Iowa · Document Recording
Recording a Deed or Document in Decatur County, IA
Decatur County (population 7,645) records real-property documents through the Decatur 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.
Decatur County recorder — contact
- Recording office
- Decatur County Recorder
- Mailing address
- Decatur County Recorder, Decatur County Courthouse, 207 N. Main Street, Leon, IA 50144
- Phone
- 641-446-4322
- Electronic recording
- Available via CSC
Decatur 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 formatting standards not met (statewide standard)
Counties change fees without notice. Check with the Decatur County Recorder before you mail a check.
What Decatur County requires
- Page formatting
- Statewide 3-inch top margin / 3/4-inch other margins standard applies
- Cover sheet
- Not required if 3-inch top margin present on first page per statewide standard; otherwise cover page needed
Can you e-record in Decatur County?
Yes. Decatur 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 Decatur County, Iowa
- Prepare the document so it meets Decatur 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 Decatur 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 Decatur County property
Owner names, parcel numbers and legal descriptions for Decatur County property are searchable at Decatur County Assessor (IowaAssessors.com/Vanguard). A deed or memorandum needs the exact legal description, so pull it from there or from the last recorded deed.
How Jurably helps in Decatur 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 Decatur 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 Decatur
More Iowa counties
Under contract in Decatur County? Secure it.
Jurably files a memorandum to protect your deal, notarizes what you need, and records it — no courthouse trip.