Form ARC 308, Copy Request, is the form the San Bernardino County Recorder-County Clerk, part of the Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk, uses to receive requests for copies of real estate records and of documents filed with the County Clerk. People who need a plain or certified copy of one of those documents, and who are asking by mail, use it. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the form and the county's fee information are published at arc.sbcounty.gov.
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What is ARC 308?
Form ARC 308, Copy Request, is the San Bernardino County Recorder-County Clerk form used to ask for copies of recorded real estate documents or of documents filed with the County Clerk, in plain (non-certified) or certified form.
The form separates two kinds of copies:
- Official Record Copies: documents pertaining to real estate.
- County-Clerk Copies: filed documents such as a Fictitious Business Name Statement or a Notary Journal Entry.
The form states that it does not include vital records, meaning birth, death or marriage certificates. Those use a separate application that the county lists on its forms page as available for mail-in requests.
The sheet collects who is requesting the copies (name, street address, city, state, ZIP code, telephone number and email address), the copy fees that apply per document, the mail option, and how you pay. A block at the bottom, marked Recorder-County Clerk Use Only, is for the office's Accepted By, Processed By and Receipt Number entries.
The county's forms list describes the request as a Copy Request for which printed applications are used for mail requests only. The office that receives it is the San Bernardino Recorder-County Clerk, 222 W. Hospitality Lane, 1st Floor, San Bernardino, CA 92415-0022.
Who needs to file ARC 308?
Anyone who wants a copy of a document that the San Bernardino Recorder-County Clerk holds and who is making the request by mail uses Form ARC 308. It covers two groups of documents:
- Real estate documents: request them as Official Record Copies.
- Documents filed with the County Clerk: request them as County-Clerk Copies. The form gives a Fictitious Business Name Statement and a Notary Journal Entry as examples.
You choose between a plain (non-certified) copy and a certified copy for each document; the fees on the form differ for each.
Do not use this form for vital records. The form states that it does not include birth, death or marriage certificates, and the county's forms page lists a separate Birth, Death, Marriage Certificate Application for mail-in requests. The county's page also notes that printed copy request applications are for mail requests only. The form does not say who may request which documents or whether a representative may sign for you, so contact the office at (909)387-8306 with any question about your eligibility.
When to file ARC 308
Submit Form ARC 308 whenever you need a copy of a recorded real estate document or of a document filed with the County Clerk and you are asking by mail. The form prints no deadline, filing window or validity period, because it is a request rather than a periodic filing. The mail option you choose on the form, Standard USPS Mail or Priority USPS Mail, determines how the copies are sent back to you, and a separate non-refundable mail fee applies to that choice. The form states no processing time. For timing questions, call the Recorder-County Clerk at (909)387-8306.
Documents you need
- Payment to accompany a mailed request: your Recorder-County Clerk charge account number, or a check, cashier's check, or postal or bank money order made payable to "San Bernardino County".
How to fill out ARC 308
Choose the type of copy
Decide whether you need Official Record Copies (documents pertaining to real estate) or County-Clerk Copies (filed documents such as a Fictitious Business Name Statement or Notary Journal Entry). Do not use this form for birth, death or marriage certificates.
Enter who is requesting
In Requested By (Solicitado Por), enter the name of the person or business making the request.
Enter the mailing address
Fill in Street Address (Dirección), City (Ciudad), State (Estado) and Zip Code (Zona Postal) with the address where the copies should be sent.
Add phone and email
Enter your Telephone Number (Número de Teléfono) and Email Address so the office can reach you about the request.
Complete the Select fields
Use the Select drop-downs in the request section of the form to describe each document you want and the type of copy, plain (non-certified) or certified. Copy fees are charged per document.
Pick the mail option
Choose Standard USPS Mail or Priority USPS Mail from the Mail Fees section. Mail fees are non-refundable.
Indicate how you are paying
Enter your San Bernardino Recorder-County Clerk charge account number, or mark Check Enclosed, Cashier's Check Enclosed or Money Order. Payments are made out to "San Bernardino County".
Leave the office block blank
Do not write in Recorder-County Clerk Use Only (Accepted By, Processed By, Receipt Number); the office completes it.
Review and download the PDF
Check names, address, copy types and payment choice, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and assemble your mailed request with payment as described under How to submit.
How to submit ARC 308
Form ARC 308 is used for requests by mail to the San Bernardino Recorder-County Clerk; the county's forms page says printed copy request applications are used for mail requests only.
- By mail: send the completed form with your payment to San Bernardino Recorder-County Clerk, 222 W. Hospitality Lane, 1st Floor, San Bernardino, CA 92415-0022.
- Payment: the form accepts your Recorder-County Clerk charge account number, a check, a cashier's check, or a postal or bank money order, made payable to "San Bernardino County". Card payments carry a surcharge and are available only in person, so do not send card details with a mailed request.
- Fees: copy fees apply per document and are non-refundable. Mail fees are non-refundable and depend on whether you choose Standard USPS Mail or Priority USPS Mail. The current amounts are printed on the form; call (909)387-8306 to confirm them.
The office website is arc.sbcounty.gov. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using Form ARC 308 to request a birth, death or marriage certificate; the form states it does not include vital records, which have a separate application.
- Making the payment out to anyone other than "San Bernardino County" when paying by check, cashier's check or money order.
- Planning to pay by card on a mailed request; card payments carry a surcharge and are only available in person.
- Choosing the wrong copy category, such as asking for a County-Clerk Copy of a real estate document or an Official Record Copy of a filed Fictitious Business Name Statement.
- Not choosing between plain (non-certified) and certified copies, which are priced differently on the form.
- Leaving out the mail option, Standard USPS Mail or Priority USPS Mail, which carries its own non-refundable fee.
- Writing in the Recorder-County Clerk Use Only block (Accepted By, Processed By, Receipt Number), which is for the office.
- Expecting a refund of copy or mail fees; both are marked non-refundable on the form.
Frequently asked questions
What is Form ARC 308, the Copy Request?
Form ARC 308 is the San Bernardino Recorder-County Clerk's request for copies of documents it holds. You use it to ask for Official Record Copies of real estate documents or County-Clerk Copies of filed documents, in plain or certified form.
Is the Copy Request a San Bernardino County property tax form?
No. It requests copies of recorded real estate documents and County Clerk filings. The county's forms and fees page lists it alongside Assessor forms, including property tax exemption claims, but this form is a records request, not a tax filing.
Can I request a birth, death or marriage certificate with this form?
No. The form states that it does not include vital records such as birth, death or marriage certificates. The county's forms page lists a separate Birth, Death, Marriage Certificate Application for mail-in requests.
How do I pay for copies requested on Form ARC 308?
By Recorder-County Clerk charge account number, check, cashier's check, or postal or bank money order payable to "San Bernardino County". Card payments are subject to a surcharge and only available in person, so they do not apply to a mailed request.
Are the copy and mail fees refundable?
No. The form marks both the copy fees (charged per document) and the mail fees as non-refundable. The amounts are printed on the form; call the Recorder-County Clerk at (909)387-8306 to confirm them.
Where do I send the Copy Request form?
Mail it with your payment to San Bernardino Recorder-County Clerk, 222 W. Hospitality Lane, 1st Floor, San Bernardino, CA 92415-0022. The county's forms page says printed copy request applications are used for mail requests only.
Can I fill out Form ARC 308 online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not send the request to the county; you mail it to the Recorder-County Clerk yourself.
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