In Southern California, who typically pays for the owner's title insurance policy?

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In Southern California, the owner’s title insurance policy is typically paid by the seller. This policy protects the buyer’s interest in the property by ensuring the title is valid and free of defects that could affect ownership, and the premium for this protection is usually one of the seller’s closing costs that are handled as part of the sale. The buyer may still obtain and pay for a lender’s title insurance policy if there is financing, but the owner’s policy itself is normally seller-paid.

The other items listed relate to different closing costs: notary fees cover notarizing documents, reconveyance fees relate to releasing the deed of trust after payoff, and documentary transfer tax is a separate transfer tax. None of these describe who pays for the owner’s title policy, which is why the seller paying for the owner’s title policy is the best answer.