Santa Cruz County, California Recording Fees
Recording a deed in Santa Cruz County costs about $17 and a mortgage about $92 (a 2-page deed exempt from SB2 ($14 + $3) and a 16-page deed of trust not exempt (base $14 + 15 x $3 + $75 SB2, capped by the $225 SB2 ceiling)), per the Santa Cruz County Clerk-Recorder's fee schedule. Same statewide base recording fee as every California county under Gov't Code 27361: $14 for the first page and $3 for each additional page.
Fee schedule
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Deed, first page | $14 |
| Deed, each additional page | $3 |
| Mortgage, first page | $14 |
| Mortgage, each additional page | $3 |
| SB2 Building Homes and Jobs Act fee per parcel, capped at $225/transaction; exempt for a document already subject to the documentary transfer tax (the typical sale deed), applies to a deed of trust/mortgage | $75 |
Santa Cruz County closing costs → California transfer tax → Santa Cruz County home buyer guide →
County transfer tax
California's Documentary Transfer Tax is authorized by Rev. & Tax. Code Sec. 11911 at $0.55 per $500 of consideration (0.11%), collected by the county recorder. Santa Cruz County's code (Chapter 4.04) levies the standard $0.55 per $500 countywide. The City of Santa Cruz (Chapter 3.32), though a charter city, imposes its transfer tax at half the county rate ($0.275 per $500). That is the city's share of the same combined $0.55 per $500 total under a county-city revenue split, not an additional tax, so a Santa Cruz city buyer's combined documentary transfer tax is still $0.55 per $500, not $1.10 per $500. No additional city-level transfer tax (like Santa Rosa's or San Rafael's) applies to any city in Santa Cruz County. California transfer tax →
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to record a deed in Santa Cruz County?
$14 for the first page and $3 for each additional page, about $17 for a typical deed, per the Santa Cruz County Clerk-Recorder's fee schedule.
And the mortgage?
$14 for the first page and $3 per additional page, about $92 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.
Santa Cruz County closing costs → Santa Cruz County home buyer guide →
Fees as published by the recorder; e-recording and courier charges may apply. General information, not legal advice.
Santa Cruz County overview