Tehama 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 Tehama County Clerk and Recorder fee page and 2026 Schedule of Fees, listed under Sources.

In Tehama County, the Recorder charges $14 to record the first page of a document and $3 for each additional page, and the property transfer tax is 55 cents per $500. A $75 SB 2 housing fee applies unless the document is exempt, and recording a deed without a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report costs $20. Escrow normally handles all of this at closing.

Tehama County recording fees at a glance

Recording, first page	$14 (8½ x 11 inch maximum); $3 for each additional page
Property transfer tax	55 cents per $500
SB 2 housing fee	$75 (Government Code 27388.1)
Deed recorded without a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report	$20; no fee when the report accompanies the deed
Non-conforming page size	$3 for each page of the document
Release of lien	$20
Copies of recorded documents	$1.50 per page; $3 to certify
Death record	$26
Office	633 Washington St., Room 11, Red Bluff, CA 96080; (530) 527-3350; recorder@tehama.gov
Recording hours	Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed noon to 1 p.m. and holidays

What the Tehama County Recorder does in a home sale

The Clerk and Recorder in Red Bluff 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. Tehama’s recording window is shorter than its office hours, so a deed that arrives after 4 p.m. waits for the next business day.

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.

How the property transfer tax works in Tehama County

Tehama’s schedule lists the property transfer tax at 55 cents per $500. 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 Report

Tehama’s schedule says the report is required to accompany deeds. There is no fee when it is filed, and $20 when a deed is recorded without it. For how a transfer affects the bill that follows, see our Tehama County property tax guide.

Getting copies of recorded documents

Recorded documents cost $1.50 per page, and certifying one costs $3. A conformed copy is $1, but the office says you must provide the copy to be conformed.

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

Tehama County recorder FAQ

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

$14 for the first page and $3 for each additional page, plus the $75 SB 2 housing fee unless the document is exempt.

What is the transfer tax in Tehama County?

55 cents per $500. Cities may charge more.

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

Tehama County charges $20 when a deed is recorded without one.

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

$1.50 per page, plus $3 to certify.

Can I sell a Tehama 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

• Tehama County Clerk and Recorder: Fees
• Tehama County 2026 Schedule of Fees

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