Iowa · Document Recording
Recording a Deed or Document in Hancock County, IA
Hancock County (population 10,795) records real-property documents through the Hancock 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.
Hancock County recorder — contact
- Recording office
- Hancock County Recorder
- Mailing address
- 855 State St. (P.O. Box 70), Garner, IA 50438
- Phone
- 641-923-2464
- Website
- hancockcountyia.gov/recorder
- Checks payable to
- Hancock County Recorder
- Electronic recording
- Available via Simplifile
Hancock County recording fees
- First page / base fee
- $7.00 first page
- Additional pages
- $5.00 per additional page
- Other fees
- $5.00 per section/block transferred (auditor's fee); multiple-transaction documents $7 per transaction plus $5/addl page
Counties change fees without notice. Check with the Hancock County Recorder before you mail a check.
What Hancock County requires
- Page formatting
- See https://hancockcountyia.gov/recorder/document_formatting_standards/ for statewide Iowa 3-inch top margin/3-4-inch side margins/font rules
- Cover sheet
- Yes if page 1 lacks required 3-inch top margin; county publishes Document Formatting Standards page
- Submission & return
- Mail or pickup
- Hours & turnaround
- Same-day to a few business days for mail; e-recording typically same-day
Can you e-record in Hancock County?
Yes. Hancock County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, so a properly formatted document can be recorded the same or next business day without mailing paper.
How to record a document in Hancock County, Iowa
- Prepare the document so it meets Hancock 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, or by mail to Hancock County Recorder.
- Pay the recording fee, payable to Hancock County Recorder.
- Receive the recorded instrument back with its book/page or instrument number as proof of record.
Looking up a Hancock County property
Owner names, parcel numbers and legal descriptions for Hancock County property are searchable at Hancock County Assessor. A deed or memorandum needs the exact legal description, so pull it from there or from the last recorded deed.
How Jurably helps in Hancock 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 Hancock 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
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Under contract in Hancock County? Secure it.
Jurably files a memorandum to protect your deal, notarizes what you need, and records it — no courthouse trip.