The Substitution of Trustee and Full Reconveyance forms are two documents printed on one sheet, used to appoint a new trustee under a Deed of Trust and to reconvey the estate once the loan has been paid. The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) publishes the PDF and records the finished document. It is used by the present beneficiary and the present trustee, whose signatures must be notarized. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; the original form and the county's recording guidance are at lavote.gov.
Last updated
What is Substitution of Trustee and Full Reconveyance forms – Los Angeles County, CA?
The Substitution of Trustee and Full Reconveyance forms combine two documents on one sheet: the beneficiary's appointment of a new trustee under a Deed of Trust, and that trustee's reconveyance of the estate once the loan is paid.
The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk explains on its Full Reconveyance page that when a deed of trust or mortgage is paid in full, a Full Reconveyance can be recorded to state publicly that the loan has been paid. A plain Full Reconveyance is completed and signed by the trustee, whose signature must be notarized. The combined form is the version used when the present beneficiary wants to substitute a new trustee; the county describes the two documents as serially incorporated into one form or sheet.
The printed form identifies the Deed of Trust it deals with: the original trustor, original trustee and original beneficiary, the date and recording date, the Instrument No., Book and Page, and the county and state of recording. It then names the trustee being replaced. The new trustee accepts the appointment and reconveys, without warranty, to the persons legally entitled to it, all the estate it holds under the deed of trust.
The top of the sheet has a "Recording Requested By" block and a "When recorded mail document to" block, plus a space reserved for the Recorder's use. A notary acknowledgment for California is printed at the bottom. The county notes that the form can also be bought at most office supply or stationery stores, and that the trustee named on your Deed of Trust usually has forms available.
Who needs to file Substitution of Trustee and Full Reconveyance forms – Los Angeles County, CA?
The present beneficiary under a Deed of Trust uses this form when it wants to substitute a new trustee and reconvey after the loan has been paid. The county page says the Substitution of Trustee and Full Reconveyance is signed by the present beneficiary and the present trustee, and that their signatures are notarized. On the printed form the signature line reads BENEFICIARY / NEW TRUSTEE.
Borrowers and property owners whose deed of trust is paid in full are the people who need the reconveyance to be recorded. The county says the trustee named on your Deed of Trust will usually have forms available and will issue the Full Reconveyance, so in practice you ask the trustee or lender to prepare and sign it.
Do not treat this as the right form for every payoff. The county lists three related documents separately: a Full Reconveyance (completed and signed by the trustee), this combined Substitution of Trustee and Full Reconveyance, and a Substitution of Trustee on its own. The combined form fits the case where a new trustee is being substituted in place of the one named in the Deed of Trust.
When to file Substitution of Trustee and Full Reconveyance forms – Los Angeles County, CA
The triggering event is payment in full of the deed of trust or mortgage: the county says that when it is paid in full, you can record a Full Reconveyance stating publicly that the loan has been paid. The combined Substitution of Trustee and Full Reconveyance is used when the present beneficiary also wants to substitute a new trustee under the Deed of Trust. Neither the form nor the county page sets a deadline for recording. The document is signed and dated by the beneficiary or new trustee, and the signatures are notarized before the document is recorded.
Documents you need
- The details of the recorded Deed of Trust: its date, recording date, Instrument No., Book, Page, county and the names of the original trustor, trustee and beneficiary, all of which the form asks for.
- A notary acknowledgment of the signature of the beneficiary or new trustee: the county says the signatures must be notarized, and the certificate is printed at the bottom of the form.
How to fill out Substitution of Trustee and Full Reconveyance forms – Los Angeles County, CA
Complete the recording request block
At the top, enter who is requesting recording under "Recording Requested By" and, under "When recorded mail document to", the NAME, ADDRESS, CITY and STATE & ZIP where the recorded document should be returned. Leave the space marked "Above Space for Recorder's Use Only" blank.
Name the original parties
In the first "Whereas" paragraph, enter the Original Trustor, the original Trustee and the Original beneficiary exactly as they appear on the Deed of Trust.
Identify the Deed of Trust
Enter the date of the Deed of Trust and the date it was recorded, then the Instrument No., Book and Page. Add the County and State of California where it was recorded in Official Records.
Name the trustee being replaced
In the second "WHEREAS" clause, write the name of the trustee the present beneficiary is substituting out, on the line after "in place and instead of".
Date and sign the document
Enter the date on the Date line. The beneficiary or new trustee signs above the BENEFICIARY / NEW TRUSTEE line, in front of the notary.
Have the notary complete the acknowledgment
The notary enters the county, the date, the notary's name and the name of the signer, then signs and seals. The certificate says the notary verifies only the signer's identity, not the truth of the document.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check every name, date, Instrument No., Book and Page against the recorded Deed of Trust. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF, sign before the notary and submit it as described under How to submit.
How to submit Substitution of Trustee and Full Reconveyance forms – Los Angeles County, CA
The completed and notarized document is recorded with the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC). The form itself prints no address, fee or submission channel, so confirm the current recording options on the county's page at https://www.lavote.gov/home/recorder/property-document-recording/forms/full-reconveyance.
What the form does show:
- Recording block: the "Recording Requested By" and "When recorded mail document to" boxes at the top (NAME, ADDRESS, CITY, STATE & ZIP) tell the Recorder where to return the document once it is recorded.
- Recorder's space: leave the area marked "Above Space for Recorder's Use Only" empty.
- Notarization: the beneficiary's or trustee's signature must be notarized before the document is recorded, using the acknowledgment printed at the bottom of the form.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the county's channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Signing the form without having the signature notarized; the county states that the signatures on this form are notarized.
- Having someone other than the present beneficiary or the present trustee sign; the county says those are the signers.
- Leaving the Deed of Trust recording details blank (date, recording date, Instrument No., Book, Page, county), so the document cannot be tied to the right deed of trust.
- Entering the wrong trustee after "in place and instead of"; that line must name the trustee being replaced under the Deed of Trust.
- Leaving the "When recorded mail document to" block empty, so the recorded document has no return address.
- Writing in the area marked "Above Space for Recorder's Use Only", which is reserved for the Recorder.
- Using the combined form when no new trustee is being substituted; the county lists a Full Reconveyance and a Substitution of Trustee as separate forms.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Substitution of Trustee and Full Reconveyance form?
It is a single sheet that combines two documents: the beneficiary's substitution of a new trustee under a Deed of Trust and that trustee's full reconveyance of the estate, without warranty. It is recorded with the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk once the loan is paid.
Who signs the Substitution of Trustee and Full Reconveyance?
The county says it is signed by the present beneficiary and present trustee under the Deed of Trust, and that their signatures are notarized. The printed signature line is labeled BENEFICIARY / NEW TRUSTEE.
Does the signature have to be notarized?
Yes. The county states that the signatures on the Substitution of Trustee and Full Reconveyance are notarized, and the form includes a California notary acknowledgment. The notary verifies only the signer's identity, not the truthfulness or validity of the document.
When can I record a full reconveyance in Los Angeles County?
When the deed of trust or mortgage has been paid in full. The county says you can then record a Full Reconveyance stating publicly that the loan is paid. The form sets no separate deadline for recording.
Where can I get a Full Reconveyance form?
The county says Full Reconveyance forms can be bought at most office supply or stationery stores, and that the trustee named on your Deed of Trust usually has forms and issues the Full Reconveyance. The county also hosts this PDF at lavote.gov.
What is the difference between a Full Reconveyance and a Substitution of Trustee and Full Reconveyance?
A Full Reconveyance is completed and signed by the trustee. The combined form adds the beneficiary's substitution of a new trustee, so it is signed by the present beneficiary and present trustee. The county lists a separate Substitution of Trustee form as well.
Can I fill out the Substitution of Trustee and Full Reconveyance online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is independent of the county and does not record the document; recording and notarization follow the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's channels.
Ready to fill out Substitution of Trustee and Full Reconveyance forms – Los Angeles County, CA?
Fill out Substitution of Trustee and Full Reconveyance forms – Los Angeles County, CA now