Henry County, Iowa

The Recorder's Office was created in 1839 by the First Legislative Assembly.

The Recorder continues to maintain official records of documents affecting title to real estate. Every real estate transaction that takes place begins in the Recorder’s Office, One of the major duties of the office is the management of public records.

As a result, accuracy and preservation of records are a must in the Recorder’s Office. In addition to real estate transactions, the Recorder’s Office serves as a licensing agent for the Iowa Department of Natural resources issuing boat, snowmobile and ATV registrations, titles and liens.

The Recorder’s Office serves as the Register of vital records accepting marriage applications and issues the subsequent license; issues certified copies of birth, death, and marriage records. As well as veteran’s discharge papers and other numerous duties.

This area of the office is responsible for recording and maintaining official records of documents affecting real estate. These include deeds, contracts, mortgages, assignments, releases, federal and state tax liens, affidavits, plats and surveys, section corner certificates, military service records, easements, condemnations, trade names, leases, 28E and drainage agreements, bills of sale, articles of incorporation, and financing statements plus numerous other documents.

The office records all instruments presented upon payment of the proper fees and compliance with other recording requirements as provided by law. Recording fees collected for the county provide a form of property tax relief. In addition, the auditor's fee on transfer of property as well as real estate transfer tax is collected on conveyances of property, a portion of which is retained in the county's general fund.

Federal and state tax lien searches are also performed. All records are open to the public and copies can be obtained for a nominal fee. To search the computer index or scanned images, Please go to http://iowalandrecords.org.

Most Records are public records and can be viewed in Office Deeds, Contracts, Mortgages, Assignments, Releases, Federal and State Tax Liens, Affidavits Plats and Surveys, Section Corner Certificates, Easements, Condemnations, Trade Names Leases, 28E & Drainage Agreements, Bills of Sale, Articles of Incorporation, Financing Statements

The Iowa County Association of Recorders has a statewide website, titled IA Land Record Information System or CLRIS. This website has indexing and images of recorded documents available for viewing.

http://iowalandrecords.org. Businesses and individuals need to register as a public user before using the website.

The statewide Iowa County Land Record Information System (CLRIS) has the capability of accepting e-submission filings. These real estate documents are submitted over the Internet for official recording in any county in Iowa. Attorneys, real estate agents, closing agents and other authorized parties can submit documents to a website for recording. Go to https://iowalandrecords.org/search-records/ for more information.

Lands and Records Management
This area of the office is responsible for recording and maintaining official records of documents affecting real estate. These include deeds, contracts, mortgages, assignments, releases, federal and state tax liens, affidavits, plats and surveys, section corner certificates, military service records, easements, condemnations, trade names, leases, 28E and drainage agreements, bills of sale, articles of incorporation, and financing statements plus numerous other documents.

Federal and state tax lien searches are also performed.

All records are opened to the public and copies can be obtained for a nominal fee.

To search the computer index or scanned images, please go to https://iowalandrecords.org.

One can search, view or print from this site at no charge.

Real Estate Recording Fees
$7 for the first page ($5.00 plus $1.00 record management fee per transaction plus $1.00 E-Commerce fee per transaction) and $5 per additional page.

PLUS $5.00 Auditor's transfer fee* (see below)

Auditor Transfer Fees $5.00/parcel. A parcel of real estate includes: For real estate outside a city's limits, all contiguous land lying within a number section; for real estate located within a city, all contiguous land lying within a platted block or subdivision. Within a number section, platted block or subdivision, land separated only by a public street, alley, or highway remains contiguous. Auditor's transfer fees shall not exceed $50.00 for one instrument. Certification Fee (all real estate documents - does not include vital records) $5.00 for certification PLUS $.50/page of copy

In order to comply with national standards, Iowa has adopted Document Formatting Standards. Effective July 1, 2009, all documents presented.

In order to comply with national standards, Iowa has adopted Document Formatting Standards. Effective July 1, 2009, all documents presented for recording (except those listed below) MUST meet the requirements outlined in chapters 331.606A and 331.606B, Code of Iowa.

All documents shall consist of one or more individual pages not permanently bound or in a continuous form. A page means a writing, printing, or drawing, other than a plat or survey or a drawing related to a plat or survey, occurring on one side only, and not larger than eight and one-half inches in width and fourteen inches in length.

The document shall not have any attachment stapled or otherwise affixed to any page except as necessary to comply with statutory requirements. However, individual pages of a document may be stapled for presentation for recording. Labels that are firmly attached are acceptable.

The first page of each document shall have a top margin of at least three (3) inches of vertical space from left to right which shall be reserved for the recorder's use.

All other margins on the document shall be a minimum of three-fourths of one inch. Nonessential information such as page numbers or customer notations may be placed in a margin except the top margin.

All preprinted text shall be at least eight point in size and no more than twenty characters and spaces per inch. All other text typed or computer generated, including but not limited to all names of parties to an agreement, shall be at least ten point in size and no more than sixteen characters and spaces per inch.

Each document shall be of sufficient legibility to produce a clear reproduction. Each document shall be on white paper of not less than twenty-pound weight without watermarks or other visible inclusions.

All signatures on a document shall be in black or dark blue ink and of sufficient color and clarity to ensure that the signatures are readable when the document is reproduced. All names shall be typed, printed, or stamped beneath the original signature. Embossed or inked stamps shall not cover or otherwise materially interfere with any part of the document.

Each document that is presented for recording shall have the following information on the first page below the three-inch margin: a) the name, address, and telephone number of the 1individual who prepared the document; b) the name of the taxpayer and a complete mailing address for any document or instrument of conveyance; c) a return address; d) the title of the document; e) all granters' names; f) all grantees' names; g) any address required by statute; h) the legal description of the property and parcel identification number, if required.

If insufficient space exists on the first page for all of the information previously described, the page reference of the document where the information is located shall be noted on the first page. Documents dated on or after July 1, 2007, may not include any personally identifiable information. Personally identifiable information is defined as an individual's Social Security number, bank account numbers, credit account numbers, or debit account numbers.

updated July 2018

♦   A document that was signed before July 1, 2005.
♦   A military separation document.
♦   A document that executed outside of the United States.
♦   A certified copy of a document issued by a governmental agency, including a vital record.
♦   A document where one of the original parties is deceased or otherwise incapacitated.
♦   A document formatted to meet court requirements.

♦ A federal tax lien.

♦   A filing under the uniform commercial code, chapter 554.
♦   A plat or survey or a drawing related to a plat or survey.
♦   A groundwater hazard statement (effective 4/10/2018).

On or after July 1, 2005, a document that does not conform to the document formatting standards shall not be recorded except upon payment of an additional recording fee of ten dollars per document or instrument. However, the non-standard fee may not be applied to 1) the legibility requirements; 2) the requirement to include the name of the taxpayer and a complete mailing address for any document or instrument of conveyance; and 3) the requirement that all documents have original signatures in black or dark blue ink and the names of the parties typed below their signatures.