Recorder Office
Contact the recorder's office directly for its records, copies, and recording requirements.
Clay County Recorder
About the Clay County County Recorder
Land records in Clay County are recorded by the County Recorder. The office is held by Sheila Weeks.
StatewideSocial security numbers and financial account numbers in electronic documents displayed online are redacted, and individuals may request redaction at no fee. Peace officers, law enforcement civilian employees, judicial officers, and prosecutors may request redaction of their names from online documents.
Checked September 2026 against official publications. Sources: Iowa Code 2026 §331.606B Document or document formatting standards · Iowa Code 2026 §331.606A · Recorder - Clay County, Iowa
Recording Fees
These government fees are separate from any Deeds.com service fees. Confirm current charges with the recorder's office.
| All documents | $7.00 first page, $5.00 each additional page (includes the records management and electronic transaction fees charged once per document) |
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Other charges
| Document that does not meet the formatting standards | $10.00 per document when Document or instrument dated on or after July 1, 2005 that does not conform to the format standards of Iowa Code §331.606B(1)-(3), unless exempt under subsection 5 |
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StatewideIf a page or fraction of a page contains more than one transaction, the recorder collects the per-page fee for each transaction. The fee for recording a plat of survey under the electronic transaction fee provision is one dollar, regardless of the number of pages. No fee is charged for the submission or filing of a groundwater hazard statement. A county is not required to pay a fee to the recorder for filing or recording instruments. The $7 first page is the $5 page fee plus the $1 records management fee (Iowa Code 331.604(2)) and the $1 electronic transaction fee (331.604(3)), each charged once per document.
Transfer tax
Real estate transfer tax. When there is consideration and the actual market value of the real property transferred is in excess of five hundred dollars, the tax is eighty cents for each five hundred dollars or fractional part of five hundred dollars in excess of five hundred dollars. The tax is collected when the document is recorded. (statewide, Iowa Code §428A.1(1)(a)(2))
StatewideThe tax is imposed on each deed, instrument, or writing by which realty in Iowa is granted, assigned, transferred, or otherwise conveyed. There is no tax when there is no consideration or when the instrument is tendered as corrective of title and so states. Consideration means the full amount of the actual sale price, including an encumbrance or lien assumed by the grantee; a stated dollar value of personal property is deducted. Exemptions are listed in Iowa Code §428A.2.
Verified September 2026 against official publications. Sources: Iowa Code 2026 §331.606B Document or document formatting standards · Iowa Code 2026 §331.604 Recording and filing fees · Iowa Code 2026 §428A.1 Amount of tax on transfers — declaration of value
Document Requirements
Confirm current requirements with the recorder's office before submitting documents.
| First page top margin | 3 in (statewide, Iowa Code §331.606B(1)(f)) |
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| Other margins | 0.75 in (statewide, Iowa Code §331.606B(1)(f)) |
| Minimum type size | 10 pt (statewide, Iowa Code §331.606B(1)(b)) |
| Ink and paper | White paper of not less than twenty-pound weight without watermarks or other visible inclusions; signatures in black or dark blue ink (statewide, Iowa Code §331.606B(1)(d), (e)) |
| Return address required | Yes (statewide, Iowa Code §331.606B(2)(c)) |
| Prepared-by statement required | Yes (statewide, Iowa Code §331.606B(2)(a)) |
| Tax statement mailing address required | Yes (statewide, Iowa Code §331.606B(2)(b)) |
| Printed names under signatures required | Yes (statewide, Iowa Code §331.606B(1)(e)) |
StatewideThe three-inch top margin on the first page is reserved for the recorder's use. Nonessential information such as form numbers, page numbers, or customer notations may be placed in a margin except the top margin.
StatewidePreprinted text must be at least eight point and no more than twenty characters and spaces per inch; other text at least ten point and no more than sixteen characters and spaces per inch. Pages may not be permanently bound; attachments may not be stapled or affixed except as required by statute. The first page must show, below the top margin, the preparer, taxpayer mailing address for conveyances, return address, title, all grantors' and grantees' names, any address required by statute, and the legal description and parcel identification number, if required. Documents may not include social security numbers or financial account numbers. Surveyor documents need an index legend and a 3.75 by 2.5 inch recorder box. Exempt from the format rules: documents signed before July 1, 2005, military separation documents, documents executed outside the United States, certified government copies, court-formatted documents, federal tax liens, UCC filings, groundwater hazard statements, and documents where an original party is deceased or incapacitated.
Forms filed along with a transfer
- Real Estate Transfer - Declaration of Value Statewide Iowa Department of RevenueSubmitted to the county recorder when a deed, instrument, or writing conveying real property is presented for recording, except instruments exempted by Iowa Code §428A.1(2)
- Groundwater hazard statement Statewide Iowa Department of Natural ResourcesWith each declaration of value submitted to the county recorder, unless no listed conditions are present, in which case the conveyance's first page includes the statutory exemption statement
Submitting documents
| eRecording through Deeds.com | Available for this office |
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StatewideDocuments may be submitted electronically to county recorders in all 99 Iowa counties through Iowa Land Records, the county land record information system. A document rejected for recording is returned to the preparer or presenter with an explanation of the reason for rejection.
Verified September 2026 against the sources below. Some of them are not official publications, so confirm with the recorder's office. Sources: Iowa Code 2026 §331.606B Document or document formatting standards · Iowa Code 2026 §558.69 Groundwater hazard statement · Iowa Land Records
Deeds.com Resources & Services
Using Deeds.com is optional. Contact the recorder's office directly for its services and submission options.
How to Get a Copy of Your Deed
Read Deeds.com's guide to requesting document copies from the recorder's office.
Deeds.com eRecording
Available through Deeds.com
Use Deeds.com's paid service to submit documents electronically to the recorder's office. Deeds.com service fees are separate from government recording fees and taxes.
Recorder Office
Contact the recorder's office directly for its records, copies, and recording requirements.
Clay County Recorder
Deeds.com Forms
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Supplemental Document Resources
Recording-related forms and instructions for reference. Confirm which documents apply with the recorder's office.
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