A California deed of trust, also called a trust deed, is a document that secures a loan used to buy real property. This deed of trust form regulates the relationship between the Borrower, the Lender and the Trustee. To learn more, see our full article on deed forms.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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Other California Deed Forms
The Borrower receives money from the Lender to buy real property. As security against the loan, the Borrower gives legal title to the property to the Lender. Until the loan is fully paid, the Trustee holds this title in trust for the Lender. After the full payment of the loan amount, the title goes back to the Borrower.
This document provides the Lender with insurance if the Borrowers do not pay money on time or do not pay at all. Many people choose to use this document instead of a mortgage relationship.
A deed of trust shows up in many kinds of real estate loans. A buyer who borrows money for a home, a plot of land or another property uses one, and so does an owner who borrows against property they already own. The loan, the Lender and the Trustee are all named in the same document.
A trust deed relies on a few terms that are easy to confuse. Understanding each one makes the form simpler to complete and the accompanying loan documentation easier to read. These are the terms you will meet most often.
Each state has its laws governing real property relations. Below are the main provisions related to the situation in California. Compare them with your loan papers, so the names, the property and the dates match across every document.
In California, the use of this document is described in § 1091-1099 of the Civil Code.
Like all other types of deeds, this form must be signed in the presence of a notary public. All parties to the agreement must append their signatures.
Once signed, the document is sent to the County Office where the property is located.
After that, all parties must keep a copy of the document.
Gather the details before you begin, so that you can complete the trust deed form in a single sitting. Keep your loan documentation and the current deed to the property within reach, and confirm that every name and number on the form matches those documents.
The form must contain a specific legal language, so we advise you to use our form-building software to create the document. The software walks you through each field, and you can save your progress and finish later on any device.
A sample entry for each part of the form shows how the details fit together. The names, addresses and figures below are made up for illustration, so replace each one with the information from your own loan documentation.
| Part of the form | Sample entry |
|---|---|
| Return address | Anna Baker, 123 Main Street, Anytown, CA 90000 |
| Date in point A | The day you fill out the form |
| Borrower | Anna Baker, 123 Main Street, Anytown, CA 90000 |
| Lender | Example Lending Company, 456 Oak Avenue, Anytown, CA 90000 |
| Trustee | Sam Rivera, 789 Pine Road, Anytown, CA 90000 |
| Note | Two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000), with the last repayment on June 1, 2056 |
| Property | 123 Main Street, Anytown, Sample County, CA 90000, plus the full legal description copied from the current deed |
A few careful habits help you avoid mistakes when you prepare a deed of trust. Take your time with the transaction details, and check each one twice before you print the final copy for signing.
Most problems with a deed of trust start with small details that were copied too quickly. Slow down on the parts of the form that name people, money and land, because those details link the Borrower, the Lender and the Trustee to the loan.
A deed of trust ties one loan to one property. Most questions therefore concern the identity of the parties, the loan documentation and the description of the land. Check each answer against your own loan papers before you sign anything.
A deed of trust, also called a trust deed, is a document that secures a loan used to buy real property. It involves a Borrower, a Lender and a Trustee.
Gathering these details first lets you finish the form in one sitting:
Check the current deed to the property first. Copy the legal description exactly as written, including every number and abbreviation.
Yes. Answer a few simple questions in our form-building software, save your progress, and then download and print the document on any device.
The Note is the written promise to repay the loan. In the form, you write the date, the sum borrowed and the date of the last repayment in the Note paragraph.
The Borrower is the person who receives the loan, and the Lender is the person or company that provides it. The Trustee is the third party named in the deed of trust who holds the title to the property for the Lender until the loan is paid off.
Keep a signed copy with your other loan papers. A copy helps you answer questions about the loan and about ownership of the property later, for example when you sell the property.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
