2025 Recording Fee for Real Estate Transactions: Costs and Key Insights

Julia Kagan is a financial and consumer journalist, formerly a senior editor for personal finance at Investopedia.

What Is a Recording Fee?

A recording fee is a government-imposed charge for officially registering the purchase or sale of real estate, making the transaction part of the public record. Typically assessed by the county where the property is located, this fee helps maintain accurate and accessible property records.

Key Points to Remember

• Recording fees cover the cost of documenting real estate transactions, including deeds, mortgages, and liens.
• These fees vary by county and depend on document size and complexity.
• They ensure transparency and legal clarity by publicly recording property ownership and liens.

How Recording Fees Work in Real Estate Deals

When buying or selling property, recording fees are part of closing costs—expenses required to finalize the transaction. These fees compensate the county clerk or recording office for maintaining official documents, which are critical for legal verification and title searches.

Buyers often pay recording fees for mortgages and deeds to be legally recorded. For example, some counties charge as low as $12 for a deed recording, while others may charge $15 or more. Fees can also depend on the number of pages; the first page might cost $60, with additional pages costing extra.

Documents subject to recording fees include affidavits, leases, mortgages, corner certificates, uniform commercial code filings, title changes, deeds, trade name registrations, boundary surveys, powers of attorney, bills of sale, and various contracts. Even bank mergers may require recording fees depending on local regulations.

Important Considerations

Recording fees serve a vital role in public recordkeeping, providing transparency about property ownership and any liens. Failure to pay these fees or record the transaction can lead to ownership disputes and complications in securing mortgages. In fact, most lenders require recording fees to be settled before finalizing mortgage paperwork.

While many counties have moved toward electronic recordkeeping, some still require in-person or mailed submissions, and may prefer check payments over credit cards, sometimes charging extra fees for card payments.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to record property documents?

Recording times vary from 14 to 90 days depending on the county, but fees often must be paid beforehand for lenders to complete the purchase.

Who pays the recording fee?

Typically, the buyer is responsible for paying the recording fees at closing.

Final Thoughts

Although recording fees add to the closing costs, they are essential for maintaining clear, public records of property ownership and liens. This transparency protects buyers, sellers, and lenders by ensuring all real estate transactions are officially documented and accessible.

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