Recorder of Deeds

HB3878 - New Legislation

Legislators have recently passed HB3878 which increases the Rental Housing Support Fee by an additional $9.  The increase affects recording fees in all 102 counties throughout the State of Illinois and will take effect July 1, 2023.  HB3878 additional info.

The Recorder's Office is where land records are recorded and made part of the official public record. The office is committed to assuring that the land records for the County's 1,152 square miles, containing 737,280 acres, are handled with all the respect and attention to detail as has always been the practice of this office, and to move forward with new available technologies to assist in achieving these goals, all while providing the best customer service we can to our public.

These records are available for public inspection as dictated by State Statute. The office provides the necessary equipment to search for and print copies of the documents on file. While it is free to examine these documents while in the office, if you choose to make a copy to take with you, a fee will be charged. These fees are set either by State Statute or by County Board Resolution. Find more about the Recorder of Deeds Fee Schedule.

Available records date back to the early 1830s. Old records up through 1983 can be searched using books indexed by names and legal descriptions. Computerized records from mid-1979 to the present can be searched using available internet and office computer technologies, again indexed by names and legal descriptions. Other indexing by address, pin number or document type is available on some computerized records, but not all. Some microfilmed records are also available for inspection within the office. The staff will provide instruction to assist in your in-office record searching but are, themselves, unable to spend time searching.

Due to a courthouse fire in 1880, some older records are no longer available, but all records still in the possession of the Recorder's Office are backed up on microfilm with the backups maintained offsite.

Recording Process

Documents may be recorded, provided they meet the requirements of State Statutes, for a fee that is set by statute or County Board Resolution. These fees must be paid in advance of recording the document. A copy of the current fee schedule is available here or at the Recorders Office. After recording your document we will need to retain it long enough to enter the information into our computer system and audit the entry for errors (normally a 2 day process). We will then mail it to the address indicated on the document. Documents are recorded in the order which they are received and those documents received after 4 pm will not begin the recording process until the next business day. We have several blank documents forms available at no charge in the office or you may download them for free. 

Please remember that we are not attorneys and cannot answer legal questions or provide assistance in completing forms/documents. Since these are legal documents, we strongly recommend that you consult your attorney for assistance in these areas.

Online Records Access

Computerized LaSalle County land records and/or their indexing information can be accessed online at any time using one of three methods. Visit the Records Online page for more information.