Iowa · Document Recording
Recording a Deed or Document in O'Brien County, IA
O'Brien County (population 14,182) records real-property documents through the O'Brien 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.
O'Brien County recorder — contact
- Recording office
- O'Brien County Recorder
- Mailing address
- O'Brien County Recorder, O'Brien County Courthouse, 155 S Hayes Ave, Primghar, IA 51245 (PO Box 340, Primghar, IA 51245 also cited)
- Phone
- (712) 957-3045
- Checks payable to
- O'Brien County Recorder
- Electronic recording
- Available via Simplifile
O'Brien County recording fees
- First page / base fee
- $7.00
- Additional pages
- $5.00 per additional page
- Other fees
- $5.00 auditor's transfer fee per parcel; $5.00 certification fee for certified copies; $1.00 per page for standard copies
Counties change fees without notice. Check with the O'Brien County Recorder before you mail a check.
What O'Brien County requires
- Page formatting
- Iowa statewide standard formatting applies (8.5x14in max, 3in top margin, 0.75in other margins, min 8-10pt fonts, black/dark blue ink) - not separately published on county site
- Cover sheet
- Iowa statewide standard: cover page required if first page lacks 3in top margin
- Submission & return
- Mail or in person; e-recording returns electronically
- Hours & turnaround
- E-recording typically same day/24 hours
Can you e-record in O'Brien County?
Yes. O'Brien 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 O'Brien County, Iowa
- Prepare the document so it meets O'Brien 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 O'Brien County Recorder.
- Pay the recording fee, payable to O'Brien County Recorder.
- Receive the recorded instrument back with its book/page or instrument number as proof of record.
Looking up a O'Brien County property
Owner names, parcel numbers and legal descriptions for O'Brien County property are searchable at O'Brien County Assessor (new property search, effective Oct 2024, replacing 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 O'Brien 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 O'Brien 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 O'Brien County? Secure it.
Jurably files a memorandum to protect your deal, notarizes what you need, and records it — no courthouse trip.