Mendocino 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 Mendocino County Recorder fee schedule, listed under Sources. The page is undated, so confirm figures with the office.

In Mendocino County, the Recorder charges $13 to record the first page of a document and $3 for each additional page, plus a $75 Building Homes and Jobs fee on documents that are not exempt. A deed recorded without a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report adds $20. Most sellers never pay these directly, because escrow records the deed and collects the tax at closing.

Mendocino County recording fees at a glance

Recording, first page	$13 (8½ x 11 inch); $3 for each additional page
Building Homes and Jobs fee (SB 2)	$75 (Government Code 27388.1)
Missing Preliminary Change of Ownership Report	$20 on transfer documents (Revenue and Taxation Code 480.3(b))
Page other than 8½ x 11	$3 for every page of the document
Penalty print	$1 per page
Combined documents	$13 for each additional title
Release of lien by government agency	$20
Additional reference indexed	$1
Preliminary 20-day filing and notice	$25
Copies of official records	$5 first page, $1 each additional page; $1 to certify
Certified death record	$24
Office	501 Low Gap Road, Room 1020, Ukiah, CA 95482

What the Mendocino County Recorder does in a home sale

The Recorder’s division of the Assessor-Clerk-Recorder’s office records documents, files maps and keeps the cross-reference indexes to those records. Your grant deed transfers title and counts against the world only once recorded. Escrow normally delivers it the day the sale funds, and the loan you are paying off is released through a reconveyance that is also recorded.

The office does not price a house or judge whether a deed is legally sound. If a deed has an error, the cure is a corrected or new deed. Mendocino County’s page notes that documents sent for recording by certified mail should go by UPS or FedEx, which deliver directly to the Ukiah office.

How the documentary transfer tax works in Mendocino County

Mendocino’s recorder page says documentary transfer tax is collected on transfers of real property, but its fee schedule does not list the rate. The county rate under Revenue and Taxation Code section 11911 is $0.55 per $500, which is what the calculator uses. On a $400,000 sale that is $440. Cities can add their own tax, so ask escrow for the final number.

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 escrow or an attorney first.

The Preliminary Change of Ownership Report

The buyer files the report with the deed so the assessor can update the assessed value. Mendocino charges $20 when a transfer document is recorded without it. For how a transfer affects the bill that follows, see our Mendocino County property tax guide.

Getting copies of recorded documents

Official records cost $5 for the first page and $1 for each added page, with $1 to certify a document. The county lists a certified death record at $24 and notes that copies of recorded documents are available for purchase by qualifying individuals.

How to sell a house in Mendocino 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.
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 $75 SB 2 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 Mendocino County in any condition. See our Mendocino 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.

Mendocino County recorder FAQ

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

$13 for the first page and $3 for each additional page, plus a $75 Building Homes and Jobs fee unless the document is exempt.

What is the transfer tax in Mendocino County?

The county rate under state law is $0.55 per $500. Mendocino’s fee schedule does not list it, so confirm the final amount with escrow. Cities may charge more.

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

Mendocino County charges $20 when a transfer document is recorded without one.

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

$5 for the first page and $1 for each additional page, plus $1 to certify.

Can I sell a Mendocino 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

• Mendocino County Recorder: Fee Schedule
• Mendocino County Recorder

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