Iowa · Document Recording
Recording a Deed or Document in Buchanan County, IA
Buchanan County (population 20,565) records real-property documents through the Buchanan County Recorder. 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.
Buchanan County recorder — contact
- Recording office
- Buchanan County Recorder
- Mailing address
- 210 5th Ave NE - 1st Floor, Independence, IA 50644
- Phone
- (319) 334-4259
- Checks payable to
- Buchanan County Recorder
- Electronic recording
- Available via Simplifile, CSC, ePN, Indecomm
Buchanan County recording fees
- First page / base fee
- $7.00 first page
- Additional pages
- $5.00 each additional page
- Other fees
- $5.00 auditor's transfer fee per section/block for deeds, max $50; $7.00 per transaction for multi-transaction documents; $10 non-conforming document fee
Counties change fees without notice. Check with the Buchanan County Recorder before you mail a check.
What Buchanan County requires
- Cover sheet
- Required if page 1 lacks statutory 3-inch top margin (statewide Iowa Code 331.606A/606B); other margins min 3/4 inch
- Submission & return
- Self-addressed stamped envelope for mail submissions; e-submission return via Iowa Land Records portal
- Hours & turnaround
- Office M-F 8:00am-4:30pm
Can you e-record in Buchanan County?
Yes. Buchanan 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 Buchanan County, Iowa
- Prepare the document so it meets Buchanan 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 Buchanan County Recorder.
- Pay the recording fee, payable to Buchanan County Recorder.
- Receive the recorded instrument back with its book/page or instrument number as proof of record.
Looking up a Buchanan County property
Owner names, parcel numbers and legal descriptions for Buchanan County property are searchable at Buchanan County Assessor (IowaAssessors.com property search — separate from Beacon). A deed or memorandum needs the exact legal description, so pull it from there or from the last recorded deed.
How Jurably helps in Buchanan County
Jurably isn’t a deed-filing desk. It’s how real-estate investors get the important paperwork done. If you’re under contract on a Buchanan County property, we file a memorandum of contract to put your equitable interest on the public record, where every title search will find it. The online notary session is included: you sign it alone, and the seller is notified by certified mail. Then we record it (electronically through the county’s approved network) and return the recorded instrument. It’s a self-help filing service, not legal advice.
Guides for investors
Counties bordering Buchanan
More Iowa counties
Jurably in Buchanan
Under contract in Buchanan County? Secure it.
Jurably files a memorandum to protect your deal, notarizes what you need, and records it — no courthouse trip.