Estate Planning for San Francisco County, California Property Owners
For most San Francisco 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 Francisco County property owner, the biggest probate risk is the home itself. Real estate is what forces most families into the Superior Court - Probate Court. The two tools that keep a San Francisco County home out of probate are a transfer-on-death deed recorded with the County Recorder, and a revocable living trust that holds title to the property.
Record a Transfer-on-Death Deed in San Francisco County
A revocable transfer on death deed lets an owner name a beneficiary who receives San Francisco County property automatically at death, without probate. It is recorded with the County Recorderduring the owner’s lifetime and can be revoked any time.
Where to Record Property Documents
Deeds and other real property documents for San Francisco County are recorded with the County Recorder (Assessor-Recorder) at 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 190, San Francisco, CA 94102. Phone: (628) 652-8100. Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM (recording); 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (office).
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 before submitting.
San Francisco County accepts e-recording. E-recording available with special COI requirements.
Recording Office Record
County Recorder
San Francisco County · Assessor-Recorder · Joaquin Torres
Address
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 190San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone
Fax
(415) 554-7915
Hours
Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM (recording); 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (office)
E-recording
Available
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.
San Francisco is a consolidated city-county. City Hall, Room 190.
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 Court — not just the house. For a San Francisco 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 Francisco County are recorded with the County Recorder at 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 190, San Francisco, CA 94102. Call (628) 652-8100 to confirm current recording procedures.
Recording a deed in San Francisco 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 Francisco County accepts electronic recording. E-recording available with special COI requirements. Paper recording by mail or in person is also accepted.
The County Recorder is open Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM (recording); 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (office). Reach the office at (628) 652-8100. 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 will accept them. A transfer-on-death deed follows the same execution rules — see the San Francisco 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 Recorderduring the owner’s lifetime. Start one with the California TOD deed form.
California Estate Planning Attorneys
Find estate planning attorneys serving San Francisco County by practice area.
California Estate Planning Articles
Estate planning articles for California.
