The Affidavit – Death of Joint Tenant is a sworn statement issued by the San Bernardino County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk (ARC) and listed under the Recorder on the county's forms page, which also carries the Assessor's San Bernardino County property tax forms. In it, the affiant identifies a deceased person as one of the joint tenants named in a recorded document and states the value of that person's property at death. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the original PDF is published by the county at arc.sbcounty.gov.
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What is Affidavit- Death of Joint Tenant – San Bernardino County, CA?
The Affidavit – Death of Joint Tenant is a sworn statement, published by the San Bernardino County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk, in which an affiant declares that a decedent shown on an attached certified copy of a Certificate of Death is the same person named as a joint tenant in a recorded document.
The form has three working parts. The first block, at the top, holds the recording information: who requested recording, where the recorded document and tax statement are mailed, the title order and escrow numbers, the APN (assessor's parcel number) and a space reserved for the Recorder's use only. The body is the affidavit itself. It identifies the document by its date, the parties who executed it, its Instrument No. and recording date in the Official Records of the County Recorder, and the legal description of the real property. It also states that the value of all real and personal property the decedent owned at the date of death, including the full value of that real property, did not exceed a stated sum. The last part is a California notary acknowledgment, with the notary's printed note that the notary verifies only the identity of the signer, not the truthfulness, accuracy or validity of the document.
The county's forms list shows this affidavit under the Recorder, next to separate forms such as the Affidavit of Surviving Spouse and, from the Assessor, the Change in Ownership Statement – Death of Real Property Owner (BOE-502-D). The form itself notes that there are various types of deed forms depending on each person's legal status and suggests consulting an attorney about which document suits your transaction.
Who needs to file Affidavit- Death of Joint Tenant – San Bernardino County, CA?
The form is written for an affiant of legal age who can swear to the facts in it. In practice that is a person dealing with real property that the decedent held with others as a joint tenant, who has a certified copy of the decedent's Certificate of Death and the details of the recorded document that created the joint tenancy.
The affidavit speaks to one specific situation: the decedent is "one of the parties" named as a joint tenant in a recorded document, and the total value of the decedent's real and personal property at death did not exceed the sum entered in the form. If those facts do not describe your case, a different form may apply. The county's forms page lists, for example, an Affidavit of Surviving Spouse (Recorder) and a Change in Ownership Statement – Death of Real Property Owner (BOE-502-D, Assessor) as separate documents.
The form carries its own caution: there are various types of deed forms depending on each person's legal status, and you may want to consult an attorney if you are unsure which document is appropriate for your transaction. The form prints no rule about signing on behalf of someone else; the affiant signs and the notary completes the acknowledgment.
When to file Affidavit- Death of Joint Tenant – San Bernardino County, CA
The form prints no deadline of its own. The triggering event is the death of a joint tenant: the affidavit refers to an attached certified copy of the Certificate of Death, so it can be completed only once that certificate exists and you have the details of the recorded document naming the decedent as a joint tenant. It is dated and signed by the affiant, and the notary completes the acknowledgment on the date the affiant swears to it. For any timing rule that applies to your transfer or to related Assessor filings, ask the San Bernardino County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk through arc.sbcounty.gov.
Documents you need
- A certified copy of the Certificate of Death of the decedent, attached to the affidavit; the form refers to it as the document that names the decedent.
- The details of the recorded document that created the joint tenancy: its date, the parties who executed it, its Instrument No. and its recording date in the Official Records of the County Recorder.
- The legal description of the real property, entered where the form says "Insert legal description", with the APN at the top of the form.
- A notary public to complete the California acknowledgment ("Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me"), based on satisfactory evidence of the affiant's identity.
How to fill out Affidavit- Death of Joint Tenant – San Bernardino County, CA
Complete the recording request block
At the top, enter who is requesting recording and the NAME, STREET ADDRESS, and CITY, STATE & ZIP CODE where the recorded document and tax statement should be mailed. Enter the TITLE ORDER NO. and ESCROW NO. if they apply.
Enter the APN
Write the APN (assessor's parcel number) of the property on the line marked APN. Leave the space above the line for the Recorder's use only blank.
Fill in the State and County
Enter the STATE OF and COUNTY OF where the affiant is sworn, in the heading above the sentence beginning "of legal age, being first duly sworn."
Enter the affiant's name
Type the full name of the affiant, who must be of legal age, in the blank that opens the sworn statement.
Identify the decedent and the document
Enter the decedent's name, the type and date of the recorded document, who executed it and to whom, the Instrument No., the recording date, and the County and State of the County Recorder's Official Records.
Insert the property description
Enter the City, County and State where the real property is situated, then insert the legal description where the form says (Insert legal description).
State the value of the estate
Enter the sum that the value of all real and personal property owned by the decedent at the date of death, including the full value of the described real property, did not exceed.
Date and sign the affidavit
Fill in the day, month and year after "Dated this", then sign above (Signature of affiant) and type or print the affiant's full name. Sign in front of the notary.
Have the notary complete the block
The notary fills in the County, the date, the affiant's name and their own signature and seal in the California acknowledgment. Do not complete this part yourself.
Review and download the PDF
Check the names, Instrument No., legal description and value against your documents, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and attach the certified copy of the Certificate of Death.
How to submit Affidavit- Death of Joint Tenant – San Bernardino County, CA
The form prints no submission channel, address or portal. It is built as a recording document: the top block asks who requested recording and where to mail the document and tax statement after recording, and a space is reserved for the Recorder's use only. The county's forms page lists it under the Recorder.
- What to prepare: the completed affidavit, signed by the affiant before a notary who completes the California acknowledgment, with the certified copy of the Certificate of Death attached.
- Where to confirm details: the San Bernardino County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk publishes its forms and fees at https://arc.sbcounty.gov/forms-fees/. Check there, or ask the Recorder's office, for the filing location, delivery options and any fee that applies; the form does not state them.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the county's own channels.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving out the certified copy of the Certificate of Death; the affidavit identifies the decedent by reference to the attached certified copy.
- Omitting the Instrument No., recording date or the parties named in the recorded joint tenancy document, which the affidavit uses to identify that document.
- Leaving the legal description blank; the form directs you to insert it for the described real property.
- Leaving blank the sum in the statement about the value of all real and personal property the decedent owned at the date of death.
- Skipping the notary acknowledgment, or assuming the notary confirms the contents; the notary's note says only the signer's identity is verified, not the truthfulness, accuracy or validity of the document.
- Forgetting the recording block at the top: the mailing name and address for the recorded document and tax statement, and the APN.
- Using this affidavit without checking whether it fits your situation; the form warns that deed forms vary with each person's legal status and suggests consulting an attorney.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Affidavit – Death of Joint Tenant?
It is a sworn statement published by the San Bernardino County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk. The affiant states that the decedent named in an attached certified death certificate is the same person named as a joint tenant in a recorded document, and gives the value of the decedent's property at death.
Do I need a notary to sign the affidavit of death of joint tenant?
The form includes a California notary acknowledgment, "Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me," so you sign it before a notary. The notary verifies only your identity, not the truthfulness, accuracy or validity of the document.
What do I attach to the Affidavit – Death of Joint Tenant?
The form refers to an attached certified copy of the decedent's Certificate of Death. It also needs details of the recorded joint tenancy document, including its Instrument No. and recording date, and the legal description of the real property.
Can I fill out the Affidavit – Death of Joint Tenant online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service, not affiliated with San Bernardino County, and does not file or record the form; you deliver it through the county's channels.
Where do I file the death of joint tenant affidavit in San Bernardino County?
The county's forms page lists it under the Recorder, and the form has a block for recording and a space for Recorder's use only. It prints no address, so confirm where and how to file on arc.sbcounty.gov/forms-fees or with the Recorder's office.
Is there a deadline to file this affidavit?
The form prints no deadline. It can only be completed after the joint tenant has died, because it relies on a certified copy of the Certificate of Death. Ask the San Bernardino County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk about any timing rule for your transfer.
Is this the same as the Affidavit of Surviving Spouse?
No. The county lists the Affidavit of Surviving Spouse as a separate Recorder form. The Affidavit – Death of Joint Tenant is the one that refers to a decedent named as a joint tenant in a recorded document and to the value of the decedent's property at death.
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