Our office is closed from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. once per quarter, on the third Tuesday of the following months: March, May, August and November.
Sorry for any inconvenience that this may cause.
Recorder
The County Clerk Recorder’s Office hours of operation are Monday – Friday, From 8 A.M. to 12 P.M. and 1 P.M. to 5 P.M. (Closed for lunch from 12 P.M. to 1 P.M.)
Public Notice - Building Homes & Jobs Act Fee
The general function of the Recorder’s office is to record real property documents and act as the public repository of these recorded documents where information is kept permanently for research purposes and the issuance of certified copies used to determine the history and ownership of a given piece of property and for other real estate transactions.
THE RECORDER HAS THE FOLLOWING BASIC RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Records and safeguards any document that is authorized or required by statute or court order to be recorded and meets the recording requirements of State statutes and local ordinances.
- Registers and issues Monterey County birth, death, and marriage certificates.
GENERAL RECORDING INFORMATION:
The County Recorder, upon payment of proper fees and taxes, will accept any document which is authorized or required by California law to be recorded, if the document contains required recording information and is photographically reproducible.
Each document presented for recording must comply with California state law and recording requirements.
- State law requires the transferee (buyer) of real property to file a completed Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (PCOR) concurrently with the recordation of any document effecting a change of ownership. If the form is not filed, the recorder will charge an additional fee of $20. For questions on proper completion of form, please contact the Assessor’s Office at (831) 755-5035 or toll free from the Monterey Peninsula at (831) 647-7719.
- All applicable fees must be paid at the time of recording, Fee Schedule. Payment may be made by cash, personal check, cashier’s check, or money order. Debit/Credit cards are also accepted in the office; a transaction fee of $2.50 applies in addition to the recording fees.
Please be advised, the Salinas office is the only location where documents can be recorded. There are no branch offices. All applicable recording fees must be paid at the time of recording.
The Recorder’s Office is prohibited from giving any legal advice and cannot assist the public in the preparation of legal documents. If you have questions concerning which document form is appropriate, consult an attorney or obtain other professional advice. If you have any questions regarding the recording process, you may contact the Recorder’s Office at (831) 755-5041 or toll free from the Monterey Peninsula at (831) 647-7741.
Documents may be presented for recording by mail or in person, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., excluding holidays.