South Dakota · Document Recording
Recording a Deed or Document in Lake County, SD
Lake County (population 11,063) records real-property documents through the Lake County Register of Deeds. 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.
Lake County recorder — contact
- Recording office
- Lake County Register of Deeds
- Mailing address
- 200 E Center St., Madison, SD 57042
- Phone
- (605) 256-7614
- Checks payable to
- Lake County Register of Deeds
- Electronic recording
- Available via Simplifile, CSC
Lake County recording fees
- First page / base fee
- $30 per document (covers first 50 pages) — SDCL 7-9-15
- Additional pages
- $2.00 per page for documents over 50 pages; transfer fee $0.50 per $500 of value on deeds with consideration
- Other fees
- Mortgage assignments $30/first 50 pages; Master deeds/leases $75/first 50 pages; mechanic's liens $30/first 50 pages
Counties change fees without notice. Check with the Lake County Register of Deeds before you mail a check.
What Lake County requires
- Page formatting
- Standard 8.5x11 paper; statewide SDCL formatting rules apply
- Cover sheet
- No mandatory cover sheet; statewide SDCL 3-inch top margin/1-inch side margin rule applies
- Submission & return
- Mail or in-person pickup; copies $1/page uncertified, certified $5 first page + $1/additional page
- Hours & turnaround
- Same-day to a few business days; e-recorded documents typically processed within 24 hours
Can you e-record in Lake County?
Yes. Lake County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, CSC, so a properly formatted document can be recorded the same or next business day without mailing paper.
How to record a document in Lake County, South Dakota
- Prepare the document so it meets Lake 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, or by mail to Lake County Register of Deeds.
- Pay the recording fee, payable to Lake County Register of Deeds.
- Receive the recorded instrument back with its book/page or instrument number as proof of record.
Looking up a Lake County property
Owner names, parcel numbers and legal descriptions for Lake County property are searchable at Lake County Director of Equalization. A deed or memorandum needs the exact legal description, so pull it from there or from the last recorded deed.
How Jurably helps in Lake 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 Lake 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 Lake
More South Dakota counties
Under contract in Lake County? Secure it.
Jurably files a memorandum to protect your deal, notarizes what you need, and records it — no courthouse trip.