SHERBURNE COUNTY, MINNESOTA • DEEDS & LAND RECORDS • REVIEWED OCTOBER 2026
Sherburne County Recorder: Deeds, Land Records Search, Recording Fees & Office Guide
The Sherburne County Recorder maintains deeds, mortgages, satisfactions, plats and other recorded real estate documents for property in Sherburne County, Minnesota.
The office is in Elk River. You can search land records using RecordEASE, look up property details through Beacon, request certified copies or submit a document for recording.
This guide explains the search costs, Minnesota’s Abstract and Torrens title systems, recording fees, deed-transfer requirements and local office services.
START HERE
What Does the Sherburne County Recorder Do?
The Recorder preserves permanent real estate records and makes those records available for public research.
The Recorder also serves as the Registrar of Titles for property registered under Minnesota’s Torrens system.
ONLINE DOCUMENT SEARCH
How to Search Sherburne County Recorder Deeds Online
Sherburne County uses RecordEASE to provide online land-record searches.
Unlike some free property-record portals, RecordEASE charges for online searches and document viewing.
Occasional users can pay by credit card without purchasing the monthly subscription.
Open Official RecordEASE Search ↗Choose the occasional-user payment option or sign in with an existing RecordEASE account.
Review the session and search fees before proceeding.
Open RecordEASE
Access the Recorder’s official online land-record system.
Check that the page identifies Sherburne County, Minnesota.
Choose occasional or subscription access
Occasional access is suitable for a small number of document searches.
Frequent users may prefer the monthly account option.
Choose a search method
Look for available party-name, document-number, legal-description or tract-search options.
The exact fields depend on the selected search type and record system.
Enter the information you know
Start with a current or former owner name when finding a deed.
A recorded document number is more useful when you need one specific instrument.
Check the matching records
Compare the parties, recording date, document type and legal description.
Verify that the result concerns the intended parcel before purchasing an image.
View or obtain the document
RecordEASE charges a separate fee to view a recorded document.
Save the document number if you later need an official certified copy.
How much does RecordEASE cost?
$3 session fee + $0.50 search + $1.50 document view = $5 total.
This assumes one occasional-user session, one charged search and one standard document view, without other services.
The county states that monthly subscriptions are charged even when the user does not access the system during that month.
Verify 2026 RecordEASE Fees ↗PROPERTY ADDRESS LOOKUP
Find Sherburne County Property Records by Address or Parcel Number
The Sherburne County Assessor provides a free property-information search through Beacon.
This is useful when you know a street address but do not have the owner name or recorded deed number.
Open Sherburne County Beacon Property Search ↗Choose Sherburne County, Minnesota, if the selection screen appears.
Search by property address or parcel identification number. Open the matching parcel and review the available information.
Use the legal description or other identifying details when researching the recorded deed.
What property information is available?
The county lists certain advanced assessment records, including current owners, property photographs and recent sales, under paid CAMA access.
Do not assume that every property detail appears in the free public view.
Read the Official Assessor Search Instructions ↗IMPORTANT MINNESOTA DISTINCTION
Abstract vs Torrens: Which Sherburne County Land Records Do You Need?
Minnesota has two real estate recording systems: Abstract and Torrens.
This distinction matters because Torrens registered land uses certificates of title and may require additional approval before a document can be filed.
Abstract Title
The land’s ownership history is researched through recorded deeds, mortgages, releases and other documents.
An abstract summarizes instruments affecting title over time.
The Recorder’s office records qualifying abstract-land documents.
Official Abstract Title Guidance ↗Torrens Title
The land is registered under a court-supervised system.
A certificate of title is maintained by the Registrar of Titles.
Certain filings require approval from the Examiner of Titles or a court order.
Official Torrens Title Guidance ↗Who is Sherburne County’s Examiner of Titles?
The county’s published Torrens information identifies David Meyers as its Examiner of Titles.
The Examiner advises the Registrar on registered-land matters and determines whether certain instruments satisfy applicable legal requirements.
Historical RecordEASE coverage
The RecordEASE login page publishes different starting dates for its online indexes and images.
The image-coverage date does not mean every old document can be found using a modern name search. Historical research may require tract references or assistance from a title examiner.
OFFICE LOCATION & CONTACT
Sherburne County Recorder Address, Phone, Hours & Google Map
Sherburne County Recorder
Recorder: Michelle Ashe
Physical address:
Sherburne County Government Center
13880 Business Center Drive NW
Suite 100
Elk River, MN 55330-4668
Phone: 763-765-4420
Fax: 763-765-3271
Email: recorder@co.sherburne.mn.us
Hours:
Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM
Before You Visit
Recording a document: No appointment is required.
Other Recorder services: Some services require an appointment.
Document copies: Bring the recorded document number if available.
Torrens property: Confirm any Examiner of Titles requirements before visiting.
View County Appointment Information ↗Google Map — Sherburne County Government Center
Mailing recorded documents
The Recorder publishes the same Government Center address for mailing, addressed to the Recorder.
ATTN: Recorder
13880 Business Center Drive NW
Elk River, MN 55330-4668
Confirm the fee, return instructions and required tax certifications before mailing an original document.
Other local departments
RECORDING WORKFLOW
How to Record a Deed in Sherburne County, Minnesota
A deed must be properly prepared and satisfy Minnesota recording requirements.
Sherburne County reviews submitted instruments for required information. The Recorder does not draft deeds or provide legal advice.
Prepare the correct deed
Confirm the grantor, grantee, legal description and nature of the transfer.
Use a qualified attorney or title professional if you are unsure which deed or transfer document is appropriate.
Determine Abstract or Torrens status
Confirm how the land is held before submitting the document.
Registered Torrens land may require additional certificates or Examiner approval.
Check signatures and legal requirements
Review the acknowledgment, draftsman statement, legal description and tax-statement mailing information.
Make sure the document meets the applicable Minnesota document standards.
Complete the eCRV when required
Minnesota generally requires an electronic Certificate of Real Estate Value for transfers involving more than $3,000 in consideration.
Check whether the transaction is exempt and use the current Department of Revenue application.
Open Minnesota eCRV Instructions ↗Check deed tax and property taxes
Certain deeds require state deed tax and certification that delinquent property taxes have been addressed.
Contact the Auditor/Treasurer to confirm payment and certification requirements.
Check the well disclosure requirements
If the transfer requires a well disclosure, provide the applicable statement or certificate.
Do not omit well information simply because no well is shown on the parcel map.
Submit the deed and correct fees
Bring the completed document to the Recorder or submit it using an accepted recording method.
After recording, retain the document number and review the returned instrument.
Common reasons a deed is returned unrecorded
- Delinquent real estate taxes or missing tax certification.
- Incorrect deed tax or mortgage registry tax.
- Missing or incomplete eCRV.
- Missing draftsman statement.
- Missing future tax-statement mailing address.
- Incomplete notarial acknowledgment.
- Inconsistent or questionable legal description.
- Missing required well disclosure information.
- Incorrect recording payment.
- Unresolved Torrens-specific recording requirements.
Read the Abstract & Torrens System section and the county’s list of common document-return reasons.
Compare those items with your deed before submitting it.
RECORDER COSTS
Sherburne County Recorder Recording Fees & Deed Taxes
The standard Minnesota recording fee is $46 for a qualifying deed or other ordinary instrument.
Sherburne County also publishes separate charges for plats, well certificates and certain multiple-document filings.
Minnesota deed tax
Minnesota generally charges deed tax at 0.0033 of net consideration for taxable transfers in Sherburne County.
A minimum $1.65 tax applies to certain transfers involving $3,000 or less in consideration. Other statutory exemptions or calculation rules may apply.
For a taxable transfer with $250,000 in net consideration:
$250,000 × 0.0033 = $825 deed tax.
Add the ordinary $46 document-recording fee for a simple illustrative combined amount of $871, before other applicable charges.
Net consideration may differ from the stated purchase price. Confirm the correct tax basis and any exemption with the Auditor/Treasurer.
Mortgage registry tax
Minnesota also imposes mortgage registry tax on applicable debt secured by real property.
The statewide rate for Sherburne County is generally 0.0023 of the taxable secured debt.
Minnesota Deed & Mortgage Tax Guidance ↗ Sherburne County Abstract Recording Fees ↗Verify the document’s recording category, deed tax, mortgage registry tax, well disclosure and any Torrens requirements.
Do not rely only on the $46 recording fee when transferring ownership.
DOCUMENT COPIES & REQUESTS
How to Get a Sherburne County Deed Copy or Certified Copy
The Recorder provides ordinary copies, certified copies and land-record research access.
If you need one specific deed, a copy request may be simpler than purchasing a monthly RecordEASE subscription.
2026 copy fees
Use the county’s Land Records Data Request Form
Sherburne County provides an official form for requesting specific recorded documents.
The form requires a document number. The office says requests without that number cannot be processed through the form.
Open Official Land Records Data Request Form ↗Enter the recording number, your contact information and the preferred delivery method.
Check the current fee schedule against the form’s instructions. Include payment and the required return envelope for mailed documents.
What if you do not know the document number?
Search the Recorder’s online index first, or consult a title professional who can locate the document.
The county’s Data Request Form explicitly states that staff do not look up missing document numbers for that request process.
COUNTY-SPECIFIC RECORDS
Well Disclosures, Liens, Plats & Electronic Recording
Well disclosure requirements
Minnesota real estate transfers may require information about wells on the property.
The county explains that a transfer requiring a Certificate of Real Estate Value must also address well information.
If a well exists, a completed Well Disclosure Certificate may be required unless a qualifying prior-disclosure statement is used.
Official Well Disclosure Requirements ↗State and federal tax liens
Sherburne County warns that many state and federal tax liens are indexed by taxpayer name rather than by a particular parcel.
That means a parcel-only search may not reveal every potentially relevant tax lien.
Read State & Federal Tax Lien Guidance ↗Plats and land subdivisions
Sherburne County maintains recorded plats and Registered Land Surveys.
Subdivision approval can involve local planning officials, the County Surveyor, Auditor/Treasurer and Recorder or Registrar of Titles.
Check the current approval sequence before submitting a plat.
Open Recorder’s Plat & GIS Resources ↗Find Maps / GIS / Plat Search under Quick Links.
Confirm whether the property is Abstract or Torrens and whether additional approvals are required.
eRecording
Sherburne County strongly recommends electronic recording for businesses that submit documents regularly.
Professional eRecording services may require an account with an approved vendor.
Contact the Recorder or a local title company for the current electronic submission procedure.
PROPERTY RECORD MONITORING
Sherburne County Property Watch: Free Recording Alerts
The Sherburne County Recorder provides a free Property Watch notification service.
It notifies registered users when a new recorded document contains the name they chose to monitor.
The county says subscribers can select their preferred email or phone contact method.
Open Property Watch
Use the Recorder’s official enrollment link.
Enter the name to monitor
Use the name or names under which relevant documents may be recorded.
Choose notification details
Follow the available contact and subscription instructions.
Review future alerts
If a document is unfamiliar, obtain the recorded instrument and check its contents.
PRACTICAL TROUBLESHOOTING
Common Sherburne County Recorder Search and Filing Problems
I only know the property address
Start with the free Beacon search. Find the parcel and legal description, then use RecordEASE for the corresponding recorded instruments.
RecordEASE is asking me for payment
The Recorder’s online document system charges for searches and document views. Occasional users can pay the session fee rather than purchasing a monthly subscription.
I cannot find an old deed by name
Check the historical Abstract or Torrens index coverage. Older images may exist without the same electronic name-search coverage as newer records.
My Torrens document cannot be filed
Some Torrens instruments need approval from the Examiner of Titles or a court order. Contact the Recorder before resubmitting the document.
My deed was returned unrecorded
Check delinquent taxes, eCRV, deed tax, acknowledgment, draftsman statement, legal description, well disclosure and recording fees.
I need a deed copy but do not know the document number
Use RecordEASE or obtain title-search assistance to find the number first. The official Data Request Form requires the document number.
I want to add a family member to my deed
A new legal document may be needed. The Recorder cannot draft deeds or recommend the proper legal instrument for your circumstances.
I need a complete title or lien search
Recorded-document indexes are only part of title research. Use a title examiner or attorney to review the applicable Abstract or Torrens records and other relevant filings.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT SERVICE
What Should You Do Next?
Use RecordEASE with the owner name or document reference.
Begin with the free Beacon property search.
Locate the document number and use the Recorder’s copy-request process.
Verify Abstract or Torrens status, deed tax, eCRV and document requirements.
Check recorded instruments and name-based tax liens, or use a title professional.
Contact Sherburne County Auditor/Treasurer rather than the Recorder.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Sherburne County Recorder FAQs
Where is the Sherburne County Recorder’s Office?
The office is at 13880 Business Center Drive NW, Suite 100, Elk River, MN 55330-4668. Its hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Who is the Sherburne County Recorder?
Michelle Ashe is the County Recorder and Registrar of Titles listed on the official Sherburne County website.
How do I search Sherburne County deeds online?
Use the county’s RecordEASE land-records system. Search with the available owner-name, document-reference or property-related fields.
Is Sherburne County RecordEASE free?
No. Occasional access costs $3 per session, plus $0.50 per search and $1.50 per standard recorded-document view.
Can I find Sherburne County property records by address?
Yes. The Assessor’s free Beacon property search provides address, parcel identification, assessment and related property information.
What is the difference between Abstract and Torrens land?
Abstract title relies on the history of recorded instruments. Torrens land is registered under a court-supervised system with a certificate of title.
How much does it cost to record a deed in Sherburne County?
The standard recording fee is $46 per document. Deed tax, mortgage registry tax, well disclosure and other applicable charges are separate.
How much does a certified deed copy cost?
Sherburne County lists a $10 flat fee for a standard certified recorded-document copy.
Do I need an appointment to record a deed?
No. The official Recorder page states that document recording does not require an appointment, although appointments are used for some other services.
Does Sherburne County offer free property fraud alerts?
Yes. Property Watch is a free Recorder service that notifies subscribers when a recorded document contains a monitored name.
VERIFIED GOVERNMENT RESOURCES
Official Sherburne County Recorder & Minnesota Links
These county and state resources provide the primary information for recording requirements, land searches, copy fees and local services.