California · Document Recording
Recording a Deed or Document in Contra Costa County, CA
Contra Costa County (population 1,165,927) records real-property documents through the Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder. Below is what it costs and how to submit. Filing a memorandum of contract? We record it with the county for $199, notary included — no trip to the courthouse.
Contra Costa County recorder — contact
- Recording office
- Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder
- Mailing address
- Clerk-Recorder, P.O. Box 350, Martinez, CA 94553 (physical office: 555 Escobar Street, Martinez, CA 94553)
- Phone
- (925) 335-7900
- Website
- contracostavote.gov/recorder
- Checks payable to
- Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder
- Electronic recording
- Available via Simplifile
Contra Costa County recording fees
- First page / base fee
- $14.00 (plus $75 SB2/Building Homes and Jobs Act fee per transaction per parcel unless exempt)
- Additional pages
- $3.00 per additional page (see current fee schedule PDF)
- Other fees
- Additional fees for non-conforming pages, additional titles/references; see Regular Recording fee schedule page
Counties change fees without notice. Check with the Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder before you mail a check.
What Contra Costa County requires
- Cover sheet
- No mandated separate cover sheet; standard CA statutory margin/paper formatting applies (2.5 in top margin first page, 0.5 in other margins, 8.5x11 paper, black ink, 2.5x3.5 in blank space upper right first page)
- Submission & return
- Mail with self-addressed stamped envelope, or pickup
- Hours & turnaround
- Same-day to a few business days for e-recording; longer for mail
Can you e-record in Contra Costa County?
Yes. Contra Costa County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, so a properly formatted document can be recorded the same or next business day without mailing paper.
How to record a document in Contra Costa County, California
- Prepare the document so it meets Contra Costa County's formatting rules (above): legal description, grantee address, signature block, and the blank space the recorder reserves for its stamp.
- Notarize it if the instrument requires acknowledgment. Most deeds and affidavits do.
- Submit electronically through Simplifile, or by mail to Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder.
- Pay the recording fee, payable to Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder.
- Receive the recorded instrument back with its book/page or instrument number as proof of record.
Looking up a Contra Costa County property
Owner names, parcel numbers and legal descriptions for Contra Costa County property are searchable at Contra Costa County Assessor (CCMAP property search). A deed or memorandum needs the exact legal description, so pull it from there or from the last recorded deed.
Filing with Jurably in California
California isn't available quite yet — it's coming soon. See the states we file in.