Contra Costa County, California Recording Fees
Recording a deed in Contra Costa County costs about $17 and a mortgage about $59 (a 2-page deed ($14 + $3 = $17) and a 16-page deed of trust recorded concurrently with the sale, so it is also billed at the $14 base first-page rate rather than $17 ($14 + 15 x $3 = $59). Both assumed SB2-exempt as part of the same concurrently-recorded, DTT-subject transaction.), per the Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder's fee schedule, effective 2025-01-01. Contra Costa's schedule is unusually explicit: the base fee is $14 for the first page (all documents), and a further $3 is added to the first page ONLY for a listed set of instruments (including a Deed of Trust) AND only when NOT recorded concurrently with a transfer subject to Documentary Transfer Tax. A routine purchase-money deed of trust, recorded at the same closing as the taxed sale deed, is therefore billed at the same $14 base rate as the deed itself.
Fee schedule
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Deed, first page | $14 |
| Deed, each additional page | $3 |
| Mortgage, first page | $14 |
| Mortgage, each additional page | $3 |
| SB 2 Building Homes and Jobs Act Tax per title, per transaction, up to $225 per transaction; unless expressly exempted (Gov. Code Sec. 27388.1) | $75 |
| Real Estate Fraud Fee added to the $14 base first-page fee (making it $17) for a listed set of documents including a Deed of Trust, Quitclaim Deed, Reconveyance, etc.; the county's schedule explicitly states this extra fee does NOT apply 'unless recorded concurrently with a transfer subject to the imposition of Transfer Tax' is false, i.e. it is waived when the document IS recorded concurrently with a transfer subject to Transfer Tax | $3 |
| Survey Monument Fee applies only to deeds showing other than a complete lot and tract; excluded from the typical total |
County transfer tax
Contra Costa County's own fee schedule shows only the base countywide Documentary Transfer Tax rate, the state/county-uniform rate already captured in data/transfer/california.json's state block. No separate Contra Costa County surtax was found; data/transfer/california.json does not list any Contra Costa city (e.g. Richmond) as having its own transfer tax either. California transfer tax →
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to record a deed in Contra Costa County?
$14 for the first page and $3 for each additional page, about $17 for a typical deed, per the Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder's fee schedule.
And the mortgage?
$14 for the first page and $3 per additional page, about $59 for a typical mortgage or deed of trust. The buyer pays this at closing.
Sources
Figures are computed from the documents above and rounded to the dollar. All sources.
Contra Costa County closing costs → Contra Costa County home buyer guide →
Fees as published by the recorder; e-recording and courier charges may apply. General information, not legal advice.
Contra Costa County overview