Humboldt County Recorder and Deed Transfer Guide for Sellers

Last updated November 13, 2026. Reviewed by the Cash Home Buyers CA team. Fees come from the Humboldt County Recorder fee schedule, which the county marks as effective January 1, 2022 with no change as of January 1, 2024. State-set fees may have changed since, so confirm before you rely on a figure.

In Humboldt County, the Recorder charges $13 to record the first page of a document and $3 for each additional page, and the documentary transfer tax is $0.55 for each $500 of value. A $75 Housing and Job Act fee applies on top of that unless the document is exempt, and recording a deed without a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report adds a $20 penalty. Escrow normally handles all of this at closing.

Humboldt County recording fees at a glance

Recording, first page	$13; $3 for each additional page
Documentary transfer tax	$0.55 per $500 of value
Housing and Job Act fee	$75
Real estate fraud prosecution fee	$3 per applicable title: deed of trust, assignment, reconveyance, request for notice, notice of default, substitution of trustee, notice of trustee’s sale, rescission
PCOR non-filing penalty	$20
Non-conforming document	$3 for each page of the document
Combined document	$13
Release of government lien	$20 first page; $3 each additional page
Survey monument fund	$10
Official copies	$2 first page, $1 each additional page; $2 to certify
Conformed copy	$2 (you provide the copy)
Office	825 Fifth St., Fifth Floor, Eureka, CA 95501; (707) 445-7593

What the Humboldt County Recorder does in a home sale

The County Clerk and Recorder’s office in Eureka records deeds, deeds of trust, reconveyances and liens, and keeps the index that shows who owns a parcel and what is recorded against it. When you sell, your grant deed transfers title and only counts against the world once it is recorded. Escrow normally delivers it the day the sale funds.

The Recorder does not set a price or judge whether a deed is legally sound. It checks that the document meets recording requirements, collects the fees and taxes, and adds it to the record. If a deed has an error, the cure is a corrected or new deed.

How the documentary transfer tax works in Humboldt County

Humboldt’s schedule lists the documentary transfer tax at $0.55 per $500 of value. On a $400,000 sale that is 800 units of $500, or $440. The seller usually pays it, although the contract can say otherwise. Cities can add their own tax, so ask escrow whether your property is inside a city that does.

Some transfers are exempt, such as many transfers between spouses or into a trust for no payment, but the exemption has to be stated on the deed. Ask the escrow officer or an attorney before signing.

The Preliminary Change of Ownership Report

The buyer files a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report with the deed so the assessor can update the assessed value. Humboldt lists a $20 non-filing penalty when it is missing. For how a transfer affects the bill that follows, see our Humboldt County property tax guide.

Getting copies of recorded documents

The schedule lists $2 for the first page of an official copy, $1 for each added page, and $2 to certify. That is among the lowest copy rates in the northern counties. Title companies often want a certified copy when a past lien or deed has to be shown.

How to sell a house in Humboldt County when the deed or title is messy

Old names on a deed, an unrecorded deed, a paid loan with no reconveyance, or an owner who has died are all common. None has to stop a sale, but each changes who can sign and what escrow needs.

1. Pull the recorded documents. Ask the Recorder or your title company for the vesting deed and any liens or reconveyances.
2. Match the names. The people on the deed must be the people who sign.
3. Clear old liens. A paid loan with no recorded reconveyance can be cleaned up through the lender.
4. Budget for the fees. Recording, the transfer tax and the Housing and Job Act fee come out of one side of escrow depending on the contract.
5. Choose your route. A cash buyer can often close with these issues in place. A listing may bring a higher price but will not close until title is ready.

We buy houses in Humboldt County in any condition. See our Humboldt County page.

Want to see the numbers on your house? Call (424) 435-2326 or request a cash offer. There is no cost and no obligation.

Humboldt County recorder FAQ

How much does it cost to record a deed in Humboldt County?

The county schedule lists $13 for the first page and $3 for each additional page, plus a $75 Housing and Job Act fee.

What is the transfer tax in Humboldt County?

$0.55 per $500 of value. Cities may charge more.

What happens if there is no Preliminary Change of Ownership Report?

Humboldt County lists a $20 non-filing penalty.

How much is a copy of a recorded document in Humboldt County?

$2 for the first page and $1 for each additional page, plus $2 to certify.

Can I sell a Humboldt County house with a title problem?

Often yes. Escrow and the title company need to see what is wrong, and a cash buyer can sometimes close with the problem in place.

Sources

• Humboldt County Clerk and Recorder: Recorder Fees schedule

This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice. Fees and rates can change; confirm with the Humboldt County Recorder.