Lake County Recorder Information, Illinois

Recorder Office

Contact the recorder's office directly for its records, copies, and recording requirements.

Lake County Recorder of Deeds

18 N County St - 6th Floor, Waukegan, Illinois 60085-4358

8:30 to 5:00 Monday through Friday

(847) 377-2575 fax (847) 984-5860

recorder@lakecountyil.gov

Checked October 2026 against the office's own page.

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About the Lake County Recorder's Office

The Recorder of Deeds is responsible for maintaining records for real property located in Lake County.

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	$70.00 flat (standard document, any page count)
Mortgages and deeds of trust	$70.00 flat (standard document, any page count)
Releases and satisfactions	$70.00 flat (standard document, any page count)
Other standard documents	$70.00 flat (standard document)

Other charges

Document that does not meet the formatting standards	$82.00 per document when Any document failing to meet the requirements listed under STANDARD DOCUMENT
Copies, per page	$1.00
Certification	$50.00

Fee schedule effective July 1, 2023.

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.

Documents exempt from the Rental Housing Support Program surcharge (public utility easements and other documents recorded by Federal, State, or local government agencies): RHSP exempt standard document $50.00; RHSP exempt non-standard document $62.00. State/federal liens and releases and UCC termination statements $43.00; UCC-1 and UCC-3 filings $58.00. Plats as a standalone document are non-standard documents. Military discharge (DD214) recording: no charge.

Paying the office

Accepted	Cash, Check, Credit card, Debit card
Checks payable to	Lake County Clerk

Discover, MasterCard and VISA are accepted.

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 · Recording & Copy Fees · Schedule of Recording Fees, Effective Date: July 1, 2023

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))
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))
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)
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.

A page may not have anything affixed to it with tape, glue, etc., however, pages may be stapled together. A document that includes legal-size (8½" x 14") pages, unless those pages are exhibit drawings or plats, is a non-standard document. Plats as a standalone document must be at least 8½" x 14" but no larger than 30" x 36".

Forms filed along with a transfer

PTAX-203, Illinois Real Estate Transfer Declaration Statewide Illinois Department of Revenue
At 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

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 · Schedule of Recording Fees, Effective Date: July 1, 2023