San Mateo Deed Records
Deed records for San Mateo are kept by San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder in Redwood City. The city does not maintain its own deed files. All property transfers in San Mateo go through the county system. You can search many records online through the county RecorderWorks portal or visit the office in person. San Mateo has over 105,000 people and sits in the center of the San Francisco Peninsula. It is the second largest city in San Mateo County after Daly City. The county has made it easy to research deeds online with a searchable database that lets you view document images from your computer without visiting the office.
San Mateo Quick Facts
San Mateo County Recording Office
San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder handles all deed filings for the city of San Mateo. The office is at 555 County Center, First Floor, in Redwood City which is a few miles south of San Mateo. Call (650) 363-4500 or email recorder@smcacre.gov with questions. Hours are Monday through Friday during normal business times.
You can file deeds in person, by mail, or through electronic recording. Most real estate professionals use eRecording for speed and reliability. Documents submitted online typically get recorded within one or two business days. Paper documents take longer. The county assigns a document number to each recorded deed and adds it to the searchable index.
For more information about San Mateo County's deed recording services, visit the San Mateo 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 San Mateo and all other cities in the county.
Find San Mateo Deeds Online
San Mateo County uses RecorderWorks for online deed searches. Go to apps.smcacre.org/recorderworks/ to access the system. You can search by name, document type, date, or document number. The database covers many years of records. You can view document images online for most deeds which saves you a trip to the recorder office.
To search for a San Mateo deed, enter the property owner name or address. Results show all matching documents in the county. Click on one to see details like the recording date, document type, and number of pages. You may be able to view the full deed image right on your screen. If you need a certified copy, you must request it from the county and pay the certification fee.
Grant deeds are the most common type in San Mateo home sales. A grant deed transfers ownership with implied promises that the seller has not sold the property to anyone else and there are no hidden liens. Quitclaim deeds also appear often for transfers between spouses or family members. Deeds of trust are used for mortgages and refinancing.
The online system covers all San Mateo County cities including San Mateo, Daly City, Redwood City, and others. Make sure to verify the property address when you search. A person may own land in multiple cities so you want to confirm you have the right parcel before ordering copies.
Recording Fees and Transfer Tax
San Mateo County charges standard recording fees. The first page of a deed costs more than additional pages due to base fees and state mandates. Expect to 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 total.
If you need a certified copy of a deed, the county charges $4 for the first page and $2 for each additional page. Certification adds $2 to the total. Certified copies have the county seal and a signed certificate. Courts and lenders require certified copies. Plain copies without the seal cost less but are not accepted for legal matters.
Documentary transfer tax in San Mateo County is 55 cents per $500 of the purchase price. This is the standard California rate. The city of San Mateo does not charge an additional city transfer tax. You only pay the county rate. This makes San Mateo less expensive for closing costs compared to nearby San Francisco which has very high city transfer taxes on expensive properties.
California Deed Laws
All deeds in California must follow state law. The main rule is in Civil Code Section 1091 which says real property transfers must be in writing and signed by the person transferring the property. You cannot transfer land with a verbal agreement in California.
Grant deeds in San Mateo include implied covenants under Civil Code Section 1113 which says the seller promises they have not sold the property to anyone else and the property is free from liens except those disclosed. These promises are automatic when you use the word grant in the deed.
The county recorder must accept your deed if it meets legal requirements and you pay the fees. This rule comes from Government Code Section 27201 which lists the duties of county recorders. The recorder cannot give legal advice or tell you if your deed is valid. They only check format and signatures.
Recording a deed gives constructive notice under Civil Code Sections 1213-1214 which establish California's race-notice recording system. The first buyer to record usually wins if there are competing claims. Always record your deed as soon as possible after closing to protect your ownership rights.
Other San Mateo County Cities
San Mateo County has one other city over 100,000 population. It uses the same county recorder. The nearby city is:
All San Mateo County residents file deeds at the same county office in Redwood City regardless of which city they live in. Recording fees and transfer tax rates are the same throughout the county. No San Mateo County cities charge additional city transfer taxes. The standard county rate applies to all property sales in San Mateo and every other city in the county.