Lucas County Recorder

10/08/2026

🦌🌲 HUNTERS: New Treestand Rules for Iowa Public Land

If you hunt deer or turkey on Iowa’s public land, there are some important treestand rules to know before you head out this season!

🏷️ Tag Your Treestand
Treestands placed on public land MUST have a metal tag attached with the owner’s Iowa DNR-issued Customer Identification Number (CID). The tag must be visible from the ground.

🚫 No Permanent Treestands
Permanent treestands may not be constructed on Game Management Areas (State land).

📅 Know When You Can Leave Your Stand
Treestands used for deer or turkey hunting may be left on State land beginning 7 days before the start of the applicable hunting season and must be removed no later than 7 days after the final day of that open season.

🌲 A little planning can save you a headache! Before putting up a stand on public land, make sure it is properly tagged and that you are within the allowed timeframe.

Good luck this hunting season, and as always — know the regulations before you head into the field! 🦃🦌

📍 Need help with your Iowa DNR Customer Identification Number or hunting licenses? The County Recorder’s Office can help with many DNR licensing needs.

10/05/2026

📚 Post 9: What Does the Recorder’s Office Do?

So…what exactly does the County Recorder’s Office do?

As you can see, the answer is: a lot!

From recording real estate documents and preserving public records to issuing vital records, processing marriage applications, registering recreational vehicles, selling hunting and fishing licenses, providing passport services, recording military documents, and helping with genealogy research — our office touches many different parts of our community.

A lot of what we do happens behind the scenes. You may only see us for a few minutes when you stop in to renew a registration or pick up a document, but there are rules, regulations, research, recordkeeping, and attention to detail happening behind that counter every day.

Our goal is to provide accurate, reliable, and helpful service to the people of our county — whether you’re buying a house, getting married, planning a vacation, heading out hunting, researching your family tree, or simply trying to track down an important document.

We’re proud of the work we do, and we’re proud to serve our community. ❤️

10/05/2026

🔎 Post 8: Genealogy & Research

Did you know the County Recorder’s Office can be a great place to start when researching your family history or property history? 🔎📚

Our records contain information that can help connect the dots between generations, properties, and the people who have owned them.

Sometimes customers come in looking for a specific document. Other times, they’re trying to piece together information about an ancestor, find out who previously owned a property, or uncover a little more of their family’s story.

We’re happy to help customers navigate our records and point them in the right direction when we can.

Genealogy and historical research can sometimes feel like putting together a giant puzzle — and we love helping people find the pieces!

You never know what you might discover in the records. 🗂️🏡

09/29/2026

Post 7: Military Documents

One of the responsibilities of the County Recorder’s Office that you may not think about is recording military discharge papers for our veterans.🇺🇸

These documents can become incredibly important long after a veteran leaves the military.

Recorded military documents are accessed over the years by several county offices, including:

🇺🇸Veterans Affairs — for claims and benefits
🚗 Treasurer’s Office — for veteran designation on driver’s licenses
🏡 Assessor’s Office — for property tax benefits

And because of the importance of these records, we do not charge veterans to record their military discharge papers or to receive copies of those recordings.

Our office is proud to provide this service to those who have served our country.

To all of our veterans: thank you for your service and sacrifice. ❤️

09/25/2026

In Lucas County you can get your picture in the Recorders Office for $15. The Auditor Office will help you with your application.

✈️ Post 6: Passports

Planning a trip outside the United States? ✈️🌎

Did you know that some Iowa County Recorder’s Offices process passport applications? Not every Recorder’s Office offers this service, and passport photo services aren’t available at every location either.

For those offices that do offer passport services, we help customers complete their applications accurately and process their paperwork so it can be submitted properly and in a timely manner.

We know that getting a passport is often part of planning a much bigger adventure, and the last thing you want is a paperwork mistake to cause unnecessary delays.

If you’re getting ready for an upcoming trip, check with your local Recorder’s Office to see what passport services they offer and what you’ll need to bring with you.

A little preparation now can save a lot of stress later! ✈️📸

09/25/2026

🎣 Post 5: Hunting & Fishing Licenses

Ready for hunting or fishing season? 🎣🦌

The County Recorder’s Office is one of your local stops for Iowa hunting and fishing licenses, permits, and tags.

We work closely with the Iowa DNR and local DNR officers to make sure we’re following the latest rules and regulations, and helping hunters and anglers get the licenses and tags they need.

Whether you’re heading out for your first fishing trip of the season, getting ready for deer season, or purchasing your annual licenses, we’re happy to help!

Our goal is simple: make sure you have what you need before you head outdoors so you can enjoy a safe and successful season.

Stop by and see us before you head out! 🌲🎣

09/21/2026

🛞 Post 4: Off-Highway Vehicle & Boat Registrations

Did you know the County Recorder’s Office helps register your boats, ATVs, UTVs, and other off-road recreational vehicles through the Iowa DNR?

When you purchase a boat or off-road vehicle, there’s more to registration than simply handing over a title and paying a fee.

We have to follow the State of Iowa and Iowa DNR’s rules and regulations, and we are to make sure the proper documentation is provided before a vehicle can be registered or renewed.

That documentation helps establish that the vehicle was actually owned by the person selling it and that everything checks out properly.

And there’s another important reason we take that process seriously: protecting you from fraudulent sales.

Making sure the paperwork is correct helps protect both the buyer and the seller and helps ensure that a vehicle being registered is legitimately owned.

So whether you’re buying your first boat or ATV, or renewing the registration on your favorite UTV, we’re here to help make sure you have the documentation you need to get it taken care of correctly. 🛻🌲

09/21/2026

💍 Post 3: Marriage Applications

Getting married? 💍❤️

Before you can say “I do,” there’s some paperwork that has to happen first!

The County Recorder’s Office helps engaged couples complete their marriage applications so they can legally get married in Iowa.

We know that paperwork can sometimes be confusing, especially when you’re trying to make sure everything is completed correctly. We’re happy to answer questions and walk couples through the application process.

And sometimes, couples have questions about having their marriage ceremony at the courthouse. We’re always more than happy to explain how that process works and what you need to know.

Getting married should be an exciting time — not a stressful paperwork experience. 💕 We’re here to help make sure you have the information you need to get everything taken care of before the big day!

09/21/2026

🧾 Post 2: Vital Records — Helping You Get the Records You Need

Birth certificates. Death certificates. Marriage certificates.

Our office processes applications for all three, and there’s a lot more involved than simply printing a copy.

We follow state rules and regulations when processing certified copies of vital records, and we carefully verify that customers are entitled to receive the records they are requesting.

Sometimes that record is needed for something as simple as checking a box off a to-do list. Other times, it’s an important piece of a much bigger process.

Need a birth certificate to get the REAL ID star on your driver’s license? ⭐
Need a marriage certificate to update your name on your passport? ✈️
Need a death certificate to help claim funds through the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt? 💰

We can help!

We’re also seeing an upward trend in dual citizenship applications, which often require older vital records and documentation. We’re happy to help customers figure out what records they may need and where to find them.

Vital records are some of the most important documents we issue, and we’re here to help you navigate the process and get the records you are legally entitled to receive.

09/21/2026

Over the next several posts, we’re going to take you behind the counter and highlight some of the many things the Recorder's Office does for our communities. From recording and preserving important documents to helping with vital records, marriage applications, passports, DNR registrations, military records, genealogy research, and more, our office plays a role in many different aspects of our communities.

So, follow along as we share “What Does the Recorder’s Office Do?” and take a closer look at the many services provided by your County Recorder’s Office!

📜 Post 1: Recording Documents — More Than Just a Stamp

When most people think of the County Recorder’s Office, they probably think of recording documents — and they’re right! But there’s a lot more to it than simply putting a recording stamp on a piece of paper.

Our office records real estate documents of all kinds, including deeds, mortgages, easements, surveys, assignments, releases, and much more.

Before a document can be recorded, we have to make sure it meets Iowa’s Document Formatting Standards and that the correct recording fees have been submitted. And while we’re talking about fees — the recording fees we collect today have not changed in over 40 years!

Once a document is accepted, we carefully record it and make sure the information is indexed accurately. These records become part of the permanent public record, so accuracy and preservation are incredibly important.

We know that a document being recorded may represent someone’s home, property, business, or investment. We take that responsibility seriously.

So the next time you bring a document to the Recorder’s Office, know that there’s a lot happening behind the scenes to make sure it becomes an accurate and permanent part of the record. 📚

Stay tuned as we take a closer look at each of these responsibilities and explain a little more about what happens behind the scenes at your County Recorder’s Office!