El Dorado County Recorder and Deed Transfer Guide for Home Sellers

Last updated November 13, 2026. Reviewed by the Cash Home Buyers CA team. Fees and rules come from the El Dorado County Recorder-Clerk; sources are listed at the end.

When you sell a house in El Dorado County, the deed to the buyer is recorded by the County Recorder-Clerk, which collects the documentary transfer tax at recording. The county publishes a fee schedule effective January 1, 2026 and a short page on recording. Escrow usually handles all of it, but the facts below help if a relative prepared the deed or you are clearing title on an inherited house.

El Dorado County Recorder at a glance

How much is the transfer tax in El Dorado County?

The county’s fee schedule lists documentary transfer tax at $0.55 per $500, and it states that the tax is collected at recording on real estate sold in the county unless an acceptable exemption applies. The county posts a list of exemptions as a separate PDF, so check it before you assume a transfer is exempt. On a $500,000 sale, the tax is $550.

What other fees show up on a deed?

The same schedule lists $14.00 for each added title, $3.00 for each added indexing reference, and a $1.00 penalty print.

A document recorded in connection with a transfer subject to transfer tax is where the housing fee cap comes into play: the county’s SB 2 title page shows that once the $225.00 cap is reached, no more housing fees apply to the transaction.

Copies of recorded documents cost $3.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each added page, with $2.00 to certify. Conformed copies have no fee.

What does the El Dorado County Recorder require?

The county’s recording page says a document must meet the recording requirements and have applicable fees paid. A Preliminary Change of Ownership Report must accompany any Affidavit of Death or deed, and without it the $20.00 fee applies. The office does not provide blank documents for recording.

It points people to saclaw.org for recording forms, or to a local title company or attorney. If you are unsure, the office offers appointments at its Placerville and South Lake Tahoe locations.

How to sell a house in El Dorado County when title needs work

A sale closes only when the recorded chain of title is clean. If an owner has died, the seller must show authority, such as a court order or trustee certification. If an old deed was signed but never recorded, record it first. A cash buyer can often close faster than a buyer who needs a lender. See our El Dorado County probate guide for inherited houses.

1. Order the vesting deed from the Recorder-Clerk.
2. Check for liens. Loans, tax liens and judgments are paid from escrow.
3. Decide who pays the transfer tax. Put it in the contract.
4. Sign the PCOR with the deed to avoid the $20.00 fee.

See how we buy houses in El Dorado County, or read our El Dorado County property tax guide and the California transfer tax report.

Have an El Dorado County house with a title problem? Call (424) 435-2326 or request a cash offer. There is no cost and no obligation.

El Dorado County Recorder FAQ

Where is the El Dorado County Recorder?

The main office is at 360 Fair Lane, Placerville, CA 95667. There is also a South Lake Tahoe office that takes appointments. Call (530) 621-5490.

How much is the transfer tax in El Dorado County?

The county lists it at $0.55 per $500, collected at recording unless an exemption applies.

What is the base recording fee?

$14.00 for the first page and $3.00 for each added page, plus the state housing fee of $75.00 where it applies, capped at $225.00 per transaction.

What happens if I leave out the change of ownership report?

The county charges an extra $20.00 when a deed or affidavit of death is recorded without it.

Sources

• El Dorado County Recorder Fee Schedule (effective January 1, 2026)
• El Dorado County Recorder-Clerk: Recording a Document
• El Dorado County: Documentary Transfer Tax Exemptions

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Fees and rules can change; confirm them with the El Dorado County Recorder-Clerk.