Calaveras County Recorder: Search Deeds, Official Records & Certified Copies
Need a deed for property in Angels Camp, Arnold, Murphys, Valley Springs, Copperopolis or San Andreas? The Calaveras County Clerk-Recorder maintains the county’s recorded real estate documents, including grant deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, liens and reconveyances.
You can search the official online records system for documents recorded from 1988 onward. Older records require help from the Recorder or historical archives. This guide explains the five search methods, document-copy costs, recording fees, and where to visit in San Andreas.
Where Can You Search Calaveras County Deeds?
Use the Calaveras County Clerk-Recorder’s Official Records Search portal. It has separate searches for names, document types, document numbers, maps and advanced combinations. You can identify records, then follow the system’s copy-order procedure if you need the document itself.
Search a Deed
Find a recorded document by owner or party name, date, document number, book/page or other available fields. Confirm the correct property before purchasing a copy.
Follow the search steps →Request a Certified Copy
Order an official copy of a deed or other recorded instrument. The county publishes a $1 certification charge in addition to its page-copy fees.
See copy instructions →Record a New Deed
Prepare a recordable instrument and any required Preliminary Change of Ownership Report. Review documentary transfer tax and additional recording charges before submitting it.
Check filing requirements →How to Search Calaveras County Recorder Records Online
The county’s portal is labeled Official Records Search – Web. Unlike a simple one-field lookup, it provides five different search types. Start with whichever information you already have.
Open the Government Records Portal
Open the official Calaveras land-record search. If you arrive at a login or welcome screen, follow its public-access instructions until you reach the search menu.
Select One of Five Search Types
The portal identifies Name Search, Document Type Search, Document Number Search, Map Search and Advanced Search. For a routine deed lookup, begin with Name Search unless you have an exact recording reference.
Enter the Party Name or Recording Reference
Try the person or business named on the recorded deed. For individuals, the portal’s guidance uses last-name-first entry. An exact document number is more efficient if it is already printed on a previous deed or title document.
Compare the Search Results
Check the instrument type, recorded date, names and document number. A property may have a grant deed, deed of trust, reconveyance and other filings associated with it. A matching surname alone is not sufficient to identify the correct property.
Open the Document Details
Review the available record information and page count. Note the exact document number or book/page reference. This information is particularly useful when ordering copies or contacting the Clerk-Recorder.
Request a Copy if Needed
The portal allows copies or certified copies to be selected for ordering. Follow the shopping-cart and delivery or pickup instructions, verify applicable fees, and keep the order reference.
Calaveras Official Records: Which Search Type Should You Use?
| Search Type | Fields | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Name Search | Party name, recording date start and end | Find deeds under a seller, buyer, lender or other recorded party |
| Document Type Search | Document type and recording-date range | Narrow a group of recordings to a particular instrument category |
| Document Number Search | Document number | Retrieve a recording using an exact instrument reference |
| Map Search | Book, page, recording reference, names and legal-description fields | Research recorded maps or land-description information |
| Advanced Search | Names, grantor, grantee, book/page, document type, date or reference | Combine available details when a simple search returns too many matches |
What a Calaveras County Recorded Deed Search Can Tell You
An official recording entry identifies a document, but it is not a property-title guarantee. These fields help you determine whether the search result is the one you need.
Grantor and Grantee
On a typical deed, the grantor transfers an interest and the grantee receives it. Searching both names can help connect a property transfer with earlier or later instruments.
Recording Date
This is the date the Recorder accepted and recorded the instrument. It may differ from the date the parties signed the deed or the date the transaction closed.
Document Number
The number assigned to a recorded instrument is a practical reference for ordering copies and identifying related filings. Keep it with your real-estate records.
Legal Description
A recorded deed identifies the real property through its legal description. For Calaveras parcels, this may involve subdivision lots, tracts or metes-and-bounds descriptions. An APN helps identify the parcel but is not automatically a complete legal description.
How to Get Copies of Calaveras County Deeds
Calaveras County offers recorded-document copies online, by mail and in person. A certified copy is different from an ordinary printed record because it carries the Recorder’s certification.
Online
Open the county’s Index/Copies of Official Land Records page. Follow the link to the index, locate the document, add the copy to the cart and review the available ordering instructions.
A service fee may apply to credit-card payments.
By Mail
Send a written request to 891 Mountain Ranch Road, San Andreas, CA 95249. Include the document type, owner’s name, property address or APN, payment and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Call the Recorder first to confirm the page count and correct amount.
In Person
Visit the Clerk-Recorder at 891 Mountain Ranch Road, Building D during business hours. Bring the document number or available owner and property details.
Ask whether the specific record is available and what copy service can be completed during your visit.
Calaveras County Recorder Fees for Deeds, Copies & Transfers
The Clerk-Recorder publishes a fee schedule labeled effective January 1, 2022, which remains accessible on its official Fees page. These are the amounts shown there; confirm they are still applicable before paying or recording a document.
| Recording or Copy Item | Published Fee | When It Applies |
|---|---|---|
| Standard recording first page | $15.00 | First 8.5 × 11-inch page of an eligible instrument |
| Additional recording page | $3.00 | Each additional standard-size page |
| Additional document title | $15.00 | Each additional title in a combined document, when applicable |
| Nonstandard-size page | $3.00 additional per page | When the county’s nonstandard-size fee applies |
| Additional recording reference | $1.00 | For each additional reference subject to the published rule |
| PCOR not filed concurrently | $20.00 | Applicable change-of-ownership recordings without a concurrent PCOR |
| Documentary transfer tax | $0.55 per $500 | For taxable real-property transfers; exemptions may apply |
| SB 2 Building Homes & Jobs Act | $75 per applicable title, capped at $225 | Only when the statutory additional fee applies |
| Official-record copy, first page | $2.00 | Plain or certified document-copy base |
| Each additional copy page | $0.50 | Each subsequent page of the same document |
| Certification | $1.00 | Certification of a complete document |
Calaveras County Deed Recording Requirements
The Recorder publishes a specific ownership-transfer checklist. Meeting the recording requirements does not establish whether the deed is legally appropriate for the transaction, but it can help prevent a document from being returned for missing information.
Deed Information Checklist
- Grantor’s name — seller or existing owner.
- Grantee’s name — buyer or recipient.
- Property identification or legal description.
- Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN).
- Documentary transfer tax declaration.
- “Recording Requested by” information.
- “When recorded mail to” address.
- Mailing address for future tax statements.
- Property city or “Unincorporated” designation.
- Required grantor signatures and acknowledgment.
Preliminary Change of Ownership Report
Calaveras County states that a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (PCOR) must accompany documents transferring real property. The published fee schedule lists an additional $20 charge when an applicable change-of-ownership document is recorded without the concurrent PCOR.
California transfer-related exceptions can depend on the transaction. Verify the appropriate PCOR or exemption instructions before preparing your recording package.
Identify the Appropriate Instrument
Determine whether the proposed transaction uses a grant deed, quitclaim deed or another legally appropriate document. The Recorder does not provide legal drafting services or blank deed forms.
Prepare the Recording Details
Include the required parties, property information, mailing details, execution information and applicable acknowledgments. Check the official Transferring Real Property guide.
Complete Applicable Transfer Forms
Review PCOR requirements and whether documentary transfer tax must be declared or a statutory exemption claimed. Avoid guessing at exemption codes or tax amounts.
Verify Payment and Submission
Check the current fee schedule, confirm acceptable payment methods, and ask the Recorder whether an appointment or other submission procedure is appropriate for your documents.
Calaveras County Recorder Office Address, Hours & Phone
Calaveras County Clerk-Recorder
891 Mountain Ranch Road
Building D
San Andreas, CA 95249
Telephone: (209) 754-6372
Fax: (209) 754-6733
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM. Closed weekends and county holidays.
Recorder: Rebecca Turner, as listed on the county’s official site.
Office Directions ↗Appointments and Mail Requests
The county provides an appointment scheduler. Its guidance says appointments are intended for customers who already have completed paperwork ready to file.
If you need help being issued paperwork, call (209) 754-6371.
Mailing address:
Calaveras County Clerk-Recorder
891 Mountain Ranch Road
San Andreas, CA 95249
For mailed copy orders, confirm the amount first and include the written request, payment and return envelope.
Appointment Instructions ↗Map shows the Calaveras County Clerk-Recorder government-center address. Confirm entrance and accessibility arrangements with the office when needed.
Recorder vs. Assessor vs. County Archives: Who Handles What?
| Your Task | Responsible Office | Best Next Step |
|---|---|---|
| Find a recorded deed | County Clerk-Recorder | Search Official Records |
| Order a certified deed | County Clerk-Recorder | Use recorded-document copy procedures |
| Record a grant or quitclaim deed | County Clerk-Recorder | Review transfer and recording requirements |
| Find assessed value or APN | Calaveras County Assessor | Consult county assessment and parcel information |
| Review property-tax payment | County Tax Collector | Use the official tax bill/payment service |
| Find older historical materials | Recorder and County Archives | Ask whether the needed instrument or related historical record is available |
| Investigate title defects | Title professional or California attorney | Request appropriate title or legal research |
How to Find Calaveras County Deeds Recorded Before 1988
The Recorder’s online database has a defined historical cutoff. That matters in Calaveras County because some property histories involve old subdivisions, inherited land, mining-era parcels or multiple earlier conveyances.
Start With the Recorder
Call (209) 754-6372 and provide the former owner’s name, an approximate recording period and any volume/page reference you have. Ask what search or copy services are available for the older instrument.
Historical Archives
The separate Calaveras County Archives office is at 46 North Main Street, San Andreas, CA 95249. The county lists phone (209) 754-6943 and says visits are by appointment only.
The archives may help with historical research, but ask the Recorder which agency maintains the legally recorded deed you require.
Official Archives Information ↗Why a Calaveras County Deed Search Returns No Results
Name Search Finds Nothing
- Try the owner’s surname first.
- Check another spelling or middle initial.
- Search both old and new owners.
- Check whether the document was recorded under a trust or business.
- Expand the recording-date range.
Document Number Fails
- Check whether the number includes the year.
- Copy the hyphen and leading zeros accurately.
- Confirm it is a Recorder document number, not an APN.
- Try Advanced Search with names and dates.
Only Have the Property Address
- Check the county Assessor’s property information for an APN and owner information.
- Look for the current and former owner names.
- Search the Recorder index by the relevant parties.
- Compare legal descriptions before ordering a deed.
Record Predates the Online Index
- Check if the document was recorded before 1988.
- Collect old deed references and approximate dates.
- Call the Clerk-Recorder.
- Ask whether in-person research or older record retrieval is necessary.
Property Fraud Notifications and Restrictive Covenant Modifications
Fraud Notify
Calaveras County offers a Fraud Notify program linked from the Clerk-Recorder homepage. Property owners can follow the official enrollment instructions to receive alerts associated with matching recorded names.
An alert is a monitoring tool, not a guarantee against forged or improper documents.
Find Fraud Notify ↗Restrictive Covenant Modification
The Recorder publishes a process under California Government Code §12956.2 for certain unlawful discriminatory restrictions in recorded documents.
The process may require identification of the original recording, the affected language, a complete marked copy and owner signatures. County Counsel reviews the proposed modification before approved recording.
The county states that approved modifications of this type may be recorded at no fee.
Open Modification Information ↗Official Calaveras County Recorder Resources
Use these resources for the task described. The links lead to the county’s own recorder or government records services rather than a third-party deed directory.
1. Official Records Search
Online index for documents recorded from 1988 onward.
- Open the public search service.
- Select Name, Document Type, Document Number, Map or Advanced Search.
- Enter the appropriate names, dates or reference.
- Review the results and save the document number.
2. Copy Requests
Official process for obtaining plain or certified recorded-document copies.
- Locate the needed instrument in the index.
- Check available copy and certification options.
- Review payment and order fulfillment methods.
- For mail requests, call to confirm the page count and fee first.
3. Transferring Real Property
Recorder-specific deed requirements and PCOR information.
- Check all listed grantor, grantee and property information.
- Review signature, notary and mailing requirements.
- Determine which transfer tax and PCOR rules apply.
- Confirm fees before submitting the package.
4. Clerk-Recorder Fee Schedule
Recording, copy, certification and related service charges.
- Find the Recording Fees or Copy Fees section.
- Count pages, titles and recording references.
- Review PCOR, documentary transfer tax and SB 2 charges.
- Check whether a statutory exemption changes the amount.
5. Appointment and Contact
San Andreas office contact and scheduling information.
- Read which services require completed paperwork.
- Use the linked scheduler if an appointment is appropriate.
- Look for a confirmation before planning the visit.
- Call the office for incomplete or unusual requests.
After Finding Your Calaveras County Recording
If You Found the Correct Deed
Save the recording reference. If it is needed for a transaction or official filing, order the required plain or certified copy through the Recorder’s authorized service.
If You Found an Unexpected Lien
Identify the recorded parties, date and document number. Search for related releases or reconveyances. Consult a qualified professional if you need a legal determination about its status.
If the Deed Has an Error
Compare the document against your closing or title paperwork. The Recorder generally cannot rewrite its legal content. Contact the preparer, title company or an appropriate California attorney.
If Your Tax Records Are Wrong
Determine whether the issue involves the recorded deed, Assessor ownership information or a tax bill. Contact the agency responsible for the particular record rather than assuming every ownership or tax issue is handled by the Recorder.
Calaveras County Recorder FAQs
Where is the Calaveras County Recorder’s Office?
The Calaveras County Clerk-Recorder is at 891 Mountain Ranch Road, Building D, San Andreas, CA 95249. The telephone number is (209) 754-6372.
How far back do Calaveras County online deed records go?
The county’s Official Records Search states that records are available to search and purchase online back to 1988. Contact the Clerk-Recorder for earlier recorded documents.
Can I search Calaveras County deeds by name?
Yes. The online records portal provides a Name Search option with party-name and date fields. You can also use document numbers, document types, maps and Advanced Search.
How much does a Calaveras County deed copy cost?
The county’s published schedule lists $2 for the first page and $0.50 for each additional page of the same document. Certification costs an additional $1 for a complete document. Payment or delivery service charges may apply.
What are the Recorder Office hours?
The office lists Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, excluding weekends and county holidays.
Can I request a certified deed by mail?
Yes. Send a written request to 891 Mountain Ranch Road, San Andreas, CA 95249 with identifying document details, payment and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Call (209) 754-6372 to confirm the page count and correct fee.
Does the Recorder perform title searches?
No. Calaveras County explicitly states that the Recorder’s office does not conduct title searches. Public records may be researched by customers, but clear-title determinations can require a title professional or attorney.
Is a PCOR required when recording a deed?
The county’s ownership-transfer guidance says a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report should accompany a document transferring ownership. The published fee schedule lists a $20 charge for an applicable change-of-ownership recording without a concurrent PCOR. Confirm requirements and exceptions for your transaction.
What does Calaveras County charge to record a deed?
The published fee schedule lists $15 for the first standard page and $3 for each additional standard page. Other charges may apply, including documentary transfer tax, SB 2 fees, PCOR charges or document-specific fees.