Why People File a Quitclaim Deed in Sacramento County
Just Got Married
If you're newly married and your lender or title company mentioned adding a spouse to the deed, this is the document they were referring to.
Going Through a Divorce
Once you and your ex have agreed on who keeps the house, the deed itself still needs updating — that's what a quitclaim deed does.
Inherited Property
A house inherited from a grandparent or parent often sits with an outdated title for a while — a quitclaim deed brings it current.
Gifting to Family
Some parents gift a home to their kids but keep a life estate for themselves — a quitclaim deed is often the document used to set that up.
About the Sacramento County Clerk/Recorder
Sacramento County was one of California's original 27 counties, established in 1850 the same year California became a state, and takes its name from the Sacramento River, which forms the county's western edge. The river itself was named in 1808 by Spanish military officer Gabriel Moraga, who called it El Rio del Santisimo Sacramento in honor of the Holy Sacrament. The county seat, the City of Sacramento, grew rapidly during the Gold Rush as a supply and transportation hub at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers, and became California's state capital in 1854, a role it still holds today.
Cities and Communities Served
Recording jurisdiction runs countywide, not by city limits — if the property sits anywhere within Sacramento County, this is the Sacramento County Clerk/Recorder that will accept the deed. That includes:
Incorporated cities: Sacramento (county seat, state capital), Citrus Heights, Elk Grove, Folsom, Galt, Isleton, Rancho Cordova.
Unincorporated communities: Arden-Arcade, Carmichael, Fair Oaks, Florin, North Highlands, Orangevale, Walnut Grove.
Office Details
Address: 3636 American River Drive, Suite 110, Sacramento, CA 95864
Phone: (916) 874-6334
Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM; documents must be submitted by 3:00 PM at the main office for same-day recording, with anything received after that recorded the next business day
Recording Fee: a tiered recording fee with a base charge for the first page of a document and a lower per-page rate for additional pages (with any additional titles charged at the first-page rate), plus possible surcharges for oversized pages, documents with more than a handful of names to index, or extra cross-references, plus a state Building Homes and Jobs Act surcharge depending on document type and exemption status, plus a county documentary transfer tax based on a percentage of the property's value; the City of Sacramento also levies its own separate additional real property transfer tax on top of the county tax, which the city collects independently
E-recording: Electronic recording is available in Sacramento County through approved third-party e-recording vendors such as Simplifile; contact the Clerk/Recorder's office to confirm current approved submitters.
Good to know before you go: Sacramento County operates two public counters - the main office at 3636 American River Drive and a south-area satellite office at 8239 E. Stockton Boulevard - but only the main office offers same-day document recording; documents dropped off at the south satellite are forwarded to the main office and typically take about two business days to be recorded, so if same-day recording matters, go to the American River Drive location directly.
How to File a Document
- Sign in Front of a Notary: California requires the grantor's signature to be acknowledged before a notary public before the Sacramento County Clerk/Recorder will accept a deed for recording. California notaries also have to take the signer's right thumbprint in their journal specifically for deeds and other real-property documents -- a state-specific requirement that catches people off guard if their notary isn't prepared for it, so it's worth confirming ahead of time that whoever notarizes your deed has a journal and inkpad on hand.
- Attach a Full Legal Description, Not Just an Address: A street address alone won't satisfy California's requirements -- the deed needs the property's actual legal description (a metes-and-bounds description, a government survey reference, or a platted lot and block, depending on how the parcel was originally surveyed and subdivided). You can usually copy this directly from the deed that transferred the property to you.
- Complete a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report: California requires a separate Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (PCOR) to accompany most deeds when they're filed. It's a distinct form the county assessor's office uses to determine whether the transfer triggers a reassessment -- a penalty applies if it's missing or left incomplete, so it's worth getting right before you file. The Sacramento County Clerk/Recorder or county assessor can supply the current version.
- Know Where California Stands on Remote Online Notarization: Unlike some states, California-commissioned notaries can't yet offer remote online notarization -- that's not scheduled to change until January 1, 2030. In the meantime, an out-of-state online notary can still validly notarize a California deed, since California recognizes notarial acts performed under another state's laws. See our online notarization page for how that works.
- Record with the County Clerk-Recorder: Bring, mail, or (where the county supports it) e-file the signed, notarized deed and its Preliminary Change of Ownership Report with the Sacramento County Clerk/Recorder for the county where the property sits. California's recording fee is a flat, statute-set amount per document, and on top of that, a county documentary transfer tax applies based on a percentage of the property's value -- some cities also levy their own additional city transfer tax on top of the county's.
Still Have Questions About Filing With the Sacramento County Clerk/Recorder?
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Other Counties in California
Filing somewhere else in the state? Here are a few other county pages:
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