Iowa · Document Recording
Recording a Deed or Document in Johnson County, IA
Johnson County (population 152,854) records real-property documents through the Johnson 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.
Johnson County recorder — contact
- Recording office
- Johnson County Recorder
- Mailing address
- Johnson County Recorder, 913 S Dubuque Street, Iowa City, IA 52240-4281
- Phone
- 319-356-6078 (main courthouse/assessor line; recorder direct not separately confirmed)
- Checks payable to
- Johnson County Recorder
- Electronic recording
- Available via Simplifile, CSC, ePN, Indecomm
Johnson County recording fees
- First page / base fee
- $7.00 first page
- Additional pages
- $5.00 each additional page
- Other fees
- $5.00 auditor fee per parcel conveyed (max $50); +$10 fee for non-conforming documents
Counties change fees without notice. Check with the Johnson County Recorder before you mail a check.
What Johnson County requires
- Page formatting
- Statewide Iowa formatting standards per county's 'Document Formatting Standards' page: 3-inch top margin, 10-pt font, 20lb white paper; non-conforming = +$10
- Submission & return
- Mail; self-addressed stamped return envelope recommended
- Hours & turnaround
- Not explicitly stated; typically 1-2 business days per statewide norms
Can you e-record in Johnson County?
Yes. Johnson 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 Johnson County, Iowa
- Prepare the document so it meets Johnson 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 Johnson County Recorder.
- Pay the recording fee, payable to Johnson County Recorder.
- Receive the recorded instrument back with its book/page or instrument number as proof of record.
Looking up a Johnson County property
Owner names, parcel numbers and legal descriptions for Johnson County property are searchable at Johnson County Assessor (Beacon/Schneider property search); note: Iowa City has a separate city Assessor jurisdiction at iowacity.iowaassessors.com for parcels within Iowa City limits. A deed or memorandum needs the exact legal description, so pull it from there or from the last recorded deed.
How Jurably helps in Johnson 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 Johnson 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 Johnson
More Iowa counties
Under contract in Johnson County? Secure it.
Jurably files a memorandum to protect your deal, notarizes what you need, and records it — no courthouse trip.