Estate Planning for San Bernardino County, California Property Owners
For most San Bernardino County homeowners, the house is what drags an estate into probate. A transfer-on-death deed or a living trust keeps it out—here is how to set up either one and record it locally.
For a San Bernardino County property owner, the biggest probate risk is the home itself. Real estate is what forces most families into the Superior Court - Probate Division. The two tools that keep a San Bernardino County home out of probate are a transfer-on-death deed recorded with the County Recorder-Clerk, and a revocable living trust that holds title to the property.
Record a Transfer-on-Death Deed in San Bernardino County
A revocable transfer on death deed lets an owner name a beneficiary who receives San Bernardino County property automatically at death, without probate. It is recorded with the County Recorder-Clerkduring the owner’s lifetime and can be revoked any time.
Where to Record Property Documents
Deeds and other real property documents for San Bernardino County are recorded with the County Recorder-Clerk (Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk) at 222 West Hospitality Lane, 1st Floor, San Bernardino, CA 92415. Phone: (909) 387-8306. Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
Recording costs $15 base recording fee; $3 per additional page; required form fees may include GC 27388.1 Building Homes and Jobs Act Fee (SB2) ($75), BOE-502-A Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (PCOR) ($0); TOD deeds are generally transfer-tax exempt. Page count, cover sheets, and any local transfer-tax add-ons under California law can change the final amount, so confirm the total with the County Recorder-Clerk before submitting.
San Bernardino County accepts e-recording through SECURE / ERDS (administered by Orange County).
Recording Office Record
County Recorder-Clerk
San Bernardino County · Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk · Josie Gonzales
Address
222 West Hospitality Lane, 1st FloorSan Bernardino, CA 92415
Phone
Hours
Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
E-recording
Available via SECURE / ERDS (administered by Orange County)E-recording info →
Recording fees
| Base recording fee | $15 |
| Per additional page | $3 |
| GC 27388.1 Building Homes and Jobs Act Fee (SB2)Requiredmost_real_estate_instrumentsPer-title fee on most real estate instruments. Maximum $225 per transaction. Exemptions include government agencies, first-time homebuyer programs, and certain affordable housing transfers. Some counties may exempt TOD deeds. | $75 |
| BOE-502-A Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (PCOR)Requiredall_deedsRequired with all deeds transferring real property. No separate recording fee, but failure to file results in $20 penalty added to property tax bill. Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code 480.3. | $0 |
Base fee is $15 for first page, $3 per additional page. Non-conforming pages (not 8.5"x11") add $3 surcharge per page (Gov. Code 27361.3). SB2 fee of $75 per title applies to most documents. Total for typical 2-page TOD deed: ~$93 ($15 base + $3 second page + $75 SB2).
Cal. Gov. Code 27361; Cal. Gov. Code 27388.1; Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code 11911
Transfer tax
$1.10 per $1,000 of consideration (Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code 11911) State; Some cities impose additional transfer taxes (e.g., Los Angeles 0.45%, San Francisco 0.68%-3.0%, Oakland 1.0%-2.5%) local. Transfer-on-death deeds are generally exempt (No consideration exchanged at recording. TOD deed is revocable during grantor's lifetime and no property interest transfers until death. Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code 11911.). County documentary transfer tax: $1.10 per $1,000 of consideration. City transfer taxes vary. TOD deeds involve $0 consideration at recording.
Toll-free: (855) 732-2575. Largest county by area in the contiguous United States. Additional offices in Hesperia, Mountains, and Morongo Basin. Appointments recommended for recording (max 5 docs per appointment).
Verified June 3, 2026 · Source
A Living Trust Covers More Than One Deed
A transfer-on-death deed moves a single property. A revocable living trust holds the home, bank and investment accounts, and other assets together, so the whole estate skips the Superior Court - Probate Division — not just the house. For a San Bernardino County family with more than one major asset, the trust is usually the cleaner plan.
Create a Revocable Trust in 15 minutes
Legal Sources
- Cal. Gov. Code 27361; Cal. Gov. Code 27388.1; Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code 11911
Data sourced from California statutes and official state code. How we research.
Frequently Asked Questions
Deeds and other real property documents for San Bernardino County are recorded with the County Recorder-Clerk at 222 West Hospitality Lane, 1st Floor, San Bernardino, CA 92415. Call (909) 387-8306 to confirm current recording procedures.
Recording a deed in San Bernardino County costs $15 base recording fee; $3 per additional page; required form fees may include GC 27388.1 Building Homes and Jobs Act Fee (SB2) ($75), BOE-502-A Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (PCOR) ($0); TOD deeds are generally transfer-tax exempt. Page count, required cover sheets, and any local transfer tax can change the final total.
San Bernardino County accepts electronic recording through SECURE / ERDS (administered by Orange County). Paper recording by mail or in person is also accepted.
The County Recorder-Clerk is open Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Reach the office at (909) 387-8306. Confirm whether walk-in or mail-in recording is preferred before you go.
Yes. Deeds recorded in California must be signed in front of a notary and 2 witnesses before the County Recorder-Clerk will accept them. A transfer-on-death deed follows the same execution rules — see the San Bernardino County signing requirements.
A transfer-on-death (TOD) deed names a beneficiary who receives the property automatically when the owner dies, without probate. The deed is recorded with the County Recorder-Clerkduring the owner’s lifetime. Start one with the California TOD deed form.
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