What Is an L2G County Clerk Charge on Your Statement?

An “L2G county clerk” charge on your credit or debit card statement is a payment to a county clerk’s office processed by Link2Gov, a third-party company that handles card payments for government agencies. The “L2G” prefix is shorthand for Link2Gov, and the text after it identifies the specific office that received the money, usually for something like a recording fee, a marriage license, a certified copy, or a court filing.

Reading the Descriptor on Your Statement

Link2Gov is a subsidiary of Worldpay and processes electronic payments for county clerks, courts, tax offices, and other public agencies through web portals, phone systems, kiosks, and in-office terminals.¹

The text following “L2G*” is the clue to which office was paid. Los Angeles County’s public health payments show up as “L2G*LACOEPAY-Department of Public Health.”² The Township of Nutley, New Jersey uses “L2G*Township of Nutley.”³ Consumers have also reported descriptors like “L2G*Maricopa cosc” (Maricopa County Superior Court) and “L2G*TN Dep” for a Tennessee department.⁴ If the descriptor names a county, a clerk, or a court abbreviation, it’s a clerk or court payment.

The Separate Convenience Fee

Expect two charges, not one. Link2Gov adds a non-refundable convenience fee on top of the government payment and posts it as its own line, often labeled “Link2Gov Service Fee” or “L2G*Service Fee.”²³ One Link2Gov site lists the fee at 2.35% of the transaction with a $2.79 minimum.⁵ The rate varies by agency and channel. The fee goes to Link2Gov, not to the clerk’s office.

What County Clerk Services Produce These Charges

County clerks handle a wide range of transactions, any of which can land on your statement as an L2G charge. Common examples:

Recording fees for deeds, liens, and mortgages. Orange County, California charges $12 for the first page and $3 for each additional page of a standard recording.⁶
Marriage licenses and ceremonies. Orange County charges $61 for a standard marriage license, $66 for a confidential license, $28 for a ceremony, and $19 for a certified copy of the marriage certificate.⁶
Certified copies of vital records. Birth certificates in Orange County cost $34; death certificates cost $26. Dallas County charges $1 per page for general records and $5 per case for certification.⁶⁷
Court filing fees. In the New York County Clerk’s Office, a new civil index number costs $210, motions $45, and jury demands $65.⁸
Business filings such as fictitious business name statements, which run $23 in Orange County.⁶

The dollar amount on your statement should match one of these service fees, with the Link2Gov convenience fee posted separately.

If You Don’t Recognize the Charge

Before treating the charge as fraud, think about who else may have used your card for a government transaction. A spouse, family member, attorney, or title company can all trigger a clerk payment on your behalf. Property closings, court filings, and license applications are common sources. The descriptor after “L2G*” usually names the agency, so start there.

If you didn’t authorize it, Link2Gov directs consumers to contact their card issuer for billing errors or unauthorized payments. The company’s customer service line is 1-877-513-5465. A completed payment cannot be cancelled through Link2Gov directly.⁵ And clerk fees themselves are generally non-refundable once the service has been performed. Jefferson County, Texas states that “most fees cannot be refunded” unless there was a clerical error.⁹

Disputing the Charge With Your Card Issuer

If you can’t resolve the charge with Link2Gov or the clerk’s office, you can dispute it under the Fair Credit Billing Act. Send a written dispute letter to your card issuer’s billing-inquiries address within 60 days of the statement date. Include your name, account number, a description of the error, and copies of any supporting documents. Certified mail creates a record of delivery.¹⁰

The issuer must acknowledge your letter within 30 days and resolve the dispute within 90 days. While the investigation is open, you can withhold payment on the disputed amount, and the issuer cannot report it as delinquent or pursue collection on that charge.¹⁰ If you’re not satisfied with the outcome, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints at consumerfinance.gov/complaint or (855) 411-2372.¹¹

1
Worldpay. Link2Gov
2
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Payment Terms
3
Township of Nutley. Online Payments
4
Intuit TurboTax Community. L2G Service Fee Charge on Credit Card Statement
5
ILTaxPayment.com. FAQ
6
Orange County Clerk-Recorder. Fee Schedule
7
Dallas County. Fees and Payment
8
New York County Clerk’s Office. Filing Fees
9
Jefferson County Clerk. Recording Fees
10
Federal Trade Commission. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges
11
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. How Can I Get a Refund on a Product or Service I Purchased With My Credit Card