Recording a deed in Lancaster County, Nebraska

Recording a deed in Lancaster County

Deeds affecting property in Lancaster County, Nebraska are recorded with the Register 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 Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 23-1503.01 and 23-1510 (format), § 33-109 (fees) and § 76-238 (effect of recording). Deeds themselves are governed by Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-211.

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.
• Real Estate Transfer Statement (Form 521), which Nebraska requires alongside the deed.
• Payment for the recording fee, $10 for the first page and $6 per additional page. Many offices do not take personal checks.

Formatting

• Nebraska requires the document to be printed in black ink on white paper of at least 20-pound weight with no watermark, every signature to be in black or dark blue ink, and each party's name to be typed or printed beneath the signature (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 23-1503.01).
• 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, 1-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 Register of Deeds in Lincoln. 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.