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Recorder Office
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Clay County Recorder/Registrar
About the Clay County Recorder
Land records in Clay County are recorded by the County Recorder.
The official grantor/grantee index in the computer starts January 1, 1987; the official index before 1987 is in the Grantor/Grantee Books. The improved tract index starts May 1, 1996. Tapestry: index/image search $8.95 per search, print copies $1.00 per page. Laredo is subscription based.
Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: Minn. Stat. 357.18 County Recorder · Online Real Estate Records | Clay County, MN
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 | $46.00 flat (per deed or instrument) |
|---|---|
| Mortgages and deeds of trust | $46.00 flat |
| Releases and satisfactions | $46.00 flat |
| Other standard documents | $46.00 flat |
Other charges
| Additional references or marginal notations | $10.00 each beyond the 4 included (per additional recorded instrument cited, on multiple assignment, partial release or satisfaction documents) |
|---|---|
| Copies, per page | $1.00 |
| Certification | $10.00 |
StatewideThe $46 recording fee is divided by statute: $10.50 goes to the state general fund, $10 to the county recorder's technology fund, and $25.50 to the county general fund. Recording a plat costs $56. Amended floor plans and condominium or common interest community plats cost 50 cents per unit, with a $56 minimum. A noncertified copy of a document submitted for recording costs $2 when a copy or duplicate original comes with it. The recorder collects a $54 fee for receipt of a completed well disclosure certificate (Minn. Stat. § 103I.235). Each county board sets the per-page fee for noncertified copies.
Torrens property: Registered Land Survey $56; Additional New Certificate or Residue Certificate $40; Additional Memorials $20; Certified Copy of Certificate of Title $10. Full size certified copy of a plat or registered land survey $15; noncertified copy $10. Attested or confirmed copies $2. Tax lien search $20 per name. Judicial Security Filings under M.S. 480.50 $75. Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) Fee $30.
Paying the office
| Accepted | Check, Credit card |
|---|---|
| Card fee | A convenience fee is charged for credit card transactions. |
An overpayment of $10 or less will be receipted in as miscellaneous fees. Deed tax is paid to the Clay County Recorder along with recording fees, and fees can be combined into one check.
Transfer tax
Deed tax. .0033 of the net consideration when the consideration exceeds $3,000; $1.65 when there is no consideration or it is $3,000 or less. The tax is collected when the document is recorded. (statewide, Minn. Stat. § 287.21, subd. 1)
StatewideThe deed tax is due when a taxable deed or instrument is presented for recording (Minn. Stat. § 287.21, subd. 1(d)). A mortgage registry tax is imposed on the privilege of recording a mortgage. Its rate is .0023 of the debt, or portion of a debt, secured by a recorded mortgage of real property in Minnesota (Minn. Stat. § 287.035). Some counties are authorized by special statute to impose their own additional deed and mortgage registry taxes. For example, Minn. Stat. § 383B.80 allows Hennepin County a rate of .0001.
Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: Minn. Stat. 357.18 County Recorder · Minn. Stat. 287.21 Imposition of tax · Minn. Stat. 287.035 Imposition of tax · Fee Schedule | Clay County, MN · Deed Tax | Clay County, MN
Document Requirements
Confirm current requirements with the recorder's office before submitting documents.
| Paper size | No larger than 8.5 inches by 14 inches (statewide, Minn. Stat. § 507.093(1)) |
|---|---|
| First page top margin | 3 in (statewide, Minn. Stat. § 507.093(4)) |
| Other margins | 0.5 in (statewide, Minn. Stat. § 507.093(3)) |
| Minimum type size | 8 pt (statewide, Minn. Stat. § 507.093(2)) |
| Ink and paper | Black ink on white paper of not less than 20-pound weight, with no background color or images (statewide, Minn. Stat. § 507.093(2)-(3)) |
| Single sided pages required | No |
| Prepared-by statement required | Yes (statewide, Minn. Stat. § 507.091) |
| Tax statement mailing address required | Yes (statewide, Minn. Stat. § 507.092) |
| Cover sheet | Optional (statewide, Minn. Stat. § 507.093(4)) |
StatewideThe first page has a 3-inch blank space at the top and a one-half inch border on each side and the bottom. The right half of the top blank space is reserved for recording information and the left half for tax certification.
StatewideThese standards apply to documents recorded other than by electronic means. Plats, registered land surveys, and common interest community plats are excepted. The document title must be prominently displayed at the top of the first page, below the blank space, or on the administrative page. No additional sheet may be attached so that it covers information. Documents must be legible enough to reproduce a readable copy. A document should conform to these standards, but should not be rejected unless it is not legible or cannot be archived (Minn. Stat. § 357.18, subd. 5).
Continuous page documents are non-standard. One sided pages are preferred in case there is bleed through from a notary stamp. Do not use white out; corrections should be shown with Xs or a solid line, typed, and initialed by the parties involved.
Forms filed along with a transfer
- Certificate of Real Estate Value Statewide Minnesota Department of Revenue (filed with the county auditor)whenever any real estate is sold for a consideration in excess of $3,000
- Well Disclosure Certificate Statewide Minnesota Department of Healthfor a deed or other instrument of conveyance requiring a certificate of value, unless the deed contains the statutory no-wells or unchanged-status statement
- Septic Certificate Clay County Environmental HealthIf you live in a rural residential / commercial area a Septic Certificate is required from Environmental Health, but recording will not be delayed
Submitting documents
| Electronic recording | Accepted |
|---|---|
| eRecording through Deeds.com | Available for this office |
Abstract documents are accepted for e-recording. Torrens property is not e-recorded at this time. Documents must be e-recorded through a Trusted Submitter.
Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: Minn. Stat. 357.18 County Recorder · Minn. Stat. 507.093 Standards for documents · Minn. Stat. 507.091 Name and address of drafter · Minn. Stat. 507.092 Name and address for tax statements · Minn. Stat. 272.115 Certificate of value · Document Standards | Clay County, MN · Recording Requirements | Clay County, MN · e-Recording | Clay County, MN
Report an error or send an update
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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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Clay County Recorder/Registrar
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Supplemental Document Resources
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