Fresno County, California • deed and official-record research guide
Fresno County Recorder: Search Deeds, Liens, Official Records and Property Documents
The Fresno County Recorder’s Office records and
preserves deeds, deeds of trust, reconveyances, liens, easements,
assignments, notices, restrictive covenants and many other official
documents affecting real property in Fresno County.
Fresno’s modern online Self-Service system provides a searchable
official-record index for documents recorded on or after
January 1, 1981. Historical deed research before that
date uses scanned grantor/grantee index books reaching back to
1856.
Fastest beginner route:
open Fresno County Recorder Self-Service → choose
Official Records Search and Copies → search by the
property owner’s Last Name, First Name when possible →
narrow by date, document number or document type → open the correct
document index → purchase/download the image only when you actually need it.
Assessor-Recorder
Paul Dictos, CPA
Recorder office
1250 Van Ness Avenue, Fresno, CA 93721
Hours
Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., excluding County holidays
Modern online index
January 1, 1981-present
Historical index
Grantor/grantee records back to 1856
Important location update:
the Recorder is no longer located inside the Hall of Records.
The current Recorder office is at 1250 Van Ness Avenue.
Fresno County states that free customer parking is available there.
Independent informational website:
County-CAD.us is not the Fresno County Recorder, Fresno County Assessor,
Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector, District Attorney, California
State Board of Equalization or any government agency. Official searches,
payments, recordings and copy purchases must be completed through the
government systems linked below.
Choose your exact Recorder task
What Are You Trying to Find?
Beginner deed-search workflow
Property → APN/Owner → Recorder Index → Document # → Copy
1
Property
Start with address/owner.
2
APN
Confirm the parcel.
3
Party
Identify owner/seller.
4
Recorder
Search official index.
5
Document #
Save the exact record.
6
Copy
Purchase only if needed.
The progress indicator uses lightweight CSS only and respects
reduced-motion accessibility settings.
Use official sources for the final action
Fresno County Official Recorder and Property Websites
DOC
Recorded Documents Guide
Search coverage, copy ordering, recording requirements and historical index instructions.
Open Recorded Documents Guide
FORM
Recorder Forms
PCOR, transfer-tax declaration, cover sheets and restrictive-covenant forms.
Open Recorder Forms
ALERT
Property Owner’s Protection Alert
Free email notification for new recordings matching registered names/APNs.
Open Free Property Alert
Documents recorded January 1, 1981-present
How to Search Fresno County Deeds Online
Fresno County’s Self-Service index can be searched using
grantor/grantee names, recording date, document number and
document type.
Open Fresno County Self-Service.
Do not begin with a commercial deed-selling or people-search website.
Select “Official Records Search and Copies.”
This is the Recorder’s property-document system.
Choose your search method.
The Recorder specifically says the best name-search format is generally
Last Name, First Name.
Search the current owner, seller or other recorded party.
Trusts, businesses and former owners may require separate searches.
Add an approximate recording date.
Use a purchase, refinance, probate or other transaction year when known.
Use document number when you already have it.
This is usually faster and safer than another broad name search.
Review the document type.
Distinguish a deed from a deed of trust, reconveyance, lien,
release, easement or notice.
Open the matching index information.
Verify grantor, grantee, recording date and document number.
Purchase the document image only if you need the actual copy.
Best research habit:
once you identify the correct record, immediately save its
document/instrument number. Future copy requests are
much easier with that exact identifier.
Which Search Field Should You Use?
What you know
Best route
Practical use
Owner / seller name
Grantor / Grantee
Deeds, deeds of trust, releases, liens and other party-indexed records.
Document number
Document / Instrument Number
Fastest route after the exact record has been identified.
Approximate year
Recording Date
Narrow common-name results to the transaction period.
Record category
Document Type
Isolate deeds, liens, releases and other instrument categories.
Pre-1981 reference
Book + Page + Year / Historical Index
Older deeds and historical title-chain research.
When the property address is all you have
How to Find a Fresno County Deed from a Street Address
The Recorder’s official-record index is primarily organized around
parties and recorded-document references rather than a simple modern
address search.
Your first goal is therefore to identify the property’s
Assessor Parcel Number (APN) and the relevant owner names.
Check your property-tax bill or closing papers first.
The APN is commonly printed on these documents.
If you do not have the APN, open the Assessor resources.
Use the available parcel/value/map lookup tools.
Fresno County has changed some online address-to-APN functionality
to comply with California privacy requirements, so public web results
can be restricted for some properties.
If online lookup does not expose the needed APN, contact the Assessor.
Call
559-600-3534 and explain that you
need the parcel identifier/current property-record information for
Recorder research.
Save the current owner and APN.
Open Fresno Recorder Self-Service.
Search the current owner Last Name, First Name.
If the transfer is recent, search the former owner too.
Compare the legal/property description in the actual deed.
Do not accept a same-name result without confirming the property.
Historical Fresno land records
How to Search Fresno County Deeds Before 1981
The normal Self-Service index covers documents recorded on or after
January 1, 1981. Earlier records are handled differently.
Fresno County provides scanned historical index books covering
1856 through 1980. These are images of the old paper
indexes and do not have a modern keyword-search box.
1856-1913
Use the historical Index to Deeds and choose Grantor or Grantee.
1914-1971
Separate Grantor and Grantee index collections are available.
1972-1980
Use the combined Grantor-Grantee index.
1981-present
Use the modern Tyler Self-Service search.
Open the Recorder’s Recorded Documents page.
Scroll to Online Indexes.
Choose the historical index covering your year.
Choose Grantor or Grantee when the historical collection requires it.
Grantor generally means the party conveying the interest; grantee
generally means the party receiving it.
Select the year range.
Select the letter corresponding to the person’s surname.
Page through the scanned index manually.
The old index images are not fully searchable like the modern database.
Write down the Book, Page and Year.
Use those references for an in-person or mail copy request.
No modern search result does not mean no historical deed exists.
A pre-1981 instrument may only be discoverable through the scanned
grantor/grantee indexes and book/page references.
Regular copies and certified copies
How to Get a Fresno County Deed Copy
Recorded documents are public records. Fresno County allows them to be
researched/viewed in the Recorder’s office at no charge, while copies
can be purchased online, in person or by mail.
$1.50
Standard First Page
8½ × 11 recorded-document copy.
$0.50
Additional Page
Standard 8½ × 11 copy.
+$1
Certification
Additional certification-under-seal fee per document.
Larger-than-8½ × 11 recorded-document copies have a different published
fee: currently $4 for the first page and $2 for each additional page.
Exact online ordering workflow
How to Buy and Download a Fresno County Recorded Document Online
Open Self-Service.
Select “Official Records Search and Copies.”
Choose a search option.
Fresno County recommends Last Name, First Name for many party-name searches.
Locate and verify the correct record.
Select the copy/purchase option.
Select the payment method and complete checkout.
Select “Download Documents” on the left side.
Immediately download and save the image.
Fresno County specifically warns that the purchased image can be lost
if you leave the page without saving it.
Do not close the page before saving your purchased document.
The Recorder expressly tells online users to download and save the image
before moving away from the screen.
Certified copies are different.
The Recorder states that certified copies are mailed because they require
a live signature and official seal.
How to Order a Deed Copy at the Recorder’s Office
Go to 1250 Van Ness Avenue, Fresno.
Do not go to the Hall of Records expecting the Recorder counter.
Go to the public computers on the second floor.
Select the red “Eagle Recording Kiosk.”
Select “Official Records Search and Copies (Kiosk).”
Choose your search type and locate the record.
Add the document to the cart and proceed to checkout.
Type your name and submit the order.
Wait in line and tell Recorder staff that you placed a kiosk order.
Current in-person copy instructions allow check or money order payable to
Fresno County Recorder. Credit/debit card use currently
carries an additional $2.50 charge.
For the fastest counter service, bring the document/instrument number,
at least one party name, document type and—when researching material
before 1981—the Book, Page and Year.
Recorded lien research
How to Search Fresno County Liens and Releases
Fresno County specifically recommends searching official records under
your name and under any other name variation or business name under
which the lien might have been indexed.
Write down every relevant owner name.
Include current name, former name, spouse, business, trust or entity
where appropriate.
Open Official Records Search and Copies.
Search each relevant name.
Narrow by recording date when possible.
Open possible lien documents.
Search for later releases.
Fresno County’s own FAQ recommends reviewing the actual documents to
determine which are liens and which are releases.
Follow every prior-document reference.
Verify that a release actually applies to the lien you are researching.
Recorder search ≠ clear title.
Fresno County states that there is no single county “property file”
containing every deed, lien, easement and title issue. A title company
or real-estate attorney should be used when a complete title conclusion
is required.
California mortgage-security records
Paid Off Your Loan? Search for a Reconveyance
California property financing commonly uses a
Deed of Trust. When the secured obligation is paid,
the later document to research is commonly a
Full Reconveyance or another release-related instrument.
You normally do not receive a brand-new ownership deed
simply because the mortgage was paid.
Search your name in Recorder Self-Service.
Locate the original Deed of Trust.
Save its document number and recording date.
Search later records under the borrower, lender or trustee names.
Look for reconveyance or release documents.
Compare the prior-recording reference.
Make sure the later document relates to the correct Deed of Trust.
If the expected release is missing, contact the lender/title company first.
Recorder staff cannot create the release on behalf of the lender.
Before recording a Fresno County deed
How to Record a Deed or Other Property Document
The Recorder accepts documents authorized or required by California law
when they contain the required information, are sufficiently reproducible
and are submitted with the proper fees and taxes.
Confirm the real property is in Fresno County.
A county recorder records instruments affecting property within its jurisdiction.
Use the legally appropriate instrument.
Recorder employees cannot advise which deed or ownership-transfer form you should use.
Include the correct legal description.
An APN and street address do not replace the legal description where one is required.
Include the APN on documents transferring an interest in real property.
Add “Recording requested by and mail to” information.
State who requests recording and where the completed document should be returned.
Use original signatures where required.
California law provides limited exceptions for qualifying certified copies.
Complete the required acknowledgment/notarization.
Make sure the notary seal and certificate are legible.
Include the Preliminary Change of Ownership Report when required.
Complete the Documentary Transfer Tax Declaration.
Even when no tax is due, the appropriate declaration/reason must be supplied.
Check SB2 and Survey Monument Preservation fees/exemptions.
Calculate all recording fees before submission.
Record in person, by mail or through an eligible electronic-recording workflow.
Save the final instrument/document number.
Use it to verify the completed recording later.
Recorder staff cannot prepare your legal document.
Adding or removing an owner, transferring property into a trust,
handling a deceased owner’s property or choosing a deed type can have
significant legal and tax consequences. Seek California legal/title
advice when necessary.
Common rejection-prevention checklist
Fresno County Recording Requirements
Fresno County property
The affected real property must be within Fresno County.
Proper legal document
The instrument must be authorized or required by law to be recorded.
Proper fees and taxes
Submit all applicable Recorder charges and documentary transfer tax.
Return information
Include “Recording requested by and mail to” information.
Photographically reproducible
Text, signatures and notary seal must remain readable when imaged.
Original signatures
Required unless a statutory exception applies.
Proper acknowledgment
Use a California-compliant acknowledgment when required.
APN
Required on documents transferring an interest in real property.
PCOR
Include a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report when required.
Transfer-tax declaration
Complete and sign the required declaration for conveyance documents.
Preliminary Change of Ownership Report
Do You Need a PCOR With a Fresno County Deed?
A Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (PCOR)
is generally required when a document transfers an interest in
California real property, subject to the applicable statutory rules.
502A
Fresno County Assessor Forms
Download BOE-502-A Preliminary Change of Ownership Report.
Open Official PCOR Form
Fresno County’s current Recorder fee schedule lists an additional
$20 ownership-change fee when a document changing
ownership is recorded without a required PCOR.
The Assessor explains that the PCOR helps determine whether a transfer
may trigger reassessment or qualify for an exclusion. Fill out the form
accurately rather than treating it as a routine cover sheet.
California documentary transfer tax
Fresno County Documentary Transfer Tax
Fresno County currently states that documentary transfer tax is due on
taxable conveyances exceeding $100 at:
$0.55
Per $500 or Fraction
Applied to the taxable value of the real property conveyed after the
applicable treatment of qualifying liens/encumbrances.
This is equivalent to $1.10 per $1,000 of taxable
consideration, but the legal calculation is expressed as
$0.55 for each $500 or fraction thereof.
Determine whether the conveyance is taxable.
Determine the taxable amount under California law.
Calculate $0.55 for each $500 or fraction thereof.
Complete Fresno County’s Documentary Transfer Tax Declaration.
If no tax is due, enter zero and state the reason/exemption.
Sign the declaration.
Do not guess at a tax exemption.
Recorder staff cannot provide legal advice about which ownership-transfer
strategy or exemption is appropriate for your situation.
Current Recorder fee schedule
Fresno County Recording Fees
$19
First Page
Standard first page of each document.
$11
Taxable Conveyance First Page
Published first-page amount for a conveyance containing transfer tax
and concurrent documents recording with it.
$3
Additional Page
Each additional document page.
$19
Additional Title
Each additional title on a multiple-titled document.
$1
Prior Record Reference
Each reference to a previously recorded document.
$20
Missing Required PCOR
Additional ownership-change charge.
$75
SB2 Fee
When the Building Homes and Jobs Act charge applies.
$10
Survey Monument Preservation
Applies to qualifying grant deeds under Fresno’s current ordinance.
$3
Nonstandard Page Size
Additional per-page charge where applicable.
$
Current Fresno County Fee Schedule
Always calculate the transaction from the live schedule.
Check Recorder Fees
Building Homes and Jobs Act
When Can the Fresno County $75 SB2 Fee Apply?
California Government Code §27388.1 can impose an additional
$75 recording fee on certain real-estate instruments,
papers or notices unless an exemption applies.
Fresno County implemented an important local processing update effective
May 26, 2025: when one document contains multiple
parcels, the Recorder applies the $75 fee to each included parcel unless
that parcel qualifies for an SB2 exclusion.
Possible SB2 charge
$75 where the statutory fee applies.
Single-parcel cap
The county states that the existing $225 per-transaction cap for a
single parcel continues.
Taxable transfer exemption
Documents recorded in connection with a transfer subject to documentary
transfer tax can qualify for statutory exemption.
Owner-occupied residential transfer
Certain transfers of a residential dwelling to an owner-occupier can
qualify for exemption.
Write the exemption on the document or proper cover sheet when required.
Fresno County warns that failing to state the exemption reason can result
in the $75 fee being imposed, and collected fees may not be refundable.
Fresno-specific fee since May 23, 2024
What Is the $10 Survey Monument Preservation Fee?
Fresno County adopted a $10 Survey Monument Preservation Fee
effective May 23, 2024.
The county states that the fee is collected as a condition of recording
a grant deed conveying real property, subject to the
statutory/local exemptions.
Grant deeds conveying lots created by recorded tract maps are identified
by Fresno County as exempt from this particular monument-preservation fee.
Older Fresno Recorder material may still contain outdated wording
suggesting there is no monument fee. Use the current Recorder
Fee Schedule and the May 2024 fee update as the
up-to-date source.
Fixing a previously recorded instrument
How Does Fresno County Re-Recording Work?
California’s re-recording rules changed in 2017. A document being
re-recorded generally must be executed and acknowledged or verified
again as a new instrument unless a statutory exception applies.
Identify the original recording.
Save its document number and recording date.
Determine whether the correction is minor or substantive.
Use a corrective affidavit only where California law allows it.
Prepare a compliant cover sheet.
State the reason for re-recording on the cover sheet.
Re-execute/re-acknowledge when required.
Confirm fees before submission.
Fresno County lists examples of qualifying minor corrections such as
certain return-address errors, clarification of illegible text,
missing/incorrect typed signer names and certain documentary-transfer-tax
corrections.
Free real-estate fraud notification
How to Sign Up for Fresno County Property Owner’s Protection Alert
Fresno County’s Property Owner’s Protection Alert
is a free service that sends an email when a new document is recorded
matching a registered individual/business name or APN.
Open the official alert registration page.
Select Sign Up.
Create your User ID.
Follow the character rules shown by the county.
Enter your email and create a password.
Fresno requires the password to contain letters and numbers and meet
the displayed minimum length.
Complete profile information and CAPTCHA.
Submit the account.
Open the activation email.
Select the verification link.
This activates your account.
Log in and choose Property Owner’s Protection Alert.
Add an Individual, Business or APN alert.
Select Add Alert and then Save.
Fresno County currently allows up to 10 names and/or 10 APNs
per registered email account.
An alert email can include the matched name/APN, document number,
recording date, document type and grantor/grantee names, plus a link
back to the index information.
Alerts begin after activation.
Property Owner’s Protection Alert does not send retroactive notices for
every historical document already recorded before you subscribed.
An alert does not automatically prove fraud. Common names can generate
unrelated notifications, and legitimate liens, deeds, releases or other
recordings may trigger an alert.
What Should You Do If an Alert Shows an Unknown Deed?
Do not panic based only on the email subject.
Open the Recorder index information.
Verify the document number, date, type, grantor and grantee.
Purchase/view the actual document when necessary.
Confirm whether it really affects your parcel.
Contact the Recorder for record-access questions.
Staff cannot interpret legal effect but can help with official-record access.
If you reasonably suspect title fraud, contact the Fresno County District Attorney’s Real Estate Fraud Unit.
Fresno County states that Recorder staff are prohibited from interpreting
documents or providing legal advice. When ownership rights are disputed,
contact a California real-estate attorney.
Where to Find Fresno County Parcel Maps
The Fresno County Assessor maintains parcel maps for assessment purposes.
These are useful for locating the parcel in the county mapping system.
Fresno explains that the first three APN digits generally identify the
Assessor map book and the next two identify the map page.
Assessor parcel maps are not boundary surveys.
Fresno County specifically says the Assessor does not resolve property
line or fence disputes. Use recorded documents and a licensed surveyor
when exact boundaries matter.
Recorder vs Assessor vs Tax Collector: Which Fresno County Office Do You Need?
Your task
Correct office
What to do
Deed / lien / easement
Recorder
Search the official recorded-document index or buy a copy.
APN / assessment / parcel map
Assessor
Research property identification, valuation and mapping.
Change ownership on assessment record
Recorder + Assessor
Record the appropriate deed and complete required ownership-reporting steps.
Property tax bill/payment
Tax Collector
Check amount due, installment status and payment.
Real-estate fraud complaint
District Attorney
Use the Real Estate Fraud Unit process after verifying the suspicious recording.
Clear title
Title company / attorney
Obtain professional title examination.
Where Do You Pay Fresno County Property Taxes?
The Recorder does not collect annual property-tax bills.
Tax billing and payment are handled by the
Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector.
Property-tax phone:
559-600-3482.
The Tax Collector is at the Hall of Records, while the Recorder has
moved to 1250 Van Ness Avenue.
Before Calling the Recorder, Have These Details Ready
- full name of at least one recorded party;
- former name or business/trust name when relevant;
- document/instrument number;
- Book and Page for historical material;
- recording year or approximate date;
- APN;
- property address;
- document type;
- whether you need a regular copy, certified copy or recording information.
Fresno County-specific shortcuts
Local Tips That Make Fresno Recorder Research Easier
Use Last Name, First Name.
Fresno specifically identifies this as a strong online search method.
Search the seller when a recent buyer is hard to find.
County systems do not always update at exactly the same moment.
Save the instrument number.
Stop repeating broad name searches once you find the exact record.
Before 1981, think Book + Page + Year.
Historical research uses scanned index books rather than normal keyword search.
Do not close a paid online image without saving it.
The Recorder specifically warns that the download can be lost.
Certified copies are mailed.
They require the Recorder’s live signature and official seal.
Use every reasonable name variation for lien research.
Fresno’s own FAQ recommends checking alternate names/business names.
A paid-off Deed of Trust needs reconveyance research.
Do not wait for a new ownership deed.
PCOR can save a $20 extra charge.
Include the required report with a qualifying ownership transfer.
Do not overlook SB2.
Fresno changed multi-parcel SB2 processing in May 2025.
Check the $10 monument fee on grant deeds.
It has applied in qualifying Fresno County transactions since May 23, 2024.
Use Property Owner’s Protection Alert.
It is free and can monitor both names and APNs.
The Recorder is on Van Ness now.
Do not use an old article directing you to the Hall of Records.
One county office does not maintain a complete “property file.”
Deeds, taxes, maps, court matters and permits live in different systems.
Buying Fresno County Property? Use This Research Order
1. Identify the parcel
Confirm the APN, address and Assessor information.
2. Find the current deed
Search grantor/grantee names and transaction date.
3. Trace prior ownership
Follow earlier deeds and historical references when necessary.
4. Search security interests
Review deeds of trust, assignments and reconveyances.
5. Search liens and releases
Do not stop after finding the original lien.
6. Review easements/restrictions
Follow referenced instruments and subdivision documents.
7. Check property taxes separately
Use the Tax Collector rather than the Recorder.
8. Use professional title/survey review
Public search does not replace title insurance or a legal boundary survey.
Before Relying on a Fresno County Recorded Document
-
Confirm the person:
a matching name alone is not enough.
-
Confirm the APN/property:
compare legal description and parcel clues.
-
Confirm the document type:
deed, deed of trust, lien and reconveyance have different meanings.
-
Confirm the chronology:
search later documents that may release, modify or correct the record.
-
Confirm historical references:
follow Book/Page or prior instrument numbers.
-
Confirm the copy type:
determine whether a regular copy is sufficient or certification is required.
-
Confirm legal meaning professionally:
Recorder staff cannot give a title opinion or legal advice.
County-CAD.us Research Standards
Report an Outdated Link
Tell County-CAD.us if a government URL, fee or procedure changes.
Contact County-CAD.us
Independent Website Disclaimer
Review the limits of independent public-record guidance.
Read Disclaimer
Primary government research ledger
Official Sources Used for This Fresno County Recorder Guide
Fresno County Recorder
Used for current office functions, location, service navigation and updates.
Open Recorder
Recorded Documents
Used for 1981-present search coverage, historical indexing,
copy ordering, recording requirements and transfer-tax rules.
Open Recorded Documents
Recorder Fee Schedule
Used for current recording, copy, certification,
PCOR, SB2 and map-related fees.
Open Fee Schedule
Property Owner’s Protection Alert
Used for enrollment steps, name/APN monitoring and fraud-alert limitations.
Open Property Alert Guide
Recorder Forms
Used for PCOR, Documentary Transfer Tax Declaration,
cover sheets and restrictive-covenant resources.
Open Recorder Forms
SB2 Fee Update
Used for Fresno’s May 26, 2025 multi-parcel SB2 processing change.
Open SB2 Update
Survey Monument Preservation Fee
Used for the current $10 qualifying-grant-deed fee effective May 23, 2024.
Open Monument Fee Notice
Fresno County Assessor
Used for APN, property-transfer, assessment and mapping routing.
Open Assessor
Assessor Parcel Maps
Used for APN map-book/page research and map limitations.
Open Parcel Maps
Editorial verification: August 14, 2026.
Recorder fees, online interfaces, officeholders, SB2 interpretations,
copy procedures, office hours and California recording requirements can
change. Verify the final transaction through the responsible government
page before recording, paying or traveling.
10 Fresno County Recorder questions
Fresno County Recorder FAQs
1. How do I search Fresno County deeds online?
Open Fresno County Recorder Self-Service and select
“Official Records Search and Copies.” Search using the grantor or
grantee name, preferably Last Name, First Name when searching an
individual. You can also use a recording date, document number or
document type. Verify the parties and document details before purchasing
or relying on the record.
2. How far back does the Fresno County Recorder online search go?
The modern searchable Self-Service index covers documents recorded on
or after January 1, 1981. Records from 1856 through 1980 are researched
through scanned historical grantor/grantee index books. Those older
index images do not provide the same modern keyword-search experience.
3. How do I search a Fresno County deed recorded before 1981?
Open the Recorder’s Recorded Documents page and scroll to Online
Indexes. Select the historical year range, choose the Grantor or Grantee
index when required, select the surname letter and manually review the
scanned pages. Save the Book, Page and Year so the Recorder can locate
the actual historical document.
4. How much does a Fresno County deed copy cost?
The current fee schedule lists an 8½-by-11 recorded-document copy at
$1.50 for the first page and $0.50 for each additional page.
Certification under seal costs an additional $1 per document.
Larger-format copies use different fees.
5. How much does it cost to record a deed in Fresno County?
Fresno County currently lists $19 for the ordinary first page and
$3 for each additional page. A first page of a qualifying conveyance
containing documentary transfer tax and concurrent documents is listed
at $11. Additional charges can apply for SB2, monument preservation,
extra titles, references, nonstandard pages, excess names or a missing
required PCOR. Always calculate the exact document using the current
Recorder fee schedule.
6. What is Fresno County documentary transfer tax?
Fresno County currently charges documentary transfer tax on taxable
conveyances over $100 at $0.55 for each $500 or fraction thereof of the
taxable value conveyed. A Documentary Transfer Tax Declaration must be
completed and signed. If no tax is due, the declaration should show
zero and state the applicable reason.
7. Do I need a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report with a Fresno County deed?
A PCOR is generally required for qualifying transfers of real property
under California law. Fresno County’s current fee schedule adds a
$20 ownership-change charge when a required PCOR is not submitted with
the recorded document. Download the current BOE-502-A form from the
Fresno County Assessor’s forms page.
8. How do I check liens on Fresno County property?
Search the Recorder’s official records under the current owner, prior
owners and relevant alternate or business names. Review possible lien
documents and then search later records for releases or satisfactions.
Fresno County notes that there is no single county property file
containing every title issue, so use a title professional when a
complete legal title conclusion is required.
9. What is Fresno County Property Owner’s Protection Alert?
It is a free Recorder service that emails subscribers when a newly
indexed document matches a registered individual name, business name
or APN. Current alerts can include document number, recording date,
document type and grantor/grantee names. Monitoring starts after the
subscription is activated and does not automatically prove that an
unfamiliar recording is fraudulent.
10. Where is the Fresno County Recorder’s Office?
The Fresno County Recorder’s Office is at 1250 Van Ness Avenue,
Fresno, California 93721. The property-recording phone number is
559-600-3471. Current public hours are Monday through Friday from
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding County holidays. The Recorder moved
from the Hall of Records, so use the Van Ness address for an in-person
Recorder visit.