Kern County Recorder Mechanics Lien Filing

You can file you mechanic liens in person at the Kern County Recorder’s office located at:

Hall of Records

1655 Chester Ave.

Bakersfield, California 93301

Documents are recorded daily from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

You can also send lien documents via mail. You must send the original(s) document(s) along with appropriate recording fees to the Recorder’s mailing address:

Hall of Records
1655 Chester Avenue
Bakersfield, CA 93301

For more information, you can reach them by phone at 661-868-6400.

The Kern County Recorder’s office does not publicly disclose information on recording backlog. However, note that return delivery of original document for walk-in-recordings can be expected within 3-4 weeks of the recording date, and 4-6 weeks for documents sent via mail.

If the property where work was completed is in Kern County, you would file your mechanics lien in Kern County with the County Recorder.

The Kern County Recorder has published the following recording requirements:

1. Legibility: Documents must be legible and capable of reproducing a readable photographic record.

2. Legal Description & Recording References: Documents referencing land must include a legal description. Recording references, if any, must be listed on the document.

3. Exhibits & Riders: Exhibits and riders must be clearly marked as such and submitted with the respective document.

4. Signatures: Document must contain original signatures or a certified copy of the original. Certified copies must be unaltered.

5. Names of Parties: Names of the parties to be indexed must be legibly printed or typed near all signatures, and must be consistent throughout the document.

6. Notary Acknowledgment: Documents affecting title to real property must be properly acknowledged.

Paper Size: All documents must be in black ink on white paper and must comply with the 8 1/2″ x 11″ regular paper size and not to exceed 8 1/2″ x 14″. An additional recording fee will be charged for each page that is not 8 1/2″ x 11″.

Margin: All documents must have at least a 1/2″ margin on the two vertical sides; the right-hand 5″ of the top 2 1/2″ shall be reserved for the recorder label. An additional fee for the cover page will be charged if the proper space has not been reserved for the Recorder’s use.

The left-hand 3 1/2″ of the top 2 1/2″ shall be used for the name of the party requesting recordation and the name and mailing address where the document is to be mailed after recording.

The Kern County Recorder only accepts cash or check payments for recording fees. They should be made payable to the Kern County Recorder.

The Kern County Recorder’s base fee to file a mechanics lien is $13.00. Each additional page costs $3.00. Each document must comply with the standard 8 1/2”x11″ paper size and not to exceed 8/12″ x14″.

Non-conforming Page Fee: $3.00 for each page that is not 8 1/2”x11″.

Penalty Print: $1.00 per document if wording added to the printed form is spaced 9 vertical lines per inch and has 22 horizontal characters per inch.

Indexing Fee: $1.00 per group of ten
$1.00 per reference cited
Federal Liens and Releases: $23.00 for the first page. Each additional page costs $3.00.

Copy Fee: $3.00 for the first page, $0.50 for each additional page

Certification Fee: $0.50 per document

Note that the Kern County Recorder does not conform copies.

You may purchase a recorded copy of your lien from the county for a fee. The first page costs $3.00 and each additional page costs $0.50. You can have the copy certified for $0.50 per document. Note that the county does not conform copies.

You can request a recorded copy in person at the Kern County Recorder’s office located at:

Hall of Records
1655 Chester Ave.
Bakersfield, California 93301

Copies: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

You can also send a request via mail to:

Hall of Records
1655 Chester Ave.
Bakersfield, California 93301

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, if appropriate.

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 Kern County, California.

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

The fee to file a California Preliminary Notice in Kern County is $71.00