Inyo 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 Inyo County Clerk-Recorder fee schedule effective January 1, 2026, listed under Sources. The county has posted a public notice of increased fees beginning January 1, 2027, so check it if your closing falls near the new year.

In Inyo County, the Recorder charges $14 for the first page of a document and $3 for each additional page, and the documentary transfer tax is $0.55 per $500 or portion thereof. The SB 2 housing fee adds $75 per parcel and transaction, up to $225, unless the document is exempt, and a deed recorded without a Preliminary Change of Ownership form costs $20 more. Escrow normally handles all of this at closing.

Inyo County recording fees at a glance

Recording, first page	$14 (8½ x 11 inch); $3 for each additional page
Documentary transfer tax	$0.55 per $500 or portion thereof (Revenue and Taxation Code 11911)
SB 2 housing fee	$75 per parcel and transaction, not to exceed $225 (Government Code 27388.1)
Missing Preliminary Change of Ownership form	$20 penalty (Revenue and Taxation Code 480.3)
Non-conforming page size	$3 for each page of the document, even if only one page is the wrong size
Penalty print	$1 per affected page
Combined documents	$14 per title, applied to the first page only
Release of a no-fee government lien	$20 first page
Additional indexing	$1
Preliminary 20-day filing and notice	$15
Copies	$1 per page, in person or electronic; $2 to certify
Death certificate	$26
Office	168 N. Edwards St., Independence, CA 93526; (760) 878-0224; clerk-recorder@inyocounty.us

What the Inyo County Recorder does in a home sale

The Clerk-Recorder in Independence records deeds, reconveyances, liens and maps 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. 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. Inyo’s schedule warns that its fees are subject to change every January, which is why a closing in December and one in January can cost different amounts.

How the documentary transfer tax works in Inyo County

Inyo’s schedule lists the tax at $0.55 per $500 or portion thereof. 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 escrow or an attorney first.

The Preliminary Change of Ownership form

The buyer files the form with the deed so the assessor can update the assessed value. Inyo charges a $20 penalty fee for documents recorded without it. For how a transfer affects the bill that follows, see our Inyo County property tax guide.

Getting copies of recorded documents

Copies cost $1 per page, including uncertified pages delivered electronically through the county’s self-service portal, and certification adds $2. A certified death certificate costs $26. Custom requests for imaged copies are charged at the county’s actual direct and indirect costs.

How to sell a house in Inyo 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 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 Inyo County in any condition. See our Inyo 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.

Inyo County recorder FAQ

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

$14 for the first page and $3 for each additional page, plus the SB 2 housing fee of $75 per parcel and transaction (not to exceed $225) unless exempt.

What is the transfer tax in Inyo County?

$0.55 per $500 or portion thereof. Cities may charge more.

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

Inyo County charges a $20 penalty fee when a document is recorded without it.

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

$1 per page, plus $2 to certify.

Can I sell an Inyo 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

• Inyo County Clerk-Recorder: Fees for Clerk-Recorder Documents
• Inyo County Clerk-Recorder 2026 Fee Schedule (linked from the county page)

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