Santa Ana Property Deeds
Santa Ana deed records are handled by the Orange County Clerk-Recorder which is actually located in Santa Ana at 601 North Ross Street. The city does not have its own recorder but the county office is right in town which makes it convenient for Santa Ana residents. All real estate transactions in Santa Ana go through this county system. You can search deed records online or visit the office in person to access documents. The RecorderWorks portal provides online access to grantor and grantee indexes for all of Orange County including Santa Ana.
Santa Ana Quick Facts
County Recorder Office
Orange County Clerk-Recorder manages all deed filings for Santa Ana. The office sits at 601 North Ross Street, Santa Ana CA 92701. This is the county seat. Phone is (714) 834-5043 or toll-free (855) 886-5400. Hours are Monday through Friday with some variation for holidays.
Santa Ana residents have easy access to the recorder office since it is in their city. You can file deeds in person, by mail, or electronically. Electronic filing has become the standard for most real estate transactions. Title companies and attorneys use RecorderWorks for fast reliable filing.
If you visit in person, bring your original signed and notarized deed. Bring payment for recording fees and documentary transfer tax. The counter staff will review the document to make sure it meets basic requirements. They cannot give legal advice but they can tell you if something is obviously wrong.
For detailed information about Orange County recording services including current fees, online database access, and eRecording options, visit the Orange County deed records page which provides complete contact details, office hours, fee schedules, and step by step instructions for filing or searching property documents.
Search Santa Ana Deeds
Orange County uses RecorderWorks for online deed searches. Go to cr.occlerkrecorder.gov/RecorderWorksInternet and select your search type. You can search by grantor name, grantee name, document type, or document number. The system returns matching records.
Click on a record to see details. 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 are generally low in Orange County compared to other California counties.
The database includes all types of deeds and property documents. It covers the whole county including Santa Ana. When you search, you may see results from other cities if the person you are searching for owns property in multiple places. Check the address or legal description to confirm you have the right property.
Most Santa Ana property sales use grant deeds. This type includes implied warranties under California law. The seller promises they have not already transferred the property and there are no hidden liens. Quitclaim deeds are also common for family transfers or to clear title issues.
Documentary Transfer Tax
Orange County charges the standard California documentary transfer tax of 55 cents per $500 of the sale price. Santa Ana does not add any city transfer tax on top of the county rate. This makes closing costs more predictable than in cities with additional city taxes.
The tax applies to most sales and transfers. Some transfers are exempt such as gifts between spouses or transfers to secure a debt. The deed must state whether the transfer is taxable and show the sale price or exemption reason. The recorder office verifies this before recording the deed.
The transfer tax is typically paid by the seller but parties can negotiate who pays in the purchase contract. It gets paid when you record the deed. Include it in your closing cost calculations.
Cost to Record
Orange County charges $12 for the first page of a deed. The SB2 housing fee of $75 applies to most real estate transactions 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.
These fees are the same for all cities in Orange County. 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.
Other Orange County Cities
Santa Ana is the county seat. Other nearby cities also use the county recorder office. Here are some:
All 34 cities in Orange County use the recorder in Santa Ana. No city maintains its own deed records.