Recording a deed in City of St. Louis, Missouri
Everything you need to get a deed on file in City of St. Louis. The office that records it, the formatting it checks, what it costs, and the three ways to submit.
- Recording office
- Recorder of Deeds
- Witnesses
- Notary only
- Transfer tax
- None
- First-page margin
- 3″ top
- Recording fee
- ~$23 first page
- E-recording
- Approved submitters
Recording a deed in City of St. Louis
Deeds affecting property in City of St. Louis, Missouri are recorded with the Recorder of Deeds. 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 Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 442.380 to 442.400, 59.310, 59.330. Deeds themselves are governed by Mo. Rev. Stat. § 442.020.
Worth knowing
The City of St. Louis is an independent city, not part of St. Louis County, with its own Recorder of Deeds.
Worth knowing
Every grantee must also sign the deed before a notary, and the deed must give the grantor's residence address (St. Louis Rev. Code § 15.152.030). The Recorder will not record a deed without them (§ 15.152.040). Deedly prints a signature line and a notary certificate for each grantee on City deeds.
Worth knowing
The Recorder's office says that when a deed transferring property is recorded in person, all grantors and all grantees must be present. It also accepts deeds by mail, at City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63103.
Worth knowing
Before recording, the grantee must file a Certificate of Value with the City Assessor and put the Assessor's parcel locator number on the face of the deed (St. Louis Rev. Code §§ 5.70.010 to 5.70.060; fine up to $500). The Assessor's office is at (314) 622-3212.
Worth knowing
The City's stlouis-mo.gov recorder page lists $23 for the first page of a standard deed and $5 for each additional page, but the City Recorder's own site has listed $25, so confirm the amount with the Recorder before you send a check.
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.
- Payment for the recording fee, about $23 for the first page and $5 for each page after that. Many offices do not take personal checks.
Formatting
- Missouri requires a 3-inch top margin on the first page and 0.75-inch margins elsewhere, with type of at least 8 points in black or dark ink on white paper of at least 20-pound weight (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 59.310).
- Below that margin, the first page must show the title, the date of the document, every grantor's name and marital status, the grantees' names, the statutory addresses, and the legal description (§ 59.310.2). Deedly lays out every Missouri document so that all of them start on page one.
- A recorder may refuse a document that misses these rules, or record it as "non-standard" for an extra $25 (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 59.310.1, .3).
- 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, 0.75-inch margins on the other edges, and type no smaller than 8 point. Deedly formats every document this way automatically.
- A legal description. A street address alone is not enough.
How to file
- In personTake the original to the Recorder of Deeds in St. Louis. 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 "City of St. Louis Missouri Recorder of Deeds" and use the official county website, not a directory listing, which is often years out of date.
Formatted to Missouri requirements, with City of St. Louis filing instructions included.
Common questions
With the Recorder of Deeds, located in St. Louis. Deeds are always recorded in the county where the property sits, not where the owner lives.
Around $23 for the first page and $5 for each page after that. Missouri has no state transfer tax. 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.