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

In Butte County, the Clerk-Recorder charges $15 to record the first page of a deed and $3 for each additional page, and the documentary transfer tax is $0.55 for each $500 of value, rounded up to the next $500. A deed that arrives without a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report carries an extra $20.

Most sellers never pay these fees directly, because escrow records the deed and collects the tax at closing, but knowing the numbers helps you read your settlement statement.

Butte County recording fees at a glance

Recording, first page	$15 (standard); $3 for each additional page
Deed of trust, reconveyance and related lender documents, first page	$18; $3 for each additional page
Documentary transfer tax	$0.55 per $500 of value, rounded up to the nearest $500
Building Homes and Jobs Act fee	$75 on applicable documents, not to exceed $225
Missing Preliminary Change of Ownership Report	$20 added when a deed is recorded without one
Non-conforming page size	$3 per page
Survey Monument Preservation Fund fee	$10
Copies of official records	$5 first page, $2.50 each additional page; $5 to certify
Death certificate	$26 (search and certificate)
Email	recorders@buttecounty.net

What the Butte County Recorder does in a home sale

Butte County’s Clerk-Recorder records real property transactions, financing statements and maps, and keeps the official records that show who owns a parcel and what is recorded against it. When you sell, your grant deed is what transfers title, and it only counts against the world once it is recorded.

Escrow normally delivers the deed to the Recorder on the day the sale funds. The deed of trust you are paying off is released through a reconveyance, which is also recorded and also carries a fee.

The Recorder does not set the price of a house or check that a deed is legally right. It checks that the document meets recording requirements, collects the fees and taxes, and adds the document to the public record. If a deed has an error in it, the cure is a corrected or new deed, not a request to the Recorder to change the record.

How the documentary transfer tax works

The county fee schedule lists the documentary transfer tax at $0.55 for each $500 of value, rounded up to the nearest $500, and cites Revenue and Taxation Code section 11911. In practice the seller usually pays it, although the purchase contract can say otherwise.

On a $400,000 sale, the tax works out to 800 units of $500 at $0.55, or $440. Cities can add their own transfer tax on top, so ask escrow whether your property sits inside a city that does.

Certain transfers are exempt from the tax, such as many transfers between spouses or into a trust for no payment. The Recorder cannot decide for you whether an exemption applies, so any exemption has to be claimed on the deed in the form the law requires. When in doubt, ask the escrow officer or an attorney before the deed is signed.

The Preliminary Change of Ownership Report

When ownership changes, the buyer files a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report with the deed so the assessor can update the property’s assessed value. Butte County’s fee schedule shows what happens if it is missing: recording the deed without one adds $20.

That is a small amount, but it is also a sign the paperwork was rushed, and a missing report can slow the record. Ask escrow to confirm it is included. If you are curious how a transfer affects the tax bill that follows, see our Butte County property tax guide.

Getting copies of recorded documents

If you need proof of a recorded deed or a reconveyance, ask the Recorder for a copy. The schedule lists $5 for the first page of a copy of an official record, $2.50 for each added page, and $5 to certify it. A conformed copy costs $2.

Title companies often need a certified copy when a past lien or deed has to be shown, and a certified copy of a death certificate, which the county lists at $26, is a common request when a house is being sold after an owner has died. Digital formatting is a separate $12 fee.

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

Plenty of Butte County homes have a title wrinkle: an old name on the deed, a deed never recorded, a lien that was paid off but never released, or an owner who has died. None of these has to stop a sale, but they do change 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 against the parcel.
2. Match the names. The people on the deed must be the people who sign. A name change or a death needs paperwork first.
3. Clear old liens. A paid loan with no recorded reconveyance can be cleaned up through the lender before or during escrow.
4. Budget for the fees. Recording, the transfer tax and any Building Homes and Jobs fee come out of the seller’s or buyer’s side of escrow depending on the contract.
5. Choose your route. A cash buyer can often close with these issues in place and take over the clean-up. A listing may bring a higher price but will not close until title is ready.

We buy houses in Butte County in any condition. See our Butte County page, our Chico page, or the guide to selling a Chico house as-is.

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

Butte County recorder FAQ

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

The standard fee is $15 for the first page and $3 for each additional page, plus any applicable taxes and fees such as the Building Homes and Jobs Act fee.

What is the transfer tax in Butte County?

$0.55 for each $500 of value, rounded up to the nearest $500. Cities may charge more.

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

Butte County adds a $20 fee when a deed is recorded without one.

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

$5 for the first page and $2.50 for each additional page, plus $5 if you want it certified.

Can I sell a Butte 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

• Butte County Clerk-Recorder Fee Schedule, effective January 1, 2026
• Butte County Clerk-Recorder: Recorded Documents / Official Records

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