Sonoma County Recorder: Deeds & Records
Use the Sonoma County Recorder when you need to locate a recorded deed, deed of trust, reconveyance, lien, map or other official land document, obtain an official or certified copy, or submit an eligible document for recording.
The fastest path is usually to search the County’s official public-record index first, identify the exact document number, and then order the record you actually need. This guide also shows what to do when you only have a property address, how older records work, what a deed needs before recording, where the PCOR fits, and when the Assessor or Tax Collector—not the Recorder—is the correct office.
Use the Sonoma County Document Records Search rather than a paid people-search site.
585 Fiscal Drive, Room 103, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.
707-565-3800; phone support is listed Monday–Friday, 9 AM–4 PM.
County guidance lists $4 per downloadable official-record document, plus online card fee.
Check current requirements, transfer-tax statements, PCOR needs and fees.
What the Sonoma County Recorder does—and what it does not do
Sonoma County combines Clerk, Recorder and Assessor functions within one department, but the records themselves still serve different purposes. Choosing the correct division prevents a common problem: finding a property record and assuming it answers a deed, tax, ownership or boundary question that belongs somewhere else.
Use for grant deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, reconveyances, liens, releases, recorded maps and other official recordings.
Search Recorder indexUse when you need an APN, assessed value, property characteristics or questions about reassessment after a transfer.
Open Assessor resourcesUse the County GIS applications to identify a parcel and APN before moving into the Recorder’s name-based records index.
Open Sonoma County GISRecorded deeds do not show your current tax balance. Use the Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector for billing and payment.
Pay or review property taxesThe Recorder can show what was recorded, but the party holding a lien normally controls whether an appropriate release can be issued.
Review lien workflowRecorder staff cannot decide which deed you need, give legal advice or determine whether a recorded document is legally sufficient for your goal.
Prepare before recordingHow to search Sonoma County deeds and official records online
The official Sonoma County records search is the best starting point when your goal is to find a deed, lien, deed of trust, reconveyance or other recorded instrument. Search the index first, then use the resulting document number to obtain the actual document.
Open Sonoma County Document Records Search
How to find a Sonoma County deed from a property address
A street address is useful for locating the parcel, but Recorder indexes are built around recorded parties and document references—not a consumer-style “search any address” experience. If the address is all you have, create a bridge from the parcel record to the recorded document.
Open official Sonoma County GIS
Search recorded documents
What the common Sonoma County Recorder fields mean
| Field | What it tells you | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Document / instrument number | Unique recording reference assigned to a recorded document. | Best identifier for ordering the correct copy or discussing the record with staff. |
| Recording date | Date the Recorder accepted and recorded the document. | Useful for separating multiple deeds, refinances, releases or liens involving the same parties. |
| Document type | The indexed category such as deed, deed of trust, lien or reconveyance. | Check whether the record fits the transaction you are researching. |
| Grantor | Generally the party conveying or granting an interest. | Often the seller on a grant deed, though roles depend on document type. |
| Grantee | Generally the party receiving an interest. | Often the buyer on a grant deed, but verify the actual instrument. |
| Book / page | Historical reference used for older records. | Important when requesting or researching documents that predate modern instrument-number indexing. |
| APN | Assessor Parcel Number used to identify the assessment parcel. | Helpful for confirming that a deed corresponds to the intended parcel, but it is not the legal description itself. |
How to get a Sonoma County deed copy or certified copy
Many people searching for the Sonoma County Recorder do not need to record anything—they simply need a copy of a deed that is already on file. Sonoma County has warned residents about private solicitations charging large amounts for deed copies that the County itself sells for much less.
Locate the record through the official index and use the online purchase option. County scam-prevention guidance lists an official-record download at $4 per document, plus a $2 card transaction fee.
County guidance lists paper official-record copies at $5 per page. Certification is an additional $4 per document. Take the document number to make the request more efficient.
Identify the document and page count first. County guidance lists $5 per page plus $4 per document when certification is requested, with mailed processing noted as roughly two to three weeks.
| Copy method | Published charge | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Online official record | $4 per document | County guidance also lists a $2 credit/debit online transaction fee. |
| Paper official record | $5 per page | Useful when you need a physical copy or mail order. |
| Certification | +$4 per document | Add this when an agency, court, lender or other recipient specifically requires a certified copy. |
| Map copy | $5 per page | Published on the County’s official public-record copy request form. |
Fees can change. Confirm the current amount before mailing payment or ordering a large number of pages.
Sonoma County deed recording checklist
If your document has already been prepared—or you are working with an attorney, title company or other qualified professional—use the County’s recording requirements as the final mechanical checklist before submission.
Micro step-by-step: submit a prepared deed
Open official recording requirements
Open California BOE-502-A PCOR
Check Sonoma Recorder fee schedule
Recording fees, SB 2 charges and documentary transfer tax
Do not assume that every deed costs the same amount to record. The total depends on the document, number of pages, number of titles or indexed references, whether statutory surcharges apply, and whether documentary transfer tax is due.
| Charge | When it may apply | Practical action |
|---|---|---|
| Base recording fee | Applies according to the current Recorder fee schedule and document type. | Use the current County schedule rather than an old third-party fee chart. |
| Additional-page / indexing charges | May apply to multi-page documents, additional titles or extra indexed information. | Count pages and document titles before calculating payment. |
| Building Homes and Jobs Act fee | California law can add $75 per qualifying real-estate instrument unless a statutory exemption applies, with a statutory cap. | If claiming an exemption, make sure the required exemption language appears on the face of the document or cover page. |
| Restrictive-covenant program fee | A separate state-authorized recording surcharge can apply to certain real-estate documents under Government Code provisions supporting restrictive-covenant review. | Use the current Sonoma fee schedule because this fee is statute-dependent and time-sensitive. |
| PCOR-related fee | California permits an additional fee when a required PCOR is not submitted with the ownership-transfer document. | Submit the properly completed PCOR with the deed when required. |
| Documentary transfer tax | Generally applies to taxable transfers of real property unless a statutory exemption applies. | Put the required tax declaration or exemption on the document. |
Sonoma County documentary transfer tax
The County rate is generally $0.55 for each $500, or fractional part of $500, of taxable consideration or value. The County has also published additional city transfer taxes for property within Santa Rosa and Petaluma at $2.00 per $1,000, collected in addition to the County transfer tax.
Sonoma’s deed guidance also explains that the transfer-tax statement belongs on the face of the document. Recorder staff may help determine the amount due from the information supplied, but they cannot determine the property’s legal fair-market value for you.
What the Preliminary Change of Ownership Report does
The Preliminary Change of Ownership Report, commonly called the PCOR, is California form BOE-502-A. It gives the County Assessor information needed to review the transfer for property-tax purposes.
The current State Board of Equalization form asks for items such as the buyer/transferee, property address, APN, type of transfer, possible reassessment exclusions, purchase information and whether the property will be used as the transferee’s principal residence.
California guidance says the PCOR is normally filed with the deed or other qualifying conveyance at the Recorder’s office.
The PCOR supplies assessment information. It does not replace the deed, legal description, acknowledgment or other recording requirements.
How Sonoma County records before 1964 are different
Sonoma County has land records reaching back to before California statehood. Its Recorder explains that records from January 1964 forward are indexed and imaged in the modern computerized system, while records through December 31, 1963 were historically indexed in handwritten grantor-grantee index books.
The older documents and index books have been microfilmed or digitized, but researching them is different from typing a modern document number into a search box. You may need to work from a person’s name to an old index entry and then follow a book-and-page reference to the actual image.
How to check a recorded lien in Sonoma County
If you received a lien notice or are checking whether a lien was recorded under your name, search the official index first. Sonoma County has specifically warned residents about fraudulent or misleading lien-related solicitations and tells residents they can search recorded liens through the County index.
Search official lien records
Found discriminatory language in an old Sonoma County deed?
California law provides a process for addressing unlawful discriminatory restrictions in recorded real-property documents. Sonoma County operates a Restrictive Covenant Modification program and explains that residents may notify the Recorder when they find unlawful language.
Sonoma lists several ways to begin the process, including submitting the County’s restrictive-covenant form, emailing the Recorder with the document number or book/page reference and location of the unlawful language, calling the office, or submitting the required materials in person.
Sonoma County Recorder office address, phone and hours
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Recorder: 707-565-3800
24-hour information: 707-565-3700
Fax: 707-565-3905
Email: ClerkRecorder@sonomacounty.gov
Monday–Tuesday: 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM–4:00 PM
Thursday–Friday: 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8:00 AM–4:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM–3:00 PM
Mail or drop-box recording
Sonoma County accepts recording documents by mail and through a secured drop box outside the Clerk-Recorder office. For a mailed recording, send the original signed document, payment and separate contact information to:
County Clerk-Recorder585 Fiscal Drive, Room 103
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Which record should you use?
| Your question | Best record or office | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Who received title in a recorded deed? | Recorder deed image | The recorded instrument shows the parties and conveyance language. |
| What is the parcel’s APN? | Assessor / County GIS | The APN is an assessment identifier tied to the County’s parcel system. |
| How much property tax is currently due? | Tax Collector | The Recorder does not maintain current tax-bill balances. |
| Was a lien recorded? | Recorder index + actual lien document | The index locates the recording; the document identifies the liening party and terms. |
| Where is the exact legal boundary? | Recorded documents + licensed survey | County GIS parcel lines are not survey-quality legal boundary determinations. |
| Should I use a grant deed or quitclaim deed? | Qualified legal/title professional | Recorder staff cannot advise which legal instrument should accomplish your intended transfer. |
Sonoma County Recorder FAQs
How do I search Sonoma County deed records online?
Open the official Sonoma County Document Records Search, accept the disclaimer, and search the indexed name associated with the deed. Try spelling variations, narrow by recording date when possible, and verify the document number before ordering a copy.
Can I search Sonoma County deeds by address?
Not as reliably as you can search a consumer property database. Recorder records are primarily indexed using recorded names and document references. If you only know the address, first use Sonoma County GIS or Assessor resources to identify the parcel and relevant ownership information, then search the Recorder index.
Where is the Sonoma County Recorder’s Office?
The County Clerk-Recorder Office is at 585 Fiscal Drive, Room 103, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. The Recorder phone number is 707-565-3800.
How much is a Sonoma County deed copy?
Sonoma’s County-published consumer guidance lists online official-record downloads at $4 per document plus a $2 online credit/debit transaction fee. In-person and mail official-record paper copies are listed at $5 per page, with certification an additional $4 per document. Verify current fees before ordering.
What do I need to record a deed in Sonoma County?
A deed generally needs to satisfy California and County recording rules, including readable text, identified parties and document type, appropriate signatures and acknowledgment, the correct property description, APN on the first page for title transfers, return information, transfer-tax declaration or exemption, fees and a PCOR when required. Review the County’s current recording requirements before submission.
Does the Recorder tell me which deed form to use?
No. Sonoma County states that Recorder staff cannot provide legal advice, select the correct deed for your situation or tell you how title should be held. Those decisions can have ownership, estate-planning and tax consequences.
How do I find a deed recorded before 1964?
Older Sonoma records may require the historic grantor/grantee indexes and book-and-page references. The County states that pre-1964 documents and handwritten indexes have been digitized, but research may require manually following the historic index rather than using a modern instrument number.
Can the Sonoma County Recorder remove a lien?
No. The Recorder can show that a lien or release was recorded but generally cannot cancel a lien on demand. Contact the party that recorded or holds the lien about the required payoff, release or satisfaction process.
What is a PCOR and why do I need one?
The Preliminary Change of Ownership Report is California form BOE-502-A. It provides transfer information to the Assessor and commonly accompanies deeds and other qualifying ownership-transfer documents when they are recorded.
Is the Sonoma County online Recorder index proof that title is clear?
No. The County itself describes the index as a guide to the underlying documents. A complete title determination can require examination of multiple recordings, legal descriptions, liens, easements, court matters and other records. For a transaction or title-insurance question, use an appropriate title or legal professional.
Use the Sonoma County Recorder without unnecessary detours
If you are looking for an existing deed or lien, begin with the official public-record index, save the document number, and inspect the actual recorded image before relying on its terms. If you are trying to identify a parcel from an address, start with the Assessor or Sonoma County GIS and then move to the Recorder once you have a reliable name or document reference.
If you are recording a new deed, review Sonoma County’s current recording requirements before signing or submitting it. Confirm the APN, legal description, acknowledgment, PCOR, transfer-tax declaration, return information and current fees. If the unresolved question is legal—such as what deed to use, how to hold title, whether a transfer qualifies for an exclusion, or how a lien affects ownership—the Recorder is the filing office, not the legal decision-maker.