Colusa 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 Colusa County Fee Schedule (Table 8-2 of Chapter 8 of the county code, adopted by Ordinance 845), listed under Sources.

Colusa County builds its recording fee from a $9 base for the first page plus a series of $1 and $2 add-ons, charges $3 for each additional page, and lists the documentary tax at $0.55. A $75 SB 2 fee applies on documents that are not exempt, and a deed recorded without a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report costs $20.

Because the county itemizes the fee instead of quoting one total, ask the Recorder or escrow for the exact figure on your deed.

Colusa County recording fees at a glance

First page, base	$9
First-page add-ons listed in the table	$1 modernization trust, $1 Social Security truncation, $1 micrographics and preservation trust, $1 trial court days of operation, $1 index within two days, $2 covenant restriction, $1 electronic recording delivery system
Each additional page	$3
Documentary tax	$0.55 (the county rate under state law is $0.55 per $500)
SB 2 Building and Jobs fee	$75
Fraud program fees	$10 DA fraud program fee; $10 fraud notification program fee
Additional title	$17
Missing Preliminary Change of Ownership Report	$20
Nonconforming page	$3 per page
Release of lien	$20
Preliminary 20-day notice	$40
Copies	$8 first page, $2 each additional page; $8 certification fee; $2 conformed copy
Death record	$24

What the Colusa County Recorder does in a home sale

The Clerk and Recorder’s office 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. Colusa sets its fees by ordinance, so the Board of Supervisors can amend them; the schedule cited here was amended by Ordinance 845 in 2026.

How the documentary transfer tax works in Colusa County

Colusa’s table lists the documentary tax at $0.55 and marks it as set by state statute. Under state law the county rate is $0.55 per $500 of value, which is what the calculator uses. 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 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. Colusa lists a $20 charge for a document recorded without it. For how a transfer affects the bill that follows, see our Colusa County property tax guide.

Getting copies of recorded documents

Colusa’s copy fees are higher than most northern counties: $8 for the first page, $2 for each added page, and an $8 certification fee. If a title company needs a certified copy of a past deed or reconveyance, budget for that, and ask whether the title company can pull the document itself.

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

Colusa County recorder FAQ

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

The county table lists a $9 base for the first page plus several $1 and $2 add-ons, $3 for each additional page, and a $75 SB 2 fee unless exempt. Ask the Recorder for the exact total on your document.

What is the transfer tax in Colusa County?

The county lists $0.55, the state-set rate of $0.55 per $500. Cities may charge more.

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

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

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

$8 for the first page and $2 for each additional page, plus an $8 certification fee.

Can I sell a Colusa 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

• Colusa County Code, Chapter 8: Colusa County Fee Schedule (Ordinance 845)
• Colusa County Ordinance 845 (February 10, 2026)

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