Access San Francisco Deed Records

Deed records for San Francisco properties are kept by the San Francisco Assessor-Recorder office in City Hall. San Francisco is both a city and a county so it has its own recorder instead of sharing with other cities. All property deeds within SF city limits go through this office at Room 190, 1 Dr. Carlton B Goodlett Place. The online database lets you view deed images from 1990 to now for free which makes San Francisco one of the few California counties offering free deed viewing without paying per page.

SF Assessor-Recorder Office

The San Francisco Assessor-Recorder manages all deed filings for the city. This office sits in City Hall Room 190. Address is 1 Dr. Carlton B Goodlett Place, San Francisco CA 94102. Phone is (415) 554-5596. Office hours are posted online and can vary.

San Francisco is unique among California cities because it is also a county. This means it does not share a recorder with other cities. SF has its own system and its own fees. The office handles deeds, marriage licenses, birth certificates, and other vital records all in one place.

You can file deeds in person at City Hall or use eRecording. Most commercial transactions now go through electronic filing. This is faster and more reliable. If you bring a deed in person, go to the counter in Room 190. Bring the original document plus payment for fees and taxes. They will time-stamp it and give you a receipt.

For complete information about San Francisco deed recording including detailed fee schedules, processing times, and online search instructions, visit the San Francisco deed records page which covers all aspects of the assessor-recorder office, how to file documents, request copies, and use the free online database to view property records.

Free Online Deed Viewing

San Francisco offers free online viewing of deed images from 1990 to the present. Go to recorder.sfgov.org and select your search type. You can search by name, document number, or address. The system shows matching results with links to view the full document image.

This is unusual for California. Most counties charge a fee to view deed images. SF lets you view and print them for free from home. If you need a certified copy with the official seal, you still have to pay. But for basic research, the free system works well.

Deeds before 1990 are not in the online database. You must visit City Hall to access older records. Some are on microfilm. Very old deeds exist only in the original record books. Staff can help you find them but they cannot do the research for you.

The database includes grant deeds, deeds of trust, reconveyances, liens, and other recorded documents. It updates regularly. Most new deeds show up within a few days of recording. You can search 24/7 from anywhere with internet access.

San Francisco Transfer Tax

San Francisco has some of the highest real estate transfer taxes in California. The base rate is 55 cents per $500 which matches the state standard. But SF adds tiered city taxes that increase based on property value. For very expensive properties over $25 million, the total tax can reach 6% of the sale price.

The tiered system means cheap homes pay less and expensive homes pay much more. A $500,000 condo might pay around $3,000 in transfer tax. A $10 million mansion could pay $200,000 or more. This is all on top of the other closing costs.

To see the current transfer tax rates and tiers, check the official City of San Francisco transfer tax page which shows the exact rate schedule, explains how the tiers work, lists exemptions that may apply, and provides calculation examples for different property values.

Some transfers are exempt from the tax. Gifts between spouses, transfers to secure a loan, and certain other transactions do not pay transfer tax. The deed must state the reason for the exemption. The recorder office can reject a deed if the tax calculation appears wrong.

San Francisco voters have approved these high rates multiple times to fund city programs. The revenue goes to affordable housing, transit, and other services. Critics say the taxes hurt the housing market. Supporters say they make wealthy property owners pay their fair share. Either way, if you are buying or selling in SF, factor this into your budget.

Deed Recording Fees

SF charges $14 for the first page of a deed. With the fraud prevention fee, it becomes $17. Each additional page costs $3. There is also a $75 SB2 fee for most real estate transactions with a cap of $225 for deeds affecting more than three parcels.

Copy fees vary depending on whether you get them online or in person. Online plain copies cost $1.81 per page. In-person copies cost $9.70 for the first page and 39 cents for each extra page. Certification adds more. These fees are set by the city and can change.

The fees are the same for all properties in San Francisco regardless of location or value. Recording fees are based on document type and page count, not sale price. Transfer taxes are based on sale price. Keep these separate when calculating your closing costs.

Nearby Bay Area Cities

San Francisco is surrounded by other counties. No other cities share the SF recorder system. Nearby cities use their own county recorders. Here are some:

• Oakland (Alameda County)
• Berkeley (Alameda County)
• San Mateo (San Mateo County)
• Daly City (San Mateo County)

Each county has different fees and systems. If you own property in multiple Bay Area counties, you will deal with multiple recorder offices.