(a) An agreement authorized by this chapter may be acknowledged and recorded, and rerecorded, in the same manner and with the same effect as a conveyance of real property except that two years after the date the agreement is recorded, or rerecorded, the record ceases to be notice to any person for any purpose.
§ 1273.050.Acknowledgment and Recording of Agreement
Title 7. Eminent Domain Law · Chapter 12. Arbitration of Compensation in Acquisitions of Property for Public Use · Enacted 1975 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 29, 2026
In one sentenceSection 1273.050 lets a Chapter 12 arbitration agreement, or a memorandum of it containing the parties' names, a property description, and a statement that the agreement was made, be acknowledged and recorded like a real property conveyance, with the record ceasing to give notice two years after recording.
Full Text of § 1273.050
(b) In lieu of recording the agreement, there may be recorded a memorandum thereof, executed by the parties to the agreement, containing at least the following information: the names of the parties to the agreement, a description of the property, and a statement that an arbitration agreement affecting such property has been entered into pursuant to this chapter. Such memorandum when acknowledged and recorded, or rerecorded, in the same manner as a conveyance of real property has the same effect as if the agreement itself were recorded or rerecorded.
Plain-English Summary
An agreement to arbitrate compensation can affect how a piece of property is treated going forward, so this section gives the parties a way to put that agreement on the public record, using the same mechanics as recording a deed.
The agreement itself may be acknowledged and recorded, and later rerecorded, following the same procedure and carrying the same legal effect as recording a conveyance of real property. That record doesn't last forever as constructive notice, though -- two years after the agreement is recorded or rerecorded, the record stops serving as notice to anyone for any purpose.
Parties who'd rather not record the full agreement have an alternative: recording a memorandum instead. That memorandum has to be executed by the parties and include, at minimum, their names, a description of the property, and a statement that an arbitration agreement covering the property was entered into under this chapter. Once acknowledged and recorded the same way a conveyance would be, the memorandum carries the identical legal effect as if the full agreement had been recorded.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an arbitration agreement under this chapter be recorded?
Yes, it may be acknowledged and recorded, and rerecorded, the same way a conveyance of real property would be.
How long does a recorded agreement serve as notice to others?
Two years after the date it is recorded or rerecorded; after that, the record no longer serves as notice for any purpose.
Is there a shorter alternative to recording the whole agreement?
Yes, the parties can instead record a memorandum containing their names, a property description, and a statement that an arbitration agreement was entered into under this chapter.
Does recording a memorandum have the same effect as recording the full agreement?
Yes, once acknowledged and recorded like a conveyance, it has the same effect as if the agreement itself had been recorded.
Amendment History
Added by Stats. 1975, Ch. 1275.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 29, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: recording arbitration agreement eminent domain californiamemorandum of arbitration agreement condemnation