Recording Requirements

Complete instructions for document formatting standards for the State of Iowa attachment at bottom of this page.

Documents for recording require the following:

  • All documents must be legible and reproducible and original signatures must be typed or printed as signed by the individual below the signature.
  • Documents must be dated, notarized and acknowledgment dated.
  • A minimum of 3 inch of empty space is required at the top of all documents for the recording information. Immediately below the space the following information is also required:
  • "Prepared by" name, address, and telephone number
  • All instruments conveying an interest in real property is required to have the following statement immediately below the Prepared by information:
    • "Address tax statement" name, address, and zip code
  • Complete legal description, including lot, block, addition and city, or section, township and range.
  • Affix corporate seal and use corporate acknowledgement when appropriate.

Conveyance of Property

In addition to the above requirements, any document conveying property also requires the following:

  • Revenue tax affixed to represent the full sale price over $500.00 (Chart available at Recorder's office).  If exempt from revenue tax, exemption must be so stated on the face of the document. (Exemptions are listed in Code of Iowa Chapter 428A.2) Iowa Real Estate Transfer Tax Calculator & Tables
  • Any deed recorded after January 1, 1979 will be refused for recording unless a Declaration of Value Statement is submitted with the document.  This applies also to any documents of conveyance; Contracts and assignments of contracts on Quit Claim Deeds.  Certain documents are exempt from the Declaration of Value.
  • Visit the forms page for Declaration of Value

Exemption from filing Groundwater Hazard Statement- After July 1, 2022, and pursuant to Iowa Code section 558.69(8A), if none of the conditions described in paragraphs 1-6 are present on the property, the seller must record the following language on the first page of the deed, instrument, or other writing instead of recording the groundwater hazard statement:

“There is no known private burial site, well, solid waste disposal site, underground storage tank, hazardous waste, or private sewage disposal system on the property as described in Iowa Code section 558.69, and therefore the transaction is exempt from the requirement to submit a groundwater hazard statement.”

Pursuant to Iowa Code section 558.69(8B)(a), a county recorder cannot record deed unless the deed contains the language above or if a groundwater hazard statement is filed with the declaration of value.

Please consult your realtor or legal counsel for further advice on this exemption. Pursuant to Iowa Code section 558.69(8A)(b), the owner of the property is responsible for the accuracy of this statement, and the Department provides this information for statutory reference only.

For UCC Financing Statements, see Iowa Secretary of State website at https://sos.iowa.gov

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