Union County Recorder

10/14/2026

If you're seeing this- this is one of the most IMPORTANT posts I will share this year!

The amount of phone calls we get at the Recorder's Office about property/deed fraud and people wanting to protect themselves is climbing every year! I even have sticky notes on my computer with names I'm watching for people. The Iowa County Recorder's Assocation and Iowa Land Records are preparing to launch a STATEWIDE NOTIFICATION SYSTEM that will notify registrants when something is recorded in their name. This has been a long time coming. It's being tested by County Recorders now to work out the bugs, but it will be ready for the public SOON!

Here is what you can do in the meantime.
1. Read all of this information!
2. Sign up for a FREE account at www.iowalandrecords.org
3. Bookmark the login page.
4. Wait for the announcement that the site is live.

I will be hosting an open house once the site is live to help people with setting up their notifications. It will be easier to help with this if your account at Iowa Land Records is already set up and approved!

Reach out with questions!
641-782-1725

Katie

🏡 OWN PROPERTY IN IOWA? READ THIS! 👀

A new statewide notification system is coming to Iowa, and there’s something you can do RIGHT NOW to make getting signed up easier when it launches! 👇

🔔 WHAT’S COMING?
Iowa is preparing to launch a FREE statewide system that will allow property owners to receive notifications when documents are recorded that may affect their property.

🌎 AND IT’S STATEWIDE!
You’ll be able to sign up for notifications on property you own in any and all Iowa counties — you won’t be limited to just one county.

💻 SO WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW?
Head over to IowaLandRecords.org and create your FREE Iowa Land Records account!

👉 WHY SIGN UP NOW?
Having your account already set up will make the registration process much smoother for you — and for the Iowa Land Records staff — once the notification system is ready.

📧 WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOU SIGN UP?
Once you create your Iowa Land Records account, Iowa Land Records will email you when the property notification system is ready for you to register.

⚠️ ONE IMPORTANT NOTE!
The notification system is NOT available yet! It is currently in the testing phase, with plans to roll it out to the public this month.

Creating your Iowa Land Records account now is simply a way to get ahead of the game and be ready when the new system launches. 🎯

✅ FREE account
✅ Statewide access
✅ Get notified when registration opens
✅ Be ready for the rollout

👉 Get your account set up today at IowaLandRecords.org!

Have questions? 📞 Give your County Recorder’s Office a call — we’re happy to help!

🏡 A few minutes now can make the process much easier later!

10/07/2026

Sample Ballots for the General Election on November 3rd, 2026 are available on the Union County Website. https://unioncountyiowa.gov/

Questions? Call us at 641-782-1701.

10/07/2026

District IV Recorders met in Madison County at the Madison County Historical Society on Monday, September 14. There was a ton of great discussion, many committee updates, and ended with the election of 2027 district officers.

10/07/2026

🦌🌲 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.

09/21/2026

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. 🛻🌲

09/18/2026

Please always feel free to call us with questions about the marriage application process. It’s a lot of information and we want to make sure your special day makes it properly into our records!

💍 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!

09/18/2026

🧾 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.

09/15/2026

It might surprise you how much more we do in our office aside from real estate! Stay tuned for more posts about the Recorder's Office and what's going on in here. :)

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!