FAQ's and General Information

Board of Supervisors
Colusa Clerk

Filing A Fictitious Business Name Statement

Fictitious Business Name Filing Fees

Marriage Licenses

Marriages Performed by the County Marriage Commissioner or Deputy

Filing a Notary Public Oath

Notary Bond and Oath Fees

How to Obtain a Passport

Process Server

Professional Photocopier

Certified Copies of Colusa County Birth, Death, Marriage Records

Recorder

Lien Notification

Lien Searches

Real Property - Basic Recording Fee

Deeds

Preliminary Change of Ownership

Documentary Transfer Tax

Search Requests

Uniform Commercial Code Forms (UCC)

Elections

Permanent Absentee Ballot

Absentee Ballots

Colusa County Elections at a Glance

Congressional, Senate & Assembly District Officials

Voter Registration Deadline

Qualifications to Register to Vote in the State of California

Where to Register

Public Notices
Archives
Miscellaneous

Board of Supervisors

Currently no information.

County Clerk

Filing A Fictitious Business Name Statement (Click Here to Download Form)

The filing fee for filing a Fictitious Business Name Statement is $10.00 for one owner. An additional fee of $2.00 is charged for each additional owner or Fictitious Business Name listed on the statement. It is wise to research the Fictitious Business Name index before filing your statement to ensure the uniqueness of your business name. Research may be done in person or by mail. Mail requests should be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Fictitious Business Name Statements must be filed with the Clerk of the County in which the registrant has his or her principal place of business. The complete address of the business and of each registrant must be clearly printed on the statement. Post office boxes are not acceptable. The statement must be signed by the registrant. If more than one owner is listed on the form, only one Owner/Registrant is required to sign the form. If the business is being conducted by a corporation, an officer of the corporation must sign the statement and the state of corporation must be included. Fictitious Business Name Statements must be published in a local newspaper for four (4) consecutive weeks and proof of publications must be filed in the office. Fictitious Business Name Statements are valid for five (5) years and must be renewed after the 5 years.

Fictitious Business Name Filing Fees

The filing fee is $10.00 for one owner. An additional $2.00 is charged for each additional owner or Fictitious Business Name listed on the same statement. Abandonments and Partnership withdrawals are $5.00. Regular photocopies are $1.00 per page. Certified copies are $2.00.

Marriage Licenses

To apply for a marriage license, both parties, male and female, must appear in person. You must be at least 18 years of age and unmarried. A current, picture identification, such as a Drivers License, is required. The marriage license is valid for 90 days from the date of issuance and only in the State of California. The fee for a marriage license is $55.00.

Marriages Performed by the County Marriage Commissioner or Deputy

Marriage ceremonies for couples with valid marriage licenses may be requested at any time during regular business hours. The charge for a civil ceremony is $30.00. Couples may either schedule a time and day in advance, or ask to be married at the same time they obtain their license. Marriages are performed by the County Marriage Commissioner and Deputy Marriage Commissioners. A certified copy of the completed marriage license/certificate is available for a charge of $13.00.

Filing a Notary Public Oath

Effective January 1, 1997, within thirty (30) days from the beginning of the term prescribed in your notary commission, you may take your oath before the County Clerk or a notary public. In person, present your $15,000 bond, issued by a surety company of your choice, your commission from the Secretary of State and the appropriate filing and recording fees to the County Clerk in the county within which you maintain your principal place of business. Notary bond information must match exactly with what is on the notary commission. The Clerk will administer the oath, have you sign two oaths, then forward the bond and one oath to the County Recorder for recording. Within 3 weeks the recorded document will be returned to you by mail. If you choose to take your oath before a notary public, and your principal place of business is Colusa County, he/she will administer the oath and send by certified mail your notary bond, two oaths of office, your commission and the filing and recording fees to: Colusa County Clerk, 546 Jay Street, Colusa, CA 95932. Be sure all forms are complete and allow enough time for the mail delivery to the Clerk''s office.

Notary Bond and Oath Fees

The notary bond and oath filing fee is $7.00 and recording fees are $7.00 for a one page bond plus $3.00 for each additional page. All pages must be 8.5" x 11" or an additional $3.00 per page will be required.

How to Obtain a Passport

The County Clerk is a passport agent of the Federal Government and as such is the processing point for your passport. We do not issue the passport, we only process it and send it to the lockbox point for further processing and issuance. Passport applications are available in our office. For the most current information on passport requirements go to the U.S. Dept of State website <http://travel.state.gov>.

Process Server

The Registration of a Process Server is required when any person makes more than 10 services of process within California during one calendar year. The registrant must file the certificate of registration with the County Clerk along with a bond of $2,000 executed by an admitted surety insurer. The County Clerk then forwards the bond to the County Recorder for recording. Registration forms are available at the County Clerk's Office. The registration filing fee is $100.00 plus recording fee for the bond payable to the County Clerk. The recording fee is $7.00 for the first page and $3.00 for each additional page of the bond. An additional fee of $3.00 will be charged per every page of a document containing a page which is not standard size (8.5" x 11").

Professional Photocopier

Registrant must file a Certificate of Registration with the County Clerk, along with a bond in the amount of $5,000 executed by an admitted surety insurer. The County Clerk then forwards the bond to the County Recorder for recording. The Certificate is effective for two (2) years.Registration Forms are available at the office of the County Clerk. The Registration Fee is $175.00, plus $10.00 for issuance of a required identification card. The fee to record the bond is $7.00 for the first page, and three dollars for each additional page of the bond.If the applicant is currently registered a registered process server, the fee is $100.00, with all other fees applicable as stated above.

Certified Copies of Colusa County Birth, Death, Marriage Records

We provide copies of Birth and Death Certificates if the event occurred in Colusa County. We provide copies of Marriage Certificates if the license was issued in Colusa County. You may request vital record copies in these ways:

1. Come to the office between 8:30a.m. and 3:30p.m. for same day service.

2. Write to the Colusa County Clerk-Recorder. Please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope and the necessary fee for each copy requested as well as the REQUIRED APPLICATION FORM for BIRTH and DEATH CERTIFICATES.

Birth Certificates for newborns are available approximately 6 weeks after the birth occurs.

Death Certificates are available approximately 4 weeks after the death occurs.

Marriage Certificates are available approximately 3 working days after they are received from the Officiant.

Birth Certificates = $14.00 per copy (Download Required Form Here)
The following information is needed for ordering copies of Birth Certificates:
o The required application (see above)
o The name of the child at birth
o Date of birth
o Mother's maiden last name

Death Certificates = $12.00 per copy (Download Required Form Here)
The following information is needed for ordering copies of Death Certificates:
o The required application (see above)
o Decedent's name
o Date of death

Marriage Certificates = $13.00 per copy
o Groom's name
o Bride's maiden last name
o Date of marriage

Please allow approximately 5 working days to receive your certificate by regular mail. Because each copy is printed on security paper and bears a raised seal, we cannot fax copies to you.

Recorder

Lien Notification

To all abstracts of judgments add a lien notification fee of $5.00 for the first debtor and $2.00 for each additional debtor. Other involuntary judgments, mechanics liens, etc., add $5.00 for the first debtor and $2.00 for each additional debtor if the debtor's address appears on the document.

Lien Searches

We do not perform lien searches, however we can verify a specific name for you from our index. We strongly recommend that you or your representative come in to view the document, or if you have a document recording number, we can provide a copy by mail. Our regular copy fee is $1.00 per page. There is a fee of $1.00 to certify the document.

Real Property - Basic Recording Fee

The basic recording for most documents is $7.00 for the first page and $3.00 for each additional page. The printed material on the backside of a document is considered an additional page. If any page of a document is not 8.5" x 11", then all pages of the document will be subject to an additional fee of $3.00 for each page. Each document submitted for recording shall have at least ½" margin on each vertical side. In addition, the top 2.5" of the first page (from the left to the right edges), shall be reserved for recording information. The top left 2.5" x 3.5" of the space is used by the public to show the recording requestor's name and the name and address to which the document is to be returned following recording. The remaining portion of the space is for the Recorder's recording label. In the event the first page or sheet of a document does not contain the above required space, a cover sheet must be attached to the front of the document. This page shall contain the requesting party's name and return address information and shall reflect the title or titles of the document. There is an additional recording fee of $3.00 for this page. Checks should be made payable to the Colusa County Recorder. The fee for documents with two or more titles is $7.00 per title, per page, plus $3.00 for each additional page.

Deeds

In addition to the basic recording fee of $7.00 for the first page and $3.00 for each additional page thereafter, there are other fees which may be due on deeds, such as documentary transfer tax (See Transfer Tax below) and a preliminary change of ownership fee (PCOR) fee may also be charged. (See PCOR below)

Preliminary Change of Ownership

There is no charge for the Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (PCOR) if it is complete and accompanies the transfer document (Deed). Without a PCOR, there may be additional fee of $20.00. PCOR forms are available at the County Assessor's Office, located in the Historic Colusa County Courthouse at 547 Market Street, Colusa, CA 95932. The phone number for the Colusa County Assessor is (530) 458-0450.

Documentary Transfer Tax

If there is consideration or anything of value given in order to transfer the real property, documentary transfer tax may be due at the rate of $0.55 cents for each $500 or fractional part thereof when the net consideration or value exceeds $100, exclusive of the value of any lien or encumbrance remaining thereon at the time of the transfer.

Search Requests

Our customers search the General Index themselves for recorded documents. Our records are open to the public during office hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

Uniform Commercial Code Forms (UCC)

Effective July 1, 2001, new law eliminated some local filings, transferring them to the Secretary of State. While a few states still require dual filing (both central and local) on many transactions, California, like most other states, requires financing statements (and related documents) to be filed either with the Secretary of State or the County Recorder. The proper place to file depends on the type of collateral.

For further information and new forms, go to www.ss.ca.gov or click on Recorder tab above, click on the LINK to the Secretary of State at the bottom of the page, see the California Business Portal menu for information on UCC Filings with the State of California.

Elections

Permanent Absentee Ballot

NEW Effective 1/1/2002, any registered voter may become a PERMANENT ABSENTEE VOTER! Once enrolled, you will automatically receive an absentee ballot for every election in which you are entitled to vote. You will no longer need to make an application for each election.

However, if you fail to vote in a statewide general election, your permanent absentee status will be cancelled, and you will have to re-apply. Cancellation will not affect your active voter registration status.

To request an application for Permanent Absentee Voter status, contact our office at (530) 458-0500 OR e-mail us at info@colusacountyclerk.com.

Absentee Ballots

Any registered voter may vote by Absentee Ballot, and may request one by completing the request form on the back of their Sample Ballot and mailing to the Registrar of Voters. It is not necessary to wait for your Sample Ballot to request an Absentee Ballot. You may send a card or letter to the Registrar of Voters requesting an Absentee Ballot. Your request must state your name, residence address in Colusa County, the address to which the ballot is to be mailed, and your signature. Your request should be mailed to: Registrar of Voters, 546 Jay Street, Colusa, CA 95932

Colusa County Elections at a Glance

County Population: 18,804 (2000 Census Data)
Registered Voters: 8,002 (as of 10/3/2007)
Number of Voting Precincts: 17
County Seat: City of Colusa
Incorporated Cities: City of Colusa & City of Williams

Congressional, Senate & Assembly District Officials

Congressional District 2:
Representative: WALLY HERGER (R)
55 Independence Circle, #104
Chico, CA 95973
(530) 893-8363
FAX (530) 893-8619

In Washington:
2268 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-0502
(202) 225-3076
FAX (202) 226-0852

State Senate District 4:
Representative: SAMUEL AANESTAD (R)
200 Providence Mine
Nevada City, CA 95959
(530) 470-1846

Capitol Office:
3056 State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 445-3353
Fax: (916) 445-7750

State Assembly District 2:
Representative: DOUG LA MALFA (R)
2865 Churn Creek Rd.
Redding, CA 96002
Phone: (530) 223-6300
FAX (530) 223-6737

Capitol Office:
4177 State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 319-2002
FAX (916) 319-2102

Voter Registration Deadline

The voter registration deadline is 15 days before an election.

Qualifications to Register to Vote in the State of California

A person entitled to register to vote must be a United States Citizen;
A California Resident;
Not in Prison or on Parole for the Conviction of a Felony; and
At least 18 years of Age on the date of the next election. A person may Register to Vote at Age 17 if He or She will be 18 years of age on or before the next election.

Where to Register

Voter registration forms are available at the office of the County Clerk Recorder located in the Hall of Records, Colusa County Courthouse at 546 Jay Street, Colusa, CA 95932. Forms are also available at the Department of Motor Vehicles, public libraries and post offices. Persons may also call the Registrar of Voters at 530-458-0500 and a form will be mailed to you.

Public Notices

Currently no information.

Archives

Currently no information.

Miscellaneous

Currently no information.