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Recording Requirements

The Recorder's office is responsible for providing constructive notice of private acts and creating and maintaining custody of permanent records for all documents filed and recorded in Riverside County.

Each document presented for recording MUST include or comply with the following general requirements:

• The property must be located in Riverside County. (CC 1169)
• The document must be authorized or required by law to be recorded. (GC 27201)
• The document must be submitted with the proper fees and taxes. (GC 6103, 27201, 27261)
• The document must be in compliance with state and local laws.
• The document should name the person requesting recording. (GC 27361.6)
• The document should state the name and address to whom the document should be returned. Fill in "Recording Requested By and Mail To". (GC 27361.6)
• The entire document, including the notary seal, must be legible enough to produce a readable photographic record. (GC 27201, 27361.6, 27361.7, GC 8207)
• Signatures must be original unless the document is a certified copy issued by the appropriate custodian of the public record. (GC 27201b)
• The document must be properly acknowledged, unless exempt. (California requires an all-purpose acknowledgment). (GC 27201, 27289, 27285, 27287, 27288, CC 1189)
• The Assessor's Parcel Number and Tax Rate Area are required on all conveyances by local Ordinance (R&T Code 11911.1)
• Unless otherwise required to do so by a state or Federal law, a document shall not be presented for recording if it displays more than the last four digits of a social security number. (CC 1798.89)

* CC - Civil Code, GC - Government Code, R&T - Revenue and Taxation Code

Documentary Transfer Tax is due on all taxable conveyances in excess of $100 at a rate of $.55 per $500 or fractional portion of real property value, excluding any liens or encumbrances already of record. Property located within the city of Riverside is taxable at a rate of $1.10 per $500 or fractional portion of real property value, excluding any liens or encumbrances already of record (R&T Code 11911). Transfer tax is collected at the time of recording. A Documentary Transfer Tax Declaration must be completed for all conveyances. If no Documentary Transfer Tax is due, so indicate by entering "0" on the tax line, and provide a valid reason for exemption.

A Documentary Transfer Tax (DTT) Affidavit will be required to be completed and submitted with each document when Documentary Transfer Tax is being paid or when an exemption is being claimed from paying the tax. If a governmental agency is a party to the document, the form will not be required. Documentary Transfer Tax Affidavits are also available at all Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder branch offices, or will be mailed to you upon request by calling (951) 486-7000.

Note: If you do not have to pay Documentary Transfer Tax, you may have to pay a new state fee of up to $225 starting Jan. 1, 2018.

Each instrument, paper, or notice that is rerecorded shall be executed and acknowledged or verified as a new document, in addition to any previous execution and acknowledgment or verification, unless any of the following apply:

For purposes of item 3, “minor correction” includes any of the following:

1. The instrument, paper, or notice is otherwise exempted by Section 27287 or any other law.
2. The instrument, paper, or notice is presented solely to correct a recording sequence. The intent of the parties with regard to the priority of recorded documents shall be controlling regardless of the sequence of recording by a county recorder or the sequence of recording specified in instructions given by a submitter to a county recorder. This subparagraph is declaratory of existing law, and any rerecording of documents to change the sequential numbers assigned to a document by the recorder shall not require the document to be executed and acknowledged or verified as a new document.
3. The instrument, paper, or notice is presented solely to make a minor correction with an Affidavit for Minor Correction. The corrective affidavit shall satisfy all of the following:
   • Be attached to the original recorded instrument, paper, or notice.
   • Set out the information corrected.
   • Be certified by the party submitting the affidavit under penalty of perjury.
   • Be acknowledged pursuant to Section 27287.
   • An incorrect or missing address of the party to which the instrument, paper, or notice is to be returned following recording pursuant to Section 27361.6.
   • A clarification of illegible text pursuant to Section 27361.7.
   • An incorrect or missing printed or typed name of an individual or entity near the signature pursuant to Section 27280.5.
   • An incorrect or missing documentary transfer tax amount due pursuant to Section 11932 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

Each rerecorded instrument, paper, or notice shall include a cover sheet that complies with Section 27361.6 and shall state the reason for rerecording on the cover sheet.

Preliminary Change of Ownership Report

A Preliminary Change of Ownership Report is required by State law to be filed for all property transfers. A $20.00 fee will be charged if the completed form is not filed at the time of recording. If the form is not filed, the Assessor is then required to mail to the property owner a further request for the same information. This form is used to assist in the appraisal of the property and is not open for public inspection. Preliminary Change of Ownership Forms are also available at all Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder offices, or will be mailed to you upon request by calling (951) 955-6200.