Monterey County, California Recording Fees
Recording a deed in Monterey County costs about $26 and a mortgage about $68 (a 2-page deed ($23 + $3) and a 16-page deed of trust ($23 + 15 x $3); the SB2 fee is additional and applies once per document on most non-exempt deeds), per the Monterey County Assessor-Clerk-Recorder's fee schedule, effective 2026-03-03. Monterey County's fee schedule: $23.00 standard recording fee per title or document, plus $3.00 for each additional page beyond what fits the standard recording-information reservation on the first page. The SB2 fee is modeled at the statewide-standard rate used in other California counties.
Fee schedule
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Deed, first page | $23 |
| Deed, each additional page | $3 |
| Mortgage, first page | $23 |
| Mortgage, each additional page | $3 |
| SB2 Building Homes and Jobs Act fee per document, capped at $225 per transaction on a single-parcel deed subject to the documentary transfer tax; exemptions apply for owner-occupied residential transfers | $75 |
Monterey County closing costs → California transfer tax → Monterey County home buyer guide →
County transfer tax
The City of Monterey, Salinas, Seaside and Carmel-by-the-Sea do not levy their own city documentary transfer tax on top of the base California county rate (unlike Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley and San Jose). The base $0.55 per $500 county documentary transfer tax is the whole rate here. California transfer tax →
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to record a deed in Monterey County?
$23 for the first page and $3 for each additional page, about $26 for a typical deed, per the Monterey County Assessor-Clerk-Recorder's fee schedule.
And the mortgage?
$23 for the first page and $3 per additional page, about $68 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.
Monterey County closing costs → Monterey County home buyer guide →
Fees as published by the recorder; e-recording and courier charges may apply. General information, not legal advice.
Monterey County overview