AB 2224: County recorders: fees.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law establishes the office of county recorder and requires the county recorder to accept for recordation any instrument, paper, or notice that is authorized or required to be recorded, subject to the collection of specified fees.

This bill would require the county recorder to provide access to a true copy of the public record for each recorded instrument, paper, or notice, as specified. By imposing new duties on county recorders, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

Existing law prohibits the fee for recording and indexing an instrument, paper, or notice from exceeding $10 for recording the first page and $3 for each additional page, which charges are to reimburse the county for the costs of services rendered. Existing law requires the county recorder to impose additional recording fees of $1 per page for nonconforming print spacing and $3 per page for nonconforming page dimensions. Existing law requires $1 of each $3 fee for each additional page to be deposited in the county general fund.

The bill would, instead, set the fee for recording and indexing at $15 for recording the first page and $4 for each additional page, and would prohibit the fees from exceeding the reasonable costs of the county recorder’s office for providing these services. The bill would delete the provisions requiring $1 and $3 fees for nonconforming spacing and page dimensions, and $1 of each $3 fee for each additional page to be deposited in the county general fund. The bill would require the county recorder collecting a prescribed fee to implement an electronic recording delivery system, and would provide that various other fees are restricted, as prescribed, or solely for the county recorder’s office, as specified.

Existing law authorizes a county recorder to charge an additional fee of $1 for specified documents requiring additional indexing based on the number of names listed and for each reference to a previously recorded document, other than the first such reference, as specified.

The bill would repeal these provisions and make conforming changes.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1 · Republican 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. September 18, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 292, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 18, 2026Approved by the Governor.
3. August 24, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4:30 p.m.
4. August 17, 2026In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.
5. August 17, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 5495.).
6. June 30, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
7. June 29, 2026From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.
8. June 17, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 17). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
9. June 10, 2026Referred to Com. on L. GOV.
10. May 28, 2026In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
11. May 27, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 72. Noes 0. Page 5442.)
12. May 21, 2026Read third time and amended. Ordered to third reading. (Page 5242.)