Placer 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 Placer County Clerk-Recorder; sources are listed at the end.

When you sell a house in Placer County, the deed to the buyer is recorded by the Placer County Clerk-Recorder, and the documentary transfer tax is due when it records. The county has two recorder offices, one in Auburn and one in Rocklin. Escrow normally handles recording, but the facts below help if a family member prepared the deed or you are clearing title on an inherited house.

Placer County Recorder at a glance

How much is the transfer tax in Placer County?

The county FAQ says documentary transfer tax is 55 cents for each $500 of the sale price or value of the real property being transferred. It is due at the time of recording on any transfer of real property, unless an exemption under the California Revenue and Taxation Code applies.

On a $600,000 sale with no loan assumed, that works out to about $660. The county adds that there may also be fees for debtor notification on involuntary liens and for added indexing, and it invites people to call for help working out the total.

What does it cost to record a deed in Placer County?

Placer County says the basic fee is $14 for the first page and $3 for each added page of a standard letter-sized document. A deed with a transfer tax declaration is normally two or three pages, so the base recording fee is modest.

The larger numbers come from the transfer tax and from any state fees the county adds on the fee schedule, which the county publishes on its Clerk-Recorder page. Because those state fees change, ask escrow for the final figure rather than doing the sum yourself.

Avoid the non-conforming fee

The easiest way to waste money at the Recorder is to submit a deed that does not meet the page rules. Placer County charges the extra $3 on each page when a page is larger or smaller than 8.5 by 11 inches, or when anything is stapled, taped or glued to it. Print on standard paper, do not attach sticky notes, and keep staples out of the pages that will be scanned.

The change of ownership report

The county’s Forms page lists the Preliminary Change of Ownership Report, and says recording fees are not charged for the PCOR itself. The report goes with a deed so the Assessor can reassess the property. Have it signed at the same time as the deed.

How to sell a house in Placer 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 a 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.

1. Order the vesting deed from the Recorder.
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.

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

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

Placer County Recorder FAQ

Where is the Placer County Recorder?

There are two offices: 2954 Richardson Drive in Auburn, and 3715 Atherton Road in Rocklin. Call (530) 886-5600 for help with fees.

How much is the transfer tax in Placer County?

The county lists it at 55 cents per $500 of the sale price or value, due at recording unless an exemption applies.

What is the basic recording fee?

$14 for the first page and $3 for each added page of a standard 8.5 by 11 inch document.

What is a non-conforming document fee?

An extra $3 on every page when any page is not 8.5 by 11 inches, or has anything stapled, taped or glued to it.

Sources

• Placer County Clerk-Recorder: Real Property FAQ
• Placer County Clerk-Recorder: Fee Schedule
• Placer County Clerk-Recorder: Forms

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