The Notice of Completion is a recordable form, published by the San Bernardino County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk, in which an owner or the owner's agent states that a work of improvement on a California property was completed and on what date. The county lists it under the Recorder on its forms page, next to the Assessor's San Bernardino County property tax forms. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the official PDF is published by the county at arc.sbcounty.gov.
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What is Notice of Completion – San Bernardino County, CA?
The Notice of Completion is a form on which the owner of an interest in a property, or the owner's agent, gives notice that a work of improvement on that property was completed, and states the completion date, the work done and the property it was done on.
The San Bernardino County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk publishes the form, and its forms page lists it under the Recorder. The top of the page is laid out for recording: it has spaces for "Recording requested by and when recorded mail to," for a title order number and an escrow number, for the APN#, and a blank area marked "Space above this line for Recorder's use only."
The body identifies the owner, the nature of the owner's interest, any co-holders and any successors in interest, the date the work of improvement was COMPLETED, a description of the work, the original contractor if any, and the property by city, county and street address. A signature of the owner or agent follows, and a verification block in which the declarant certifies under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the notice is true and correct.
It is not a deed. A footnote on the form warns that there are various types of deed forms and suggests consulting an attorney if you are unsure which document fits your transaction.
Who needs to file Notice of Completion – San Bernardino County, CA?
The form is completed by the owner of the interest or estate in the property, or by an agent of the owner. The first statement on the form reads that the undersigned is the OWNER or AGENT OF THE OWNER of the interest stated.
The verification block asks the person signing to give their name and their capacity, with the form's own examples: Owner, President, Authorized Agent, Partner, and so on. A corporation, partnership or other entity therefore signs through the person acting for it.
Co-holders of the interest are not separate filers: the form has lines to list everyone who holds the interest with the undersigned as joint tenants or as tenants in common. If the property was transferred after the work of improvement began, the form asks for the name and address of the successor or successors in interest.
The form does not say who may not use it. If you are unsure whether it suits your transaction, the form itself suggests consulting an attorney.
When to file Notice of Completion – San Bernardino County, CA
The triggering event is the completion of a work of improvement on the property: the form asks for the date it was COMPLETED, so it is prepared once the work is finished. No due date is printed on the form, and it names no filing window. If you need to know whether a time limit applies to your project, ask the San Bernardino County Recorder or an attorney before the work's completion date passes.
How to fill out Notice of Completion – San Bernardino County, CA
Complete the recording block
At the top left, enter the name, street address, and city, state and ZIP code in the "Recording requested by and when recorded mail to" block. Add the title order number and escrow number if they apply, and enter the APN#.
Identify the owner
Enter the full NAME of the OWNER and the ADDRESS of the OWNER. The person signing must be the owner or the owner's agent.
State the nature of the interest
Describe the owner's interest or estate, using the form's examples as a guide: fee, leasehold, joint tenancy, vendee under a contract of purchase, and so on.
List co-holders and successors
Enter the name and address of each person who holds the interest with you as a joint tenant or tenant in common. If the property was transferred after the work began, enter each successor in interest's name and address.
Enter the completion date and work
Write the date the work of improvement was COMPLETED, then describe the work of improvement completed.
Name the original contractor
Enter the name of the original contractor for the work, if there was one.
Describe the property
Enter the city and the county, then the description of the property after "DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS." Add the street address if applicable.
Date and sign the notice
Enter the date after "Dated:" and have the owner or agent of the owner sign on the signature line.
Complete the verification
Enter the signer's name and capacity (Owner, President, Authorized Agent, Partner, etc.) in the declaration, then the date and place, and sign it.
Review and download the PDF
Check that every line matches the property and the work completed, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and submit it as described under How to submit.
How to submit Notice of Completion – San Bernardino County, CA
The Notice of Completion is a document to be recorded, and the county's forms page lists the Recorder as the office for it. The form itself prints no mailing address, portal or appointment rule.
- Return address: fill in the "Recording requested by and when recorded mail to" block at the top left with the name and mailing address that should receive the document after recording.
- Recorder's area: leave the space above the line marked "Space above this line for Recorder's use only" blank.
- Fees and cover sheet: the county's forms page also lists a Fee Schedule (Recorder-County Clerk) and a Document Cover Sheet under the Recorder as separate documents; contact the San Bernardino County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk to confirm what applies to your recording.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the county's channels.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Signing as someone other than the owner or the owner's agent; the form states that the undersigned is the OWNER or AGENT OF THE OWNER.
- Leaving the verification block at the bottom unsigned or without the date and place; it is the declaration under penalty of perjury under California law.
- Entering a date other than the date the work of improvement was COMPLETED on the completion line.
- Skipping the successors in interest when the property was transferred after the work of improvement began.
- Leaving the nature of the interest blank instead of stating it, for example fee, leasehold, joint tenancy or vendee under a contract of purchase.
- Omitting the street address of the property when one applies.
- Leaving the "Recording requested by and when recorded mail to" block empty, so the recorded document has no return address.
- Writing in the area marked for the Recorder's use only.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Notice of Completion?
It is a recordable form on which an owner, or the owner's agent, states that a work of improvement on a property was completed. San Bernardino County lists it under the Recorder. The form records the completion date, the work done, the contractor if any and the property.
Who signs the Notice of Completion?
The owner of the interest in the property or the owner's agent signs. The form also has a verification in which the declarant gives a name and capacity, such as Owner, President, Authorized Agent or Partner, and declares under penalty of perjury that the notice is true.
What do I enter for the nature of the interest?
Enter the kind of interest or estate you hold in the property. The form gives these examples: fee, leasehold, joint tenancy, and vendee under a contract of purchase. Others who hold the interest with you as joint tenants or tenants in common are listed on the next lines.
What if the property was sold after the work started?
List the successor or successors in interest, with their names and addresses, in the line the form provides for property transferred after the work of improvement began. Leave that line blank only if no transfer happened.
Do I have to name a contractor on the form?
The form asks for the name of the original contractor, if any, for the work of improvement. If there was no contractor, there is no name to give for that line.
Can I fill out the Notice of Completion online on FillingPDF?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is independent of San Bernardino County and does not record or file the form; the county's channels apply to submission.
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