California · Document Recording
Recording a Deed or Document in San Mateo County, CA
San Mateo County (population 764,442) records real-property documents through the San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections (ACRE). 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 Mateo County recorder — contact
- Recording office
- San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections (ACRE)
- Mailing address
- 555 County Center, 1st Floor, Redwood City, CA 94063
- Phone
- (650) 363-4500
- Website
- smcacre.gov
- Checks payable to
- San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder
- Electronic recording
- Available via Simplifile
San Mateo County recording fees
- First page / base fee
- $14.00 base first page
- Additional pages
- $3.00 per additional page
- Other fees
- Real Estate Fraud fee $6.00 per title; SB2 fee $75.00 per parcel/title (up to $225 cap); Survey Monument Preservation fee $10.00 where applicable; undersized print $1.00/page; nonstandard document size $3.00/page
Counties change fees without notice. Check with the San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections (ACRE) before you mail a check.
Can you e-record in San Mateo County?
Yes. San Mateo 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 San Mateo County, California
- Prepare the document so it meets San Mateo County's formatting rules: 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 San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections (ACRE).
- Pay the recording fee, payable to San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder.
- Receive the recorded instrument back with its book/page or instrument number as proof of record.
Looking up a San Mateo County property
Owner names, parcel numbers and legal descriptions for San Mateo County property are searchable at San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections - Property Information Portal. 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.