Attorney-drafted, built around California's own recording quirks -- the PCOR, the notary thumbprint rule, all 58 counties covered -- and refunded in full if your county clerk-recorder says no.
Founded by a retired real estate broker
A free template can work -- until it doesn't. California county clerk-recorders bounce a lot of them, almost always for the same reasons: the legal description isn't complete, the Preliminary Change of Ownership Report never got attached, or the notary block doesn't meet what California actually requires.
Every rejection costs you the recording fee you already paid and a second trip to file again. These forms are drafted specifically for California, so if yours gets rejected anyway, you get your money back.
California Quitclaim Deed, Ready to Fill In
- No attorney required: drafted by licensed attorneys, ready for you to complete.
- California-compliant: meets statewide recording requirements, accepted in all 58 counties.
- Plain-English instructions walk you through every blank.
- Instant access right after checkout, on any device.
- Private & secure: fill it out locally, no uploads required.
- Risk-free: full refund if your county clerk-recorder rejects it.
- Bonus formats: warranty and survivorship deed versions included, if your situation calls for them.
One-time $14.95 -- a fraction of what an attorney would charge to draft the same document, and cheaper than the recording fee you'd forfeit on a rejected form.
Checkout is completed securely on Standard Legal, our trusted partner.
Want It Handled for You Instead?
Estate situations, a divorce, several parties on the deed, or a legal description that's a pain to copy accurately -- any of those is a good reason to hand the drafting off rather than DIY it.
Have my deed prepared for me$39.95
Professionally drafted start to finish -- you just review, sign, notarize, and record.
Disclosure: affiliate link to Standard Legal, our partner -- no extra cost to you.
Getting Your California Deed on Record
Filling out the form is the easy part. Here's what still needs to happen before a California county will actually record it:
- Fill in every field. Both grantor and grantee names need to be there, along with the property's complete legal description -- the street address alone won't cut it. You'll usually find that description sitting in the deed that transferred the property to you, or you can pull it from your county's property records.
- Sign in front of a notary. No notary acknowledgment, no recording -- that's a hard line for every county clerk-recorder. One thing to know ahead of time: California notaries are required to take your right thumbprint in their journal for real estate documents, so make sure whoever's notarizing your deed has that ready. If getting to an in-person notary is the sticking point, our online notarization page explains how an out-of-state RON notary can still handle it validly.
- Attach a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report. Almost every California deed needs this separate PCOR form riding along with it. Your county clerk-recorder or assessor's office has the current version if you need one.
- Take it to your county clerk-recorder. File where the property physically sits, not where you live. Expect a flat, statute-set recording fee on top of a documentary transfer tax tied to the property's value, and check whether your city adds its own transfer tax as well. County-by-county contact info lives in our county directory.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why not just grab a free quitclaim deed template?
Because incomplete legal descriptions, missing PCORs, and notary blocks that don't meet California's rule are the top reasons county clerk-recorders reject deeds -- and a rejection costs you both the fee and the return trip. This form is drafted specifically for California, so a rejection here means a refund instead.
What comes with the download?
Three deed formats built for California -- quitclaim, warranty, and survivorship -- each drafted by a licensed attorney with instructions in plain English.
Do I need to hire an attorney to use it?
No -- it's designed for you to complete on your own from start to finish.
Does this work in every California county?
Yes. It meets California's statewide standard and is valid for recording in all 58 counties.
What does California require beyond the deed itself?
A notarized signature (with the state's right-thumbprint journal rule), the property's legal description, and a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report. Plan on a flat recording fee plus a documentary transfer tax based on the property's value.
What happens if my county rejects it?
Full refund, no hassle.
Can someone else just prepare it for me?
Yes -- Standard Legal's preparation service drafts the whole thing; you only need to review, sign, notarize, and file it.
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