Fresno County Recorder Mechanics Lien Filing

You can file your mechanics lien in person at the Fresno County Recorder’s office located at:

Hall of Records
2281 Tulare Street
Room 302
Fresno, CA 93721

Office Counter Hours: Monday – Friday (8:30am to 4:30pm)

You can also submit lien documents for recording by mail to:

P.O. Box 766
Fresno, CA 93712

For more information, you can call them at 559-600-5956.

Fresno County does not publicly disclose their recording backlog but you can give them a call at 559-600-5956 to ask how long recording your document may take. In general, in person applications may be processed while you wait while processing by mail may take a week or two.

If the location of the property where work was performed was in Fresno County, a lien should be filed with the Fresno County Recorder’s office.

The Fresno County Recorder’s office has set the following general requirements for recording a mechanics lien:

1. The property must be located in Fresno County (CC §1169)
2. The document must be authorized or required by law to be recorded (GC §27201)
3. The document must be submitted with the proper fees and taxes (GC §6301, §27201, §27261)
4. The document must be in compliance with state and local laws
5. The document should name the person requesting the recording (GC §27361.6)
6. The document should state the name and address of the person or agency to whom the document should be returned after recording, by filling in “Recording requested by and mail to” (GC §27361.6)
7. The document must be legible enough to produce a readable photographic record (GC §27201, §27261.6, §27361.7)
8. Signatures must be originals unless the document is a certified copy issued by the appropriate custodian of the public record (GC §27201b, GC §28288, Evid Code §1530)
9. The document must be properly acknowledged, unless exempt. California requires an all-purpose acknowledgment (GC §27201, §27289, §27285, §27287, §27288, CC §1189)
10. The Assessor’s Parcel Number is required on all documents that transfer an interest in real property (R&T §11911.1)
11. The notary seal must be legible and photographically reproducible (GC §8207)

Paper Size: Documents must comply with the standard 8 1/2″ by 11″ sheet and paper size to avoid penalty, and may never exceed 8 1/2″ by 14″. Any document including any sheet not 8 1/2″ by 11″ will incur an additional recording fee per page.

First page: must have a return address space on the top left 2 1/2″ down from the top edge of the page and 3 1/2″ wide, measured from the left edge of the page. On the top right, allow a blank space 2 1/2″ down from the top edge of the page and 5″ wide for the recording information.

Cover page: If there is not enough space for the Recorder’s Stamp (label) on the first page, an additional $3.00 will be charged for a cover page which will be placed on top of the document to provide the necessary space to accommodate the Recording Stamp.

The title of the document shall appear on the first page immediately below the spaces reserved for the return address and the blank space for the Recorder’s information.

You can download a sample cover page at:

https://www.co.fresno.ca.us/departments/recorder/recorder-forms#coversheet

The Fresno County Recorder accepts cash, check, money order and credit card in person. There is a 2% service fee when using a credit card.

BUT DO NOT SEND CASH BY MAIL. Fresno County Recorder’s Office has made it clear they are not responsible for cash lost, misdirected, or undelivered by mail.

The Fresno County Recorder’s base fee to file a mechanics lien is $19.00 for the first page and $3.00 for each additional page.

Additional recording fees

Non-conforming Fee:
$3.00 per page that does not measure 8 1/2”x11”.

Indexing Fee: $1.00 for each group of 10 names or fraction thereof after the initial group of 10 names.
$1.00 for each reference to a previously recorded document.

Penalty Print:

$1.00 per page

Release of lien by a government agency: $17.00

Copy Fees

$1.50 Each index page.
$1.50 Each 8 1/2″ x 11″ first page.
$0.50 Each 8 1/2″ x 11″ additional page (other than first page).
$4.00 Each first page larger than 8½” x 11″.
$2.00 Each additional page larger than 8½” x 11″ (other than first page).
$1.00 Certification under seal (additional fee per document).

You can request a recorded copy of your lien by person, by mail, or by using the self-service page. Note that the Fresno County Recorder’s Office do not accept requests for copies of documents by phone, fax, or email.

You can request a copy in person at the Fresno County Recorder’s Office located at:

Hall of Records
2281 Tulare Street
Room 302
Fresno, CA 93721

Office Counter Hours: Monday – Friday (8:30am to 4:30pm)

You can use the self service page if you will be picking up the copies in person.

Self service page link:

https://fresnocountyca-web.tylerhost.net/web/user/disclaimer

You can also send your request for a copy of recorded document by mail to:

P.O. Box 766
Fresno, CA 93712

You can usually trace ownership history by viewing deeds in an official record search. Title companies can be used to search this type of information.

Determining whether you do or do not have a mechanics lien right can be tricky. Generally speaking, every state gives those who have furnished labor and/or materials to a construction project the right to file a mechanics lien if unpaid for the furnishing. The same is true in California. However, there are some state-specific limitations as to who is qualified to file a mechanics lien that is important when considering whether you have the right to file a mechanics lien in Fresno County.

Great and detailed information about this is available on our California Mechanics Lien Resources Page.

The fee to file a California Preliminary Notice in Fresno County is $19.00.