Recording a deed in St. Louis County, Minnesota

Recording a deed in St. Louis County

Deeds affecting property in St. Louis County, Minnesota are recorded with the County Recorder. 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.

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

1. 1In personTake the original to the County Recorder in Duluth. This is the fastest route. You usually walk out with the recording information the same day.
2. 2By 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.
3. 3E-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.