Madera County Recorder: Search Deeds, Official Records, Copies & Recording Fees
Use the Madera County Recorder when you need a recorded deed, deed of trust, reconveyance, lien, release, parcel or subdivision map, survey, homestead declaration or another document affecting real property in Madera County.
The fastest route is usually to search the county’s official index first, save the document number or book-and-page reference, and then request the actual recorded document if you need to read, certify or rely on it.
200 W. 4th Street, Madera, CA 93637.
559-675-7724.
8:00 AM–4:00 PM, Monday through Friday except holidays.
Official Public Records from mid-1980 forward; county says the index is updated daily.
Official county procedures checked October 19, 2026.
What are you trying to find or record?
Search the Recorder’s grantor/grantee index, save the recording reference and obtain the underlying deed if needed.
Follow the deed-search stepsLocate the document number first, then send the Recorder a copy request or visit the office.
See copy fees and stepsCheck APN, acknowledgment, return information, PCOR, transfer tax and page-format requirements before filing.
Use the recording checklistUse the Assessor parcel resource first because the Recorder index does not search official records by address or APN.
Convert an address into useful search cluesThat belongs with the Madera County Treasurer-Tax Collector, not the Recorder.
Choose the correct county officeDo not assume an index error changes the underlying record. Review the actual document and contact the Recorder promptly.
Review correction and fraud stepsHow to search Madera County deeds and official records online
Madera County’s Recorder maintains the official index for recorded land documents. The county describes the index as similar to a library card catalog: it helps identify a document, but the index itself should not be treated as the complete legal instrument.
How to find a Madera County deed when you only have an address
The Recorder specifically says its official-record index cannot be searched by street address or Assessor’s Parcel Number. That does not mean the deed is unavailable; it means you need to convert the address into an owner or other searchable recording clue.
Common records kept by the Madera County Recorder
The Recorder handles far more than grant deeds. Understanding the document type prevents a common search mistake: treating every item recorded against a property as proof of a new ownership transfer.
| Document | Typical purpose | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Grant deed | Conveys an interest in real property from a grantor to a grantee. | Grantor, grantee, legal description, recording date, transfer-tax statement and vesting language. |
| Quitclaim deed | Transfers or releases whatever interest the grantor may hold. | Parties, property description, percentage or nature of interest and recording reference. |
| Deed of trust | Common California real-estate financing/security instrument. | Trustor, beneficiary, trustee, loan references and property description. |
| Reconveyance | Evidence that an identified deed of trust has been released or reconveyed. | The exact earlier deed-of-trust recording number being released. |
| Notice of default | Recorded step associated with a nonjudicial foreclosure process. | Borrower/trustor, trustee, deed-of-trust reference and recording date. |
| Mechanics’ lien | May assert a construction-related claim against real property. | Claimant, property description, amount and any later release. |
| Tax lien | May evidence a county, state or federal lien filing. | Debtor, recording date, agency and any related release document. |
| Parcel, subdivision or survey map | Recorded or filed map information associated with land division or surveying. | Map number, book/page, lot or parcel and survey references. |
How to get a copy of a Madera County deed or recorded document
You do not need to pay an unofficial deed-copy solicitation simply to obtain a Recorder copy. Madera County itself warns homeowners about official-looking mailers that may charge substantially more than the County Recorder’s normal copy fee.
Before recording a deed or other document in Madera County
A Recorder determines whether a submitted instrument satisfies recording requirements; the Recorder does not decide whether the document is the correct legal instrument for your situation. Madera County expressly states that Recorder personnel cannot practice law, choose your form or tell you how to structure a property transfer.
Page size and first-page space
Madera County identifies 8.5 × 11 inches as the standard page size. Pages may not exceed 8.5 × 14 inches, except for recorded maps. The Recorder’s published requirements also reserve space at the top of the first page for recording and return information. Non-standard pages can trigger additional fees.
Submit in person or by mail
Bring the completed original document and required fees to the Recorder at 200 W. 4th Street in Madera. Recording submissions are accepted from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM on county business days.
Madera County states that recordings may be mailed to Madera County Recorder, 200 W. 4th Street, Madera, CA 93637. Verify the fee and return-address requirements before mailing an original.
Madera County Recorder recording and copy fees
A deed’s final recording cost can include more than a first-page fee. Page count, additional titles, documentary transfer tax, the Building Homes and Jobs Act fee, exemptions, additional indexing and a missing PCOR can materially change the total.
| Fee item | Published amount | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Standard first page | $14 | For a standard recording subject to the county’s published base recording fee. |
| Each additional page | $3 | Each additional page or fraction of a page. |
| Non-standard page fee | $3 per page | Can apply when a document contains a page outside the standard 8.5 × 11 format, subject to county rules. |
| Building Homes and Jobs Act fee | $75 per document, up to applicable $225 cap | Certain statutory exemptions apply and must be properly cited when required. |
| PCOR missing | $20 | County fee listed when an applicable change-of-ownership document is recorded without the PCOR. |
| Additional indexing reference | $1 | May apply to qualifying additional references requiring indexing. |
| More than 10 names | $1 per additional group | Applies in groups of ten names or a fraction thereof after the initial group. |
| Official-record copy | $3 first page + $1 each additional page | For copies purchased from the Recorder. |
| Certification | $2 per document | Added when a certified official-record copy is requested. |
PCOR, APN and documentary transfer tax in Madera County
Preliminary Change of Ownership Report
California’s Preliminary Change of Ownership Report, commonly called a PCOR, is used to report information associated with a real-property ownership change. Madera County’s recording requirements state that a completed PCOR should accompany documents affecting a change in ownership, and the county’s fee schedule lists a $20 charge when an applicable conveyance is recorded without one.
Assessor’s Parcel Number
Madera County requires the nine-digit APN on conveyance documents such as deeds. If you do not know it, check the property-tax statement or use the Assessor resources before recording.
Documentary transfer tax
The county publishes documentary transfer tax at $0.55 per $500, or $1.10 per $1,000 of the taxable amount. The declaration must be handled correctly on conveyance documents, and exemptions must be supported by an applicable basis rather than guessed.
Can you electronically record a document in Madera County?
Yes, but Madera County does not describe eRecording as a simple public upload portal for individual homeowners. The Recorder participates in the California Electronic Recording Network Authority system, and non-governmental electronic submissions must be made through an authorized agent and submitter.
The county currently identifies authorized-agent options including CSC, eRecording Partners Network, Indecomm Global Services, Simplifile and ValueCheck. Electronic recording is commonly used by title companies, attorneys, lenders and other professional submitters.
Correcting a recorded document and responding to possible deed fraud
A recorded document cannot simply be edited
Once an instrument has been recorded, the Recorder does not open the stored document and rewrite it. Madera County’s correction guidance explains that the appropriate solution may involve recording a new document, re-recording with a corrective affidavit for certain minor corrections, or re-recording with new signatures and acknowledgments for other changes.
Madera County property-recording courtesy notices
Madera County began mailing property-recording courtesy notifications in May 2025 when certain recorded documents may affect ownership. Grant deeds and quitclaim deeds are among the documents that can trigger the notice.
Receiving a notice does not automatically mean fraud occurred. A legitimate sale, trust transfer, addition of another owner or other authorized transaction can cause a document to be recorded. The warning sign is a recording you do not recognize or a document containing a signature, party or property description you did not authorize.
Madera County Recorder vs. Assessor vs. Tax Collector
The most useful distinction is simple: the Recorder preserves recorded legal instruments, the Assessor maintains assessment information, and the Treasurer-Tax Collector handles tax bills and payments.
| You need | Correct office | Best starting information |
|---|---|---|
| Deed, lien, deed of trust, reconveyance or recorded map | Madera County Recorder | Party name, approximate year, document number or book/page. |
| Assessed value, APN or property characteristics | Madera County Assessor | Street address or parcel information. |
| Property-tax bill, balance, payment or receipt | Madera County Treasurer-Tax Collector | 12-digit assessment number, fee parcel number or address. |
| Divorce or civil court record | Madera County Superior Court | Case number, party name or court filing information. |
| Zoning, land-use approval or building information | Applicable planning/building department | Property address, APN and jurisdiction. |
Madera County Recorder address, phone, email and hours
Madera, CA 93637
Recorder phone: 559-675-7724
Email: RecorderInfo@maderacounty.com
Recorder division hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM, except county holidays.
Recording submission hours: 8:00 AM–4:00 PM.
Madera County Recorder official links and what to do on each page
Use for Recorder contact information, office hours, record categories and links to recording services.
- Confirm the latest phone and hours.
- Open the Online Index when searching records.
- Use the Recorder subpages for fees or filing requirements.
Use for current and historical grantor/grantee index access and copy-request instructions.
- Choose the current or historical index.
- Search party names and spelling variations.
- Save the document number or book/page.
Use before mailing or hand-delivering a deed, lien, release, correction or other instrument.
- Check signatures and acknowledgment.
- Verify APN, return address and document title.
- Confirm PCOR, page size and fee requirements.
Use to calculate the current recording, additional-page, housing, transfer-tax and copy charges.
- Count every page and document title.
- Determine whether an SB 2 fee or exemption applies.
- Add any PCOR or indexing fee that applies.
Use for county-published correction materials, copy requests, DTT information and related Recorder documents.
- Choose the exact county document you need.
- Read its instructions before completing it.
- Do not use a form as a substitute for legal advice.
Use when you know an address but lack the parcel or ownership clues needed for a Recorder search.
- Search the property.
- Capture the APN and available ownership clues.
- Return to the Recorder’s name-based index.
Three common Madera County deed-search situations
Search your name as a grantee around the purchase year. Verify the grant deed’s document number, then order a plain or certified copy only if you no longer have the original or need another official copy.
Locate the deed of trust and then look for a reconveyance or other release tied to the same recording. Do not assume a loan is released merely because its deed of trust is old.
Use the document number in the notice, obtain the actual instrument and contact the Recorder if you do not recognize the transfer, signature or property description.
Madera County Recorder FAQs
Where is the Madera County Recorder office?
The Recorder is located at 200 W. 4th Street, Madera, CA 93637. The Recorder’s direct telephone number is 559-675-7724, and the county lists RecorderInfo@maderacounty.com for Recorder email.
Can I search Madera County deeds online?
Yes. Use the official Madera County Online Index. The county identifies its current Official Public Records index as covering records from mid-1980 forward and updated daily. Its index page also provides historical-record search access.
Can I search Recorder records by property address or APN?
The Recorder states that recorded documents are indexed by principal party names and year and that documents cannot be searched in its official-record index by street address or APN. When you only know an address, begin with the Madera County Assessor parcel search, then use the resulting owner or transaction clues in the Recorder index.
How much does it cost to get a copy of a recorded deed?
Madera County currently publishes a Recorder copy charge of $3 for the first page and $1 for each additional page. Certification is an additional $2 per document. Check the county’s current fee page before ordering because fees can change.
What are the Madera County Recorder’s recording hours?
The Recorder division lists business hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday except holidays. Documents are accepted for recording from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Is the Assessor’s Parcel Number required on a deed?
Madera County states that the nine-digit APN is required on conveyance documents such as deeds. The number can usually be found on property-tax records or obtained through the Assessor.
Do I need a PCOR when recording a deed?
A Preliminary Change of Ownership Report generally accompanies documents affecting a change in ownership. Madera County publishes a $20 charge when an applicable conveyance document is recorded without the required PCOR. Use the current Madera County BOE-502-A and its instructions.
Can I electronically record a deed myself?
Madera County supports electronic recording, but electronic documents from non-governmental agencies must be transmitted through a CeRTNA-authorized agent or submitter. For a one-time filing, compare that process with mailing or personally delivering the recording.
Can Recorder staff tell me which deed to use or how to fill it out?
No. Madera County specifically explains that Recorder personnel cannot practice law, choose legal forms or prepare legal instruments. They can provide recording requirements and public-record access. For questions about changing ownership, vesting, trusts, probate, legal descriptions or correcting title, use an appropriate California attorney, title professional or qualified legal document assistant.
The fastest way to use the Madera County Recorder
For most people looking for a Madera County deed, the practical sequence is straightforward: search the official Recorder index by party name and approximate year, save the document number, then obtain the actual recorded document when you need its legal details or a certified copy.
If you only know the street address, begin with the Assessor rather than forcing an address into the Recorder’s name-based index. If you are filing a new deed, verify the APN, acknowledgment, PCOR, documentary transfer-tax treatment, first-page format and current recording fee before submitting the original.
And if an unfamiliar deed or quitclaim deed appears against your property, obtain the actual document and contact the Recorder promptly instead of relying on an unofficial property-record site or mail solicitation.