Columbia County Memorandum of Land Sale Contract Form

Last validated July 16, 2026 by our Forms Development Team

Columbia County Memorandum of Land Sale Contract Form

Columbia County Memorandum of Land Sale Contract Form

Fill in the blank Memorandum of Land Sale Contract form formatted to comply with all Oregon recording and content requirements.

Document Last Validated 7/2/2026
Columbia County Memorandum of Land Sale Contract Guide

Columbia County Memorandum of Land Sale Contract Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the Memorandum of Land Sale Contract form.

Document Last Validated 6/3/2026
Columbia County Completed Example of the Memorandum of Land Sale Contract Document

Columbia County Completed Example of the Memorandum of Land Sale Contract Document

Example of a properly completed Oregon Memorandum of Land Sale Contract document for reference.

Document Last Validated 7/16/2026

All 3 documents above included • One-time purchase • No recurring fees

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Important: Your property must be located in Columbia County to use these forms. Documents should be recorded at the office below.

Where to Record Your Documents

Columbia County Clerk

Address:
230 Strand St
St. Helens, Oregon 97051

Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 to 5:00 / Recording: 9:00 to 4:00

Phone: (503) 397-3796

Recording Tips for Columbia County:
  • Ensure all signatures are in blue or black ink
  • Leave recording info boxes blank - the office fills these
  • Request a receipt showing your recording numbers

Cities and Jurisdictions in Columbia County

Properties in any of these areas use Columbia County forms:

  • Clatskanie
  • Columbia City
  • Deer Island
  • Rainier
  • Saint Helens
  • Scappoose
  • Vernonia
  • Warren

View Complete Recorder Office Guide

Hours, fees, requirements, and more for Columbia County

How do I get my forms?

Forms are available for immediate download after payment. The Columbia County forms will be in your account ready to download to your computer. An account is created for you during checkout if you don't have one. Forms are NOT emailed.

Are these forms guaranteed to be recordable in Columbia County?

Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed the applicable formatting requirements used for recording in Columbia County, including margin requirements, font requirements, and other layout standards. This guarantee applies to formatting, not to the legal sufficiency of information entered by the user or the suitability of a form for a particular transaction.

Can I reuse these forms?

Yes. You can reuse the forms for your personal use. For example, if you have multiple properties in Columbia County you only need to order once.

What do I need to use these forms?

The forms are PDFs that you fill out on your computer. You'll need Adobe Reader (free software that most computers already have). You do NOT enter your property information online - you download the blank forms and complete them privately on your own computer.

Are there any recurring fees?

No. This is a one-time purchase. Nothing to cancel, no memberships, no recurring fees.

How much does it cost to record in Columbia County?

Recording fees in Columbia County vary. Contact the recorder's office at (503) 397-3796 for current fees.

Questions answered? Let's get started!

What a Memorandum of Land Sale Contract Is

A land sale contract (a.k.a. contract for deed) is where the seller finances the buyer directly, but keeps legal title until the buyer completes payments.

Instead of recording the full contract (which can be long and contain private terms), parties often record a memorandum.

The memorandum serves as public notice that a buyer has an equitable interest in the property, without disclosing all contract details.

Oregon Law – Requirements & Uses
Statutory Basis
ORS 93.640 requires that conveyances of interests in real property be recorded to give notice to third parties.
ORS 93.030 defines “conveyance” to include contracts for the sale of land.
Thus, recording a memorandum provides constructive notice of the buyer’s rights without putting the entire contract in public records.

Uses
To protect the buyer’s equitable interest against third parties (creditors, later purchasers, lenders).
To avoid disclosure of the financial terms of the contract while still securing priority.
To satisfy title insurers and lenders, who typically require evidence that the buyer’s interest is of record.

Content Requirements (Typical)
Names of seller (vendor) and buyer (vendee).
Legal description of the property.
Date of the underlying land sale contract.
Statement that the parties have entered into a contract for sale of the property.
Recording information for reference.
Signatures of both parties notarized (ORS 93.410 requires acknowledgment for recordation).

True Consideration Requirement: ORS 93.030 and ORS 93.140 require that a conveyance instrument state the true and actual consideration paid for the property.
For a memorandum of land sale contract, this is usually expressed as:
The purchase price (sometimes stated in full), or
At minimum, a recital such as “for valuable consideration,” although many counties (including Multnomah & Washington) may require a declaration of actual purchase price for tax and fee purposes.

Washington County and Multnomah County transfer tax forms also require disclosure of the purchase price or exemption code when recording.

Key Practical Points
A memorandum does not convey fee ownership, so it may be exempt from transfer tax if recorded solely to give notice (see Washington County Code § 3.04.040).

Recording is strongly recommended to protect the buyer’s equitable interest.
Failure to state true consideration could lead to issues with recording or even tax penalties.
The full land sale contract may still need to be produced in litigation or foreclosure, but it does not have to be public record at the outset.

Important: Your property must be located in Columbia County to use these forms. Documents should be recorded at the office below.

This Memorandum of Land Sale Contract meets all recording requirements specific to Columbia County.

Our Promise

The documents you receive here are guaranteed to meet or exceed the applicable Columbia County recording format requirements. If there is a rejection caused by our formatting, we will correct the issue or refund your payment. This guarantee applies to document formatting only and does not extend to information entered by the user, the selection of the form, or the legal effect of the completed document.

Save Time and Money

Get your Columbia County Memorandum of Land Sale 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.

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September 27th, 2019

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December 2nd, 2020

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March 15th, 2026

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August 27th, 2020

Fairly easy to use process and somewhat reasonably priced. Printed guide and sample filled in can be very helpful, too.

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December 22nd, 2024

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March 25th, 2019

Worked Great! First time go at the courthouse

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April 12th, 2022

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September 16th, 2020

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August 27th, 2020

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March 29th, 2021

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November 21st, 2021

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