Recording a deed in Hennepin County, Minnesota
Everything you need to get a deed on file in Hennepin County. The office that records it, the formatting it checks, what it costs, and the three ways to submit.
- Recording office
- County Recorder (or Registrar of Titles for Torrens property)
- Witnesses
- Notary only
- Transfer tax
- 0.33% of net consideration
- First-page margin
- 3″ top
- Recording fee
- ~$46 per document
- E-recording
- Approved submitters
Recording a deed in Hennepin County
Deeds affecting property in Hennepin County, Minnesota are recorded with the County Recorder/Registrar of Titles. Recording is what puts the world on notice of your ownership and fixes the priority date. An unrecorded deed can still transfer title between the parties, but it leaves you exposed to anyone who records first.
The recording rules the office applies come from Minn. Stat. §§ 507.24, 507.091–507.093 (requirements) and 507.34 (effect of recording). Deeds themselves are governed by Minn. Stat. ch. 507.
Worth knowing
Hennepin adds a 0.01% Environmental Response Fund tax to the state deed tax, so deed tax here is 0.34% of the net consideration, with a $1.70 minimum (Minn. Stat. § 383B.80).
Worth knowing
A deed that pays deed tax is charged an additional $5 conservation fee when it is recorded here (Minn. Stat. § 40A.152). A deed exempt from deed tax, such as a transfer on death deed, pays no conservation fee.
Worth knowing
Hennepin accepts online recording from the public through its Virtual Recorder website ($3 service fee); professionals use CSC, ePN or Simplifile.
What to bring
- The original signed and notarized deed. Recorders do not record photocopies handed over the counter.
- A completed notarial acknowledgment, with the date, the place where you signed, and the commission expiry all filled in.
- The eCRV number written on page one, if the property is sold or transferred for more than $3,000 of consideration, including any mortgage the grantee assumes: file the electronic Certificate of Real Estate Value online first (Minn. Stat. § 272.115). A gift, a transfer for $3,000 or less and a transfer on death deed need none.
- The county auditor's certification "no delinquent taxes and transfer entered" on the deed, which the recorder needs before recording it (Minn. Stat. § 272.12). Pay any delinquent property taxes first. A transfer on death deed does not need it.
- Payment for the recording fee, about $46 per document. Many offices do not take personal checks.
Formatting
- Minnesota requires a blank 3-inch space at the top of the first page (the right half for recording information, the left half for tax certification, so nothing else may print there), with the document title displayed directly below it, half-inch borders elsewhere, black ink no smaller than 8-point type, and white paper of at least 20-pound weight (Minn. Stat. § 507.093).
- Deedly's layout, which suits this office: 8.5 × 11 inch paper, a 3-inch clear space at the top of page one for the recording stamp, 0.5-inch margins on the other edges, and type no smaller than 10 point. Deedly formats every document this way automatically.
- A legal description. A street address alone is not enough.
- A 'when recorded, return to' block so the stamped original comes back to you.
How to file
- In personTake the original to the County Recorder/Registrar of Titles in Minneapolis. This is the fastest route. You usually walk out with the recording information the same day.
- By mailSend the original with a check or money order for the fee and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Allow one to three weeks for the stamped original to come back.
- E-recordingTitle companies, attorneys, and other approved submitters file electronically through services such as Simplifile, CSC, or ePN. Some offices accept filings from the public through those services; check the office's website. If you prepared the deed yourself, in person or by mail is usually simpler.
Confirm the address before you post anything
Offices move and hours change. Search for "Hennepin County Minnesota County Recorder/Registrar of Titles" and use the official county website, not a directory listing, which is often years out of date.
Formatted to Minnesota requirements, with Hennepin County filing instructions included.
Common questions
With the County Recorder/Registrar of Titles, located in Minneapolis. Deeds are always recorded in the county where the property sits, not where the owner lives.
Around $46 per document. Minnesota also charges deed tax at 0.33% of net consideration (0.34% in Hennepin and Ramsey, which add a 0.01% Environmental Response Fund tax); $1.65 when consideration is $3,000 or less ($1.70 in Hennepin and Ramsey), though whether a gift or family transfer is exempt depends on this state's exemptions. Confirm current fees with the office before you mail anything; they change.
Usually only through an approved e-recording submitter, such as a title company or attorney, using a service like Simplifile, CSC, or ePN. Some offices accept filings from the public through those services; check the office's website. Otherwise, record in person or by mail.
Keep reading
Deedly is not a law firm
Its software and documents are not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. We provide self-help software and state-specific deed forms; you make your own decisions about your property. Using Deedly does not create an attorney-client relationship, and nothing here is legal advice. If your situation is complex or contested, talk to a licensed attorney in your state.