Murrieta Property Deed Records
Deed records for Murrieta are kept by Riverside County Recorder. The city does not maintain its own deed files. All real estate transfers in Murrieta go through the county system. You can search many records online through the county website or visit the recorder office in person. Murrieta is a fast-growing city in southwest Riverside County with over 115,000 people. It sits near Temecula in a region known for vineyards and suburban development. The county has made it easy to search for deeds online with tools that let you view images of recorded documents from home.
Murrieta Quick Facts
Riverside County Recording Office
Riverside County Assessor-Clerk-Recorder handles all deed filings for Murrieta. The main office is in Riverside but they have branch offices in other parts of the county. Call (951) 486-7000 or toll-free at (800) 696-9144 with questions. You can also check the county website at www.rivcoacr.org for office locations and hours.
Murrieta residents can file deeds by mail, in person, or through electronic recording. Most title companies use eRecording because it is faster. Online submissions usually get recorded within 48 hours. Mail processing takes one to two weeks. The county charges a 2.15% credit card fee if you pay by card. You can avoid this fee by using other payment methods.
For more information about Riverside County's deed recording services, visit the Riverside County deed records page where you can find detailed information about the recorder office, fees, online databases, and how to search for property documents throughout the county including Murrieta and all other Riverside County cities.
Search Murrieta Deeds Online
Riverside County offers online deed searches at webselfservice.riversideacr.com/Web/ where you can look up records by name, address, or document number. The database has many years of records available. You can view document images online for most deeds. Some older records may not have images but the index goes back further.
To search for a Murrieta deed, enter the owner name or property address. Results list all matching documents. Click one to see details like the recording date and document type. You can often view the full deed image right on the screen. If you need a certified copy, you must request it from the county and pay the certification fee.
Riverside County also has a fee calculator at acrfeecalculator.rivcoacr.org where you can figure out how much it will cost to record your deed before you submit it. This helps you budget for the fees and taxes you will owe at closing.
Most Murrieta home sales use grant deeds. A grant deed transfers ownership with implied covenants that the seller has not sold the property to anyone else and there are no undisclosed liens. You will also see quitclaim deeds for transfers between family members or to clear title issues. Deeds of trust appear when someone takes out a mortgage or refinances.
Fees and Transfer Tax
Riverside County charges standard California recording fees. The first page costs more than extra pages due to base fees and mandated charges. You pay for the fraud prevention fee and the SB2 housing fee on top of the basic recording charge. Each extra page costs $3. Most deeds are two or three pages long.
Documentary transfer tax in Riverside County is 55 cents per $500 of the sale price. This is the standard California rate. The city of Murrieta does not charge an additional city transfer tax. You only pay the county rate. This makes Murrieta less expensive for closing costs compared to cities with their own transfer taxes.
If you need certified copies of a deed, Riverside County charges $8 for the first page and $1 for each additional page. Certification adds another $2. Certified copies have the county seal and a signed statement from the recorder. Courts and lenders require certified copies. Plain copies without the seal cost less but do not work for legal matters.
California Recording Laws
California has state laws that govern deed recordings throughout the state. These apply in Murrieta just like everywhere else. The main law is Civil Code Section 1091 which requires real property transfers to be in writing and signed. You cannot transfer land with an oral agreement.
Grant deeds include implied covenants under Civil Code Section 1113 which says the seller promises the property has not been sold to another person and is free from liens except those disclosed. These promises are automatic when you use the word grant in your deed. You do not have to spell them out.
Recording fees are set by Government Code Section 27361 which caps how much counties can charge. Most counties charge at or near the maximum. The law also requires notarization for most deeds. Visit the Secretary of State website at www.sos.ca.gov/notary to find a notary public in your area or to learn about notary requirements.
Other Riverside County Cities
Riverside County has several cities over 100,000 population. All use the same county recorder system. Nearby cities include:
All Riverside County residents file deeds at the same county offices regardless of which city they live in. The recording process and fees are the same throughout the county. The city of Riverside has its own city transfer tax but most other Riverside County cities including Murrieta do not.