Iowa · Document Recording
Recording a Deed or Document in Clayton County, IA
Clayton County (population 17,043) records real-property documents through the Clayton 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.
Clayton County recorder — contact
- Recording office
- Clayton County Recorder
- Mailing address
- Clayton County Recorder, 11 High St. NE #103, Elkader, IA 52043
- Phone
- (563) 245-2710
- Website
- claytoncountyia.gov/recorder
- Electronic recording
- Available via CSC
Clayton County recording fees
- First page / base fee
- $7.00
- Additional pages
- $5.00 per additional page
- Other fees
- $5.00 per section/block transferred (auditor's fee); $10 non-compliance fee if document does not meet Iowa formatting standards
Counties change fees without notice. Check with the Clayton County Recorder before you mail a check.
What Clayton County requires
- Page formatting
- Statewide Iowa standard: first page must have 3-inch top margin (recorder's use), all other margins minimum 3/4 inch; max page size effectively legal/letter (8.5x14)
- Cover sheet
- Not required if document has statutory 3-inch top margin on first page (Iowa Code 331.606B); if not, a cover page must be attached
Can you e-record in Clayton County?
Yes. Clayton County accepts electronic recording through CSC, so a properly formatted document can be recorded the same or next business day without mailing paper.
How to record a document in Clayton County, Iowa
- Prepare the document so it meets Clayton 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 CSC, or by mail to Clayton County Recorder.
- Pay the recording fee.
- Receive the recorded instrument back with its book/page or instrument number as proof of record.
Looking up a Clayton County property
Owner names, parcel numbers and legal descriptions for Clayton County property are searchable at Clayton County Assessor (Beacon/Schneider Corp). A deed or memorandum needs the exact legal description, so pull it from there or from the last recorded deed.
How Jurably helps in Clayton 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 Clayton 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 Clayton
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Under contract in Clayton County? Secure it.
Jurably files a memorandum to protect your deal, notarizes what you need, and records it — no courthouse trip.