Iowa · Document Recording
Recording a Deed or Document in Wapello County, IA
Wapello County (population 35,437) records real-property documents through the Wapello 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.
Wapello County recorder — contact
- Recording office
- Wapello County Recorder
- Mailing address
- Wapello County Recorder, 101 W 4th St (2nd Floor), Ottumwa, IA 52501
- Phone
- (641) 683-0046
- Website
- wapellocounty.org/recorder
- Checks payable to
- Wapello County Recorder
- Electronic recording
- Available via CSC
Wapello County recording fees
- First page / base fee
- $12.00 first page
- Additional pages
- $5.00 each additional page
- Other fees
- $5.00 per parcel auditor's transfer fee (after first); $7.00 per reference for multiple assignments/releases (after first); $10 additional for non-standard documents
Counties change fees without notice. Check with the Wapello County Recorder before you mail a check.
What Wapello County requires
- Cover sheet
- Iowa statewide standard (Iowa Code 331.606B) - 3-inch top margin, 3/4-inch other margins, 8pt/10pt font minimums, preparer info + taxpayer mailing address on first page
Can you e-record in Wapello County?
Yes. Wapello 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 Wapello County, Iowa
- Prepare the document so it meets Wapello 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 Wapello County Recorder.
- Pay the recording fee, payable to Wapello County Recorder.
- Receive the recorded instrument back with its book/page or instrument number as proof of record.
Looking up a Wapello County property
Owner names, parcel numbers and legal descriptions for Wapello County property are searchable at Wapello County Assessor (Iowa Assessors / 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 Wapello 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 Wapello 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 Wapello
More Iowa counties
Under contract in Wapello County? Secure it.
Jurably files a memorandum to protect your deal, notarizes what you need, and records it — no courthouse trip.