Irvine Deed Records
Deed records for Irvine properties are handled by the Orange County Clerk-Recorder at 601 North Ross Street in Santa Ana. Irvine does not maintain its own deed recording office. All real estate transactions in Irvine go through the county system which is about 14 miles northwest of Irvine. You can search these records online using the RecorderWorks portal. Orange County has one of the most advanced electronic recording systems in California with over 11 million documents filed electronically making it fast and reliable for Irvine property transactions.
Irvine Quick Facts
Orange County Recorder
Orange County Clerk-Recorder manages all deed filings for Irvine. The office is at 601 North Ross Street, Santa Ana CA 92701. Phone is (714) 834-5043 or toll-free (855) 886-5400. Hours are Monday through Friday with some variation for holidays.
Irvine is one of 34 cities in Orange County. All use the same county recorder. When you buy property in Irvine, your deed goes to Santa Ana to be recorded. The county stamps it, assigns a document number, and enters it in the public index where anyone can search for it.
Orange County is a leader in eRecording. Most title companies and real estate attorneys file deeds electronically now. This speeds up the process and reduces errors. If you file in person, bring the original signed and notarized deed plus payment for all fees and taxes.
For complete information about Orange County recording services including detailed fee schedules, eRecording vendors, and online search instructions, visit the Orange County deed records page which provides all contact details, office hours, database access, and step by step guidance for filing or requesting copies of property documents.
Search Irvine Deeds
Orange County offers online search at cr.occlerkrecorder.gov/RecorderWorksInternet. This is the RecorderWorks system. You can search by grantor name, grantee name, document type, or document number. The system returns matching records with basic details.
Click on a record to see more information. You can view the recording date, book and page, and parties involved. To get a copy of the full deed image, you may need to pay. Contact the recorder office for current pricing. Copy fees in Orange County are generally low at $1 per page plus $1 for certification.
The database includes grant deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, reconveyances, liens, and other documents. It updates regularly as new deeds get recorded. Most documents appear in the index within a few business days. You can search 24/7 from anywhere with internet access.
Most Irvine property sales use grant deeds. This is the standard type in California. The seller grants the property to the buyer. Under state law, this includes implied warranties that the seller has not already sold the property and there are no undisclosed liens. Quitclaim deeds are also recorded but provide no such warranties.
Transfer Tax
Orange County charges the standard California documentary transfer tax of 55 cents per $500 of property value. The city of Irvine does not add any additional city transfer tax. This keeps closing costs more predictable than cities with extra city taxes.
The tax applies to most sales. Some transfers are exempt like gifts between spouses or transfers to secure a loan. The deed must state the sale price or declare the exemption. The recorder office checks this before accepting the deed.
The transfer tax is usually paid by the seller but parties can agree otherwise in the purchase contract. It gets paid when the deed is recorded along with the recording fees. Include it in your closing cost calculations.
Recording Fees
Orange County charges $12 for the first page of a deed. The SB2 housing fee is $75 with a cap of $225 for deeds affecting more than three parcels. Each additional page costs $3. Most deeds are two or three pages so expect to pay around $87 to $90 total including the SB2 fee.
These fees apply to all deeds in Orange County whether the property is in Irvine or another city. The county sets them. Cities do not charge separate recording fees. Transfer taxes are based on sale price and are separate from recording fees.
Copy fees are $1 per page. Certification adds $1. If you need certified copies for legal purposes, request them when you order. The county seal makes the copy acceptable for court filings and other official uses.
Nearby Orange County Cities
Irvine is in central Orange County. Other nearby cities also use the county recorder in Santa Ana. Here are some:
All Orange County cities use the recorder in Santa Ana. No city maintains its own deed records.