Santa Clara Property Filings

The Clerk-Recorder office in Santa Clara County keeps all property records. The office is at 110 West Tasman Drive in San Jose. Under a directive from the County Executive, online search of the Official Record Index is no longer offered. You must search records in person at the office. Staff can help you look up deeds, liens, and other documents. Call 408-299-5688 for questions about accessing records or filing new documents in Santa Clara County.

Clerk-Recorder Office

Santa Clara County discontinued online access to the Official Record Index. You must visit the office in person to search property records. The office sits at 110 West Tasman Drive in San Jose. Bring ID and be ready to use public terminals. Staff help you get started with the search system. You can look up records by name, date, or document type.

The office handles all recorded documents for the county. This includes deeds when property changes hands. It also covers mortgages, liens, easements, and maps. Staff file each document and assign it a number. That number and the time stamp make it part of the public record. You can get copies at the counter in Santa Clara County.

Note: Online search is not available per directive from the County Executive's Office.

Recording Fees

Recording fees in Santa Clara County follow the state schedule. The first page costs $14 to file. Each added page is $3. The SB2 Building Homes and Jobs Act fee adds $75 per parcel to most real estate documents. The cap on the SB2 fee is $225 per transaction no matter how many parcels are involved.

A three-page grant deed for one parcel costs $14 for page one, $6 for two more pages, and $75 for SB2. That totals $95. If you record a longer document or one that covers more parcels, the fee goes up. Ask the clerk for an exact quote when you bring your papers to file in Santa Clara County.

Standard recording fees:

• First page: $14
• Each added page: $3
• SB2 fee per parcel: $75 (max $225 per transaction)
• Monument Preservation Fund: $10 on some documents
• Real Estate Fraud Fee: $3 on qualifying filings

Documentary Transfer Tax

Santa Clara County charges a documentary transfer tax on real estate sales. The county rate is $0.55 per $500 of value. Some cities in the county add their own transfer tax on top of the county rate. San Jose, Palo Alto, and Mountain View each charge $1.65 per $500. This makes the total rate $2.20 per $500 in those cities.

The seller usually pays the transfer tax. It shows up on the closing statement as a line item. The title company collects it and sends it to the county. You cannot avoid the tax if the sale is for value. Transfers between family members or those with no cash paid may be exempt in Santa Clara County.

Transfer tax rates:

• County rate: $0.55 per $500
• San Jose city rate: $1.65 per $500 (plus county)
• Palo Alto city rate: $1.65 per $500 (plus county)
• Mountain View city rate: $1.65 per $500 (plus county)

For a $1 million sale in San Jose, you pay $4,400 in transfer tax. That is $1,100 to the county and $3,300 to the city. These rates make Santa Clara County one of the more costly places to sell property in California.

Property Assessments

The Assessor office values all property in Santa Clara County for tax purposes. You can search property data online at sccassessor.org. Enter an address or parcel number to see the assessed value, owner name, and other info. The site does not show recorded documents. You must visit the Clerk-Recorder for those.

Under Proposition 13, your assessed value is set when you buy property. It can rise by no more than 2% per year after that. If you add on to the home or the property changes hands, the county reassesses it at current market value. File a change in ownership form within 45 days of buying. The Assessor uses it to set a new base value for your taxes in Santa Clara County.

If you think your assessed value is too high, file an appeal. The deadline is between July 2 and September 15 for most properties. Use form BOE-305-AH. The county has a board that holds hearings on appeals. You must show that the assessed value is more than the market value. Bring an appraisal or sales data for similar homes in Santa Clara County.

Paying Property Taxes

Property taxes are due twice per year in Santa Clara County. The first bill is due November 1 and goes late on December 10. A 10% penalty applies. The second bill is due February 1 and becomes late on April 10. That payment gets a 10% penalty plus a $10 cost fee if you miss the date.

You can pay online through the county tax payment portal. Look up your bill by parcel number or address. The site accepts eChecks with no fee. Credit and debit cards have a service charge. Many people set up automatic payments to avoid late fees in Santa Clara County.

If you do not pay by June 30, the property goes to the defaulted tax roll. The county adds interest at 1.5% per month plus a redemption fee. These costs grow fast. The county can sell your property at a tax sale if you do not pay within five years. Keep your taxes current to avoid losing your home in Santa Clara County.

Cities in Santa Clara County

Santa Clara County includes many cities. All property records are kept at the county Clerk-Recorder in San Jose. No city has a separate recorder. Visit the county office to search or file documents.

Other cities in Santa Clara County include Mountain View, Palo Alto, Milpitas, Cupertino, Gilroy, Morgan Hill, Campbell, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Los Altos, and Monte Sereno. All file property records at the county Clerk-Recorder office.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Santa Clara County. If your property is not in Santa Clara County, check the county where it is located. Each county has its own recorder and assessor.