Trinity County Deeds
Trinity County deed records are kept at the Recorder-Clerk office in Weaverville, a historic mining town in the rugged Trinity Alps region. The county covers 3,179 square miles of mountains and forests with only about 16,000 residents. Property here includes rural land, timber parcels, vacation homes near Trinity Lake, and residential properties in Weaverville and Hayfork. The recorder uses Tyler Technologies for online deed searches with electronic recording services coming soon. Most deed activity involves rural land sales, estate transfers, and vacation property transactions. Call 530-623-1215 to ask about searching records or visit 101 Court Street in Weaverville to file new documents or access older deed records.
Trinity County Quick Facts
Trinity County Recorder Office
The Trinity County Recorder-Clerk office is at 101 Court Street in Weaverville. Phone 530-623-1215 for questions. Office hours are Monday through Friday 8am to 5pm. This office processes all deed recordings for Trinity County.
Staff review each deed to ensure it meets California formatting standards. The document must be typed, notarized, and include a proper legal description. If something is missing, they reject it and explain what to fix. Once accepted, they stamp it with the recording date and time.
Trinity County follows California recording law. The recorder must accept any instrument authorized by statute as long as you pay the fees. This comes from Government Code Section 27201 which sets county recorder duties.
The recorder maintains a public index of all documents. Anyone can search this index to find property ownership or liens. Trinity County uses Tyler Technologies software for online searches.
Search Trinity County Deeds
Trinity County uses Tyler Technologies for online deed searches. You can look up documents by grantor name, grantee name, or document number. Type in a last name and the system shows matching results.
Search results display recording dates, document types, and parties involved. To view full deed images, there may be a fee depending on access level. Check with the Trinity County office for current pricing and options.
Certified copies come from the recorder office. Request them online, by mail, or in person. Certification adds the official county seal and recorder's signature confirming the copy matches the original. These are required for legal purposes like title insurance or refinancing.
Electronic recording is coming soon to Trinity County but is not yet available. For now, file deeds in person or by mail. Bring the original signed and notarized deed plus payment for recording fees.
Recording Fees
Recording a deed in Trinity County costs around $14 to $20 for the first page. Each additional page costs $3. The exact fee depends on local add-ons to the state base fee set by Government Code Section 27361.
Documentary transfer tax is 55 cents per $500 of the purchase price. On a $220,000 rural property sale, the transfer tax is $242. This applies to most sales. Gifts and certain family transfers may be exempt.
Copy fees are a few dollars per page for plain copies. Certified copies cost around $6 for the first page and $3 for each additional page. Certification includes the county seal and recorder's signature.
Payment methods include cash and checks. If mailing a deed, send a check payable to Trinity County and a self-addressed stamped envelope for return of the recorded copy.
Common Deed Types
Grant deeds are most common for property sales in Trinity County. The word "grant" creates implied warranties under California law. The seller promises they have not sold the property to anyone else and that no hidden liens exist except those disclosed.
Quitclaim deeds transfer property without warranties. The grantor just releases any claim they have. These work for family transfers or clearing title defects. A quitclaim offers no promises about title quality.
Deeds of trust secure loans in Trinity County. When you borrow to buy property, you sign a deed of trust. This gives the lender a security interest. If you default, they can foreclose. When paid off, they file a reconveyance deed.
Timber deeds and mineral rights show up in Trinity County records. These grant specific rights to harvest timber or extract minerals from land. They get recorded like other interests and appear in the public index.
Learn about grant deed warranties at California Civil Code Section 1113 which explains the implied covenants in a grant deed.
How to Record
To record a deed in Trinity County, prepare a proper document on standard paper. Include the legal description, names of all parties, and consideration amount for sales. Leave margins for the recorder's stamp.
Get the deed notarized. Most deeds require notarization. The notary verifies your identity and witnesses your signature. California notaries are commissioned by the Secretary of State for four-year terms.
Submit the deed to Trinity County Recorder, 101 Court Street, Weaverville, CA 96093. Include payment. If mailing, add a self-addressed stamped envelope. The recorder will process it and return a recorded copy.
Recording gives you priority. California uses a race-notice system. The first to record generally has priority over later buyers, as long as they had no notice of earlier unrecorded transfers.
California Deed Law
All Trinity County deeds must comply with California statutes. Real property can only be transferred by written instrument signed by the grantor. This comes from California Civil Code Section 1091. Oral agreements to transfer land are not valid.
Recording provides constructive notice. Once your deed is in the Trinity County index, everyone is legally considered to know about it. They cannot claim ignorance later. This helps prevent fraud.
Nearby Counties
If your property is not in Trinity County, try these neighboring recorders: