Santa Clara County, California Recording Fees
Recording a deed in Santa Clara County costs about $28 and a mortgage about $70 (a 2-page deed ($25 + $3 = $28) and a 16-page deed of trust ($25 + 15 x $3 = $70), both assumed SB2/AB1466-exempt as part of a routine purchase-money closing), per the Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder's fee schedule. Santa Clara's own recorder page states the standard fee is $25 for the first page (this INCLUDES a $10.00 Real Estate Fraud Prevention Fee per Gov. Code Sec. 27388 built into the base rate for every document except a specific exception list: state/county/municipal lien releases, maps, builder's contracts, and preliminary 20-day notices), plus $3.00 for each additional page. Unlike most other California counties surveyed, Santa Clara's published exception list does not separately exempt a deed subject to Documentary Transfer Tax from this built-in fraud fee, so the $25 first-page rate is used here for both the deed and the deed of trust.
Fee schedule
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Deed, first page | $25 |
| Deed, each additional page | $3 |
| Mortgage, first page | $25 |
| Mortgage, each additional page | $3 |
| SB 2 Affordable Housing and Jobs Act Fee per title, unless exempted; the standard concurrent-DTT-transfer exemption applies | $75 |
| AB 1466 Restrictive Covenant Program Fee per title | $2 |
County transfer tax
City of San Jose base Conveyance Tax: $1.65 per $500, paid by the negotiable, City of Palo Alto Conveyance Tax: $1.65 per $500, paid by the negotiable and City of Mountain View Conveyance Tax: $1.65 per $500, paid by the negotiable. California transfer tax →
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to record a deed in Santa Clara County?
$25 for the first page and $3 for each additional page, about $28 for a typical deed, per the Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder's fee schedule.
And the mortgage?
$25 for the first page and $3 per additional page, about $70 for a typical mortgage or deed of trust. The buyer pays this at closing.
Sources
- Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder fee schedule
- Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder, Recording document fees page ('City Conveyance Tax (San Jose, Palo Alto, & Mountain View) $1.65 per $500 ... applies, in addition to county transfer tax')
- Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder, Recording document fees page
- Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder, Recording document fees page
Figures are computed from the documents above and rounded to the dollar. All sources.
Santa Clara County closing costs → Santa Clara County home buyer guide →
Fees as published by the recorder; e-recording and courier charges may apply. General information, not legal advice.
Santa Clara County overview