Santa Clarita Property Deeds
Property deed records for Santa Clarita are maintained by the Los Angeles County Recorder in Norwalk. The city does not have its own deed office. All real estate transfers in Santa Clarita go through the county system. You can search deeds online back to 1977 or visit the recorder for older documents. Santa Clarita sits in the northern part of LA County about 35 miles north of downtown Los Angeles. The city formed in 1987 when four communities merged. Now it has over 215,000 people. New housing developments and established neighborhoods create steady deed activity.
Santa Clarita Quick Facts
Where Deeds Get Filed
Los Angeles County Recorder handles all deed filings for Santa Clarita. The main office is at 12400 East Imperial Highway in Norwalk. That is about 55 miles south of Santa Clarita. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm. You can call (800) 201-8999 or email recorder@rrcc.lacounty.gov.
Santa Clarita does not have a local recorder. All 88 cities in LA County use the same county office. When you buy a home in Santa Clarita, your title company sends the deed to Norwalk. The county records it and adds it to the public index. Then anyone can search for it.
For detailed information about Los Angeles County recording services, visit the Los Angeles County deed records page where you can find information about fees, online search tools, eRecording options, and how to obtain certified copies of deeds for properties in Santa Clarita and throughout LA County.
Most deeds today get filed electronically. Title companies and real estate lawyers use eRecording vendors certified by the state. Electronic filing is faster than paper. Documents submitted electronically before 3pm often record the same day. Paper deeds can take a week or more during busy periods. If you need fast recording, ask your title company about eRecording.
Find Santa Clarita Deeds Online
LA County uses LexisNexis for online deed searches. Go to the county's search portal and pick your search method. You can search by name, document number, or legal description. The database covers 1977 to now. Older deeds are on file in Norwalk but not online.
To search by owner name, enter the last name first. Then add the first name if you know it. The system shows all matching records. Click on one to see basic information like recording date and document type. If you want the full deed image, you must pay. The county charges per page for copies.
Grant deeds are the most common type in Santa Clarita. When someone buys a house, the seller signs a grant deed transferring ownership to the buyer. California law implies two covenants in every grant deed. First, the seller has not already sold to someone else. Second, there are no hidden encumbrances except what the deed discloses. These protections apply even if the deed does not state them.
You might also see quitclaim deeds. These transfer whatever interest the grantor has without any warranty of title. People use quitclaim deeds for family transfers, divorces, or clearing up title issues. Banks usually will not accept quitclaim deeds for purchase transactions because they provide no title protection. But they work fine for non-sale transfers between people who trust each other.
Transfer Tax Rates
Santa Clarita does not have its own city transfer tax. You only pay the standard LA County documentary transfer tax. The rate is 55 cents per $500 of the sale price. This is the same for all LA County cities except the city of Los Angeles which has an extra city tax.
To calculate the tax, divide the sale price by 500. Then multiply by 0.55. For a $500,000 home, that is 1,000 times 0.55, which equals $550. The seller usually pays this at closing. But buyers and sellers can negotiate who pays. Check your purchase contract to see what you agreed to.
Transfer tax applies when consideration exceeds $100. Most home sales trigger the tax. Some transfers are exempt. Gifts, inheritances, and transfers between spouses for no consideration may not owe tax. If you think you qualify for an exemption, ask your title company or lawyer. You may need to submit documentation to the county to prove the exemption.
What Recording Costs
LA County charges $95 to record the first page of a deed. This includes the $15 base fee, $75 SB2 housing fee, and $5 fraud prevention fee. Each additional page costs $3. Most deeds are two or three pages. A two-page deed costs $98. A three-page deed costs $101.
These fees apply to all LA County cities. Santa Clarita does not charge separate recording fees. If you need a certified copy of a deed, the county charges $6 for the first page and $3 for each additional page. Certification adds the county seal and a signed statement. Courts and lenders require certified copies.
Plain copies cost $5 for the first page and lack the official seal. You can use them for your personal records but not for legal submissions. You can order copies online, by mail, or in person at the Norwalk office. Online orders usually process within a few business days and get mailed to you.
Other LA County Cities
Santa Clarita is located in northern LA County. Other cities in the county use the same recorder in Norwalk. Nearby cities include:
All LA County cities share the same deed index. If you own property in multiple cities in the county, all your deeds are in one system. This makes title searches easier than if records were scattered across different offices.
Note: The city of Los Angeles has an additional city transfer tax including Measure ULA which significantly increases costs for high-value properties.