Howard County Full Release of Memorandum of Contract Form (Iowa)

All Howard County specific forms and documents listed below are included in your immediate download package:

Full Release of Memorandum of Contract Form

Howard County Full Release of Memorandum of Contract Form

Fill in the blank Full Release of Memorandum of Contract form formatted to comply with all Iowa recording and content requirements.
Included Howard County compliant document last validated/updated 5/27/2025

Full Release of Memorandum of Contract Guide

Howard County Full Release of Memorandum of Contract Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the Full Release of Memorandum of Contract form.
Included Howard County compliant document last validated/updated 6/19/2025

Completed Example of the Full Release of Memorandum of Contract Document

Howard County Completed Example of the Full Release of Memorandum of Contract Document

Example of a properly completed Iowa Full Release of Memorandum of Contract document for reference.
Included Howard County compliant document last validated/updated 1/22/2025

When using these Full Release of Memorandum of Contract forms, the subject real estate must be physically located in Howard County. The executed documents should then be recorded in the following office:

Howard County Recorder

Howard County Courthouse 137 N. Elm ST., Cresco, Iowa 52136

Hours: 8:00am to 4:30pm.Monday through Friday

Phone: 563-547-9210

Local jurisdictions located in Howard County include:

  • Chester
  • Cresco
  • Elma
  • Lime Springs
  • Protivin
  • Riceville

How long does it take to get my forms?

Forms are available immediately after submitting payment.

How do I get my forms, are they emailed?

Immediately after you submit payment, the Howard County forms you order will be available for download directly from your account. You can then download the forms to your computer. If you do not already have an account, one will be created for you as part of the order process, and your login details will be provided to you. If you encounter any issues accessing your forms, please reach out to our support team for assistance. Forms are NOT emailed to you.

What does "validated/updated" mean?

This indicates the most recent date when at least one of the following occurred:

  • Updated: The document was updated or changed to remain compliant.
  • Validated: The document was examined by an attorney or staff, or it was successfully recorded in Howard County using our eRecording service.
Are these forms guaranteed to be recordable in Howard County?

Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed all formatting requirements set forth by Howard County including margin requirements, content requirements, font and font size requirements.

Can the Full Release of Memorandum of Contract forms be re-used?

Yes. You can re-use the forms for your personal use. For example, if you have more than one property in Howard County that you need to transfer you would only need to order our forms once for all of your properties in Howard County.

What are supplemental forms?

Often when a deed is recorded, additional documents are required by Iowa or Howard County. These could be tax related, informational, or even as simple as a coversheet. Supplemental forms are provided for free with your order where available.

What type of files are the forms?

All of our Howard County Full Release of Memorandum of Contract forms are PDFs. You will need to have or get Adobe Reader to use our forms. Adobe Reader is free software that most computers already have installed.

Do I need any special software to use these forms?

You will need to have Adobe Reader installed on your computer to use our forms. Adobe Reader is free software that most computers already have installed.

Do I have to enter all of my property information online?

No. The blank forms are downloaded to your computer and you fill them out there, at your convenience.

Can I save the completed form, email it to someone?

Yes, you can save your deed form at any point with your information in it. The forms can also be emailed, blank or complete, as attachments.

Are there any recurring fees involved?

No. Nothing to cancel, no memberships, no recurring fees.

Iowa Code Section 558: Conveyances
Iowa Code Chapter 558, titled "Conveyances," provides the general framework for the recording of real estate documents, including contracts, memoranda, and their releases. The key provisions relevant to releasing a memorandum of contract include the following:

Iowa Code Section 558.46 - Mandatory Recording of Installment Sales Contracts:

This section governs the recording of installment sales contracts for residential real estate, as well as the option to record a memorandum of contract instead of the full contract.

Once the contract is satisfied, either the seller or the buyer may record a release of the memorandum to indicate that the installment sales contract is no longer in effect, either due to the contract being fulfilled or mutually terminated.

The release of the memorandum must be recorded with the county recorder’s office where the original memorandum was recorded. This clears the record of the buyer's interest in the property.

Purpose of the Release:
Clear Title: Recording a release of the memorandum ensures that there are no lingering claims or interests related to the installment contract. This is important if the property is to be sold or refinanced in the future.

Fulfilling Obligations: Once the installment payments are completed and the contract terms are satisfied, the seller has an obligation to release the buyer from the contract and to remove any encumbrances from the public record.

Legal Protection: Recording a release protects both parties from future disputes regarding ownership or interest in the property.
Practical Example:

Example: A buyer has completed all installment payments under a contract for deed with the seller. The original contract was recorded via a memorandum of contract. Once the final payment is made, the seller is responsible for preparing and recording a release of the memorandum to indicate that the buyer has fulfilled all obligations under the contract and now holds clear title to the property.

Our Promise

The documents you receive here will meet, or exceed, the Howard County recording requirements for formatting. If there's an issue caused by our formatting, we'll make it right and refund your payment.

Save Time and Money

Get your Howard County Full Release of Memorandum of Contract form done right the first time with Deeds.com Uniform Conveyancing Blanks. At Deeds.com, we understand that your time and money are valuable resources, and we don't want you to face a penalty fee or rejection imposed by a county recorder for submitting nonstandard documents. We constantly review and update our forms to meet rapidly changing state and county recording requirements for roughly 3,500 counties and local jurisdictions.

4.8 out of 5 - ( 4564 Reviews )

Michael G.

July 14th, 2025

Very helpful and easy to use

Reply from Staff

Your appreciative words mean the world to us. Thank you.

JAMES D.

July 10th, 2025

Slick as can be and so convenient.rnrnWorked like a charm

Reply from Staff

Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!

MARY LACEY M.

June 30th, 2025

Great service! Recording was smooth and swiftly performed. Deeds.com is an excellent service.rn

Reply from Staff

We are delighted to have been of service. Thank you for the positive review!

Gloria J.

July 23rd, 2021

I needed a Missouri Notice of Intent to Sell without a named designated buyer. Mo Statutes require notice be notarized and filed 45 days before any closing to protect buyer from liens. You do not have that document. We are flipping a house so it must be filed. Our lawyer was on vacation. Cannot find one anywhere on net. Finally got a template from our title company.

Reply from Staff

Thank you for your feedback Gloria.

Nick J.

March 16th, 2023

We aimed to handle a survivorship affidavit (deed change) without a lawyer following my dad's death. After some searching, deeds.com seemed to have the most comprehensive and "correct looking" form we could find for our locale, so we went with it, and it was accepted by our recorder's office.

I'm not sure why our local government office doesn't offer a standard form, but they don't, and deeds.com came through for us in a pinch.

Reply from Staff

We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!

Jeffery H.

October 18th, 2023

Very easy to use. Thanks for your quick response on my document submissions and follow up and guidance on specific questions.

Reply from Staff

Thank you for your positive words! We’re thrilled to hear about your experience.

William /.

January 10th, 2021

Great service would use again

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

Alan M.

December 3rd, 2021

The packet I downloaded was complete and useful, and process was not unduly opaque. However, I would have liked to download the whole packet, about 6 files, all at one go. Still, the forms provided the complete solution to my situation.

Reply from Staff

Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!

L. Candace H.

April 29th, 2021

So far it's been good & informative. I have not chosen forms for download but I like the site.

Thanks

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

Debby P.

April 2nd, 2020

First time user and the service was great.. I typically go to recording kiosk at the libraries. This was fast and easy.. I appreciate the great service

Reply from Staff

Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!

Dallas S.

July 19th, 2023

Very easy

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

John G.

July 25th, 2022

I was actually quite pleased with the ease of use of this site. I really, really liked the step by step instructions and examples of the finished product !!

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

Jane E.

November 4th, 2020

The form was incompatible with my son's new computer. I do not have a printer. We did use your form to type a copy into "word" so he could print it.

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

Johnnie G.

July 6th, 2020

We had hoped, as this was direct through our State recorder's office, State-specific data would be pre-filled in. Also there is no help when transferring the home title from a Revocable Trust to the living Trustee and new spouse (no example given, no help for which code to use). And the example doesn't match the prior deed revision format submitted by our attorney. So, not the best experience. We may have to get an attorney involved...what we were hoping to avoid

Reply from Staff

Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!

Toshimi M.

May 24th, 2021

Sofar very good. Especially an example helps.

Reply from Staff

Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!