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The Recorder-Clerk is responsible for maintaining records for real property located in Santa Barbara County.
Recording Fees
$14.00 - First page, one title (limited to 8.5 x 11)
$ 3.00 - Each additional page
$ 3.00 - Non-conforming page size (other than 8.5 x 11), per page of the entire document
$ 1.00 - Penalty print
$14.00 - Combined documents, each additional title
$10.00 - Real Estate Fraud Fee for real estate instruments that are not subject to transfer tax, e.g., gift deeds and quitclaim deeds (see list of others below)
Document Requiring Additional Indexing
$ 1.00 - Each additional reference indexed
$ 1.00 - Each additional name indexed (Each group of 10 names after the 1st)
Miscellaneous Fees
$10.00 - Survey Monument Preservation Fund Fee
$20.00 - Documents recorded without the Preliminary Change of Ownership Report
Documentary Transfer Tax: $ 0.55 per $500.00 of value
When recording a deed for which no transfer tax is paid, include a completed and signed (under penalty of perjury) Documentary Transfer Tax Affidavit. Parties claiming an exemption will need to present written documentation of proof of exemption at the time of recording.
Documents affected by Fraud Fee:
Abstract of Judgement, Affidavit, Amended Deed of Trust, Assignment, Assignment of Deed of Trust, Assignment of Lease, Assignment of Rents, Construction Deed of Trust, Homestead, Deed of Trust, Notice of Completion, Notice of Default, Notice of Trustee Sale, Reconveyance, Releases, Request for Notice, Rescission of Notice of Default, Subordination Agreement, Substitution of Trustee, Trustee's Deed Upon Sale, All UCC's
County recording fees are subject to change without notice. For the most current fees and further information, contact the local recorder directly.
On January 1, 2018, California Senate Bill 2, a.k.a., the "Building Homes and Jobs Act," goes into effect and may increase recording fees for real estate instruments. The fee will address homelessness and housing shortages, and help to increase the rate of home ownership within the State by creating a Building Homes and Jobs Trust Fund to which the additional fee will be remitted.
Upon taking effect, the recorder's office will impose a fee of $75.00 to be paid when recording every real estate instrument, paper, or notice required or permitted by law to be recorded, per each single transaction per single parcel of real property, not to exceed $225.00.
Transfers subject to the documentary transfer tax as defined in Section 11911 of the Revenue and Taxation Code or on any real estate instrument, paper, or notice recorded in connection with a transfer of real property that is a residential dwelling to an owner-occupier are exempt from this fee.
If you have any questions about how the Building Homes and Jobs Act affects your recording fees, please speak with a clerk with the Recorder's Office or a licensed attorney within the state.
Document Formatting Requirements
Real property documents may be presented for recording in person, by mail, or by a courier service. The property must be situated in Santa Barbara County.
* The document must be authorized or required by law to be recorded. Documents must be properly acknowledged. Acknowledgments taken in California require the "all-purpose acknowledgment." The notary seal must be legible for a microfilm reproduction.
* Documents are required to be written in English in order to be recorded. If they are not in English, they must be accompanied by a certified translation
* The standard page size for a document is 8.5 x 11 inches. Using any other size will result in additional fees.
* Documents must be clearly legible in order to produce a readable and reproducible photographic record
* The first page of a document must provide a blank top margin of at least 2.5. The leftmost 3.5 inches of this space should be used by the party requesting the recording to enter the name and address to which the document is to be returned after recording. The remainder of this space is to be used by the County Recorder to enter official recording information. Other margins should be a minimum of 1/2 an inch. If the first page does not comply with these requirements, a separate page can be attached to the document which meets these criteria. Attaching a separate page will result in additional fees.
* Signatures within the document must be original unless the document is a certified copy issued by the appropriate custodian of the public record.
* The document title should be given below the top 2.5 inch margin, on the left side of the page. The right side of the page should show documentary transfer tax information.
* Documents should include the name of the party requesting the recording and a name and address to where the document can be returned.
* The assessor's parcel number assigned to the property is required on all deeds. This shall be entered substantially as follows: "Assessor's Identification Number: ___-___-___."
* A legal description of the real property is required on all deeds.
* Across the bottom of the first page on every deed, the name and address to which future tax statements should be mailed should be given.