Rock Island County Recorder: Deeds & Records

Rock Island County provides online land-record access through two Fidlar Technologies services: Tapestry and Laredo.

Tapestry is generally intended for occasional searches. Laredo is designed for frequent professional researchers.

Step-by-step: Find a recorded deed

1. Choose your search system.

   Open Tapestry for an occasional lookup or Laredo for regular research.

2. Select Illinois and Rock Island County.

   Confirm the county before entering names or recording details.

3. Search by the recorded parties.

   Enter the buyer, seller, current owner or former owner’s name using the available fields.

4. Narrow the search.

   Use a recording date, document type, legal description or reference number if supported.

5. Compare the matching instruments.

   Verify the grantor, grantee, recording date, document type and property description.

6. Save the document reference.

   Keep the instrument, book/page or recording number before ordering a copy.

What if the search returns no results?

Try alternate spellings, a previous owner’s name or a broader recording-date range.

If you know the street address but not the owner, first locate the parcel through the county’s assessment search.

For very old records, call the Recorder about historical indexes and records dating to the mid-1800s.

If you know the address of a home in Rock Island, Moline, East Moline, Silvis, Milan or another county community, begin with the county’s assessment database.

The online assessment search provides property information used for tax administration, including parcel numbers and available ownership details.

Use the official Assessment Search

1. Open the Rock Island County Assessment Search.
2. Read and accept its public-information disclaimer.
3. Search by the available address, owner or PIN fields.
4. Confirm the property’s location and parcel number.
5. Note the listed owner or relevant transaction information.
6. Return to Tapestry or Laredo to locate recorded documents.

Use the GIS parcel map

The county also provides an ArcGIS parcel viewer to help locate land and check mapped parcel boundaries.

GIS data is for reference and is not a boundary survey or legal determination of ownership.

Rock Island County Office Building, 1504 Third Avenue, Rock Island, Illinois. Recorder’s Office: second floor.

The Recorder maintains legal instruments affecting real property and certain other records authorized by Illinois law.

What should you check on a deed?

Review the grantor, grantee, execution date, recording date, legal description and instrument reference.

Compare any referenced earlier deed or mortgage when researching ownership history.

You can search for the document online or request a copy through the Recorder’s Office.

The county publishes separate charges for ordinary photocopies, certified copies and requests made by mail or email.

The county’s fee page also lists $2 for a file-stamped document copy and $5 for a file-stamped map.

Request a copy by mail

1. Identify the deed by party names and recording details.
2. Include the document number or book/page reference if known.
3. Explain whether you need an ordinary or certified copy.
4. Confirm the full payment amount with the Recorder.
5. Send your request to the Recorder’s current office mailing address.

The county’s Document Information page states that mail requests for a deed or legal description should include $5 for the required copy.

Request information by fax

The Recorder accepts certain information requests by fax at 309-558-3642.

If the response must be faxed back, the county lists a $3 faxing charge plus $1 per copied page, paid in advance.

Recording a deed requires more than submitting a signed piece of paper.

The instrument must meet Illinois law, Rock Island County recording standards and any applicable transfer-tax requirements.

1. Prepare the correct deed.

   Confirm the type of deed and the parties to the transaction.

2. Verify the legal description and PIN.

   The county requires the 10-digit parcel identification number on documents containing or referring to a legal description.

3. Check signatures and notarization.

   Make sure the document is properly executed and acknowledged where required.

4. Include first-page recording information.

   Add the document title, preparer’s name and address, and return-to information.

5. Complete property-transfer requirements.

   Include PTAX-203 or the appropriate exemption notation as required by Illinois law.

6. Calculate recording and tax charges.

   Check whether the document is conforming, nonconforming or eligible for a special recording category.

7. Submit the document.

   File through the Recorder’s accepted in-person or electronic recording process.

8. Save the recording reference.

   Keep the instrument number and a copy for future property research.

Required information on a deed

Illinois recording-format standards

A standard document should use white 8.5-by-11-inch paper, black ink and at least 10-point text.

The first page must provide a blank 3-by-5-inch area in the upper-right corner for recording information.

Do not staple or tape attachments to the document. Use the required margins and keep the text readable.

The county’s current published schedule is effective February 1, 2025, under Rock Island County Board Ordinance 2024-11-A.

Unlike many counties, Rock Island generally charges a flat recording price instead of a different price for every extra page.

Why might a deed be charged $104?

Nonconforming documents include those that fail the county’s standard recording requirements.

The county also identifies documents with more than five references, PINs or legal descriptions as nonconforming.

The published $104 amount is the nonconforming recording category, not an additional $104 on top of the $83 standard fee.

Card payment charges

The Recorder accepts cash, checks and credit cards for recordings.

Credit and debit payments are processed through AllPaid, with a published minimum processing charge of $3.99 per transaction.

Special documents

A taxable real estate transfer may require state, county and sometimes municipal transfer-tax payments.

Illinois also requires a Real Estate Transfer Declaration for many deed transactions.

What is Form PTAX-203?

PTAX-203 is the Illinois Real Estate Transfer Declaration. It reports information about the property, the parties and the transfer.

In many transactions, it must accompany the deed. Certain legally exempt transfers may instead use the permitted exemption notation.

How much is Illinois transfer tax?

The Illinois state real estate transfer tax is $0.50 per $500, or fraction thereof, of taxable value.

Illinois law also permits qualifying county real estate transfer taxes of $0.25 per $500. Additional municipal charges can apply depending on the property location.

Confirm the actual Rock Island County and municipal tax-stamp total before submitting the deed.

The illustration excludes county and municipal taxes and assumes the full $200,000 is taxable under Illinois law.

The Recorder accepts electronic document filings through supported eRecording providers.

This option is especially useful for title companies, banks, attorneys and settlement professionals.

An eRecording provider may charge its own fees in addition to the county’s statutory recording charges.

Rock Island County offers a free Property Fraud Alert service for residents who want notifications about recorded documents using their names.

You can choose email or phone notifications through the county-linked registration service.

1. Open the county’s Property Fraud Alert information page.
2. Select the registration link.
3. Choose Begin Here.
4. Follow the instructions to register the name you wish to monitor.
5. Select the available email or phone notification preference.

Registration support: 800-728-3858.

Rock Island County records military discharge documents without a recording fee.

Access to discharge records is subject to applicable privacy and authorization requirements.

The Recorder also participates in Honor Rewards, a program connecting veterans with participating local business discounts.

Rock Island County provides different offices for deeds, assessment records, taxes and vital records.

Contact the office that handles your specific issue rather than relying on one department for every property question.

Use these official resources to verify records, fees, forms, addresses and current government procedures.