BOE-502-A Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (2026)
Buyers and other transferees file this with a recorded deed or similar transfer so the Assessor can review the change of ownership. Recording is often delayed if it is missing.
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Southern California · November 14, 2026
Guides & forms
Official deed and recording forms for Southern California
These official forms and recorder pages are the ones people use when they need to transfer, or record a document about, real property in the five-county area. Orange County does not publish official blank grant or quitclaim deeds. A deed is easy to get wrong, and a recorded error can be expensive to unwind. This is not legal advice.
42 official forms and packets we could verify, grouped on this page. The full directory, including every category, stays on our real estate forms hub.
BOE-502-AH Change of Ownership Statement
The Assessor may send or require this statement after a transfer if more ownership information is needed.
BOE-502-D Change in Ownership Statement — Death of Real Property Owner
Used to report a change in ownership when a real property owner has died, which can affect reassessment and title follow-up.
Orange County Clerk-Recorder property document forms
Official forms page for documents the Clerk-Recorder does publish. Orange County does not provide official blank grant or quitclaim deed forms; those are typically prepared on title-company stationery. Always attach the current Preliminary Change of Ownership Report when a transfer is recorded.
Affidavit of death of joint tenant or trustee (forms page)
Official Recorder page for affidavits used after a joint tenant or a trustee dies, which are often recorded to update title.
Documentary transfer tax statutes (information)
Official statutory information the Recorder publishes about documentary transfer tax, which is often declared on the face of a deed.
Grant deed (sample / courtesy form)
A grant deed is the usual deed a seller uses to transfer title and make certain implied warranties. This is the Recorder's official sample form; recording rules and taxes still apply, and a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report is typically required.
Los Angeles County deed forms page
The Recorder's official list of deed-related sample forms and recording information.
Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (BOE-502-A)
File this with a recorded conveyance so the Assessor can review the transfer. The Recorder's official PDF is the version commonly presented at recording.
Quitclaim deed (sample / courtesy form)
A quitclaim deed transfers whatever interest the signer has, without the usual grant-deed warranties. It is often used between family members or to clear title, not as a substitute for a sale escrow.
Revocable transfer on death (TOD) deed (sample)
An owner can use a TOD deed to name a beneficiary who takes the property at death, without probate, if the deed is validly completed and recorded on time. It can be revoked while the owner is alive.
Revocable transfer on death deed FAQ
Official questions and answers about recording a TOD deed in Los Angeles County, including common rejection reasons.
Revocation of revocable transfer on death deed (sample)
Used to revoke a previously recorded TOD deed while the owner is still living. The revocation generally must be recorded to be effective.
Affidavit — death of joint tenant (sample)
Recorded after a joint tenant dies so the surviving joint tenant can update title, often together with a death certificate.
Affidavit — death of trustee (sample)
Used when a trustee of a recorded trust has died and title needs to reflect a successor trustee.
BOE-502-A Preliminary Change of Ownership Report
The county's official PCOR, filed with a recorded transfer so the Assessor can review the change of ownership.
BOE-502-D Change in Ownership Statement — Death of Property Owner
Used to report a change in ownership after a property owner dies.
Documentary transfer tax affidavit (ACR 521)
Used to support a documentary transfer tax amount or a claimed exemption when a deed is recorded.
Documentary transfer tax information sheet (ACR 195)
County information sheet explaining how documentary transfer tax is declared in Riverside County.
Grant deed (sample / courtesy form)
The county's official sample grant deed for transferring title. A Preliminary Change of Ownership Report and any documentary transfer tax declaration are typically required at recording.
Homestead declaration (sample)
An owner can record a homestead declaration to claim the automatic homestead protections that can apply to a principal residence.
Quitclaim deed (sample / courtesy form)
The county's official sample quitclaim deed, used to transfer whatever interest the signer has without grant-deed warranties.
Revocable transfer on death deed (sample)
County sample of the statutory TOD deed an owner can record to pass the property to a named beneficiary at death, if the legal requirements are met.
Revocation of revocable transfer on death deed (sample)
County sample form to revoke a recorded TOD deed during the owner's lifetime.
Affidavit of death of joint tenant (sample)
Recorded after a joint tenant dies so title can be updated for the survivor.
Affidavit of surviving spouse (2026)
County form used in some situations after a spouse dies, to support a title or recording request. Read the form for when it applies; it is not a substitute for every probate or TOD situation.
Declaration of homestead (sample)
An owner can record this to declare a homestead on a principal residence.
Documentary transfer tax claim for refund (2026)
Used to ask the county for a refund of documentary transfer tax that was paid in error or qualifies for a refund.
Grant deed (sample / courtesy form)
The county's official sample grant deed for transferring title. A Preliminary Change of Ownership Report is typically required at recording.
Notice of declared documentary transfer tax (2026)
County form used when declaring documentary transfer tax on a recorded document.
Quitclaim deed (sample / courtesy form)
The county's official sample quitclaim deed.
Revocable transfer on death deed (sample)
County sample of the statutory TOD deed used to name a beneficiary at death, if legal requirements are met.
Revocation of revocable transfer on death deed (sample)
County sample form to revoke a recorded TOD deed during the owner's lifetime.
San Bernardino County forms and fees list
Official list of recorder and assessor forms and fees, including additional affidavits and recording coversheets.
Affidavit of death of joint tenant (courtesy form)
County courtesy affidavit recorded after a joint tenant dies so title can be updated.
BOE-502-A Preliminary Change of Ownership Report
The county's official PCOR, filed with a recorded transfer.
Grant deed (courtesy form)
The county's courtesy grant deed form for transferring title, with a companion instruction sheet.
Grant deed instructions
Official instructions for completing the county's courtesy grant deed.
Preliminary Change of Ownership Report instructions
Official instructions for the San Diego County PCOR.
Quitclaim deed (courtesy form)
The county's courtesy quitclaim deed form.
Revocable transfer on death (TOD) deed (courtesy form)
County courtesy form of the statutory TOD deed used to name a beneficiary at death, if legal requirements are met.
Revocation of revocable transfer on death deed (courtesy form)
County courtesy form to revoke a recorded TOD deed during the owner's lifetime.
Who this is for, and when to use it
Buyers, sellers, heirs, and owners who are changing title, recording a transfer tax affidavit, or checking a recording requirement use this page. It is also for people who have been told they need a grant deed, quitclaim deed, interspousal deed or preliminary change of ownership report. Use it to find the official form or recorder page, then confirm with the recorder, an escrow officer or a qualified attorney before you sign or record.
Key terms
Grant deed and quitclaim deed
Two common ways to transfer an interest in California real property. They do not do the same work, and the wrong choice can leave title problems behind.
Recording
Filing the document with the county recorder so it becomes part of the public record. Recording is not the same as insuring title.
PCOR
The Preliminary Change of Ownership Report that often accompanies a recorded transfer and is used by the assessor.
Transfer tax
A tax that may be due on a recorded conveyance. Cities and counties set rates and exemptions; confirm the current amount with the recorder.
Notary and witnesses
Most deeds must be notarized. The recorder can reject a document that is incomplete, unnotarized or on the wrong paper size.
How to use this, step by step
- Identify the county where the property is located; that is the recorder you will use.
- Confirm whether that county publishes a blank deed or only instructions and sample formats. Orange County does not publish official blank grant or quitclaim deeds.
- Download the official form or read the official recording requirements, including margins, paper size and cover sheets.
- Have the document prepared or reviewed, signed and notarized, and complete any PCOR or transfer-tax affidavit the recorder requires.
- Record in person or by the method the recorder allows, pay the posted fees and taxes, and keep the recorded copy.
Costs, timelines, and common pitfalls
Recorder fees, transfer taxes and notary fees are set by the county, the city and the notary and change. A rejected document costs time and sometimes a new notary trip. Common pitfalls include using a deed form from the wrong county, skipping the PCOR, misstating how title is held, or recording a quitclaim when a different instrument was needed. Recording is public; it does not by itself clear liens or create title insurance.
County-by-county notes
Orange County
The Assessor, Clerk-Recorder and Treasurer-Tax Collector are separate offices. Orange County does not publish official blank grant or quitclaim deeds. Confirm exemptions and payment addresses on the official tax collector and assessor sites.
Los Angeles County
The Assessor, Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk and Treasurer and Tax Collector each publish their own lookup tools and forms. Many property-tax claims are filed with the Assessor.
Riverside County
The Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder publishes many of the sample deeds and tax forms used countywide, including in Moreno Valley and Temecula.
San Bernardino County
The Assessor/Recorder and the Tax Collector publish property information and payment pages. Supplemental bills and exemption claims are easy to mix up; read the official letter.
San Diego County
The Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk publishes courtesy deed forms and property-tax claims. Confirm the current packet on the official site before you record or file.
Before you start
- Confirm the legal description and assessor parcel number from a recent official record, not from memory.
- Confirm how title is currently held, and how it should be held after the transfer.
- Check the recorder's current form, margin and cover-sheet rules.
- Budget for recording fees, transfer tax if it applies, and notary costs.
- Ask an escrow officer, title company or qualified attorney to review the document if the transfer is more than a simple, well-understood change.
A short real-estate example
Questions
Does Orange County publish a blank grant deed?
No. Orange County does not publish official blank grant or quitclaim deeds. Use a form your title company or attorney provides, prepared to that recorder's requirements.
Is a recorded deed the same as title insurance?
No. Recording makes a document part of the public record. Title insurance, if you buy it, is a separate contract.
Do I always pay transfer tax?
Not always. Some transfers qualify for an exemption, and the amounts differ by county and city. Confirm with the recorder before you record.
Can I record a deed I filled in from the internet?
Only if it meets the recorder's legal and formatting requirements and is the right instrument. Many informal templates are rejected or create title problems.
What is a PCOR?
A Preliminary Change of Ownership Report that the assessor uses after a transfer. Recorders often require it with the deed.
Should I use a quitclaim deed to add a spouse or a child?
Not automatically. The choice of instrument and the tax consequences, including property-tax reassessment and gift issues, should be reviewed with a qualified professional.
Where are the eviction or tax forms?
They have their own pages, and the complete directory is on our forms hub.
Official resource links
We link only official government or court pages. Confirm the current version on the official site.
Questions about a specific home or transaction? Call or text 833-THIS-BROKER (833-842-7465), text us, or request a call. Dr. Hamid Rowshan, Choice of America. DRE #02004794, company DRE #02240008.
This page is general information for Southern California homeowners, buyers, sellers and renters. It is not legal, tax, insurance or lending advice, not a loan offer, and not a substitute for the official agency, court, lender or insurer that will handle your file. Rules, fees, maps and forms change. Confirm every figure and every filing with the official office before you act.