Real Property Records
Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find the Recorder's Office?

The Recorder’s Office is located on the left-hand side of the first floor the Larry Oddo Finance Administration Building in the DeWitt Center in Auburn. If you are coming from Sacramento, Roseville and Rocklin, take Interstate 80 East to the Highway 49 exit in Auburn. Turn left onto Highway 49. Take Highway 49 to Atwood Road. Turn left on Atwood Road and go one mile to Richardson Drive. Turn right onto Richardson. The building will be on the right side just past the first stop sign. If you are coming from Colfax or Lake Tahoe, take I-80 West to the Bell Road exit. Turn right onto Bell Road. Take Bell Road past Highway 49 and turn left onto Richardson Drive. The building will be 1½ blocks down on the left side. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for legal holidays. Recording hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for legal holidays.

What types of documents can be recorded?

Any document affecting title to real property that is authorized or required by law to be recorded. This includes, but is not limited to, Grant Deeds, Deeds of Trust, Mechanic’s Liens, Tax Liens, and Reconveyances. The recording requirements for documents are established by the codes for the State of California. Documents presented for recording must meet certain basic requirements.

How do I record a document?

Documents are recorded Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. You can bring your document to our office between those hours. If the document meets recording requirements, the staff will record it while you wait. Documents can also be mailed to our office. The mailing address is:
Placer County Clerk-Recorder's Office
2954 Richardson Drive
Auburn CA 95603

How much does it cost to record a document?

The basic recording fee is $9.00 for the first page of a document and $3.00 for each additional page. This is for a standard 8 ½" X 11", letter-sized document. If any page of a document is larger or smaller than 8 ½" X 11" or if a page has anything stapled, taped or glued to it, the document will require a $3.00 non-conforming fee for each and every page. Therefore, the fee for a non-conforming document is $12.00 for the first page and $6.00 for each additional page. There also may be additional fees for Documentary Transfer Tax, debtor notification on involuntary liens and additional indexing. For a complete list of our fees, please see our fee schedule. If you need assistance calculating the recording fees for your document, you may contact our office at (530) 886-5600.

Will the Recorder’s Office help me prepare my document?

The Recorder’s Office can only provide you with the recording requirements for a document. This office is prohibited by law from providing you with legal advice. We recommend that you contact a legal advisor or title company for assistance in preparing your document.

What happens to my document after it is recorded?

Since it is the responsibility of the Recorder’s Office to preserve these records, images of the original documents are placed on roll film for archival purposes. Once a roll of film is completed, it must be examined to make certain that all the images are clear and complete. If the images on a roll of film are acceptable, the original documents are returned to the address shown in the upper left corner of the document approximately four to six weeks after recording.

What is Documentary Transfer Tax? When is it paid?

Documentary Transfer Tax is $0.55 per each $500.00 of the sale price or value of the real property being transferred. It is due at the time of recording on any transfer of real property unless an exemption from Documentary Transfer Tax under the California State Revenue and Taxation Codes is provided.

How do I find out what has been recorded for a certain property?

To find out what documents have been recorded for a certain property requires a search of our records. Searching records is not within the legal scope of this office. However, our records are open to the public 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays and you or your representative are welcome to search our records. Because the grantor/grantee index is a name index, the property owner’s name is required in order to search.

How do I find out how much a certain property sold for?

The Recorder’s Office does not keep a record of sale prices. Sale prices can be estimated from the amount of Documentary Transfer Tax shown on a deed. However, the Documentary Transfer Tax amount may not accurately reflect the true purchase price since Documentary Transfer Tax is not charged on assumed loan amounts.

How do I find out if a lien has been filed against my property? How do I get it removed?

You will need to search our records under your name to find out if a lien has been placed against you or if a recorded lien has been released. The Recorder’s Office cannot remove any liens placed against you. To have a lien released, you will need to contact the party who placed the lien and aquire a proper release document.