California · Document Recording
Recording a Deed or Document in San Francisco County, CA
San Francisco County (population 873,965) records real-property documents through the San Francisco Assessor-Recorder (Recorder Division). 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.
San Francisco County recorder — contact
- Recording office
- San Francisco Assessor-Recorder (Recorder Division)
- Mailing address
- City Hall, Room 190, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102
- Phone
- 628-652-8100
- Checks payable to
- San Francisco Assessor-Recorder / Recorder's Office
- Electronic recording
- Available via Simplifile, CSC
San Francisco County recording fees
- First page / base fee
- $14.00 base (plus $3.00 Real Estate Fraud fee per title = $17.00 typical for deeds; SB2/AB1466 fee up to $225/parcel unless exempt)
- Additional pages
- $3.00 per additional page
- Other fees
- SB2 (Building Homes and Jobs Act) fee up to $225 per parcel/transaction unless exempt; Real Estate Fraud Prosecution fee $3.00 per title
Counties change fees without notice. Check with the San Francisco Assessor-Recorder (Recorder Division) before you mail a check.
What San Francisco County requires
- Page formatting
- First page must be 8.5x11 (nonconforming size incurs additional fee); top-left 2.5in x 3.5in reserved for return address/APN per CA recording requirements
- Cover sheet
- Yes for re-recorded documents per Gov Code 27201; standard CA recording requirements (8.5x11 first page, top 2.5in x 3.5in left corner reserved for recording stamp, return-mail-to block)
- Submission & return
- Original mailed back to 'when recorded mail to' address after recording
- Hours & turnaround
- In-person same day
Can you e-record in San Francisco County?
Yes. San Francisco 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 San Francisco County, California
- Prepare the document so it meets San Francisco 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 San Francisco Assessor-Recorder (Recorder Division).
- Pay the recording fee, payable to San Francisco Assessor-Recorder / Recorder's Office.
- Receive the recorded instrument back with its book/page or instrument number as proof of record.
Looking up a San Francisco County property
Owner names, parcel numbers and legal descriptions for San Francisco County property are searchable at Office of the Assessor-Recorder, City and County of San Francisco (Property Information). 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.