documents may be accepted up to 8.5 × 14 inches with applicable additional charges.
First-page recording area: Reserve the upper-right five inches of the top 2.5-inch area for Recorder information.
Return information: The upper-left area is used for the recording requester and document return address.
Side margins: At least half an inch on both sides of each page.
Document title: Identify the instrument immediately below the reserved first-page recording area.
Signatures: Original signatures are generally required, unless an authorized exception applies.
Notarial acknowledgment: Include a legally sufficient acknowledgment or verification when required.
Legibility: Text, seals and exhibits must be sufficiently readable for reproduction.
Privacy: Do not include more than the last four digits of a Social Security number unless legally required.
If the first page lacks the required recording space, a compliant recording cover sheet may be added. It becomes the first page for fee purposes.
Review the full county recording standardsSan Mateo County Recorder Fees in 2026
San Mateo County’s current published schedule lists $14 for the first page and $3 for each additional page of a standard recording.
Several document-specific fees or penalties may apply in addition to the base charge.
Why the $75 SB 2 fee matters
California’s Building Homes and Jobs Act can impose a $75 recording fee on certain real-estate instruments.
Some recordings qualify for statutory exemptions. Confirm the exemption before omitting the charge.
The base page charge is $20: $14 for the first page plus $6 for two additional pages.
This does not include applicable title-based, SB 2, survey, tax or other charges.
Documentary Transfer Tax in San Mateo County
Documentary transfer tax is separate from the Recorder’s document recording fee.
The county generally applies $0.55 per $500, or fraction of $500, of taxable consideration or value.
That is commonly expressed as $1.10 per $1,000 of taxable value.
For a $600,000 taxable transfer with no adjustment or exemption, the county documentary transfer tax would be $660.
Recording charges and any applicable municipal tax are separate.
City of San Mateo additional conveyance tax
Property inside the incorporated City of San Mateo has an additional city conveyance tax administered through the county recording process.
The county’s published guidance states the city rate is $5 per $1,000 of taxable value, subject to applicable exemptions.
The city’s conveyance-tax exemptions may differ from county documentary transfer-tax exemptions.
A San Mateo County address does not necessarily mean the property is inside the City of San Mateo. Confirm municipal boundaries before adding city tax.
Claiming a transfer-tax exemption
A deed with no tax due must include the correct tax declaration and statutory exemption information where required.
An exemption from documentary transfer tax does not automatically exclude the transfer from reassessment.
Review the county’s documentary transfer-tax rulesPreliminary Change of Ownership Report (PCOR)
California generally requires a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report, form BOE-502-A, when a conveyance document is recorded.
The PCOR gives the Assessor information about the transfer and possible reassessment.
San Mateo County identifies limited exceptions, including certain easements, trustee’s deeds upon sale and other specified instruments.
Submit PCOR with the deed
Prepare the completed and signed report before presenting the conveyance.
Missing PCOR charge
If the PCOR is required but not submitted, the Recorder adds a $20 fee.
PCOR information is confidential and is not part of the public deed index.
Open the official PCOR form and instructionsWhat if the ownership change was not recorded?
Separate Assessor reporting obligations may apply to unrecorded ownership changes.
The county generally requires Change in Ownership Statement BOE-502-AH within 90 days of an unrecorded change.
Death-related ownership changes can involve a separate BOE-502-D statement and deadline.
Review Assessor change-in-ownership rulesHow to Get a Copy of a San Mateo County Deed
Unlike some county record portals, San Mateo’s online Grantor–Grantee Index does not display deed images.
The official Recorder copy service is the next step when you need the full recorded document.
Copy fees
Regular copy
The published fee schedule lists $5 for the first page and $1 for each subsequent page.
Certified copy
The published schedule lists an additional $5 certification charge.
Regular copy: $8. With an additional $5 certification charge: $13 total under the published schedule.
Request a copy by mail
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Identify the document
Use the online index to find the parties, document type, recording date and document number.
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Prepare a written request
Include all the available recording details and specify whether you need certification.
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Include payment and return envelope
Use an accepted check or money order and include a self-addressed stamped envelope.
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Mail to the Clerk-Recorder
San Mateo County Assessor Clerk-Recorder
Attn: Customer Service Desk
555 County Center, 1st Floor
Redwood City, CA 94063
Deeds of Trust, Reconveyances, Liens and Maps
The Recorder maintains more than property ownership deeds. Several other recorded instruments can affect property rights or financing.
Grant deeds: Commonly used to transfer real-property title from one owner to another.
Deeds of trust: Documents used to secure real-estate loans.
Reconveyances: Commonly recorded when a secured loan is paid off.
Liens and releases: Recorded claims and instruments releasing claims.
Easements: Recorded rights involving use of another property.
Recorded maps: Maps and subdivisions maintained in the Recorder’s official records.
Why didn’t I receive a new deed after paying off my mortgage?
Paying off a mortgage does not normally create a new ownership deed.
Your ownership deed was generally recorded when the property transfer closed. The later loan payoff may result in a reconveyance or release.
Search the original deed of trust and the later reconveyance to confirm the recording history.
Open the county’s recorded-document FAQsReporting Suspicious Recorded Property Documents
A suspicious deed, forged instrument or unexpected change in recorded property documents may require prompt review.
San Mateo County directs real-estate fraud complaints to the District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigations.
Where to submit a complaint
San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office
Bureau of Investigations
500 County Center, 3rd Floor
Redwood City, CA 94063
Review the county’s real-estate fraud complaint form and include supporting documents.
Open official fraud complaint instructionsThe Recorder checks documents for recording requirements, not whether every legal claim or signature in the document is genuine.
Recorder Records in Redwood City, San Mateo and Nearby Cities
The San Mateo County Recorder maintains countywide recorded land documents.
Property in a city does not normally require a separate city deed-search system.
Redwood City: Use the county Recorder in Redwood City for recorded deeds and land documents.
San Mateo: Search county recorded documents. Check the additional City of San Mateo conveyance tax when transferring property.
Daly City: Use county land records and confirm parcel identification before searching.
South San Francisco: Find recorded deeds through the county index.
Burlingame and Millbrae: Use the county Recorder for recorded title and financing documents.
Pacifica and Half Moon Bay: Search the county Recorder for property instruments.
Unincorporated areas: Verify parcel and legal-description information before requesting old deeds.
The additional conveyance tax described earlier applies to qualifying transfers inside that city’s limits, not automatically to every property in San Mateo County.
Common San Mateo County Recorder Mistakes
Expecting deed images online: The county’s public index does not include document images.
Leaving out the PCOR: Missing required ownership reporting can add a $20 charge.
Ignoring first-page formatting: Reserve the required recording space or use an appropriate cover sheet.
Forgetting transfer tax: Recording and documentary transfer tax are different charges.
Missing City of San Mateo tax: Certain city transfers have an additional local conveyance tax.
Assuming every deed is exempt from SB 2: Check the applicable exemption rather than omitting the fee automatically.
Expecting the Recorder to prepare forms: The office does not provide legal-document preparation.
Confusing payoff with title transfer: A mortgage reconveyance is not the same as a new grant deed.
What Should You Do Next?
Find an old deed
Search the Grantor–Grantee Index and save the recording reference.
Get a certified deed
Request the official document copy using the recording details.
Record a deed
Check the format, notarization, PCOR, transfer tax and fees.
Check current ownership
Use county assessment information to identify the parcel and owner.
Check a mortgage release
Search for the deed of trust and later reconveyance.
Resolve a title dispute
Consult a qualified California real-estate attorney.
San Mateo County Recorder FAQs
Where is the San Mateo County Recorder’s Office?
The office is at 555 County Center, First Floor, Redwood City, California 94063.
Who is the San Mateo County Recorder in 2026?
Mark Church is the Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder in 2026. His term is scheduled to conclude in January 2027.
Can I search San Mateo County deeds online?
Yes. The county provides a Grantor–Grantee Index through RecorderWorks.
Can I download deed images from RecorderWorks?
No. The county’s online index does not include document images for privacy reasons. You can order copies using the recording reference.
How much does it cost to record a deed?
The published base fee is $14 for the first page and $3 for each additional page. Other applicable fees and taxes are separate.
What is the documentary transfer-tax rate?
The county generally charges $0.55 per $500, or fraction of $500, of taxable consideration or value.
Does the City of San Mateo have another transfer tax?
Yes. The county’s guidance lists an additional City of San Mateo conveyance tax of $5 per $1,000 for qualifying transfers.
What is a PCOR and do I need one?
A Preliminary Change of Ownership Report generally accompanies conveyance documents, subject to exceptions. Omitting a required PCOR adds a $20 fee.
How do I get a certified deed copy?
Find the recording reference online and order the document through the Recorder. The published schedule includes a separate $5 certification charge.
Can the Recorder prepare a grant deed for me?
No. The Recorder cannot prepare documents or give legal advice. Contact a qualified California attorney or authorized professional.
San Mateo County Recorder Links, Forms and Services
The following official county resources support the search, recording, fees and copy procedures covered in this guide.