California · Document Recording
Recording a Deed or Document in Kern County, CA
Kern County (population 909,235) records real-property documents through the Kern County Assessor-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.
Kern County recorder — contact
- Recording office
- Kern County Assessor-Recorder
- Mailing address
- Kern County Assessor-Recorder, 1115 Truxtun Ave., Bakersfield, CA 93301
- Phone
- (661) 868-6400
- Checks payable to
- Kern County Recorder
- Electronic recording
- Available via Simplifile
Kern County recording fees
- First page / base fee
- $13.00 (standard 8.5x11 page)
- Additional pages
- $3.00 per additional page; $3.00 penalty per page if non-standard size
- Other fees
- $75 SB2 fee per title (capped $225/transaction) since Jan 1, 2018
Counties change fees without notice. Check with the Kern County Assessor-Recorder before you mail a check.
What Kern County requires
- Page formatting
- 8.5"x11" standard document size; non-standard size incurs $3/page penalty; standard CA Gov Code margin requirements apply
- Cover sheet
- Not required if standard CA margins met; California recording cover page used when needed
- Submission & return
- Recorded documents mailed back to return address on document
- Hours & turnaround
- Not publicly confirmed
Can you e-record in Kern County?
Yes. Kern 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 Kern County, California
- Prepare the document so it meets Kern 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 Kern County Assessor-Recorder.
- Pay the recording fee, payable to Kern County Recorder.
- Receive the recorded instrument back with its book/page or instrument number as proof of record.
Looking up a Kern County property
Owner names, parcel numbers and legal descriptions for Kern County property are searchable at Kern County Assessor-Recorder 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.