Kern County Property Deed Records
Kern County deed records are maintained by the Assessor-Recorder office on Truxtun Avenue in Bakersfield. The recorder handles all property deed filings for areas throughout the county including cities like Bakersfield, Delano, and Ridgecrest. You can search deed records online through their official database or visit the office in person. The online system lets you look up documents by name, legal description, or document number. Most people search by grantor or grantee to find ownership transfers. Kern County serves over 900,000 residents and covers a large geographic area from the southern San Joaquin Valley into the Mojave Desert. All deed work for properties anywhere in this diverse county flows through the Bakersfield office on Truxtun Avenue.
Kern County Quick Facts
Assessor-Recorder Office
The Kern County Assessor-Recorder operates from 1530 Truxtun Avenue in Bakersfield. The recorder section handles all property deed recordings. When you buy or sell land in Kern County, the deed must be filed here to transfer ownership officially and protect your interest against later competing claims.
Recording fees in Kern County are $13 for the first page and $3 for each additional page. The county also charges a $10 fraud prevention fee on most documents. A two-page grant deed would cost $13 + $3 + $10 = $26 in recording fees, not counting documentary transfer tax which gets calculated separately based on the property value or sale price.
One notable policy mentioned on their website: the office does not supply blank forms. According to their FAQ section, forms are available free online or at office supply stores. The recorder will file whatever document you submit as long as it meets California formatting standards, but they cannot help you fill it out or tell you which type of deed to use. For those questions, consult a real estate attorney or title company.
To search for recorded deeds in Kern County, visit the official document search portal where you can look up property records by grantor/grantee names, legal descriptions, or document numbers through their public access database.
The online database is accessible 24 hours a day except during maintenance. You can search from home without visiting the courthouse. Basic index information appears free, but viewing or downloading actual document images requires payment. The fee structure varies depending on whether you need plain copies or certified copies with the official county seal.
APN Search Restrictions
Kern County implemented AB 1785 privacy restrictions. APN (Assessor's Parcel Number) searches are no longer available online. If you need to search by APN, you must visit the office in person or call during business hours to request staff assistance. This change affects many counties throughout California and aims to protect homeowner privacy.
You can still search online by other criteria. Grantor and grantee name searches work normally. Document number searches work if you already know the number from another source. Legal description searches may be available depending on the system capabilities. The APN restriction only affects that one search method.
For properties where you know the owner name or have a document number, the online system remains useful. If you only have an APN and need to find deeds associated with that parcel, plan to visit in person or call the recorder office for assistance during regular business hours.
Common Deed Documents
Grant deeds include limited warranties from the seller. Under California Civil Code Section 1113, the word "grant" implies the grantor has not previously conveyed the property to anyone else and that no undisclosed encumbrances exist. Most California real estate sales use grant deeds to transfer ownership from seller to buyer.
Quitclaim deeds provide no warranties at all. The grantor releases whatever interest they have without making promises about title quality. These work well for transfers between relatives, clearing title defects, or divorce situations where one spouse transfers their interest to the other. No money typically changes hands with quitclaim deeds.
Deeds of trust are loan security documents. When you finance a home purchase, you sign a deed of trust giving the lender a claim against the property. If you default on payments, they can foreclose. After full repayment, the lender files a reconveyance deed releasing their interest. Both the original deed of trust and the reconveyance appear in public records.
Other recorded documents include liens, easements, and covenants. Tax liens from unpaid taxes. Mechanic's liens from contractors seeking payment. Utility easements giving companies the right to maintain infrastructure across private land. Subdivision CC&Rs restricting how property can be used. All of these affect ownership and appear when you search property records.
How to Record a Deed
Recording in person is most straightforward. Visit 1530 Truxtun Avenue with your original document and payment. The clerk reviews it for proper formatting, calculates the total fee including any applicable transfer taxes, and processes it immediately. You leave with your recorded copy showing the official stamp and recording information.
You can record by mail if you cannot visit in person. Send your original document plus payment to the Truxtun Avenue address. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want the deed returned after recording. Processing takes one to two weeks depending on mail volume and office workload. Always use a check or money order, never cash in the mail.
Electronic recording may be available through certified vendors approved by the California Attorney General under the Electronic Recording Delivery Act. Title companies and law firms commonly use this method. Documents upload electronically and record within hours rather than days. This costs more but provides speed and reliability for time-sensitive transactions.
All documents must meet California recording standards. You need one-inch margins on the sides and bottom, three inches at the top for the recorder stamp. Text must be legible when photocopied. Signatures require notarization unless the document type does not need it. The notary acknowledgment must show the notary's commission number and expiration date. Missing any requirement causes rejection.
California law requires real property transfers to be in writing. Civil Code Section 1091 states that estates in real property can only transfer by operation of law or by written instrument signed by the person disposing of the interest. Verbal agreements to transfer land are not enforceable.
Documentary Transfer Tax
Transfer tax applies when property sells for money or other valuable consideration. California charges 55 cents per $500 of the sale price. If you sell a home for $280,000, the tax is $280,000 divided by $500, times $0.55, which equals $308. This tax must be paid when you record the deed.
Some transfers are exempt from tax. Gifts where no money changes hands. Transfers between spouses due to divorce or legal separation. Transfers to pay off a debt that existed before the transfer. The deed must declare the exemption reason or state the full cash value. Making false statements can result in penalties.
Kern County does not impose additional city transfer taxes. The standard California rate applies throughout the county. This keeps transaction costs lower compared to coastal urban counties where cities add their own transfer taxes that can exceed the basic state and county rates.
Cities in Kern County
Kern County includes several incorporated cities. All property deeds within city limits must be recorded with the Kern County Recorder in Bakersfield. The only city over 100,000 population is:
Other cities in the county include Delano, Ridgecrest, Tehachapi, Wasco, Arvin, Shafter, McFarland, Taft, California City, and Maricopa. While these cities fall below the 100,000 population threshold, all deed recording for properties within their boundaries happens at the same county recorder office on Truxtun Avenue in Bakersfield.
Note: The county covers a vast geographic area from agricultural lands in the southern San Joaquin Valley to desert communities in the Mojave Desert region.
Nearby Counties
If your property is located outside Kern County boundaries, check these neighboring counties: