Title GOV — California Gov. Code

(a) The recorder shall keep an official seal of the recorder’s office that shall, when embossed, stamped, impressed, or affixed to a certification, show legibly. The seal may be applied manually, mechanically, electronically, or by other digital means. The seal shall: (1) Be circ…

The recorder shall procure any books for records as the business of the recorder’s office requires, but orders for the books shall first be obtained from the board of supervisors. The books used may contain printed forms of deeds, mortgages, or other instruments, papers, or notic…

The recorder has the custody of, and shall keep all books, records, maps, and papers deposited in the recorder’s office.

The recorder shall keep an index of deeds, grants, and transfers, labeled “Grantors,” each page divided into three columns, headed respectively: “Names of grantors,” “Names of grantees,” and “Where recorded.”

The recorder shall keep an index of deeds, labeled “Grantees,” each page divided into three columns, headed respectively: “Names of grantees,” “Names of grantors,” and “Where recorded.”

The recorder shall keep two indices of mortgages, labeled respectively: “Mortgagors of real property” and “Mortgagors of personal property,” with the pages thereof divided into three columns, headed respectively: “Names of mortgagors,” “Names of mortgagees,” and “Where recorded.”

The recorder shall keep two indices of mortgages, labeled respectively: “Mortgagees of real property” and “Mortgagees of personal property,” with the pages thereof divided into three columns, headed respectively: “Names of mortgagees,” “Names of mortgagors,” and “Where recorded.”

The recorder shall keep two indices of releases of mortgages, labeled respectively: “Releases of mortgages of real property—mortgagors” and “Releases of mortgages of personal property—mortgagors,” with pages thereof divided into four columns, headed respectively: “Parties releasi…

The recorder shall keep two indices of releases of mortgages, labeled respectively: “Releases of mortgages of real property—mortgagees” and “Releases of mortgages of personal property—mortgagees,” with pages thereof divided into three columns, headed respectively: “Parties whose …

The recorder shall keep an index of powers of attorney, labeled: “Powers of attorney,” each page divided into four columns, headed respectively: “Names of parties executing the powers,” “To whom powers are executed,” “Date of recording,” and “Where powers are recorded.”

The recorder shall keep an index of leases, labeled: “Leases—lessors,” each page divided into three columns, headed respectively: “Names of lessors,” “Names of lessees,” and “When and where recorded.”

The recorder shall keep an index of leases, labeled: “Leases—lessees,” each page divided into three columns, headed respectively: “Names of lessees,” “Names of lessors,” and “When and where recorded.”

The recorder shall keep an index of assignments of mortgages and leases, labeled: “Assignments of mortgages and leases—assignors,” each page divided into four columns, headed respectively: “Assignors,” “Assignees,” “Instruments assigned,” and “When and where recorded.”

The recorder shall keep an index of assignments of mortgages and leases, labeled: “Assignments of mortgages and leases—assignees,” each page divided into four columns, headed respectively: “Assignees,” “Assignors,” “Instruments assigned,” and “When and where recorded.”

The recorder shall keep an index of official bonds, labeled: “Official bonds,” each page divided into four columns, headed respectively: “Names of officers,” “Names of offices,” “Amount of bonds,” and “When and where recorded.”

The recorder shall keep an index of notices of mechanics’ liens, labeled: “Mechanics’ liens,” each page divided into three columns, headed respectively: “Parties against whom claimed,” “Parties claiming liens,” and “Notices—When and where recorded.”

(a) The recorder shall keep an index to abstracts of judgments, labeled: “Abstracts of judgments,” each page divided into six columns, headed respectively: “Judgment debtors,” “Judgment creditors,” “Amount of judgments,” “Where recovered,” “Date entered or renewed,” and “When abs…

The recorder shall keep an index of attachments, labeled: “Attachments,” each page divided into five columns, headed respectively: “Parties against whom attachments are levied (Defendants),” “Parties on whose behalf attachments are levied (Plaintiffs),” “Notices of attachments,” …

The recorder shall keep an index of notices of the pendency of actions, labeled: “Notices of actions,” each page divided into three columns, headed respectively: “Parties to the action,” “Notices—when recorded,” and “Where recorded.”

The recorder shall keep an index to the certificates of births, deaths and marriages.

The recorder shall keep an index of mining locations and of documents affecting them, labeled, “Mining locations,” divided into suitable columns showing the name of locator, date of locations, date of recording, and place where claim is located.

(a) The county recorder in each county shall develop and maintain, within the existing indexing system, a comprehensive index of conservation easements and Notice of Conservation Easement on land within that county. The conservation easement index developed and maintained pursuan…

The recorder shall keep such other indices as are required in the performance of official duties.

Instead of those indices indicated in this division, the recorder may utilize either of the following systems of indexing: (a) The recorder may keep two indices, labeled respectively: “General index of grantors” (names of grantors, defendants, and first parties, who would otherwi…

When a conveyance is executed by a sheriff or marshal, the name of the sheriff or marshal and the party charged in the execution shall both be inserted in the index. When an instrument, paper, or notice is recorded to which an executor, administrator, or trustee is a party, the n…

The recorder shall provide a separate book called “Record of Patents” or official records in which shall be recorded all patents of land situate in the county, whether issued by the United States or the State, which are offered for record duly executed pursuant to law.

Where indexes are compiled by the use of key punch and printing machines, if temporary index sheets are provided for the use of the public before the permanent yearly indexes are compiled, county recorders may destroy said temporary index sheets when the permanent yearly indexes …

(a) “Instrument,” as used in this chapter, means a written paper signed by a person or persons transferring the title to, or giving a lien on real property, or giving a right to a debt or duty. (b) The recorder of any county may, in lieu of a written paper, accept for recording d…

(a) The recorders of San Bernardino County and Orange County may accept, in lieu of a written paper document, a digitized image of a recordable instrument if both of the following conditions are met: (1) The requester and addressee for delivery of the recorded image meets the cri…

For purposes of Section 27279.1, the requester and addressee for delivery of a recorded image may record a digitized image of a recordable instrument if it is an entity, agency, branch, or instrumentality of the state or federal government qualifying under either Section 27279 of…

(a) A requester and addressee for delivery of a recorded image may record a digitized image of a recordable instrument if the requester meets the conditions set forth in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 27279.1. (b) This section shall become operative on January 1, 200…

(a) The California Attorney General shall appoint an Electronic Recordation Task Force consisting of voluntary representatives from governmental agencies and industry groups specified in subdivision (b) who shall meet on a regular basis to address the technical, legal, security a…

(a) Any instrument or judgment affecting the title to or possession of real property may be recorded pursuant to this chapter. (b) Any instrument or document submitted for recordation which effectuates a change in ownership may be accompanied by a change in ownership statement as…

The names of parties required to be indexed appearing in any instrument, paper, or notice presented for recordation shall be legibly signed, typed, or printed therein before acceptance by the county recorder. The names of all persons executing or witnessing a document shall be le…

(a) It is unlawful to present for recording or filing, or otherwise attempt to record or file, with a county recorder an exclusive listing agreement of any duration or any memoranda or notice of such agreement. A violation of this subdivision shall also constitute a violation of …

(a) Deeds or grants conveying any interest in or easement upon real estate to a political corporation or governmental agency for public purposes shall not be accepted for recordation without the consent of the grantee evidenced by its certificate or resolution of acceptance attac…

(a) Any restriction imposed upon real property on or after January 1, 1982, which restricts either the ability of the owner of real property to convey the real property or the owner of a proprietary leasehold interest to convey such interest and which is imposed by a municipal or…

(a) The following documents may be recorded without acknowledgment, certificate of acknowledgment, or further proof: (1) A judgment affecting the title to or possession of real property, authenticated by the certificate of the clerk of the court in which the judgment was rendered…

The record of all notices of location of mining claims made prior to March 9, 1897 in the proper office without acknowledgment, or certificate of acknowledgment, or other proof, has the same force and effect for all purposes as if the notices had been duly acknowledged or proved …

Affidavits showing work or posting of notices upon mining claims may be recorded in the recorder’s office of the county where the mining claims are situated.

The following documents may be recorded without acknowledgment or further proof: (a) Letters patent from the United States or from the state, executed and authenticated pursuant to existing law. (b) Leases for the development and extraction of minerals, including oil and gas, in …

If letters patent have been lost or are beyond the control of any party deraigning title from them, or if for any reason they remain unrecorded, any person claiming title thereunder may cause a transcript of the copy of such letters patent kept by the government issuing them, dul…

Unless it belongs to the class provided for in either Sections 27282 to 27286, inclusive, or Section 1202 or 1203, of the Civil Code, or is a fictitious mortgage or deed of trust as provided in Section 2952 or 2963 of the Civil Code, or is a fictitious oil and gas lease as provid…

If the instrument is an agreement for sale, lease, option agreement, deposit receipt, commission receipt, or affidavit which quotes or refers to an agreement for sale, lease, option agreement, deposit receipt, commission receipt, or lease and such instrument claims to, or affects…

All documents described in this section now or hereafter authorized by law to be recorded in the official records of a county shall contain the following information in addition to any information as may be required by law pertaining to the particular document: (a) If the documen…

Pursuant to Section 5029 of the Public Resources Code, after March 15, 1993, the county recorder shall record a certified resolution establishing an historical resources designation issued by the State Historical Resources Commission or a local agency, or unit thereof. For previo…

Whenever a notice is required by law to be recorded for any purpose, it shall be signed by the person giving notice or his agent.

An instrument proved and certified pursuant to Sections 1198 and 1199 of the Civil Code may be recorded in the proper office only if the original is at the same time deposited therein to remain for public inspection. In those counties where the photographic or microphotographic m…

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 9501) of Division 9 of the Commercial Code or any other provision of law, a financing statement to perfect a security interest or agricultural lien may, at the election of the recorder and subject to the cond…

(a) (1) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (b), if an instrument, paper, or notice intended for record is executed or certified in whole or in part in a language other than English, the recorder shall not accept the instrument, paper, or notice for record. (2) (A) A tran…