Can I view the actual Sacramento County deed online?

The public online Recorder index identifies recorded documents but does not display the actual document. A copy can be requested from the Sacramento County Clerk/Recorder.

How much is a copy of a recorded Sacramento County document?

The Recorder currently lists a non-certified recorded-document copy at $8 for the first page plus $1 for each additional page. Certification adds $1 per document, making a one-page certified copy $9.

Where is the Sacramento County Recorder office?

The main Sacramento County Clerk/Recorder office is at 3636 American River Drive, Suite 110, Sacramento, California 95864.

Can I search a Sacramento County deed by property address?

The Recorder's official online index is designed around recorded-document information such as party names and recording year rather than being a conventional address-based property search. If you only have an address, first use Sacramento County Assessor property resources to identify the parcel and related property information.

Does the Sacramento County Recorder determine who legally owns a property?

The Recorder maintains and indexes recorded instruments but does not provide title opinions or legal advice. A recorded deed can be important evidence in an ownership chain, but high-stakes title questions may require professional title or legal research.

What is required to record a deed in Sacramento County?

A deed transferring real property generally must identify the grantor and grantee, property, Assessor Parcel Number, transfer-tax declaration, return address, tax-statement mailing address and property location, and contain required signatures and notarization. A Preliminary Change of Ownership Report should normally accompany the deed.

Does the Sacramento County Recorder have divorce or probate records?

No. Court orders, divorce records, wills and probate case records are maintained by Sacramento Superior Court rather than the County Recorder.

Sacramento County, California · deeds, liens, copies and document recording

Sacramento County Recorder: Search Deeds, Records & Copies

Q: Can I search Sacramento County deeds online?

Yes. Sacramento County provides an online index of recorded documents dating back to 1849. The index helps identify deeds, deeds of trust, reconveyances, assignments and liens, but it does not display the actual recorded document image.

Q: What time is the Sacramento County Recorder recording cutoff?

At the main office, documents presented by 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, can be recorded the same business day if they meet recording requirements.

Use the Sacramento County Recorder when you need the recorded paper trail behind real estate in Sacramento County: grant deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, reconveyances, assignments, liens and other official instruments.

The key is knowing what the online system can—and cannot—do. Sacramento County provides an official recorded-document index reaching back to 1849, but the public index identifies documents rather than displaying the actual deed image. Once you find the right recording reference, you can order the document from the County Clerk/Recorder.

Search official recorded documents Order a recorded document Record a deed

The online Recorder index is not an online deed-image viewer. Sacramento County states that the index can be used to identify recorded documents, but the actual document cannot be viewed through that public index. Use the index to find the recording reference, then request the copy from the Clerk/Recorder.

Records indexed Recorded-document index available back to 1849.

Main office 3636 American River Drive, Suite 110.

Main hours Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Same-day cutoff 3:00 p.m. at the main office when requirements are met.

General phone 916-874-6334.

Start with the correct county system

What are you actually trying to find?

A large share of failed “Sacramento County Recorder” searches happen because the desired information belongs to a different office. Route the task correctly before spending time searching.

Deed, lien or recorded instrument

Use the County Clerk/Recorder for recorded deeds, deeds of trust, reconveyances, liens, releases and other recordable documents.

Search Recorder index

Parcel, APN or assessed value

Use the Sacramento County Assessor when you need parcel information, assessment data or a parcel map.

Open Assessor Parcel Viewer

Property-tax bill or payment

Use Sacramento County Tax Collection for current bills, prior delinquent taxes and payments.

Open Tax Collection

Divorce, court order or probate

These are court records, not Recorder records. Use Sacramento Superior Court for civil, family and probate files.

Open Superior Court records

Legal boundary or fence line

A deed may contain or reference the legal description, but locating the physical boundary may require a licensed land surveyor.

Review county parcel-map guidance

Title certainty before a transaction

The Recorder provides public documents but does not issue a title opinion. Consider professional title or legal research when legal ownership or lien priority matters.

Go directly to your Sacramento County Recorder task

Use this table of contents to skip directly to the action you need.

Official deed and lien search

How to search Sacramento County Recorder records online

Best search strategy: start with a party name and an approximate recording year, identify the correct instrument, save its recording reference, and order the document only after confirming that it matches the transaction you are researching.

Open the county’s official Online Index of Recorded Documents Go directly to the Sacramento County Recorder search rather than a people-search or commercial property-data website. Open the official Recorder index

Prepare the name that would appear on the recorded instrument For a deed, this may be the grantor—the person transferring an interest—or the grantee receiving it. For a deed of trust, lien or reconveyance, additional parties can appear.

Narrow the search with the likely recording year Sacramento County describes its index as searchable by party name and year of recording. If you know roughly when the purchase, refinance, payoff, lien or transfer occurred, use that date information to reduce false matches.

Do not automatically choose the first matching name Common surnames, family members, trusts, businesses and repeated transactions can produce multiple possible records. Compare document type, recording date and every reference provided by the index.

Decide whether you need the deed or another document A deed shows a transfer of an interest in real estate. A deed of trust is normally a financing/security instrument. A reconveyance commonly documents release of a deed of trust after the secured obligation is satisfied.

Save the document number or book/page reference This is the information you will use when ordering the actual recorded document. Take a screenshot or save the reference exactly as displayed.

Order the actual document when the index is not enough The public index does not display the recorded document image. Move to the Clerk/Recorder’s recorded-document copy process when you need to read the full deed, legal description, signatures or recorded text. Open official copy instructions

Sacramento County says the online index covers recorded documents back to 1849. Common indexed documents include deeds, deeds of trust, deeds of reconveyance, assignments of deeds of trust and liens.

When you only know the street address

How to move from a Sacramento property address to its recorded deed

The Recorder index is not structured like a real-estate listing website where you simply enter a street address and immediately see a deed image. If an address is all you have, use county property resources to build enough identifying information to search the recorded-document trail accurately.

Address Find the parcel.

APN / property clues Confirm the correct real estate.

Party + year Search Recorder index.

Recording reference Order the deed.

Open Sacramento County Assessor’s Parcel Viewer Search for the parcel and confirm that you are working with the correct location. The Assessor provides parcel maps and property-related data. Open Assessor Parcel Viewer

Save the 14-digit Assessor Parcel Number when shown The APN is useful for connecting assessor, tax and recorded-property research, although Recorder searches and recorded documents may use additional legal-description information.

Do not expect the online Assessor map to display the owner’s name Sacramento County states that owner information is withheld from the online Parcel Viewer for privacy reasons. Owner information is available through the Assessor’s public-record procedures. Review Assessor public-record access

Use transaction clues you already have A purchase closing statement, tax correspondence, prior deed, trust paperwork, title report or family records may identify the relevant owner name and approximate transfer year.

Search the Recorder index with the party name and year Compare all plausible matches and focus on deed-type instruments recorded around the transaction date.

Boundary warning: Assessor parcel maps are created for assessment purposes and should not be treated as surveys. The county advises that parcel lines may not precisely reflect legal descriptions. When exact physical boundaries matter, use the recorded legal description and appropriate professional surveying services.

Record-type decoder

Know which Sacramento County recorded document you need

Common real-property records found in a Recorder search
Document	What it generally represents	Why you may need it	Important limitation
Grant deed	A document commonly used to transfer an interest in real property from grantor to grantee.	Research a sale, gift or other ownership transfer.	A single deed is not necessarily a complete title history.
Quitclaim deed	Transfers whatever interest the signer has, if any, without the same form of title assurances associated with some other deed forms.	Family, trust, divorce-related or other title changes.	Recording does not establish that the signer actually possessed the claimed interest.
Deed of trust	A security instrument commonly associated with a real-estate loan.	Research financing placed against the property.	It is not the document that ordinarily proves a sale to the borrower.
Reconveyance	A recorded instrument commonly associated with release of a deed of trust after the secured obligation is satisfied.	Research whether a prior deed of trust was released.	Verify the recording reference against the original security instrument.
Assignment	May transfer an interest in a previously recorded deed of trust or related instrument.	Follow changes involving a lender or beneficiary interest.	An assignment is different from a deed transferring ownership of the real estate itself.
Lien	A recorded claim or encumbrance that may affect property.	Investigate mechanics liens, judgments or other recorded claims.	A lien found in an index may have a later release, satisfaction or other related filing.
Affidavit-death document	A document used in certain circumstances to address title after the death of a joint tenant, trustee or trustor.	Estate and succession-related property research.	The correct procedure depends on how title was held and the underlying legal situation.

For ownership-chain research: do not stop after finding one deed. Search around the relevant names and dates for later deeds, corrective recordings, trust transfers, reconveyances, liens, releases and other instruments that may affect the picture.

Actual recorded document

How to order a Sacramento County deed or recorded-document copy

Sacramento County makes recorded documents such as grant deeds, deeds of trust and liens available for viewing at its office locations. Copies can also be requested through the Recorder’s published procedures.

Search the official index first Identify the document you want and save the recording reference before ordering. This reduces the risk of paying for the wrong instrument. Search official index

Choose certified or non-certified For personal research, an uncertified copy may be enough. If an agency, court, lender or legal process requires certification, confirm its requirements before ordering.

Use the official Recorded Document Copy Order Form for mail or fax Enter the document title, book/page or other identifying information, number of copies, certification choice and requester details. Open official copy order form

Select the approved payment and delivery method Follow the current form and payment instructions. Credit-card transactions for mail, fax and online orders currently carry a county-published processing fee. Check accepted payments

Submit the request The Recorder publishes mail and fax ordering options, office visits and telephone assistance at 916-874-6334.

Check every page when the copy arrives Confirm the document number, recording date, names, legal description and page count before relying on the document for further research.

Mail

Sacramento County Clerk/Recorder
3636 American River Drive, Suite 110
Sacramento, CA 95864

Fax copy orders

The county’s current recorded-document copy form lists fax number 916-874-0947.

Verify the current form before submitting because procedures can change.

2026 published fees

Sacramento County Recorder copy and recording fees

Copy fees are relatively straightforward. Recording a new document is more complicated because the final amount can depend on document type, page size, number of titles, statutory surcharges, exemptions and transfer-related fees.

Selected Sacramento County Recorder fees published for 2026
Service	Published amount	What to know
Non-certified recorded-document copy	$8 first page + $1 each additional page	Suitable when certification is not required.
Certification	$1 per document	A one-page certified copy is therefore currently $9.
Self-service uncertified copy in person	$1 per page	Available under the county’s current recorded-document fee schedule.
Basic recording	$20 first page/title	This is not necessarily the final total; statutory fees and exemptions may change the amount due.
Additional standard-size page	$3	County rules define the standard page and permit certain larger sheets with possible surcharge.
Additional document title	$20	Additional statutory charges may apply.
Possible Building Homes and Jobs Act fee	$75 per qualifying instrument/title	Exemptions and a statutory cap can apply. Do not assume every deed is charged this fee.

Do not mail a recording based only on a rough fee estimate. Recording fees can change depending on the instrument and applicable statutory charges. Review the live Sacramento County fee schedule or contact the Recorder before submitting a document when the exact total is uncertain.

Check current Recorder fee schedule Review payment methods

New deed recording

How to record a deed with the Sacramento County Recorder

Sacramento County identifies grant deeds and quitclaim deeds as two common documents used to transfer ownership. The Recorder can explain recording requirements, but it cannot select the correct deed for you or give legal advice about how ownership should be transferred.

Prepare the information the Recorder checks

Grantor name or names—the person or entity transferring the interest.

Grantee name or names—the person or entity receiving the interest.

Identification or description of Sacramento County real property.

Assessor’s Parcel Number.

Documentary transfer-tax declaration.

“When recorded mail to” name and address.

Mailing address for future property-tax statements.

City name or designation that the property is unincorporated.

Required grantor signature or signatures.

Required notary acknowledgment.

Determine the correct legal instrument before signing A grant deed, quitclaim deed, trust transfer, affidavit after death or other instrument can have very different legal and tax consequences. The Recorder records legally acceptable documents but does not advise you which transaction structure to choose.

Complete the deed and required transfer information Make sure names, property identification, APN, return address, tax-statement address and transfer-tax declaration are complete and consistent. Review official transfer requirements

Complete the Preliminary Change of Ownership Report when required Sacramento County states that Form BOE-502-A should accompany a real-property transfer document. If it is not presented when required, the county currently lists an additional $20 recording fee. Open Sacramento County Assessor forms

Check formatting before going to the Recorder Confirm first-page recording space, margins, document title placement, signatures, acknowledgments, page dimensions and references to any earlier document being modified or released. Read official recording rules

Calculate recording and transfer charges Use the current fee schedule and transfer-tax guidance. Do not assume another deed’s recording total will be identical to yours. Open current fee schedule

Record in person or by mail The main office accepts in-person recording. The county also publishes a mail-recording process using a check or money order payable to “Sacramento County Clerk/Recorder.”

For same-day processing, use the main office before the cutoff Sacramento County states that documents presented by 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, can be recorded the same day if all requirements are met.

Keep the recorded document when it is returned The Recorder’s FAQ states that recorded documents are mailed back within 10 working days after recording. Preserve the recording information with your permanent property records.

Avoid preventable recording problems

Recorder formatting rules that can delay a Sacramento County filing

Important document-format checks before submission
Requirement	Practical check
First-page recording space	Reserve at least the top 2½ inches for recording information and required return information.
Side margins	Provide at least a ½-inch margin on the two vertical sides outside the reserved recording area.
Document title	Place the title or titles immediately below the space reserved for the Recorder.
Standard page	A standard recording page is 8½ × 11 inches; documents can be no larger than 8½ × 14 inches under the county’s published rules.
Original signature	Recorded instruments generally require original signatures unless an exception applies; a certified copy can be acceptable in specified circumstances.
Earlier-document reference	A document modifying, releasing or canceling an earlier recording must identify the earlier Recorder number or book and page.

If the first page does not meet the Recorder’s formatting requirements, a compliant lead sheet may have to be attached and standard recording fees can apply to that additional page.

Transfer-tax checkpoint

Documentary transfer tax when recording Sacramento County real estate

Documentary transfer tax can apply when an interest in real property is sold and the transfer is recorded. Sacramento County currently publishes a county documentary transfer-tax rate of $0.55 for each $500, or fractional part of $500, of applicable value after the treatment of assumed liens described in the county’s guidance.

Tax declaration

The deed or other transfer document should contain the required transfer-tax declaration on the first or lead page.

No tax due?

If the declaration is $0, the county instructs filers to provide the reason, such as a gift or an applicable statutory exemption.

City of Sacramento

Property inside the incorporated City of Sacramento can also involve a separate city transfer tax in addition to county requirements.

Read official transfer-tax FAQ See declaration instructions

High-stakes transaction? Transfer tax, ownership structure, reassessment and title consequences can interact. The Recorder can explain recording requirements but cannot provide individualized legal or tax advice.

Visit or mail the Recorder

Sacramento County Clerk/Recorder locations, hours and contact information

Main Clerk/Recorder Office

3636 American River Drive, Suite 110
Sacramento, CA 95864

Regular hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Same-day recording: 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Phone: 916-874-6334

Documents deposited after 3:00 p.m. are recorded the next business day when accepted. The county states that recording fees after 3:00 p.m. must be paid by cash or check.

Satellite Office – South

8239 E. Stockton Boulevard
Sacramento, CA 95828

Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Phone: 916-874-6334

Same-day recording is not available at this location. Sacramento County states that documents accepted here are sent to the main office and recorded in approximately two business days. Recording fees presented at the South office must be paid by cash or check.

Thursday evening hours are not extended deed-recording hours. Beginning May 21, 2026, Sacramento County’s Thursday 5:00–8:00 p.m. extended hours are centralized at the main office and are for limited services such as certified vital-record copies and appointment-based marriage services. Use regular recording hours for deeds and other recorded documents.

Verify locations, hours & holidays Official contact page

Less-obvious Recorder tasks

Special Sacramento County property-record situations

Death of a property owner

Sacramento County publishes affidavit-death guidance for certain title changes involving a deceased joint tenant, trustee or trustor. Requirements include property identification and an attached certified death certificate.

Review affidavit-death requirements

Restrictive covenant

California law provides a process for modifying unlawfully restrictive covenants. Sacramento County operates a Restrictive Covenant Modification program and publishes assistance information.

Open restrictive-covenant guidance

Declaration of Homestead

The Recorder publishes recording requirements for a Declaration of Homestead while warning that California homestead law is complex and improperly prepared documents may be ineffective.

Review homestead recording guidance

Official action center

Use these official Sacramento County Recorder resources

Recorder home

County Clerk/Recorder services, recording information and public-record resources.

Open Clerk/Recorder

Recorded-document index

Search the official index for deeds, deeds of trust, reconveyances, assignments and liens.

Search recorded documents

Recorded-document copies

Review copy-order methods and certified versus non-certified fees.

Order a copy

Recording rules

Check page format, recording space, title placement, signatures and related requirements.

Review recording rules

Recorder fees

Verify current copy charges, recording fees and statutory surcharges before paying.

Check fees

Real-property transfer

County requirements for recording grant deeds, quitclaim deeds and ownership transfers.

Review deed-transfer requirements

Assessor Parcel Viewer

Use when you need the parcel, APN, map or assessment-related property details first.

Find a parcel

Property-tax bills

Use Tax Collection—not the Recorder—for tax bills, payment information and delinquent property taxes.

Open Tax Collection

Court records

Use Sacramento Superior Court for divorce cases, probate files, wills and other court records.

Open court records

Frequently asked questions

Sacramento County Recorder FAQs

Can I search Sacramento County deeds online?

Yes. The Sacramento County Clerk/Recorder provides an official Online Index of Recorded Documents covering records back to 1849. Use it to identify deeds and other recorded instruments by available index information.

Can I see the actual deed image in the online Recorder search?

No. Sacramento County specifically states that the public online index identifies documents but does not display the actual document. After locating the correct recording, order or view the document through the Recorder’s copy services.

How much does a Sacramento County deed copy cost?

The Recorder currently publishes a fee of $8 for the first page of an official-record copy and $1 for each subsequent page. Certification is $1 per document, so a one-page certified copy is currently $9. Verify the current fee schedule before ordering.

Can I search a deed using only a street address?

The county’s Recorder index is not a conventional address-search property database. If an address is your only starting point, use Sacramento County Assessor property resources to identify the parcel and related clues, then use names and recording-year information to search the Recorder index.

What is the difference between the Recorder and the Assessor?

The Recorder records and preserves legally recordable instruments such as deeds and liens. The Assessor maintains property information used for assessment, including parcel numbers, parcel maps and assessed values. One office does not replace the other.

Where do I find Sacramento County property-tax payments?

Use Sacramento County Tax Collection and its e-PropTax services. The Recorder does not calculate or collect your annual property-tax bill.

What time should I arrive to record a deed the same day?

At the main Clerk/Recorder office, the county publishes same-day document-recording hours of 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. The document must satisfy recording requirements. Documents presented after 3:00 p.m. are processed the next business day.

What happens if I do not submit a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report with a deed?

Sacramento County states that a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report should accompany a document transferring real property. If the required report is not presented at recording, an additional $20 fee is currently assessed.

Can the Recorder tell me whether a deed gives me clear title?

No. The Recorder records documents that satisfy statutory recording requirements but does not provide legal advice or a title opinion. If ownership validity, lien priority, fraud, inheritance or title defects matter, consider an appropriate California attorney or title professional.

Are divorce decrees and wills at the County Recorder?

No. Sacramento County directs users to Sacramento Superior Court for court orders and divorce records, while wills and probate records are handled through the court’s Probate division.

Bottom line

Use the Recorder index to identify the record—then get the document you actually need

For most Sacramento County Recorder searches, the fastest path is straightforward: determine the relevant party name and approximate transaction year, search the official recorded-document index, verify the document type, save the recording reference, and order the actual deed or other instrument when the index alone is not enough.

Keep the agencies separate. Use the Clerk/Recorder for recorded deeds, liens and document copies; the Assessor for APNs, parcel information and assessed values; Tax Collection for tax bills and payments; and the Superior Court for court and probate records.

If you are recording a new transfer rather than researching an old one, verify the deed, signatures, notarization, first-page format, Preliminary Change of Ownership Report, transfer-tax declaration and current recording fees before submitting the document. That preparation can prevent avoidable rejection, extra fees and repeat trips.

Search Sacramento County records Get a deed or document copy Visit official Clerk/Recorder

Fees, office hours, forms, tax rules, online systems and recording requirements can change. Verify the current Sacramento County Clerk/Recorder information before mailing a document, submitting payment or relying on a deadline-sensitive procedure.