AB2224 - County recorders: fees.

Enrolled August 19, 2026 Passed IN Senate August 17, 2026 Passed IN Assembly May 27, 2026 Amended IN Assembly May 21, 2026 Amended IN Assembly May 07, 2026 Amended IN Assembly April 06, 2026 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 2224 Introduced by Assembly Member Hadwick (Coauthor: Assembly Member Bennett) February 19, 2026 An act to amend Sections 6103.8, 7171, 7174, 27201, 27361, 27361.3, 27388.2, and 27397.5 of, to amend and repeal Sections 27391 and 27393 of, and to repeal Sections 27361.2 and 27361.8 of, the Government Code, relating to local government. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2224, Hadwick. County recorders: fees. 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. Existing law requires the fee for recording every release of lien, encumbrance, or notice executed by the state, or any municipality, county, city, district, or other political subdivision, to be a certain amount on January 1 of the year the release is recorded if the original lien, encumbrance, or notice was recorded without fee, as specified. This bill would, instead, calculate that fee as of January 1 of the year the original lien, encumbrance, or notice was recorded without fee, as specified. Upon approval by resolution of the board of supervisors and system certification by the Attorney General, existing law authorizes a county recorder to establish an electronic recording delivery system, as specified. Upon system certification, existing law authorizes a county recorder to enter into a contract with any of specified entities for the delivery for recording, and return to the party requesting recording, a digitized electronic record, as specified. Until January 1, 2027, existing law authorizes a county recorder to enter into a contract with an entity other than those specified, as described above, if certain requirements are met. This bill would remove the repeal date of January 1, 2027, and make various conforming changes. Existing law authorizes a county recorder to include in the county’s electronic delivery system a secure method for accepting for recording a digital or digitized electronic record that is an instrument of reconveyance, substitution of trustee, or assignment of deed of trust. This bill would remove the limit of the above provisions to those types of documents. The bill would include related legislative findings concerning county recorders and county recorder fees. By imposing new duties on counties relative to recording fees, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (1) County recorders serve as the official archivist for vital and official records, including real property documents, maps, and other essential filings. These records provide constructive notice as required by statute to protect California’s legal, financial, housing systems, and property ownership. Records of birth, death, or marriage events are necessary to obtain medical, financial, or survivor benefits and are necessary to meet federal security standards. The integrity, accessibility, and timely processing of these records are essential to the public, the state’s real estate industry, and financial institutions. (2) County recorders maintain daily operations to provide the public with consistent access to official records and strive to provide a seamless recording for California home buyers and the general public, while meeting recording statutory requirements. (3) The county recorder is a fee-for-service department where fees charged are intended to cover the cost of services provided to the public. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature to adjust recording fees to increase transparency for the public and to ensure the effective delivery of government services by requiring all of the following: (1) Electronic recording throughout California for all documents. (2) The elimination of fees no longer necessary due to technological advances. (3) The standardization of the fee structure to promote greater clarity to the public, expedite the recording process, and decrease the frequency of recording rejections. SEC. 2. Section 6103.8 of the Government Code is amended to read: 6103.8. (a) Sections 6103 and 27383 do not apply to any fee or charge for recording full releases executed or recorded pursuant to Section 7174 of the Government Code, Sections 4608 and 5003.7 of the Public Resources Code, and Sections 2194, 11496, 12494, and 32362 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, where there is full satisfaction of the amount due under the lien that is released. (b) The fee for recording full releases listed in subdivision (a) shall be the amount prescribed in subdivision (a) of Section 27361.3. (c) In the case of full releases recorded by the state taxing agency pursuant to Section 7174 of the Government Code, the recording agency shall be billed quarterly or, at the option of the agency, at more frequent intervals. All billing shall refer to the agency certificate number of the recorded releases. (d) The fee for recording full releases for any document relating to an agreement to reimburse a county for public aid granted by the county shall be the amount prescribed in subdivision (a) of Section 27361.3. (e) The fee for filing any release of judgment that was in favor of a government agency and recorded pursuant to Section 6103 or 27383 shall be the amount prescribed in subdivision (a) of Section 27361.3. (f) Sections 6103 and 27383 do not apply to any fee or charge for recording a notice of state tax lien under subdivision (d) of Section 7171 or a certificate of release under subdivision (h) of Section 7174. (g) The fee for recording a notice of state tax lien pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 7171 and a certificate of release under subdivision (h) of Section 7174 shall be as permitted by Sections 27361 and 27361.4. (h) In the case of recording a notice of state tax lien pursuant to subdivision (f) or a certificate of release pursuant to subdivision (f), the recording agency shall be billed quarterly or at the option of the agency at more frequent intervals. All billing shall refer to the agency notice or certificate number. SEC. 3. Section 7171 of the Government Code is amended to read: 7171. (a) With respect to real property, at any time after creation of a state tax lien, the agency may record in the office of the county recorder of the county in which the real property is located a notice of state tax lien. (b) With respect to personal property, at any time after creation of a state tax lien, the agency may file a notice of state tax lien with the Secretary of State pursuant to Chapter 14.5 (commencing with Section 7220). (c) (1) The notice of state tax lien recorded or filed pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b) shall include all of the following: (A) The name and last known address of the taxpayer. (B) The name of the agency giving notice of the lien. (C) The amount of the unpaid tax. (D) A statement that the amount of the unpaid tax is a lien on all real or personal property and rights to that property, including all after-acquired property and rights to property, belonging to the taxpayer. (E) A statement that the agency has complied with all of the provisions of the applicable law for determining and assessing the tax. (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 27390, the transmission, filing, recording, and indexing of notices of state tax liens recorded or filed pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b), and all documents that relate to or affect those liens, including, but not limited to, a release, an extension, or a subordination, by electronic or magnetic means using computerized data processing, telecommunications, or the other similar information technologies available to the filing offices shall be permitted. A facsimile signature that complies with the requirements of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 27201 shall be accepted on any document relating to a state tax lien filed or recorded pursuant to this paragraph. (d) If the notice of state tax lien recorded in any county reflects an out-of-state address as the last known address of the taxpayer, the agency shall pay the fees required by Sections 27361 and 27361.4. (e) The agency recording a notice of state tax lien pursuant to subdivision (d) may collect from the taxpayer, in any manner provided by law for the collection of the tax, the cost of recording. SEC. 4. Section 7174 of the Government Code is amended to read: 7174. (a) If the agency determines that the amount of tax, interest, and any penalty are sufficiently secured by a lien on other property or that the release or subordination of the state tax lien will not jeopardize the collection of the amount of the tax, including interest and penalty, the agency may at any time release all or any portion of the property subject to the state tax lien from the lien or may subordinate the state tax lien to other liens and encumbrances. (b) If the agency finds that the liability represented by the state tax lien, including any interest accrued thereon, is legally unenforceable, the agency may release the lien. (c) If the agency has recorded a notice of state tax lien as provided in Section 7171 and the liability represented by the lien, including any interest and penalty, has been satisfied in full: (1) If the agency is other than the Controller or the State Board of Equalization, the agency shall, not later than 40 days after the liability is satisfied, record a certificate of release in the office of the county recorder where the notice of state tax lien is recorded. (2) In the case of the Controller or the State Board of Equalization, the agency shall, not later than 40 days after the liability is satisfied, do one of the following: (A) Record a certificate of release in the office of the county recorder where the notice of state tax lien is recorded. (B) Deposit in the mail or otherwise deliver to the taxpayer a certificate of release. (d) If the agency records a certificate of release under subdivision (c) or files a certificate of release under subdivision (e), the cost of recording or filing is an obligation of the taxpayer and may be collected from the taxpayer in any manner provided by law for the collection of the tax. (e) If the agency has filed a notice of state tax lien with the Secretary of State as provided in Section 7171 and the liability represented by the state tax lien, including any interest and penalty, has been satisfied in full, the agency shall, not later than 40 days after the liability is satisfied, do one of the following: (1) File a certificate of release with the Secretary of State. (2) Deposit in the mail or otherwise deliver a certificate of release to the taxpayer. (f) For the purpose of subdivisions (c) and (e), if payment is made by check, the 40-day period does not commence to run until the check has been paid by the financial institution upon which it was drawn. (g) A certificate by the agency to the effect that any property has been released from a state tax lien or that the lien has been subordinated to other liens and encumbrances is conclusive evidence that the property has been released or that the lien has been subordinated as provided in the certificate. (h) If the certificate of release recorded pursuant to subdivisions (a), (b), and (c) reflects an out-of-state address as the last known address of the taxpayer, the agency shall pay the fees permitted by Sections 27361 and 27361.4. SEC. 5. Section 27201 of the Government Code is amended to read: 27201. (a) (1) (A) The recorder shall, upon payment of proper fees and taxes, accept for recordation any instrument, paper, or notice that is authorized or required by statute, or court order to be recorded, or authorized or required to be recorded by a local ordinance that relates to the recordation of any instrument, paper, or notice that relates to real property, if the instrument, paper, or notice contains sufficient information to be indexed as provided by statute, meets recording requirements of state statutes and local ordinances, and is photographically reproducible. The county recorder shall not refuse to record any instrument, paper, or notice that is authorized or required by statute, court order, or local ordinance that relates to the recordation of any instrument, paper, or notice that relates to real property to be recorded on the basis of its lack of legal [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]