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Recorder Office
Contact the recorder's office directly for its records, copies, and recording requirements.
Montgomery County Clerk & Recorder
About the Montgomery County Clerk & Recorder
Land records in Montgomery County are recorded by the County Clerk & Recorder. The office is held by Sandy Leitheiser.
Land records recorded since 1822. Free public terminals in the office. Online: free index-only direct search; Tapestry at $8.95 per search and $1.00 per printed page; Laredo subscription from $75.00 per month, remote print $.25 a page. As of 1/2026, online searches cover recorded documents from 1958 to current.
Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: County Clerk & Recorder – Montgomery County, Illinois · Recording – Montgomery 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 | $88.00 flat (Standard document, all-inclusive aggregate fee) |
|---|---|
| Mortgages and deeds of trust | $88.00 flat (Standard document, all-inclusive aggregate fee) |
| Releases and satisfactions | $88.00 flat (Standard document, all-inclusive aggregate fee) |
| Other standard documents | $88.00 flat (Standard document; $70 for listed exceptions (memorandum of judgment, power of attorney, government easements, etc.)) |
Other charges
| Document that does not meet the formatting standards | $99.00 per document when Documents referencing 6 or more tax Parcel Identification Numbers or 6 or more recorded document numbers or Book/Page Numbers, or documents not conforming as in 55 ILCS 5/3-5018.1 |
|---|
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.
Standard document total of $88 consists of Base Recording Fee $10.50, Recorder's Record Storage Fund $39.50, G.I.S. Fund $20.00 and State Rental Housing Surcharge $18.00; non-standard total of $99 has a base recording fee of $21.50. Subdivision/Condominium Plats (need original & 1 signed copy) $115 each; Surveys/Plats over 8 1/2 x 14 $115 each; Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) $99 each; Military Discharge (DD214) free, certified copies free. Certified Copies of Recorded Documents: fee same as recording fee on document.
Paying the office
| Accepted | Cash, Check, Money order, Credit card, Debit card |
|---|---|
| Checks payable to | Montgomery County Clerk & Recorder |
| Card fee | Credit/debit cards accepted in person for a small additional fee. |
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 · County Clerk & Recorder – Montgomery County, Illinois · Recording – Montgomery County, Illinois · Montgomery County, Illinois Predictable Recording Fees
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)) |
|---|---|
| First page top margin | 2 in |
| Other margins | 0.5 in (statewide, 55 ILCS 5/3-5018.2(c)(5)) |
| Minimum type size | 12 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.
2 inch margin on the top right corner of the first page, and then a 1 inch margin from the top of all subsequent pages.
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.
By County Policy, all documents with legal descriptions must list the property's physical address and Tax Permanent Index Number (PIN); a complete legal description is required, and the legal description on a property tax bill or Beacon is not accepted. Documents must be original or a certified copy. White out is not accepted on any document.
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
- Montgomery County Plat Act Affidavit Montgomery County Clerk & RecorderRequired on all deeds recorded in the county; must have the appropriate number circled, be signed, and notarized
Submitting documents
| In person | Accepted |
|---|---|
| By mail | Accepted |
| Electronic recording | Accepted |
| eRecording through Deeds.com | Available for this office |
| Stamped, self-addressed return envelope | Required |
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 – Montgomery County, Illinois · Montgomery County Recording Check Off List
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Deeds.com Resources & Services
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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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Montgomery County Clerk & Recorder
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Supplemental Document Resources
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