Monterey County Deed Records
Monterey County deed records are maintained by the County Recorder office in Salinas. The office is located at 168 West Alisal Street in Salinas. Call them at 831-755-5041 with questions about recording deeds or ordering copies. Electronic recording is available through certified vendors for faster processing. This coastal county includes cities like Salinas, Monterey, Carmel, and Seaside. Property types range from agricultural land in the Salinas Valley to coastal homes, military housing near Fort Ord, and tourist properties in Carmel and Big Sur. Many deeds involve farmland, residential sales, and vacation homes along the scenic coastline.
Monterey County Quick Facts
County Recorder Office
The Monterey County Recorder handles all property document recordings. Their office sits at 168 West Alisal Street in Salinas. Call 831-755-5041 for questions. They process deeds, deeds of trust, liens, and other land documents that establish or change property ownership. The office keeps regular business hours Monday through Friday.
When you record a deed in Monterey County, staff check that it meets California formatting standards. The document must have proper margins, clear signatures, and correct notarization. These rules come from state law under California Government Code Section 27201 which requires the recorder to accept for recordation any instrument authorized by statute upon payment of proper fees and taxes. If your deed passes review, they stamp it with the official date and time, assign a document number, and enter it in the public index.
Monterey County has kept land records for over a century. Older documents are stored on paper or microfiche. Modern records are digital and may be searchable online. If you need an old deed from before the digital era, you may have to visit the Salinas office in person or request copies by mail. Staff can help locate files but cannot give legal advice about which deed type to use or how to complete forms.
For information about notary requirements that apply to all California deed recordings, visit the California Secretary of State notary page which provides details about notary commissions, rules, and disciplinary actions.
Search Deed Records
Contact the Monterey County Recorder office directly for information about searching deed records. You can visit their office in Salinas to search the index or request copies of documents. Staff can help you locate specific deeds by party names, document numbers, or property addresses.
Electronic recording is available in Monterey County through certified vendors. Title companies and attorneys use eRecording to submit deeds without mailing paper or driving to Salinas. The documents are reviewed by staff just like paper filings and either accepted or rejected based on formatting. Most eRecordings process faster than mail, often within a day or two. The state oversees eRecording through the California Attorney General's Electronic Recording Delivery System program which certifies vendors and sets security standards.
To learn about approved eRecording vendors in California, check the Attorney General's certified eRecording vendor list which shows companies authorized to submit documents electronically to county recorders throughout the state.
Fees and Transfer Tax
Recording fees in Monterey County follow the standard California structure. The base fee is set by California Government Code Section 27361 which caps the fee at $10 for the first page and $3 for each additional page. Counties may add fees for fraud prevention, affordable housing under SB2, and other programs. Expect to pay around $14 to $20 for the first page plus $3 per extra page.
If your deed involves a real estate transfer with a purchase price, add the $75 SB2 housing fee. This fee funds affordable housing under the Building Homes and Jobs Act. The maximum is $225 per document. Documentary transfer tax is 55 cents per $500 of the sale price or consideration. This is the standard rate under California Revenue and Taxation Code Section 11911 which sets the tax at $0.55 for each $500 or fractional part thereof when consideration exceeds $100.
Copy fees are separate. A plain copy costs a few dollars per page. Certified copies cost more because they include the county seal and signed certification. You need certified copies for court cases or loan applications. Plain copies work fine for personal reference.
For details about property tax reporting when ownership changes, check the California Board of Equalization FAQs which explain when you must file a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report along with your deed.
Types of Deeds Recorded
Grant deeds are the most common type in Monterey County. When you buy a home or farm, the seller gives you a grant deed. This type carries implied warranties under California law. The seller promises they own the property, have not sold it to anyone else, and there are no hidden liens besides those mentioned in the deed. These warranties come from California Civil Code Section 1113 which defines what legal promises the word "grant" includes in property transfers.
Quitclaim deeds transfer property with no warranties. The grantor just gives up whatever interest they have, if any. People use these for family transfers, divorce settlements, or fixing title defects. If you inherit property with siblings and want to give them your share, a quitclaim deed handles that. Or if an old deed has a spelling error in your name, you can quitclaim it to yourself with the correct spelling.
Deeds of trust appear in the index when you get a mortgage. This document gives the lender a security interest in your property. If you stop paying, they can foreclose. When you pay off the loan, the lender files a reconveyance deed to release their claim. Both documents are recorded so anyone searching the title can see the loan history.
Other documents include liens from unpaid taxes or contractor bills, easements that let utility companies or neighbors cross your land, and covenants, conditions, and restrictions that tell you what you can and cannot do with your property. All of these affect your title and show up in searches.
California Deed Law
All real property transfers in California must be in writing. California Civil Code Section 1091 requires that an estate in real property can be transferred only by operation of law or by an instrument in writing subscribed by the party disposing of the same. Oral agreements do not count. You need a signed, written deed to transfer land.
Recording protects you from later competing claims. California follows a race-notice system under California Civil Code Sections 1213-1214 which provides that every conveyance recorded is constructive notice to subsequent purchasers and mortgagees. If two people claim to own the same property, the first one to record usually wins. Recording puts the whole world on notice of your ownership.
Major Cities in Monterey County
Monterey County includes several cities where property deeds are recorded at the Salinas office. The largest city over 100,000 population is:
Smaller cities like Monterey, Seaside, Carmel-by-the-Sea, and Marina also record deeds through the county recorder. All Monterey County property documents go to the same office in Salinas.
Nearby Counties
If the property you need is not in Monterey County, try these neighboring counties: