The Real Estate Record Copy Order Form is the order form the Santa Barbara County Recorder, part of the Santa Barbara County Clerk-Recorder, uses to request copies of recorded documents; the printed heading reads OFFICIAL RECORD COPY ORDER FORM. You identify each document by book and page number (recorded before 1975) or by instrument number (recorded 1975 to present), state how many regular and certified copies you want, and select one return option. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the county publishes the original PDF at the official link.
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What is Real Estate Record Copy Order Form – Santa Barbara County, CA?
The Real Estate Record Copy Order Form, printed as the Official Record Copy Order Form, is the Santa Barbara County Recorder's form for requesting regular or certified copies of recorded documents, each identified by its book and page or instrument number.
The top of the form collects the date, your name, your agency or company, mailing address, phone and email. Below it are two tables. The first, Documents Recorded Prior to 1975, asks for the book number, page number, document date and document type. The second, Documents Recorded 1975-Present, asks for the instrument number, document date and document type. Both tables end with the number of regular copies and the number of certified copies you want. Regular and certified copies are priced separately per copy, and the back of the form can be used when you need more rows.
You then select one return option: email (regular copies only), First Class mail or USPS Priority Express. Each option carries its own charge. Payment by credit card is made through a separate online authorization, and its confirmation number goes on the form. The Office Use Only block is for Recorder staff.
This is an order form for copies of records already on file. It has no lines for tax payments or assessments. Birth, death and marriage record copies, fictitious business name filings and recording coversheets have their own entries on the county's Clerk-Recorder forms page.
Who needs to file Real Estate Record Copy Order Form – Santa Barbara County, CA?
Anyone who needs copies of a document recorded with the Santa Barbara County Recorder uses this form. It has a name line and an Agency or Company line, so it serves individuals as well as businesses and agencies that order records.
Conditions that come from the form itself:
- Documents recorded before 1975 are listed by book number and page number; documents recorded from 1975 to the present are listed by instrument number.
- You select only one return option for the whole order.
- Email return is offered for regular copies only, so an order for certified copies uses First Class or USPS Priority Express.
- If you pay by credit card, you complete the online credit card authorization first and enter its confirmation number on the form.
Do not use this form for birth, death or marriage record copies. The county's forms page lists those under a separate Vital Records heading. The form has no signature line and prints no eligibility or identification rules. Questions about who may receive a particular record go to the Recorder's office.
When to file Real Estate Record Copy Order Form – Santa Barbara County, CA
Submit the form whenever you need copies of a recorded document. No due date, expiration or renewal period is printed on it. Before you start, gather the identifiers it asks for: the book and page numbers for a document recorded before 1975, or the instrument number for a document recorded from 1975 to the present, plus the document date and type.
Timing also depends on the return option you select. Email applies to regular copies only, while First Class and USPS Priority Express are the other two choices. If you pay by credit card, complete the online credit card authorization before you send the form, because its confirmation number is written on the form. The form states no processing time. Ask the Recorder's office at [email protected] if you need to know how long an order takes.
Documents you need
- Confirmation number from the online credit card authorization, only if you pay by credit card; write it on the SST line of the form. The Recorder does not accept card numbers by email.
How to fill out Real Estate Record Copy Order Form – Santa Barbara County, CA
Enter the date and contact details
Fill in DATE, NAME, AGENCY or COMPANY, MAILING ADDRESS, PHONE and EMAIL at the top of the form.
Choose the correct document table
Use Documents Recorded Prior to 1975 for older records and Documents Recorded 1975-Present for newer ones. Each document goes in one table only.
List documents recorded before 1975
For each document, enter the book number, page number, document date and document type.
List documents recorded 1975 to present
For each document, enter the instrument number, document date and document type.
Enter the number of copies
In each row, enter the number of regular copies and the number of certified copies you want. The two kinds are priced separately per copy.
Use the back for extra documents
If the rows are not enough, continue the list on the back of the form, as the form allows.
Select one return option
Mark one: email (regular copies only), First Class or USPS Priority Express. Each option has its own charge.
Add the credit card confirmation number
If you pay by credit card, complete the online credit card authorization first, then write the confirmation number on the SST line. Do not put card numbers on the form or send them by email.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check document numbers, dates and copy counts against your records. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and send it through one of the channels described under How to submit.
How to submit Real Estate Record Copy Order Form – Santa Barbara County, CA
You can return the completed form to the Santa Barbara County Recorder by regular mail, express courier, email or fax.
- Regular mail: Santa Barbara County Recorder, PO Box 159, Santa Barbara, CA 93102.
- Express courier: Santa Barbara County Recorder, 1100 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101.
- Email: [email protected].
- Fax: 805-568-2266.
Select one return option on the form: email (regular copies only), First Class or USPS Priority Express. Each carries its own charge. Fees also apply per regular and per certified copy. The rates are printed on the form, and the county lists a fee schedule on its Clerk-Recorder forms page.
To pay by credit card, first complete the online credit card authorization, listed as Fee Schedule & Credit Card Authorization on that page, and write the confirmation number on the SST line. The Recorder does not accept credit card numbers by email.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Selecting more than one return option; the form says to select one.
- Choosing email return for certified copies; the email option covers regular copies only.
- Emailing credit card numbers. The form states that the Recorder does not accept them by email; use the online authorization and write its confirmation number on the SST line.
- Listing a document recorded from 1975 onward in the pre-1975 table, or the reverse, instead of using book and page numbers for older records and the instrument number for newer ones.
- Leaving the regular copies or certified copies column blank, so the Recorder cannot tell which kind of copy you want.
- Sending the form by regular mail to the street address or by express courier to the PO Box; the form gives a separate address for each.
- Dropping documents from the order when the rows run out, instead of continuing on the back of the form as the form allows.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Real Estate Record Copy Order Form?
It is the Santa Barbara County Recorder's form for ordering regular or certified copies of recorded documents. You list each document by book and page number (before 1975) or instrument number (1975 to present), enter the copy counts and select one return option.
Does this form pay Santa Barbara County property tax?
No. This form orders copies of documents already recorded with the Santa Barbara County Recorder, and it has no lines for tax payment or assessment. For Santa Barbara County property tax questions, use the county's website at countyofsb.org.
Where do I send the Santa Barbara County Recorder copy order form?
Send it by regular mail to PO Box 159, Santa Barbara, CA 93102, or by express courier to 1100 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. The form also lists email at [email protected] and fax at 805-568-2266.
Can I get certified copies by email?
No. The form offers email return for regular copies only. If you order certified copies, select First Class or USPS Priority Express as your return option. You can still send the order form itself by email.
What do I enter for a document recorded before 1975?
Use the Documents Recorded Prior to 1975 table and enter the book number, page number, document date and document type. For documents recorded from 1975 to the present, use the other table and enter the instrument number instead.
How do I pay for the copies?
Regular and certified copies are priced per copy, and each return option has its own charge; the rates are printed on the form. To pay by credit card, complete the online authorization and write the confirmation number on the SST line. Do not email card numbers.
Can I order more documents than the form has rows for?
Yes. The form says you may use the back for additional space, so continue the list there with the same details: book and page or instrument number, document date, document type and the number of regular and certified copies.
Can I fill out this form online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not send your order to the Recorder; you submit it by mail, courier, email or fax as the form directs.
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