Recording Requirements

BASIC RECORDING REQUIREMENTS:

Among other requirements, each document presented for recording must include or comply with the following basic recording requirements:

• The Property must be located in Monterey County. [CC 1169]
• The document must be authorized or required by law to be recorded. [GC 27201(a)]
• The document must be submitted with the proper fees and taxes. [GC 27201(a)]
• The document must be in compliance with state and local laws and/or ordinance.
• The document must name the person requesting the recording and state the Name and Address, to whom the document should be returned, under the “Recording Requested By and Mail To” area. (GC 27361.6)
• The document must be legible enough to produce a readable photographic record. (GC 27201, 27361.6, 27361.7)
• Signatures must be originals unless the document is a certified copy issued by the appropriate custodian of public record.[GC 27201(b)(1), 27201(b)(2), Evd. Code 1530]
• The document must be properly acknowledged, unless exempt, California requires an All-Purpose Acknowledgement.(GC 27285, 27287, 27288, CC 1189)
• The notary seal must be legible for a microfilm reproduction.(GC 8207)
• The top right-hand side of the first page shall reserve 2 ½” x 4 ½” space for recording information. (GC 27361.6) 

All documents transferring property require a PRELIMINARY CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP REPORT (PCOR). 

The PCOR form can be viewed and printed from the Assessor’s website or click here to view and/or print the PCOR. If a PCOR is required but not submitted at the time of recording, please include the required additional $20 fee.

PCORs are also available at the Recorder’s customer counter, or can be mailed or faxed to you upon request by calling the Assessor’s Office at (831) 755-5035.

DOCUMENT FORMAT:
Effective July 1, 1994 documents executed on or after July 1, 1994 must comply with the standard 8 ½” x 11” sheet/paper size to avoid penalty, and must not exceed 8 ½” x 14”. Any document including any sheet/paper not exactly 8 ½” x 11” will cost the regular recording fee PLUS an ADDITIONAL $3.00 PER PAGE to record per Government Code 27361.1. Attached EXHIBITS should be on a separate page and properly marked. The first page should have a return address on the top left-had corner that is 2 ½” down and 3 ½” across. On the top right-hand corner, allow a blank space 2 ½” down and 4 ½” across for the recording label.

The title of the document shall appear on the first page immediately below the spaces reserved for the return address and the blank space for the recorder’s label.

If there is not enough space for the Recorders label on the first page, an additional $3.00 will be charged for a Cover Page.

A Cover Page can be viewed and printed from this web site. It is in PDF format. Please click here to view and/or print the Cover Page.

Clarity is assured if you use:  Original documents, white paper (16 lb. Bond or heavier), black ink in one color, and clear print. Be careful of dot matrix printers, FAX copies, dark backgrounds, variations in colored paper/ink, print letters that run together, illegible Notary Seals, etc.

Trained examiners who rely on Federal and State Codes review documents.