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Guide

How to Add or Remove a Name on a Deed in California

By Karla I. Vasquez, REALTOR® · Keller Williams Realty Danville · Reviewed October 2026

Quick answer

In California, you add or remove a name on a home's title by signing and recording a new deed. The current owner (or owners) sign the deed in front of a notary, and it's recorded with the County Recorder, along with a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (PCOR). Before you sign anything, check how the change could affect property taxes, your loan, and your legal rights, and talk to an attorney for advice about your situation.

Why people add or remove a name

Common reasons include:

  • Adding a spouse or registered domestic partner after marriage.
  • Adding an adult child or other relative.
  • Removing an ex-spouse after a divorce (often as directed by a court judgment).
  • Removing a co-owner who is being bought out.
  • Updating title after a co-owner passes away.

Each one can have different legal and tax consequences, which is why the "why" matters as much as the "how."

What are the general steps?

Here's the general process in Contra Costa County:

  1. Get the current vesting and legal description from the last recorded deed or a title report.
  2. Choose the deed type. Common California deeds include a grant deed, a quitclaim deed, and an interspousal transfer deed. Which one fits depends on your situation; an attorney can advise.
  3. Decide how the new owners will hold title (for example, as community property, joint tenants or tenants in common). This choice affects what happens later, so get legal advice.
  4. Sign before a notary. The person giving up or sharing ownership signs the deed.
  5. Complete the PCOR. Contra Costa's Recorder requires a PCOR with most deeds, signed by one of the people receiving the property. Without it, the Recorder charges an additional $20 fee.
  6. Record the deed with the Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder in Martinez, then keep the recorded copy with your important papers.

What fees and taxes apply?

  • Recording fees: Set by the County fee schedule, based on the type of document and number of pages.
  • Documentary transfer tax: Contra Costa's countywide rate is $0.55 per $500 of value on transfers that are subject to it. Some cities, such as Richmond and El Cerrito, have their own transfer tax. Many no-sale transfers claim an exemption, which must be stated on the deed.
  • SB2 fee: The Building Homes and Jobs Act fee is $75 per document, capped at $225 per transaction, unless an exemption applies (for example, documents recorded with a transfer that pays transfer tax, or a transfer of a home to an owner-occupier).

The Recorder's staff can't give legal advice, so plan your exemptions and wording ahead of time.

Will adding or removing a name trigger reassessment?

It can. Under Prop 13, a change in ownership generally means reassessment to current market value. Some transfers are excluded, such as many transfers between spouses or registered domestic partners. Since Prop 19, the parent-child exclusion is much narrower and is generally limited to a family home that becomes the child's principal residence, with a value limit. Adding a child or friend to title could mean a partial reassessment. The Assessor reviews the PCOR and any claim forms, so ask before you record.

Don't forget your lender and your title insurance

If there's a mortgage, contact your lender before changing title. Also ask a title company how a new deed could affect your existing title insurance. And remember: removing your name from title usually doesn't remove your name from the loan.

Karla's tips

  • Start with the "why." Divorce, estate planning and gifts to family each have different rules. Talk to an attorney for advice about your situation.
  • Check the tax impact first. A quick call to the Assessor can prevent a surprise reassessment.
  • Get the legal description exactly right. Copy it from the recorded deed or title report; errors cause headaches later.
  • I can help with the paperwork. As a Registered Legal Document Assistant in Contra Costa County, I can prepare documents at your direction. I'm not an attorney and can't give legal advice.
  • Spanish-speaking families: I can explain the general process and prepare documents at your direction in Spanish. (510) 677-8695.

En español: lo básico

En California, para agregar o quitar un nombre del título de una casa se firma una nueva escritura ante un notario y se registra en la oficina del Registrador del Condado, junto con el formulario PCOR. Hay diferentes tipos de escritura, como la escritura de concesión (grant deed), la de renuncia (quitclaim) y la de transferencia entre cónyuges. Algunos cambios pueden causar una nueva tasación de impuestos, y quitar su nombre del título no lo quita del préstamo. Antes de firmar, consulte a un abogado sobre su situación; como Asistente de Documentos Legales registrada, puedo preparar documentos según sus instrucciones, pero no puedo dar consejo legal.

Sources

General information only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and fees change; confirm with the County, the Board of Equalization, your tax professional or an attorney. Karla I. Vasquez is a REALTOR® and Registered LDA, not an attorney.