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Recorder Office
Contact the recorder's office directly for its records, copies, and recording requirements.
Ford County Clerk and Recorder
About the Ford County Clerk & Recorder
Land records in Ford County are recorded by the County Clerk & Recorder. The office is held by Kelsie Vaughn.
Laredo title search by paid subscription. The index goes back to 1992 and document images run from 2002 to the present. Book records are available back to 1859. Two public computer workstations are available without charge.
Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: County Clerk & Recorder - Ford County Illinois
Recording Fees
These government fees are separate from any Deeds.com service fees. Confirm current charges with the recorder's office.
| Deeds and other conveyances | $83.00 flat (aggregate fee per deed) |
|---|---|
| Mortgages and deeds of trust | $83.00 flat (aggregate fee; includes assignments, extensions, amendments, subordinations) |
| Releases and satisfactions | $83.00 flat (mortgage releases, within mortgages class) |
Other charges
| Copies, per page | $1.00 |
|---|---|
| Certification | $20.00 |
Fee schedule effective January 1, 2025.
StatewideCounties set a predictable fee schedule by ordinance or resolution, with one all-inclusive aggregate fee for each document class (deeds; leases; mortgages, including assignments, extensions, amendments, subordinations and mortgage releases; easements; nonstandard documents; miscellaneous; maps or plats). Fees may not be based on page count or other individual attributes of a document. Statutory minimum aggregate fee for each of these classes: $31 (a minimum $13 county fee plus the $18 Rental Housing Support Program State surcharge). The minimum for maps or plats is $50. A county may adopt an additional fee for a document that references more than 5 tax parcels or document numbers. Certified and non-certified copy fees may not exceed the highest document class recording fee.
Subdivision Plat/Survey (for standard size) – $84.00; Subdivision Plat/Survey (for non-standard size) – $95.00. An 8 1/2" x 11" copy must accompany all Non-Standard original documents in order to be recorded.
Paying the office
No more than 5 documents to be recorded at one time per check.
Transfer tax
Illinois Real Estate Transfer Tax. 50¢ for each $500 of value or fraction of $500 stated in the declaration required by Section 31-25. The tax is collected when the document is recorded. (statewide, 35 ILCS 200/31-10)
StatewideCounties may add a county real estate transfer tax at the rate of 25 cents for each $500 of value or fraction thereof stated in the declaration required by Section 31-25 of the Property Tax Code (55 ILCS 5/5-1031). The recorder or registrar of titles collects it before recording the deed or trust document. Home rule municipalities may levy their own transfer taxes. The amount of a mortgage remaining outstanding when real estate is transferred subject to it is not included in the basis.
Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: 55 ILCS 5/3-5018.2 · 35 ILCS 200/31-10 Imposition of tax · 55 ILCS 5/5-1031 County real estate transfer tax · Resolution 24-78 Predictable Fee Schedule, County Recorder's Office · Resolution 18-84 County Clerk's Office Fees · Recording: Prices and Recording requirements - Ford County Illinois
Document Requirements
Confirm current requirements with the recorder's office before submitting documents.
| Paper size | 8.5 inches by 11 inches; graphic displays up to 11 inches by 17 inches (statewide, 55 ILCS 5/3-5018.2(c)(5)) |
|---|---|
| Other margins | 0.5 in (statewide, 55 ILCS 5/3-5018.2(c)(5)) |
| Minimum type size | 10 pt |
| Ink and paper | Legibly printed in black ink by hand, type, or computer, on white paper of not less than 20-pound weight; signatures and dates may be in contrasting colors if they reproduce clearly (statewide, 55 ILCS 5/3-5018.2(c)(5)) |
| Return address required | Yes |
| Prepared-by statement required | Yes (statewide, 55 ILCS 5/3-5022) |
| Grantee address required | Yes (statewide, 55 ILCS 5/3-5026) |
| Tax statement mailing address required | Yes (statewide, 765 ILCS 5/35c) |
| Parcel number required | Yes |
| Printed names under signatures required | Yes (statewide, 765 ILCS 5/35c) |
StatewideThe first page must contain a blank space measuring at least 3 inches by 5 inches from the upper right corner. Margins may be used only for non-essential notations, such as form numbers, page numbers, and customer notations.
StatewideA document that does not meet the statutory standards (size, ink, paper, margins, blank space, no stapled attachments, 5 or fewer parcels or document numbers referenced) may be recorded in the nonstandard document class if it allows a legible reproduction.
Must be in the English language. Documents must be original, with original signatures. No white out on any document will be accepted. Releases, Assignments and Extensions must have a document number, and/or book and page number the document is referring to. Correcting or re-recording a document: the original document must be attached to a new first page that meets all recording requirements and refers to the original document and the corrections.
Forms filed along with a transfer
- PTAX-203, Illinois Real Estate Transfer Declaration Statewide Illinois Department of RevenueAt the time a deed, a document transferring a controlling interest in real property, or trust document is presented for recordation, except as provided in Section 31-45
- Plat Act Affidavit Ford County Clerk & Recorderfor split property only
Submitting documents
| In person | Accepted |
|---|---|
| By mail | Accepted |
| Electronic recording | Accepted |
| eRecording through Deeds.com | Available for this office |
| How recorded documents come back | Documents will be held in our office for one business day. The recorded documents will be returned to the “Return To” address on the recorded document. |
Documents after 4:00 PM will be recorded on the next business day.
Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: 55 ILCS 5/3-5018.2 · 35 ILCS 200/31-25 Transfer declaration · 55 ILCS 5/3-5022 · 55 ILCS 5/3-5026 · 765 ILCS 5/35c · Recording: Prices and Recording requirements - Ford County Illinois · Laredo Agreement – Ford County, Illinois
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How to Get a Copy of Your Deed
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Deeds.com eRecording
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Recorder Office
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Ford County Clerk and Recorder
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Supplemental Document Resources
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