St. Louis County MO Recorder of Deeds: Search Deeds, Land Records, Copies, Fees & Clayton Office
The St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds records and maintains written instruments affecting real estate and personal property, including deeds, deeds of trust, subdivision plats, federal tax liens, state tax liens, marriage-license records and other recordable documents for property located in St. Louis County, Missouri.
This guide explains how to search county deed records, how to avoid confusing St. Louis County with the independent City of St. Louis, when to use the Recorder versus the Assessor or tax payment system, how Missouri document-formatting rules affect recording, and what to do after opening each official county link.
Where Do You Search St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds Records?
Use the official St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds pages for deed search, copy requests, property fraud alerts, eRecording information and deed-recording rules. The office is listed at 41 South Central Avenue, Clayton, MO 63105, with the main phone number 314-615-7100 and email Recorder@stlouiscountymo.gov.
Use the Recorder When
You need recorded deeds, deeds of trust, releases, assignments, liens, subdivision plats, recorded document copies, marriage-license records, military discharge records or a property-fraud alert.
Best starting point: Recorder of Deeds → Deed Search or Recorder services.
Use the Assessor When
You need assessed value, property class, locator number, parcel details, tax-exemption status, reassessment information or assessment appeal guidance.
Do not confuse: deed recording is separate from assessment value.
Use Tax Payment Systems When
You need current property-tax balances, payment receipts, delinquent taxes, tax bill lookup or collector/payment questions. Recorder documents may help identify ownership history, but they do not calculate the tax bill.
Best use: tax inquiry for balances, Recorder for recorded instruments.
St. Louis County Recorder vs City of St. Louis Recorder
This is the biggest mistake in local deed searches. St. Louis County and the City of St. Louis have separate government structures, separate recorder offices and separate land-record systems.
Use St. Louis County Recorder
Use the County Recorder in Clayton for properties located in St. Louis County municipalities or unincorporated county areas, including places such as Clayton, Florissant, Chesterfield, Kirkwood, Ballwin, Ferguson, University City, Creve Coeur, Maryland Heights and other county communities.
Office: 41 South Central Avenue, Clayton, MO 63105.
Use City of St. Louis Recorder
Use the City Recorder only for property located inside the independent City of St. Louis. The City Recorder is a different office, with separate land records and different recording/copy procedures.
City office: City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63103.
How to Search St. Louis County Deeds and Recorded Documents
A Recorder search is a recorded-document search. It is best for deeds, deeds of trust, releases, liens, assignments and other instruments. It is not the same as a tax bill search, GIS map or assessor value search.
Confirm the Property Is in St. Louis County
Before searching deeds, verify that the property is not inside the independent City of St. Louis. Use the property address, locator number, tax bill, parcel record or assessor record to confirm the jurisdiction.
Open the Official County Deed Search Page
Start from the St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds website and choose the deed-search route. Do not begin from a third-party “property report” advertisement when you need official land-record documents.
Search by Party Name First When You Know the Transfer
Search the grantee name when you are looking for the acquisition deed. Search the grantor name when tracing backward to a prior owner. For banks, trusts and LLCs, try variations with and without punctuation, initials, trustee wording or company suffixes.
Use Locator, Book/Page or Document References When Available
A prior deed, deed of trust, title commitment, court filing, estate document or tax parcel record may give you a locator number, book/page or instrument reference. These are stronger search clues than a street address alone.
Open the Matching Record and Compare the Legal Description
Do not rely only on names. Compare document type, recording date, grantor, grantee, legal description, book/page, locator reference and any subdivision or lot detail before deciding that the result belongs to the property.
Search Later Releases After a Deed of Trust or Lien
A paid-off mortgage or released lien may still appear in recorded history. Search for later release, satisfaction, assignment or reconveyance documents tied to the original deed of trust, lender, trustee or book/page reference.
Request an Official or Certified Copy When Needed
A screen result or unofficial printout may be enough for personal reference, but courts, lenders, title companies, government agencies and some property-tax programs may require an official or certified copy from the Recorder.
If You Cannot Find a St. Louis County Deed Record
Many failed searches happen because the property is in the City of St. Louis, the wrong name is used, the document is indexed under a trust or company, or the user is searching tax records instead of land records.
| Problem | Likely Reason | What to Try Next |
|---|---|---|
| Search returns City of St. Louis records. | The parcel may be inside the independent City, not the County. | Verify the jurisdiction with the locator/parcel record, then use either County Recorder in Clayton or City Recorder at City Hall. |
| Owner name returns no match. | The owner may be indexed under a trust, LLC, spouse, former name, estate, bank or trustee. | Search surname only, remove punctuation, try business-name variations, search prior owner, and use date ranges from the closing. |
| Address search is weak or unclear. | Recorder indexes focus on documents and parties, while assessor/tax systems focus on parcels. | Get the locator number or legal description from the Assessor or tax bill, then use that clue in Recorder research. |
| Deed of trust still appears after payoff. | Recorded history remains public even after a loan is paid. | Search for a later release or satisfaction document using the lender, trustee, borrower, recording date or book/page reference. |
| You need title certainty. | A Recorder index is not title insurance and does not resolve legal ownership disputes. | Use a title company or qualified Missouri real-estate attorney for title opinions, estate issues, divorce deeds or fraud disputes. |
What St. Louis County Recorder Search Results Mean
A land-record result identifies a recorded document. It does not replace the deed image, the legal description, a title search or the assessor’s parcel record.
Grantor
The grantor is usually the party transferring, granting or releasing an interest. Search the grantor name when tracing ownership backward or looking for releases from a lender.
Grantee
The grantee is usually the recipient of an interest. Search the current owner as grantee when trying to locate the purchase deed.
Document Type
Deed, deed of trust, release, assignment, lien, easement, judgment and plat records have different legal effects. Do not assume every recorded document transfers ownership.
Book/Page or Instrument Number
These are retrieval references. Save them before calling the Recorder, ordering copies, checking later releases or comparing records with a title commitment.
Legal Description
Missouri recorded documents need a legal description, not only a street address. Compare subdivision, lot, block, metes-and-bounds or other legal-description language before relying on a result.
Locator / Parcel Link
Locator or parcel information can help connect a deed to the tax system, but the Recorder and Assessor maintain different records for different purposes.
St. Louis County Recorder Fees for Deed Copies and Recording
Recorder fees can change, and payment-provider charges can apply. Use this section for planning, then verify the current county fee page before mailing payment, visiting Clayton or submitting a document through eRecording.
| Service | Planning Amount / Rule | What It Means | Important Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard deed or instrument recording | $24 first page + $3 each additional page is commonly listed for St. Louis County deed recording guidance. | Use for ordinary page-count planning before submitting a recordable instrument. | Plats, surveys, statutory fees, eRecording fees, future fee changes and special filings can be different. |
| Non-standard document | Additional $25 if applicable. | Missouri law allows an extra fee when a document does not meet standard formatting requirements. | Prepare the first page and margins correctly to avoid this avoidable charge. |
| Recorded document copy | $2 first page + $1 each additional page is a common Missouri county copy-fee structure. | Used for plain copies of recorded instruments. | Certified copies, online vendor charges and payment-card convenience fees may add cost. |
| Certificate and seal | Often a small per-document charge. | Needed when a certified copy is required. | Ask the Recorder for the current certified-copy total before ordering. |
| eRecording | County recording fees plus vendor/provider charges. | Useful for title companies, law firms, lenders and repeat submitters. | Vendors may charge separate setup, submission or transaction fees. |
| Property fraud alert | Free alert signup route. | Notifies users when matching names appear in recorded documents. | It does not block a document from being recorded or cancel a suspicious deed. |
Estimate St. Louis County Deed Recording or Copy Costs
This calculator is for planning only. It does not include every transfer-tax, eRecording, vendor, payment-card, survey, plat, statutory, mailing or legal-preparation fee.
Recording estimate uses $24 for the first page and $3 for each additional page. Copy estimate uses $2 for the first page and $1 for each additional page. Certification and non-standard fees are shown separately for planning.
How to Record a Deed in St. Louis County, Missouri
Recording a deed is not the same as preparing a deed. The Recorder accepts recordable documents that meet legal and formatting requirements, but the office does not provide legal advice about whether a deed should be signed.
Confirm the Property Is in St. Louis County
Do not submit a City of St. Louis property document to the County Recorder in Clayton. Check the parcel jurisdiction first.
Choose the Correct Instrument
Warranty deed, quitclaim deed, beneficiary deed, deed of trust, release, easement, affidavit and subdivision plat each serve different purposes. Use a Missouri attorney or title professional when ownership rights are being changed.
Build the First Page Correctly
Missouri recording standards generally require one-sided pages, readable black or dark ink, minimum type size, sufficient margins, a 3-inch blank top margin on the first page, document title, date, grantor and grantee names, statutory addresses, legal description and required reference book/page details when applicable.
Remove Sensitive Personal Identifiers
Avoid unnecessary Social Security numbers, bank-account numbers, credit-card numbers or other sensitive identifiers in documents submitted for recording unless a specific law requires them.
Calculate Fees Before Submission
Use the current county fee page, page count, document type, non-standard status and eRecording/vendor charges to estimate the total. Payment requirements can differ for walk-in, mail and electronic recording.
Record and Verify the Index
After recording, search the deed record later to confirm the document was indexed. Save the recording date, instrument number, book/page and copy of the recorded document.
St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds Office Address, Phone and Map
The Recorder is located in Clayton. Check the current county page before visiting because public-counter hours, service windows, appointment rules and payment methods can change.
St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds
Address:
41 South Central Avenue, 4th Floor
Clayton, MO 63105
Main phone: 314-615-7100
Email: Recorder@stlouiscountymo.gov
Current public-facing hours shown by county listing: Monday–Thursday, 8:00 AM–3:30 PM. Verify before visiting.
Use for: deeds, liens, deeds of trust, releases, plats, recorded copies, marriage-license records, military discharge records and Recorder service questions.
Open Office Map ↗Recorder vs Assessor vs Collector vs City Recorder
St. Louis property questions often involve more than one office. Use this section to route the task correctly.
County Recorder
Deeds, deeds of trust, releases, liens, plats, marriage licenses, military discharge records, copies, recording and property-fraud alerts for St. Louis County.
County Assessor
Real-estate assessment data, ownership as shown for assessment, locator number, parcel record, property class, appraised value and assessment-related questions.
Tax Payment / Collector
Tax balances, property-tax payment, tax receipts, delinquent tax status and billing questions that are separate from deed recording.
City Recorder
Land records for property inside the independent City of St. Louis. Do not use the County Recorder for City parcels.
St. Louis County eRecording and Property Fraud Alert
The Recorder provides digital routes for certain repeat filers and property owners, but these tools do not replace legal review or title insurance.
eRecording
Businesses that submit documents electronically should use the county’s eRecording information and contact an approved or trusted vendor to establish electronic recording access.
Best for: title companies, lenders, law firms and frequent recorders.
Property Fraud Alert
The property-fraud alert route can notify a subscriber when matching names appear in recorded documents. It is a notice tool, not a tool that blocks recording or cancels a suspicious deed.
Best prep: register owner, trust, LLC and common name variations where the live system allows.
Official St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds Links
Use these official resources for deed search, property-fraud alerts, eRecording, recording rules, county-vs-city routing and property/tax cross-checks. Each action link includes what to do after opening it.
St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds Main Page
Official county page for Recorder services, contact information, recorded documents, marriage-license records and public research.
- Confirm the page is on the official stlouiscountymo.gov domain.
- Check the current service notice, hours and contact information before visiting.
- Use Recorder links for deed search, property-fraud alert, marriage-copy and recording questions.
- Do not use this page for assessed value or tax-balance questions; use Assessor or tax-payment tools for those.
St. Louis County Deed Search
Official route for searching recorded St. Louis County deeds, liens, releases, deeds of trust and related land records.
- Confirm the property is in St. Louis County, not the City of St. Louis.
- Start with the strongest clue: grantor, grantee, locator, book/page, document number or recording date.
- Open the matching result and compare the legal description before ordering a copy.
- Save the document number and book/page reference for copy requests or title follow-up.
St. Louis County Property Fraud Alert
County-supported route for signing up for alerts when matching names appear in recorded documents.
- Register owner names, trust names, LLC names and likely spelling variations where the live system allows.
- Save confirmation information from the alert system.
- If an alert arrives, search the recorded document and compare property details.
- Contact the Recorder and get legal/law-enforcement help if the document appears fraudulent.
St. Louis County eRecording
Official information for businesses that want to submit recordable documents electronically.
- Read the county’s eRecording guidance.
- Contact the trusted vendor or provider route listed by the county.
- Confirm supported document types, vendor fees, rejection workflow and payment requirements.
- Make sure the document still meets Missouri formatting and legal-description rules before submission.
How to Record a Deed — County Guidance
Use this for county-specific steps, recording warnings, payment instructions and document-submission guidance.
- Verify the property is in St. Louis County.
- Review the document type and legal-description requirements.
- Check whether your document must include references, addresses, acknowledgments or other statutory details.
- Calculate fees before mailing, walking in or eRecording.
Cost to Record a Deed — County Fee Guidance
Use this before recording or mailing payment because page-count fees and non-standard fees can change.
- Check the first-page and additional-page fee.
- Confirm whether your document is standard or non-standard.
- Add any certification, copy, vendor, transfer-tax or payment-provider cost that applies.
- Call the Recorder before mailing a check when the document type is unusual.
Missouri Recording Standards — RSMo 59.310
State law covering document-format requirements, first-page information and non-standard recording fee rules for county recorders.
- Review paper, ink, type-size and one-sided page rules.
- Check the first-page required information list.
- Confirm the 3-inch top margin and legal-description requirement.
- Use this as formatting guidance, not legal advice about what deed to sign.
St. Louis County Assessor Real Estate Search
Use this to verify parcel/locator information before searching or recording deed documents.
- Search by property address, owner or locator where available.
- Copy the locator number and property description.
- Use those details to cross-check Recorder search results.
- Remember that assessment data does not replace a recorded deed.
City of St. Louis Recorder of Deeds
Use this only when the property is inside the independent City of St. Louis, not St. Louis County.
- Confirm the parcel is inside the City of St. Louis.
- Use the City Recorder’s land-record department for City property documents.
- Do not mix City recording fees, search systems or addresses with St. Louis County’s Clayton Recorder.
Common St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds Mistakes
Mistakes That Delay Searches or Recording
- Using St. Louis County Recorder for property inside the City of St. Louis.
- Using the Assessor record as if it were a recorded deed.
- Searching only the current owner name and ignoring the seller/grantor name.
- Submitting a document without the full legal description.
- Ignoring Missouri first-page formatting and margin rules.
- Assuming Property Fraud Alert blocks fraudulent documents automatically.
Better St. Louis County Workflow
- Confirm County vs City before searching.
- Use locator and legal-description clues from the Assessor record.
- Search grantor and grantee variations.
- Compare legal description before ordering a copy.
- Check current fees and payment rules before visiting or mailing.
- Register owner, trust and LLC names for property-fraud alerts.
What Should You Do Next?
| Your Situation | Best Next Step | Office / Tool |
|---|---|---|
| You need a copy of your deed. | Search the county deed records, confirm the legal description, then request a plain or certified copy as needed. | St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds |
| You are not sure whether the property is in County or City. | Check the parcel/locator jurisdiction before using a recorder system. | Assessor / parcel lookup first |
| You are recording a new deed. | Review Missouri formatting rules, legal description, notarization, grantor/grantee details and current fee guidance. | Recorder + legal/title professional |
| Your mortgage was paid but a deed of trust still appears. | Search later records for a release or satisfaction tied to the original recorded document. | Recorder deed search |
| You received a suspicious property-fraud alert. | Save the alert, find the recorded document, compare property details and contact the Recorder plus legal/law-enforcement help if needed. | Property Fraud Alert + Recorder |
St. Louis County MO Recorder of Deeds FAQs
Where is the St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds office?
The St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds is listed at 41 South Central Avenue, Clayton, MO 63105. Many local references identify the Recorder location as the 4th floor of the county government building. Check the current county page before visiting.
What is the St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds phone number?
The main Recorder phone number is 314-615-7100. The Recorder email listed by the county is Recorder@stlouiscountymo.gov.
Is St. Louis County the same as the City of St. Louis for deed records?
No. St. Louis County and the City of St. Louis use separate recorder offices and separate land-record systems. Use the County Recorder in Clayton for St. Louis County property and the City Recorder for property inside the independent City of St. Louis.
What records does the St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds maintain?
The Recorder records and maintains documents affecting real estate or personal property, subdivision plats, federal and state tax liens, marriage-license records and other written instruments that are recorded for public research.
How do I search St. Louis County deeds online?
Start from the official St. Louis County Recorder deed-search page. Search by the strongest clue you have, such as grantor, grantee, locator number, document number, book/page, recording date or legal-description detail, then compare the document image or index against the property before ordering copies.
Can the Recorder tell me if a title is clear?
No. The Recorder provides access to recorded documents but does not give title insurance, a title opinion or legal advice. Use a title company or Missouri real-estate attorney for title defects, ownership disputes, estate transfers or fraud concerns.
What is the standard recording fee for a St. Louis County deed?
Current St. Louis County deed-fee guidance is commonly listed as $24 for the first page and $3 for each additional page for ordinary recording. Specialized documents, plats, surveys, eRecording vendors, statutory fees, payment-provider charges and non-standard formatting may change the total.
What is the Missouri non-standard document fee?
Missouri recording law allows an additional $25 fee for documents that do not meet standard formatting requirements. Formatting issues may include paper, print, margin, first-page information, signatures, legal description or other statutory requirements.
Does St. Louis County have a property fraud alert?
Yes. St. Louis County provides a property-fraud alert route for notifications when matching names appear in recorded documents. The alert is an early-warning tool; it does not block recording or cancel a suspicious deed.
Which office handles assessed value or property-tax bills?
The Recorder handles recorded documents. The Assessor handles assessment and property-value records. Tax-payment or collector systems handle current tax balances, bills, receipts and payment questions.
Independent Educational Guide
CountyCADPropertySearch.org is an independent informational resource. It is not affiliated with St. Louis County, the St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds, St. Louis County Department of Revenue, St. Louis County Assessor, City of St. Louis Recorder of Deeds, Missouri Secretary of State, any court, title company, eRecording vendor or law firm.
Recorded-document access, recording acceptance, certified copies, deed-search results, property-fraud alerts, legal ownership disputes, title opinions, property assessment, tax bills and tax payments are handled by the responsible official offices, courts, title professionals or attorneys. This page is not legal, title, tax or financial advice.
Public property and owner records should not be used for employment screening, tenant screening, credit eligibility, insurance underwriting or other regulated consumer-reporting purposes. This website is not a Consumer Reporting Agency.