Lee County, Illinois - Recorder Information

Register of Deeds

You are NOT on the Lee County official website, you are on Deeds.com, a private website that is not affiliated with any government agency.

The County Clerk and Recorder is responsible for maintaining property records in Lee County.

Recording Fees

PRESENT AND ACCEPT ONLY ORIGINALS OR CERTIFIED COPIES FOR RECORDING

STANDARD DOCUMENTS (any document other than nonstandard).........$88.00

RHSP EXEMPT STANDARD DOCUMENT ............$69.00

NONSTANDARD DOCUMENTS
State Tax Liens .....$11.00
Federal Tax Liens .....$18.00
Uniform Commercial Code .....$51.00
Uniform Commercial Code Termination .......$23.00
PLATS -- must be at least 8" x 14", but no larger than 30" x 36"...... $111.00
(2 original signed Mylar and 3 signed copies)
Documents referencing 6 or more tax Parcel Identification Numbers.........$97.00
Documents referencing 6 or more recorded document numbers ......$97.00
Documents not conforming as in paragraphs 1 through 5 below .........$97.00

1-The document shall consist of one or more individual sheets measuring 8.5 inches by 11 inches, not permanently bound and not a continuous form. Graphic displays accompanying a document to be recorded that measure up to 11 inches by 17 inches shall be recorded without charging an additional fee.

2-The document shall be legibly printed in black ink, by hand, type or computer. Signatures and dates may be in contracting colors if they will reproduce clearly.

3-The document shall be on white paper of not less than 20 pound weight and shall have a clean margin of at least one-half inch on the top, the bottom and each side. Margins may be used for non-essential notations that will not affect numbers and customer notations.

4-The first page of the document shall contain a blank space, measuring at least 3 inches by 5 inches, from the upper right hand corner.

5-The document shall not have an attachment stapled or otherwise affixed to any page. (Pages may be stapled together).

VETERANS DISCHARGE.....NO CHARGE

PLAT ACT AFFIDAVIT OR PLAT ACT EXEMPTION REQUIRED WITH OR ON ALL DEEDS EXPECT WOODHAVEN LAKES SUBDIVISION DEEDS

Self-addressed stamped envelopes are required with all documents

County recording fees are subject to change without notice. We recommend to contact the local recorder's office to verify this information.

Document Formatting Requirements

A document should consist of one or more individual sheets measuring 8.5x11 inches. Do not use permanently bound or continuous form documents. Graphic displays accompanying a document that measure up to 11x17 inches will be recorded without charging an additional fee. There should not be any attachments stapled or otherwise affixed to any page.

Use legible printing in black or blue ink by hand, type, or computer. Signatures and dates can be in a contrasting color if they can be reproduced clearly. The font size should be a minimum of 10 point.

Use white paper of not less than 20-pound weight with clean margins of at least an inch on the top, bottom, and sides. Margins can be used for non-essential notations that will not affect the validity of the recording, including but not limited to form numbers, page numbers, and customer notations.

The first page should contain a blank space measuring at least 3x5 inches in the upper right-hand corner. If this space is not provided, additional fees will apply.

The name and address of the grantee, for tax billing purposes, must be provided on the first page.

Include also the name and address of the person to whom the instrument is to be returned. This should be in the top left-hand corner of the first page, but should not extend into the 3x5 inch blank space.

The name and address of the taxpayer responsible for real property taxes (the grantee) should be listed below the return address information on the first page.

On the first page, list the consideration exchanged for the property.

Any instrument submitted for recordation wherein a property description is an essential part of the instrument must contain the legal description of the real property. If there is not enough room on the first page, the legal description can be attached on a separate 8.5x11 inch sheet.

Below the legal description and the property address, list the Permanent Index Number assigned to the property.

Corresponding names should be typed or printed beneath signatures.

Instruments must contain the recorders document number (and book and page number) of any instrument referred to in the instrument being recorded or filed.

An instrument will not be recorded unless the name and address of the person who prepared and drafted it is printed, typewritten, or stamped at the conclusion of the deed in a legible manner. An instrument is in compliance with this if it contains a statement in substantially the following form:
This instrument was prepared by:
__________________________Name
__________________________Address


A Plat Act Affidavit or Plat Act exemption is required to be with or on all deeds, except Woodhaven Lakes subdivision deeds.

All deeds or trust documents presented for recording must be accompanied by a completed Illinois Department of Revenue Real Estate Transfer Declaration or a Statement of Exemption.

County offices and the Illinois Department of Revenue use this form to collect sales data and to determine if a sale can be used in assessment ratio studies. This information is used to compute equalization factors. Equalization factors are used to help achieve a state-wide uniform valuation of properties based on their fair market value.

The Statement of Exemption permits document submitters to claim an exemption from the transfer tax for a particular transaction. For an exact list of exemptions, refer to Chapter 35 ILCS, section 200/31-45.

Effect of Recording:
All deeds, mortgages and other instruments of writing which are authorized to be recorded, shall take effect and be in force from and after the time of filing the same for record, and not before, as to all creditors and subsequent purchasers, without notice; and all such deeds and title papers shall be adjudged void as to all such creditors and subsequent purchasers, without notice, until the same shall be filed for record.