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Land Records and Recording
- Recorders Office
- Access to Recorded Documents
- Blank Document Templates
- How to Record Documents
- Minimum Recording Requirements
- Recording Fees
- RecordEASE
- Torrens vs Abstract
- Torrens - Examiner of Titles
- Dividing/ Combining Tax Parcels
- Link to Other Resources
The responsibility of the County Recorder's Office is to accept real estate documents for filing and to maintain a permanent archive of recorded documents for real property in Washington County.
- Public Research room available 8:00 am - 4:15 pm Monday - Friday
- Remote Access requires a subscription agreement to RecordEASE
- Individual document request
- The Recorders Office does not perform any searches.
- Prepayment for copies is required.
We only accept cash or check
Email copy $ 1.50 per document
Paper copy $ 1.00 per page
Certified copy $ 10.00 per document
Washington County Recorder's Office does not provide blank documents or give advice on which form may be appropriate for your situation or how to complete them. We strongly suggest consulting a legal advisor or title company.
You can find acceptable/common real estate documents at
Digitally - Electronically (eRecording)
Electronic recording enables title companies, lenders, law firms and others to electronically record documents without leaving the office. All document types can be eRecorded.
To get started with eRecording, contact one of these state-recognized vendors:
Paper Documents
By Mail
Send all documents and appropriate fees to:
Washington County Property Records
14949 62nd Street North
PO Box 6
Stillwater MN 55082
In Person
Bring the completed document(s) and cash or check to the Washington County Government Center Recorder’s Office at the physical address listed above.
Washington County Recorders Office does not provide documents or give advice on which form may be appropriate for your situation or how to complete them. We strongly suggest consulting a legal advisor or title company.
The Minnesota Department of Commerce website provides many commonly used real estate forms at Minnesota Uniform Conveyancing Blanks
All documents must:
- Be completed prior to being presented for recording.
We DO NOT provide notary services in our office. - Be dated.
- Be signed.
- Have a complete and correct legal description.
(Do not use the description on the tax statement.) - Have all exhibits attached and labeled.
- Have a “Drafted by” statement that includes the name and address of the drafter of the document.
- Include the correct recording fees.
- Not be altered. Whiteout and correction tape are unacceptable on any legal document.
- Be acknowledged, which includes:
- Date
- State and County
- Legible notary seal
- Notary signature
- Notary commission expiration date
- Names and marital status of signatures being acknowledged.
Marital status should indicate one of the following:
Single
Husband and wife
Person A married to Person B and Person B married to Person A
Person A and Person B
Married to each other - If it's a corporate acknowledgement, you must include:
The business name
Signer’s official title
Indicate in the notary block that the signature is on behalf of the company. - Some Deeds require an eCRV or a Well Certificate. To know if you require either of these go to:
- Minnesota Department of Health for a well certificate
- Minnesota Department of Revenue for an eCRV
Abstract Documents
Basic Recording Fee $ 46.00
Satisfactions or Releases $ 46.00
up to 4 reference document numbers
each additional reference $ 10.00
Mortgages $ 46.00
Mortgage Registration Tax $ 2.30 of consideration
Conservation fee $ 5.00
mortgage tax calculator
Deeds $ 46.00
State Deed Tax $ 3.30 of consideration
Consideration less than $3,000 $ 1.65
Conservation fee $ 5.00
deed tax calculator
Well Certificate $ 50.00
Plats $ 56.00
Torrens Documents
Basic Recording Fee $ 46.00
Memorials and amended
declarations $ 46.00 plus $20 for each additional certificate
Transfers $ 46.00
Residuary Certificate $ 40.00
Exchange Certificate
for each cancelled certificate $ 20.00
Each new certificate issued $ 20.00
Torrens Plat $ 56.00
Registered Land Survey $ 56.00
Torrens Condominium $ 56.00 plus $20 for each additional certificate
Miscellaneous Fees
Attested copy $ 2.00
Certified copy $ 10.00
Certified Plat or
Registered land survey $ 15.00
RecordEASE is the county’s commercial product for accessing land records maintained by the County Recorder. For a low subscription fee users will have access to recorded documents and images in RecordEASE without having to visit our physical location.
Fees
- Subscription fee $ 30.00 per user
- Search fee $ .50 per search
- Documents $1.50 per document
- Certificates of title $ 2.50 per certificate
- View tract page $ 2.50 per tract
- View tract card $ 2.50 per tract
- View recorded plat $ 5.00 per plat
To Subscribe
Complete the subscription agreement and send it to the
Washington County Recorder’s office:
RecordEASE Web subscription agreement
** Please allow 1-2 business days for processing new subscriptions - we will provide you with user IDs and passwords. Access will only be granted after receiving the completed documents.
Multiple parcel data downloads, screen scraping programs or other computer extraction techniques are strictly prohibited. Washington County reserves the right to deny site access to any individual or entity determined to be misusing the system.
The information on the website is a reproduction of the Washington County RecordEASE system.
Minnesota has two land record systems — Abstract and Torrens. When an Abstract property is sold, a thorough title search should be completed to look for any documents referring to the property.
Torrens properties have a Certificate of Title that gives conclusive proof of ownership — with some exceptions. It consolidates records into a single document.
Most property in Washington County is Abstract property, but owners may convert property from Abstract to Torrens through land registration.
The Examiner of Titles is an attorney appointed by the District Court Judges to administer all Torrens proceedings for the county.
Approvals:
Documents requiring an approval: Probate transfers, Trust transfers, Divorce Decree or Summary Real Estate Disposition Judgment(SREDJ).
The Examiner of Titles does not pre-approve documents for closings.
The Examiner of Title only reviews and approves documents for recording.
Original documents along with the fees should be sent to:
Washington County Property Records - Torrens
14949 62nd Street North
Stillwater, MN 55082
Directives:
Used to request the removal of liens or interests that are no longer valid
Request an Examiner’s Directive from the Washington County Examiner of Titles:
- A letter addressed to the Examiner of Titles explaining the purpose of the requested Directive.
- Include a copy of the current Certificate of Title.
- Include a copy of the document(s) you want removed from the Certificate of Title. (A title commitment will not suffice.)
- Include a check for the Directive fee and a separate check for the recording fee. We will record the Directive upon receipt from the Examiner of Titles.
- Send all of the above to the Torrens Division of Property Records and Taxpayer Services.
Fees:
Examiner of Titles Services:
Approval $ 200.00
Directive $ 200.00
District Court Actions $ 500.00
Recording Fees:
Registered Land Survey $ 56.00
Condominiums $ 56.00
Exchange Certificate $ 20.00
Cancellation Certificate $ 20.00
First Certificate $ 46.00
Memorials $ 46.00
Plats $ 56.00
Residuary Certificate $ 40.00
Transfers for each certificate $ 46.00
Contact Information:
F. Joseph Taylor
Washington County Examiner of Titles
8063 Hadley Avenue South
Cottage Grove, MN 55046
651-459-6644
washcoexaminer@msn.com
To request a combination or merge of an existing tax parcel:
Before submitting the forms, review the following:
* All property taxes must be paid in full.
* New parcel identification numbers derived from plats, divisions and combinations submitted during the current calendar year will be finalized prior to Estimated Tax Statements being sent out in March of the following year.
* There is no fee for requesting and processing administrative divisions or combinations.
To request a division or split of a tax parcel:
All property taxes must be paid in full
Deeds must be stamped with the municipality approval
Current survey must accompany the request
There is no administrative fee for requesting and processing parcel divisions or combination/merges.
Email questions to: recorder@co.washington.mn.us
Contact Us
-
Recorder / Registrar of Titles
14949 62nd Street N.
Stillwater, MN 55082Phone: 651-430-6175
Hours
Monday - Friday
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.