Frequently Asked Questions

The Recorder of Deeds Office is a place where all transactions having to do with land, including attachments, sales of property, Deeds of Trust, and Quit Claim Deeds are recorded and kept in a permanent file. This is where land records are kept.

A Deed of Trust is a lien on the property to ensure payment of the money due to the lender.

A Warranty Deed is an instrument by which the buyer obtains title to the piece of property being sold. A deed can come in many forms. The most common source of passing title is the Warranty Deed. The seller warrants that he has not encumbered the title and guarantees that his predecessors have not encumbered the title.

The primary evidence of ownership of land is not so much the deed itself as the recording of the deed. However, if misplaced or lost, a copy may be obtained from the Recorder’s Office and certified with the Recorder’s signature and official stamp or seal. This will suffice for the original deed.

A cross-reference index is maintained to search records. It is helpful to have the approximate year of purchase along with owner’s name.

The Recorder of Deeds office clocks the instrument with the date and time. It is then given a document number and a certificate is added with all of this information on the front page before the document is signed by the Recorder or a Deputy.

Marriage License - The Recorder of Deeds office takes Marriage License applications, issues Marriage Licenses, files the license after the marriage is performed and maintains a permanent record of both male and female and the date of the marriage. Surveys and Plats - The Recorders office also receives Surveys and Plats of subdivisions which are put on record as to date and time. They are scanned for public use and the plat is kept in the Recorder’s office. Armed Forces Document - The Recorder also files Armed Forces Documents (D.D.214) free of charge.

A document goes through a number of steps before the document is returned to the patron. 1. The document is checked for dates, signatures, spelling of names, acknowledgments and, depending on the type of instrument, any other information that is needed before recording. 2. If all information is correct and meets state statute and formatting requirements the document is accepted and priced according to the number of pages it contains. 3. The document is then clocked with the date and time, given a document number and certified on the top of the first page. 4. The document is scanned. 5. The document is indexed into the computer system by Grantor and Grantee name. 6. The document images are proofed and indexing verified, to see that they were correctly entered into the computer system and then the documents are returned to the proper address.

The Recorder always recommends the retention of an attorney or title company for this important process. The Recorders Office is a recording agency and is prohibited by state law from making out deeds or answering those questions which pertain to legal matters.

There is a computerized index of Grantor and Grantee information that is available in the Recorder’s vault for public use. Grantor means seller and Grantee means buyer. In order to locate a copy of your deed, you would search for your name as the Grantee since you are the one that last bought the property. Once you ascertain the year you purchased the property, you will utilize either the computer index (1989 through the present) or the Grantee Book (1821 through 1992) to further look up your deed. Within these indexes, you will find your full name arranged alphabetically, which will refer you to a book and page number/document number.

Our land records go back to 1821. Index to marriage records begin 1825.

No, property must be recorded in the county in which it is located.

Yes, the documents are put into the computer within a 24-hour period after being recorded. They are timed and Grantee and Grantor are listed as well as the document number. The computer can call up information immediately after being put into the records.

There are a number of functions that take place when a document is filed. It must be date and time stamped, checked for statutory document requirements and statutory formatting standards. If no errors are found it is then cashiered and indexed into the computer. It must be scanned, proofed and verified before it can be mailed back to the patron. As a result, the amount of time required to complete this process varies, but usually the document is mailed back to the customer the next business day. If you have questions, contact us at (573) 547-1611.

For services the Recorder collects a fee and at the end of each month disburses the fees according to statutory requirements. Fees collected help fund important services such as Domestic Violence, Housing Trust Fund, Children’s Trust Fund, County Employees Retirement Fund, County General Revenue and State and Local Government Records Preservation Fund in order to provide records restoration. Computer maintenance fees help keep the electronic recording system upgraded and maintained for the use and benefit of our patrons.