Bakersfield Property Deed Records

Property deed records for Bakersfield are maintained by the Kern County Assessor-Recorder office at 1530 Truxtun Avenue in downtown Bakersfield. The city does not operate its own recorder. All real estate transactions in Bakersfield go through the county system. You can search these records online but the APN search function is no longer available per state law AB 1785. The online database still lets you search by name or document number. Bakersfield is the largest city in Kern County and the ninth largest in California so the volume of deed recordings is high.

Kern County Recorder

Kern County Assessor-Recorder handles all deed filings for Bakersfield. The recorder office is at 1530 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield CA 93301. This is the main county building downtown. The office is open Monday through Friday. Call ahead for current hours.

Bakersfield makes up most of Kern County's population but smaller cities and rural areas also use the same recorder office. When you file a deed for Bakersfield property, you can do it in person at the Truxtun Avenue office, by mail, or through eRecording if you have access to a certified vendor.

The county does not supply blank deed forms. You must obtain your own forms from an attorney, title company, or office supply store. Many blank forms are available free online. The recorder staff can tell you if a document is missing something obvious like a signature or notary stamp but they cannot give legal advice or help you fill out the deed.

For complete details about Kern County recording services including current fees, online database access, and filing procedures, visit the Kern County deed records page which provides all contact information, office locations, fee schedules, and instructions for searching or recording property documents throughout the county.

Online Deed Search

Kern County offers an online search at recorderonline.co.kern.ca.us. You can search by grantor name, grantee name, or document number. The database returns a list of matching records with basic details like recording date and document type.

Due to AB 1785, the online system no longer allows searches by assessor parcel number. This change protects privacy. If you need to search by APN, you must visit the recorder office in person. Public terminals are available during business hours.

When you find a deed online, you can view basic information. To get a copy of the full deed, contact the recorder office. They can tell you the current fees for plain copies and certified copies. Certified copies include the official seal and are required for legal filings.

The database includes grant deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, reconveyances, and liens. It updates regularly as new documents get recorded. Most deeds appear in the index within a few business days after recording.

Documentary Transfer Tax

Kern County charges the standard California documentary transfer tax of 55 cents per $500 of property value. The city of Bakersfield does not add any additional city transfer tax. This keeps closing costs lower than Bay Area cities with extra city taxes.

The tax applies to most sales and transfers. Exempt transfers include gifts between spouses, transfers to a trust where the beneficial owner stays the same, and transfers to secure a debt. The deed must state the sale price or declare the exemption with the reason.

The transfer tax is usually paid by the seller but parties can agree to split it or allocate it differently in the purchase contract. It gets paid when you record the deed along with the recording fees. Make sure to include it when calculating closing costs.

Recording Fees

Kern County charges $13 for the first page of a deed. The fraud prevention fee is $10 which is higher than most counties. Each additional page costs $3. Most deeds run two or three pages so expect to pay around $26 to $29 just for recording fees. Add the SB2 housing fee of $75 for most real estate transactions.

These fees apply to all deeds in Kern County whether the property is in Bakersfield or a smaller city. The county sets the fees. Cities do not charge separate recording fees. Transfer taxes are based on sale price and are separate from recording fees.

Fees can change when new state or county laws pass. Always check the current fee schedule before filing. You can find it on the county website or call the office.

Other Cities in the Region

Bakersfield is the main city in Kern County. Other cities in the southern San Joaquin Valley have their own counties. Here are some nearby cities:

• Delano (Kern County)
• Ridgecrest (Kern County)
• Visalia (Tulare County)
• Fresno (Fresno County)

Each county has its own recorder office with different systems and fees. Make sure you know which county the property is in before searching.