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Real property documents relating to property located in Fond du Lac County are recorded with the Register of Deeds. The Register's office will review documents, but the responsibility for a complete and correct document is up to the submitter.
Recording Fees
To record a real estate document, the fee is $30.
The current rate of transfer fees is $3 per $1,000 of value.
A Wisconsin Real Estate Transfer Return (completed with proper fee paid or a transfer tax exemption number) is required for deeds, land contracts, and other instruments of conveyance. File the form electronically online with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue.
The recording fee must accompany the deed and the transfer return receipt when recording.
Document Formatting Requirements
- Originals are accepted for recording, with original notarized signatures.
- White paper of at least 20 pound weight and measuring 8.5 x 11 inches or 8.5 x 14 inches should be used. The maximum derivation from these measurements should not exceed 0.25 inches.
- A multi-page instrument should not be hinged or otherwise joined completely at the top or sides.
- The ink should be black or red, except that signatures and coded notations on maps may be other colors.
- Standard document format requires a 2.5 x 2.5 inch blank space in the upper right corner of the first page. This is a statutory requirement; however, Fond du Lac lists a space requirement of 3 x 3 inches in the upper right corner of the first page.
- The instrument title should be no less than 0.5 inches but not more than 3 inches from the top of the page. If more than one instrument name is given, the first name given will be used for indexing purposes.
- A horizontal area within 3 inches of the top of the instrument in the upper left corner, not less than 0.5 x 2 inches should be left blank for the unique document number.
- A horizontal area of at least 1 x 3 inches for the return address should be on the instrument in one of three places: Directly below the 3 x 3 inch recording area in the upper right corner, directly below the 1 x 3 inch document number area, or directly below the name of the instrument if the return address does not extend further than 3 inches from the top of the instrument.
- In addition to the above formatting requirements, top margins on subsequent pages should be at least an inch. Bottom and side margins on subsequent pages should be at least 1/4 of an inch.
- Below the return address information, a space and a line should be provided and should be labeled as "parcel identifier number," or abbreviated as "PIN." If multiple parcels are affected by the instrument, the line may be used to refer to another area of the instrument where the parcel identifier number is located.
- The name of the person who drafted the document should be given in the following format: "This instrument was drafted by (name)."
- A conveyance should identify the interest conveyed, and any material term, condition, reservation, exception or contingency upon which the interest is to arise.
A completed Wisconsin Real Estate Transfer Return should be submitted with all documents of conveyance except when exemptions 1, 2r, 4, or 11 apply. The Transfer Return must be filed electronically on the Wisconsin Department of Revenue website. The Department of Revenue website also has instructions for how to submit a waiver and a list of exemptions.
The valuation must be shown when a document is exempt, except if exempt under 77.25(3) and (11).