Recording Process

Documents are accepted for recording Monday through Friday beginning at 8:00 AM until 4:30 PM , with the exception of holidays.  Recordings may also be submitted by mail to: Madera County Recorder, 200 W. 4th Street, Madera, CA 93637. 

A recorder will review submitted documents for proper completion, collect the appropriate fee and taxes, and record your document.  The original recorded document will be mailed to the address indicated on the first page within 2-3 weeks (after completion of adding your record to our database for archival retention.) Documents submitted electronically will be returned to the original party by the Agent/Submitter.

Copies of the recorded document may be purchased for a fee of $3.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page at any time.  Certified copies are also available for an additional $2.00, per document.

All applicable fees must be paid at the time of recording.

Document Recording Requirements

Each document presented for recording must include or comply with the following general requirements:

1. The property must be located within Madera County. (CC 1169)  Some document types require a full legal description while others are acceptable with only an APN and address.  Please consult your legal advisor or contact our office to ensure your document meets this requirement.

2. The document must be authorized or required by law to be recorded. (GC 27201)

3. Signatures must be original, unless the document is a certified copy issued by the appropriate custodian of the public record. (GC 27201b, GC 27279, EVID 1530)

4. Include the name of the party requesting the recording and a name and address where the document can be returned in the upper left corner of the first page of the document.. (GC 27361.6)

5. Any document which modifies, releases, or cancels the provisions of a previously recorded document shall state the recorder identification number or book and page of the document being modified, released, or cancelled. (GC 27361.6)

6. The document must be properly acknowledged, unless exempt. California requires an all-purposed acknowledgment. (GC 27201, 27289, 27285, 27287, 27288; CC 1189)

7. The Assessor's Parcel Number is required on all conveyance documents (i.e. deeds). (Madera County Code 3.12.130)  This 9-digit number can be found on your property tax statement or you may contact the County Assessor at (559) 675-7710.

8. The notary seal must be legible for a microfilm reproduction. (GC 8207).

9. When recording documents affecting a change in ownership of real property, include a completed Preliminary Change of Ownership Report.  

10. Documents must be legible and photographically reproducible.  This pertains to the text, notary seals, certificates, and any other attachments. (GC 27361.7)

11. All documents must have the title(s) of the document contained therein.  Only the title(s) captioned on the first page of a document, or cover sheet, immediately below the space reserved for the recorders will be indexed. (GC 27324)

12. Recording fees, including any documentary transfer tax, must be submitted.  Acceptable forms of payment include: cash (no $100.00 bills), personal check (party must be listed on document), cashier's check, money order, or the following debit/credit cards: MasterCard, Visa, American Express or Discover.  Please note that a $2.50 service fee will be added to all debit transactions and credit transactions totaling $83.75 or below.  Credit transactions exceeding $83.75 will be charged a service fee of 3% of the total.

13. Standard page size is 8.5 by 11 inches; pages cannot exceed 8.5 by 14 inches with the exception of recorded maps.  Documents submitted with any other page sized will incur an additional fee of $3.00 per page of the entire document.  The first page of the document shall reserve a minimum of 2 inches down from the top, of which the left 3.5 inches is used by the party requesting recording to enter name and address to which the document is to be returned following recording.  The remainder of this space is reserved for use by the county recorder to enter the official recording information.  Side and bottom margins should be a minimum of 0.5 inches.  A cover sheet meeting these requirements is available upon request.

14. All documents must be in English.  Should a document be executed in another language in whole or in part, the portion that is in another language must be translated by a California Court Interpreter or a member of the American Translators Association.  The final document must include the original translation attached to the original or certified copy of the document that was translated; the translators/interpreters declaration that is signed and notarized; the County Clerk's certification statement; and the document to be recorded (if separate).

Re-Recording Requirements

Each instrument, paper, or notice that is re-recorded shall be executed and acknowledged or verified as a new document, in addition to any previous execution and acknowledgment or verification, unless any of the following apply:

A. The instrument, paper, or notice is otherwise exempted by Government Section 27287 or any other law.

B. The instrument, paper, or notice is presented solely to correct a recording sequence.  The intent of the parties with regard to the priority of recorded documents shall be controlling regardless of the sequence of recording by a county recorder or the sequence of recording specified in instructions given by a submitter to a county recorder.  This subparagraph is declaratory of existing law, and any rerecording to a document by the recorder shall not require the document to be executed and acknowledged or verified as a new document.

C. The instrument, paper, or notice is presented solely to make a minor correction with a corrective affidavit.  The corrective affidavit shall satisfy all of the following:

1. Be attached to the original recorded instrument, paper, or notice.
2. Set out the information corrected.
3. Be certified by the party submitting the affidavit under penalty of perjury.
4. Be acknowledged pursuant to GC 27287.

 A minor correction is defined as:

• An incorrect or missing address of the party to which the document is to be returned following recording. (GC 27361.6)
• A clarification of illegible text. (GC 27361.7)
• An incorrect or missing printed or typed name of an individual or entity near the signature caption. (GC 27280.5)
• An incorrect or missing documentary transfer tax amount due. (R&T 11932)