Malheur County Recorder Information

Land records in Malheur County are recorded by the County Clerk. The office is held by Gayle V. Trotter.

Records include deeds, mortgages, liens, mining and County Court journal; 1973 and older mortgage and 1959 and older mining records are in storage and require 24 hour notice. Under SB 618, service discharge records are confidential and public records from 1973-1983 are restricted, requiring written requests.

Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: Recorder · ORS 205.130 Recording duties of county clerk · County Clerk – Malheur County Oregon

These government fees are separate from any Deeds.com service fees. Confirm current charges with the recorder's office.

Added at recording

Other charges

Fee schedule effective June 4, 2018.

StatewideA page is one side of a sheet 14 inches or less long and 8-1/2 inches or less wide. Each additional transaction in a multi-transaction instrument under ORS 205.236, each additional municipal assessment lien, and each additional lien under ORS 311.675 is $5. A county may require a Public Land Corner Preservation Fund fee by ordinance under ORS 203.148 (ORS 205.320(1)(j)). Up to $3.75 may be charged for locating a record for copies.

Liens: $77.00 base fee for a 1 page document, additional $5 per page. Mining affidavits of annual assessment, proof of labor or intent to hold: $16 plus $5 per each additional claim listed after the first. Record search/location fees: 0-15 minutes $3.75; 16-30 minutes $10.75; 31-45 minutes $17.75; 46-60 minutes $25.00. Documents submitted with insufficient fees will be returned unrecorded.

Paying the office

Fees are required at the time a document is presented for recording.

Transfer tax

No transfer tax. None is collected when a document is recorded. (statewide, Or. Const. Art. IX, §15)

StatewideNo state real estate transfer tax. ORS 306.815 bars cities, counties, and other political subdivisions from imposing a tax or fee on the transfer of a fee estate in real property, but does not apply to a tax in effect and operative on March 31, 1997, or to Public Land Corner Preservation Fund fees under ORS 203.148; local offices where a grandfathered tax exists collect their own.

Checked September 2026 against official publications. Sources: HJR 203 (2020), reprinting Or. Const. Art. IX §15 · Recorder · ORS 205.320 Fees collected by county clerk · ORS 205.327 Penalty for presenting nonstandard instruments for recording · ORS 306.815 Tax on transfer of real property prohibited; exceptions · County Clerk Fee Schedule – Malheur County Oregon

Confirm current requirements with the recorder's office before submitting documents.

Space for recording information 3 inches wide by 2 inches high in the top right corner of the first page.

StatewideThe first page must contain the names of the transactions, the names of the parties to be indexed, the return name and address, for fee title conveyances the true and actual consideration (ORS 93.030) and tax statement information (ORS 93.260), and for assignments of a mortgage or trust deed the assignee's name and address. Instruments must be clearly labeled to allow recording in the appropriate record. Size and type rules do not apply to out-of-state notarial acts or certified copies of public records.

Mortgage, deed of trust and lien records must show on the first page the instrument number of any previously recorded document being assigned, modified, released or satisfied. Conveyances to the state, county, cities or districts must contain a notarized signature and statement of acceptance. Documents must be in English; illegible documents, such as faxed forms, are rejected. Print actual size rather than fit to print.

Submitting documents

Checked October 2026 against official publications. Sources: ORS 205.232 Conditions for instruments to be recorded · ORS 205.234 Requirements for first page of instruments to be recorded · County Clerk – Malheur County Oregon · 1st page recording requirements