Illinois · Document Recording
Recording a Deed or Document in Cook County, IL
Cook County (population 5,194,625) records real-property documents through the Cook County Clerk, Recording Division (formerly Cook County Recorder of Deeds, merged into County Clerk's office in 2020). Below is what it costs and how to submit. Filing a memorandum of contract? We record it with the county for $199, notary included — no trip to the courthouse.
Cook County recorder — contact
- Recording office
- Cook County Clerk, Recording Division (formerly Cook County Recorder of Deeds, merged into County Clerk's office in 2020)
- Mailing address
- Cook County Clerk, Recording Division, 118 N. Clark Street, Room 120, Chicago, IL 60602
- Phone
- (312) 603-5050
- Checks payable to
- Cook County Recorder of Deeds / Cook County Clerk (per official fee guidance)
- Electronic recording
- Available via Simplifile, CSC, ePN, Indecomm
Cook County recording fees
- First page / base fee
- $107.00 standard document with Rental Housing Support Program (RHSP) fee; $88.00 without RHSP fee (exempt document types)
- Additional pages
- Non-standard documents: $53.00 for first two pages plus $2.00 per additional page
- Other fees
- Certified copies $55.00; non-certified copies $27.50; state/federal tax liens and releases $38.00 (+$1.00 per additional name); mechanic's lien $64.00 first four pages (+$1.00/page); grantor/grantee affidavit $2.00; mail handling fee $5.00 per document; electronic copy $5.00; DD-214 military discharge recording free
Counties change fees without notice. Check with the Cook County Clerk, Recording Division (formerly Cook County Recorder of Deeds, merged into County Clerk's office in 2020) before you mail a check.
What Cook County requires
- Page formatting
- 8.5 x 11.0 in. white paper, minimum 20 lb.; 0.5 in. margins on all sides; must include PIN, legal description, and grantee mailing address per Illinois statute
- Cover sheet
- No separate cover sheet required, but document must reserve a blank 3x5 inch space in the upper right corner of the first page
- Submission & return
- Mail-in recording requires $2.25 mail return fee and self-addressed return envelope; e-recording returns electronically
- Hours & turnaround
- E-recorded documents typically process within 1-3 business days, mailed documents longer
Can you e-record in Cook County?
Yes. Cook County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, CSC, ePN, Indecomm, so a properly formatted document can be recorded the same or next business day without mailing paper.
How to record a document in Cook County, Illinois
- Prepare the document so it meets Cook County's formatting rules (above): legal description, grantee address, signature block, and the blank space the recorder reserves for its stamp.
- Notarize it if the instrument requires acknowledgment. Most deeds and affidavits do.
- Submit electronically through Simplifile, CSC, ePN, Indecomm, or by mail to Cook County Clerk, Recording Division (formerly Cook County Recorder of Deeds, merged into County Clerk's office in 2020).
- Pay the recording fee, payable to Cook County Recorder of Deeds / Cook County Clerk (per official fee guidance).
- Receive the recorded instrument back with its book/page or instrument number as proof of record.
Looking up a Cook County property
Owner names, parcel numbers and legal descriptions for Cook County property are searchable at Cook County Assessor's Office. A deed or memorandum needs the exact legal description, so pull it from there or from the last recorded deed.
Filing with Jurably in Illinois
Illinois isn't available quite yet — it's coming soon. See the states we file in.