Recording Fees

$5.00 per page and 50¢ per legal description*

Documentary Stamp Tax for deeds is $2.25 per $1,000.00 of the sale price. See Documentary Stamp Tax table.

Certain deeds are exempt from documentary stamp tax; please check Exemption List for details. Deeds transferring property into a trust will need a Certification of Exempt Status of Deeds to Trustees.  

Documentary Stamp Tax has increased from $1.75 to $2.25 effective July 1, 2005.

All deeds must be accompanied by a Real Estate Transfer Statement-Form 521. Fill-in and print a Real Estate Transfer Statement-Form 521.

*A legal description is any section-township-range (rural) or block and lot (city/village).  A new legal description is

 counted every time a section, township, range, block or lot changes.  If different quarters are in the same section, it  

 is counted as one legal description. If lots are used within a section, only the section is counted as the legal

 description.

Note: New document requirements for documents signed after August 27, 2011:

Statute 23-1503.01 and 23-1510

*Documents must have 3 inches by 8 inches of blank space at the top of the 1^st page for our

  recording information. Below the 3 inch margin, every instrument shall have the return address

  and the title of the instrument.

*An extra $5.00 will be charged per document that does not meet this statute, in order to add a  

  cover page for recording information.

*Printed forms intended for recordation purpose shall have a 1 inch margin on all other sides.

*All instruments submitted shall be in black ink on not less than 20 pound weight white paper

  measuring at least 8 ½ inches by 11 inches and not larger than 8 ½ inches by 14 inches.

*A font size of at least 8 points shall be presumed sufficiently legible.

*Each signature on an instrument shall be black or dark blue ink.

*The name of each party to the instrument shall be typed, printed or stamped beneath the original

  signature.

*An embossed or inked stamp shall not cover or otherwise materially interfere with any part of the

  instrument.

*Certain exceptions apply.

Return of Documents

Documents are typically photocopied on Friday and are returned to the sender, unless otherwise instructed.

Copies

Note:

The Clerk’s office does not do searches of the records. Please hire an abstractor for any required searches.