California · Document Recording
Recording a Deed or Document in Monterey County, CA
Monterey County (population 439,035) records real-property documents through the Monterey County Recorder-County Clerk (Assessor-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.
Monterey County recorder — contact
- Recording office
- Monterey County Recorder-County Clerk (Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder)
- Mailing address
- P.O. Box 29, Salinas, CA 93902 (physical: 168 W. Alisal Street, 1st Floor, Salinas, CA 93901)
- Phone
- (831) 755-5041
- Checks payable to
- Monterey County Recorder
- Electronic recording
- Available via Simplifile, CSC
Monterey County recording fees
- First page / base fee
- Per 2026 Fee Schedule
- Additional pages
- Per current fee schedule
- Other fees
- SB2 Building Homes and Jobs Act fee $75 applies where not exempt; records-management/archive fees per fee schedule
Counties change fees without notice. Check with the Monterey County Recorder-County Clerk (Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder) before you mail a check.
What Monterey County requires
- Page formatting
- CA GC 27361.6/27361.7: 8.5x11in white paper, 10pt font minimum, 2.5in top-right margin first page reserved for recorder's use; see county's Recording Requirements page for full formatting rules
- Cover sheet
- Standard CA GC 27361.6 formatting applies (2.5in top margin first page) - see Recording Requirements page
- Submission & return
- Recorded document returned by mail (per Recording By Mail instructions)
- Hours & turnaround
- Recording hours 8am-4pm M-F
Can you e-record in Monterey County?
Yes. Monterey County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, CSC, so a properly formatted document can be recorded the same or next business day without mailing paper.
How to record a document in Monterey County, California
- Prepare the document so it meets Monterey 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, CSC, or by mail to Monterey County Recorder-County Clerk (Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder).
- Pay the recording fee, payable to Monterey County Recorder.
- Receive the recorded instrument back with its book/page or instrument number as proof of record.
Looking up a Monterey County property
Owner names, parcel numbers and legal descriptions for Monterey County property are searchable at Monterey County Assessor. 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.