Plumas 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 Plumas County Clerk-Recorder fee schedule effective January 1, 2026, listed under Sources.

In Plumas County, the Recorder charges $15 for the first page of a document and $3 for each additional page, and the documentary transfer tax is $0.55 per $500 or fractional portion of the sale price or value. The state’s SB 2 housing fee adds $75 per instrument, up to $225 per transaction, unless an exemption is stated on the document. A deed recorded without a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report costs $20 more.

Plumas County recording fees at a glance

Recording, first page	$15 (8½ x 11 inch); $3 for each additional page
Documentary transfer tax	$0.55 per $500, or fractional portion, of the sale price or value
SB 2 Affordable Housing and Jobs Tax	$75 per instrument, up to $225 per transaction, unless exempt
Deed without Preliminary Change of Ownership Report	$20
Penalty pages	$3 added to every page when any page is not 8½ x 11
Combined documents	$15 first document, $15 second document, $3 each additional page; SB 2 applies to both titles
Additional indexing	$1 per reference; $1 per added group of 10 names
Conformed copies	No fee if you provide the copy and a stamped envelope
Official records copies	$1 per page; $1.75 to certify
Death certificate	$26
Office	520 Main Street, Room 102, Quincy, CA 95971; (530) 283-6218 or (530) 283-6256

What the Plumas County Recorder does in a home sale

The Clerk-Recorder in Quincy records deeds, reconveyances, liens, maps and mining documents and keeps the index of who owns what. Your grant deed transfers title and counts against the world only once recorded, which escrow normally arranges on the day the sale funds. Plumas County also records mining claim documents, which can matter on rural parcels with old claims.

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. The county’s schedule stresses that any exemption from the SB 2 fee must be stated on the first page of the document presented.

How the documentary transfer tax works in Plumas County

Plumas’s schedule lists the tax at $0.55 per $500, or fractional portion, of the sale price or value being transferred, and cites Revenue and Taxation Code 11911. 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. The county’s Clerk-Recorder page also links a documentary transfer tax table and a list of exemptions. Ask escrow or an attorney before the deed is signed.

The Preliminary Change of Ownership Report

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

Getting copies of recorded documents

Copies of official records cost $1 per page and certification is $1.75 per document. Conformed copies are free if you bring the copy and a stamped envelope. A death certificate costs $26 at the Recorder.

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

Old names on a deed, an unrecorded deed, a paid loan with no reconveyance, an old mining claim, 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 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 Plumas County in any condition. See our Plumas 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.

Plumas County recorder FAQ

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

$15 for the first page and $3 for each additional page, plus the SB 2 fee of $75 per instrument (up to $225 per transaction) unless exempt.

What is the transfer tax in Plumas County?

$0.55 per $500, or fractional portion, of the sale price or value. Cities may charge more.

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

Plumas County charges $20 when a deed is presented without one.

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

$1 per page, plus $1.75 to certify.

Can I sell a Plumas 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

• Plumas County Clerk-Recorder-Elections: 2026 Fee Schedule
• Plumas County Clerk-Recorder Division

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