Uintah County Recorder: Deed Search, Land Records, Recording Fees and Office
The Uintah County Recorder maintains recorded documents affecting real property in Uintah County, Utah. The office preserves deeds, trust deeds, liens, easements, mining-related filings, subdivision plats and other instruments, along with property ownership indexes and maps.
The county offers a free public property lookup and a separate subscription-based Land Information Database System (LIDS) for detailed recorded-document research. Land records extend back to 1894, while LIDS provides complete computerized indexing from 1995 onward.
This guide explains how to search by owner name, address or parcel serial number, locate historical documents, request copies, prepare an instrument for recording, check current 2026 fees and reach the Recorder’s Office in Vernal.
What Does the Uintah County Recorder Office Handle?
The Recorder’s Office is responsible for recording, indexing and maintaining public land records. Its staff can help visitors locate current ownership, acreage, dimensions, property locations and available recording references, but the office does not conduct a complete title search on a visitor’s behalf.
Recorder: Deeds and Documents
Use the Recorder to search recorded deeds, trust deeds, liens, releases, easements, recorded plats and instruments affecting land ownership or interests.
Assessor: Property Values
Use the Uintah County Assessor for property valuation, assessment classifications, residential property declarations and greenbelt questions.
Treasurer: Property Taxes
Use the County Treasurer for property-tax balances, payments, delinquency, tax notices and payment-history questions.
How to Search Uintah County Property Records by Owner, Address or Parcel
Uintah County’s public Property Search is the easiest starting point when you have an owner’s name, property address or serial/parcel number. This public lookup is separate from the subscription-only document-image and historical land-record services.
Open Uintah County Property Search
Go to the official Uintah County Property Search. The search page supports serial or parcel number, owner name and property address.
Choose Your Search Information
You must provide at least one search criterion. The portal requires at least five consecutive digits for a serial or parcel number, or at least four consecutive characters for an owner name or address.
Understand the AND / OR Switches
The county search allows you to combine criteria using AND or OR. Use AND when you want a result matching multiple clues. Use OR when searching alternative clues or when you are unsure which field contains the right information.
Review the Property Results
The results table identifies available property addresses, cities, owners and serial numbers. Match the owner and location carefully, especially where several parcels have similar addresses or share an owner’s name.
Save the Parcel Serial Number
Record the serial/parcel number and relevant owner information. These details can help you search the LIDS land-record database, identify the correct ownership plat or ask Recorder staff about a historical document.
Continue to Land-Record Research if Needed
If you need the deed itself, a recorded trust deed, an easement, an older abstract or a complete chain-of-title review, use LIDS through an authorized subscription or visit the Recorder’s Office.
Searching by Name
Use at least four consecutive characters from the name. Try different spelling, a middle initial, a trust name, an LLC or another entity name if no matching property appears.
Searching by Address
Enter a distinctive part of the street address. If too many results appear, combine it with other information. Rural parcels may be more reliably identified through their serial number or legal description.
Uintah County LIDS: Search Recorded Deeds and Land Documents
The county’s Land Information Database System (LIDS) is a subscription-based system for searching detailed Recorder records. It provides complete computerized indexing from 1995 to the present, while the older OnBase system contains images of historical abstracts, indexes and documents.
Land Information Database System
The county’s LIDS system supports searches involving:
- Grantor and grantee names.
- Property owner names.
- Property addresses.
- Parcel or tax serial numbers.
- Section, township and range.
- Filed surveys and subdivision plats.
- Other indexed land records.
Historical OnBase Records
For documents earlier than 1995, LIDS directs users to the county’s OnBase historical image system.
Historical images may include original indexes, abstracts and recorded documents. Use the Recorder’s Office to confirm how to obtain the necessary access or assistance.
Do not assume that all historical document images are publicly downloadable without an account.
Recorder Access Instructions ↗LIDS Subscription Fees for 2026
| Subscription or service | Published fee | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Subscriber setup fee | $100 | Initial account setup. |
| Low-use monthly subscription | $20 per month | 100 system hits. |
| High-use monthly subscription | $60 per month | 300 system hits. |
| Additional usage | $0.10 per hit | Applies after the included system hits have been used. |
| Account reactivation | $25 | Reactivation after nonpayment. |
| Parcel shapefile download service | $1,200 annually | Specialized parcel shapefile access. |
The county defines a hit as a view, copy or download per document page. For infrequent research, the Recorder’s public counter may be more appropriate than opening a subscription.
How Far Back Do Uintah County Deeds and Land Records Go?
Uintah County’s Recorder states that land records dating from 1894 to the present are open for public inspection. The age of a record determines which search method is practical.
| Record period | Research route | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 to present | Subscriber LIDS database. | County states that complete electronic indexing is available for this period. |
| 1894–1994 | OnBase historical images and in-person Recorder research. | Older abstracts, document indexes and original records may need historical searching. |
| Current parcel ownership | Free public Property Search. | Best starting point for address, current owner and serial number. |
| Ownership plats and maps | Recorder’s map and plat resources. | County also offers ownership maps and copies for purchase. |
How to Research an Older Deed
Bring Useful Starting Clues
- Current and prior owner’s names.
- Parcel serial number.
- Section, township and range.
- Approximate recording year.
- Entry number or prior document reference.
- Subdivision or lot information.
Understand the Recorder’s Assistance Limits
The county says staff can show visitors how to begin historical searches, but cannot conduct full research for them.
Only limited details are available by phone. Requests for metes-and-bounds descriptions and property dimensions must be made in person.
How to Record a Deed in Uintah County, Utah
Uintah County follows Utah’s statutory recording rules, along with its own legal-description and document-format requirements. Documents that do not meet the applicable standards may be rejected for recording.
Prepare the Appropriate Legal Instrument
Determine the legally correct document type, such as a warranty deed, quitclaim deed, trust deed, reconveyance, easement or another recordable instrument.
Make sure the parties, property interest and legal effect are correct. A title company or Utah real-estate attorney can assist when ownership rights, liens, inheritance or mineral interests are involved.
Include a Complete Legal Description
Documents affecting real property must include a legal description sufficient to identify the property.
Uintah County’s legal-description policy is intended to make the property identifiable in its proper section. A street address or parcel number alone should not be treated as a replacement for a required legal description.
Check the Names, Signatures and Notarization
Include printed or typed names of signers who must be indexed. Provide the appropriate signatures and acknowledgment, including a legible notarial stamp where required.
Paper recording generally requires an original or legally acceptable certified copy. Valid electronic records follow Utah’s separate electronic-recording provisions.
Confirm the Document Title and Address Details
The first page should clearly identify the nature of the instrument. For documents affecting title, provide the required grantee mailing information and other details specified by Utah law.
Check Recording Margins and Reproduction Quality
Review paper size, white-paper requirements, margins, printing, single-sided pages and legibility. The Recorder provides a detailed county checklist for these requirements.
Calculate the Recording Fee
The 2026 standard recording charge is $45 per document. A qualifying document containing more than 10 descriptions or units may incur an additional $2 for each one beyond the first 10.
Special recording categories, including subdivision plats and mining-related documents, have specific rules.
Submit the Document Through an Accepted Channel
Bring the instrument to the Recorder’s Office, mail the eligible original or use an accepted electronic-recording provider. The county lists Simplifile and CSC for e-recording.
For mailed recordings, include the appropriate fee payment. The county states that fees must be paid in advance.
Retain the Recording Reference
After recording, keep the assigned entry number, recording date and document reference. Verify the result in the county land-record system or obtain an official copy if needed.
Uintah County Recorder Document Requirements
The county’s published requirements explain how recordable paper instruments should be prepared. Utah’s Recorder statutes were renumbered into Title 17, Chapter 71; the county requirements page may still refer to earlier Title 17, Chapter 21 section numbers.
Common Required Elements
- A readable, reproducible document.
- A brief title or caption describing the instrument.
- Printed or typed signer names where required for indexing.
- Original signatures or a legally acceptable recording form.
- Proper acknowledgment and legible notary information when required.
- A complete legal description.
- Required grantee mailing address.
- Any additional parcel identification required by the Recorder.
Paper and Margin Standards
- White, 8½ × 11-inch paper.
- One-inch left, right and bottom margins.
- First page: 2½-inch by 4½-inch space in the upper-right corner.
- One-inch top margin on subsequent pages.
- Black printing ink.
- No text smaller than seven lines per vertical inch.
- Single-sided printing.
- No continuously bound sheets.
Documents Generally Not Recorded by the Recorder
The county identifies negotiable instruments, ordinary vital records such as birth certificates, passports, citizenship papers and other documents that are not legally eligible for land-record recording as nonrecordable.
A death certificate or probate document may sometimes be used as supporting information in a separate legal process, but that does not mean any standalone certificate can be recorded as a deed.
Uintah County Recorder Fees: Deeds, Plats, Copies and Subscriptions
Uintah County’s updated recording fee schedule reflects the additional $5 charge that took effect on May 6, 2026. It lists $45 for standard recorded documents, $55 per subdivision-plat sheet and specific copy, certification and subscription charges.
| Service or document | 2026 published fee | Practical details |
|---|---|---|
| Standard document recording | $45 | General charge for eligible instruments, including many deeds, trust deeds and other filings. |
| Additional descriptions or units | $2 each beyond 10 | Additional charge applies to qualifying instruments containing more than ten descriptions or units. |
| Subdivision plat | $55 per sheet | County schedule identifies a 24 × 36-inch Mylar sheet. |
| Subdivision lots or units | $2 each | Added to the applicable plat-sheet fee. |
| Document certification | $5 plus $0.50 per page | Certification charge plus the listed page-copy charge. |
| Ordinary recorded-document copy | $0.50 per page | Standard copies of recorded documents. |
| Computer printout | $0.50 | County-listed printout charge. |
| Personal-information redaction | $10 | County’s published redaction service charge. |
| Ownership plat | $2 | Separate larger-format map prices are listed in the county schedule. |
| Emailed or mailed documents | $10 | Plus $0.50 per page beyond 20 pages. |
| Internet subscription setup | $100 | One-time setup charge for land-record subscription access. |
| Monthly low-use LIDS subscription | $20 | Includes 100 hits. |
| Monthly high-use LIDS subscription | $60 | Includes 300 hits. |
Payment Methods and Card Fees
The Recorder accepts cash, checks and cards. The county specifies that debit and credit cards incur a convenience charge. Checks should be made payable to Uintah County Recorder.
| Transaction amount | Card swipe fee | Phone payment fee |
|---|---|---|
| $1–$100 | $2 | $4 |
| $101–$500 | $7 | $10 |
| $501–$1,000 | $20 | $25 |
| More than $1,000 | $20 | 4% |
Card charges shown are the county’s published fee bands. Confirm the actual processing charge for the payment method and exact amount before paying.
Uintah County Recording and Certified Copy Fee Estimator
Use this calculator for standard document recording, subdivision plats or a single recorded-document copy. The results are based on Uintah County’s 2026 fee schedule and exclude payment-processing charges.
For documents, the calculation uses $45 plus $2 for each qualifying description beyond ten. For plats, it uses $55 per sheet plus $2 per lot or unit. For one copy, it uses $0.50 per page plus $5 if certification is selected. Only the inputs relevant to the chosen service affect the total.
Special Uintah County Records: Plats, Mining Documents and Water Rights
Uintah County contains a mix of residential, agricultural, rural, mineral and public-land interests. A parcel search may not reveal every separate right or recorded agreement affecting a property.
Subdivision Plats
The Recorder maintains subdivision plats and ownership maps. Land division projects may require separate planning, survey and subdivision approval before a plat can be recorded.
The county’s 2026 fee schedule charges $55 per plat sheet plus $2 per lot or unit.
Mining and Mineral Documents
Uintah County’s recording schedule specifically addresses mining-claim instruments and related legal descriptions.
Mineral interests, leases and easements can be separate from surface ownership. Search the relevant documents rather than assuming the surface parcel record contains the full answer.
Water Rights Registry
The county offers a separate public Water Rights search, with search criteria including water-right number, date, entry number, grantor and grantee.
A recorded water-right reference does not by itself determine the present legal status or extent of a water right.
Open Public Water Rights Search ↗Uintah County Recorder Office: Address, Phone, Hours and Google Map
The Uintah County Recorder’s Office is located at 147 E. Main Street in Vernal. The published hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, excluding applicable holidays.
Uintah County Recorder’s Office
Recorder: Brenda McDonald
Physical address:
147 E. Main Street
Vernal, UT 84078
Main office phone: 435-781-5398
Recorder direct phone: 435-781-5461
Property plat information: 435-781-5467
Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM.
Closed: Applicable county holidays.
Get Google Maps Directions ↗Other Relevant Uintah County Offices
| Office | Phone | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Recorder | 435-781-5398 | Recorded documents, ownership, legal-description records, plats and copies. |
| Assessor | 435-781-5323 | Property values, classifications, valuation questions and greenbelt information. |
| Treasurer | 435-781-5366 | Property tax notices, payments, balances and delinquent taxes. |
| Clerk-Auditor | 435-781-5361 | County financial administration, certain tax relief and appeals, marriage licenses and county records. |
Uintah County Property Watch: Recorded Deed and Lien Alerts
The Recorder offers Property Watch, a free service for eligible property owners. When a relevant document is recorded against a monitored parcel, the service can send an email notification.
What Property Watch Does
The county identifies deeds, liens and reconveyance deeds among the document types that may generate alerts.
Property Watch helps you notice unfamiliar recording activity earlier.
What It Does Not Do
Property Watch does not block a recording, guarantee that a document is genuine, remove a fraudulent lien or replace legal title investigation.
An alert is a reason to review the underlying record, not proof that a crime occurred.
How to Sign Up for Property Watch
- Open the official Uintah County Property Watch signup page.
- Enter your name and email address.
- Follow the county’s enrollment process for the property or parcels you own.
- Make sure all applicable parcel numbers are registered when an address includes multiple parcels.
- Review incoming email notifications and investigate any unfamiliar filings.
Official Uintah County Recorder Links and Forms
These county and state resources provide the actual public search, subscription portal, fee schedule, recording instructions and property monitoring service.
1. Uintah County Recorder Official Website
Primary source for office contact information, public services, historical record coverage, subscriptions, e-recording providers and links to official resources.
Open Recorder Website ↗- Confirm the Recorder’s address, telephone and office hours.
- Choose Property Information Search for current parcel records.
- Choose Subscription Log-In for detailed subscriber records.
- Review Forms and Resources before recording an instrument.
2. Free Uintah County Property Search
Search available property information using an owner name, street address or parcel serial number.
Open Property Search ↗- Enter an owner name, address or serial number.
- Use the required minimum search-character length.
- Switch between AND and OR when combining criteria.
- Save the property serial number for detailed research.
3. LIDS Subscriber Land Records Search
County login for detailed recorded-document research and complete computerized indexing from 1995 onward.
Open LIDS Login ↗- Confirm whether your research requires subscriber access.
- Contact the Recorder about the subscription agreement and fee.
- Use the authorized subscriber credentials.
- Search by grantor, grantee, serial number or legal-description information.
4. 2026 Uintah County Recording Fee Schedule
Official one-page fee schedule with recording, plat, certified-copy, redaction, map, subscription and card-processing fees.
View 2026 Recording Fees ↗- Identify the document’s recording category.
- Check the base $45 recording fee or special instrument fee.
- Count any additional descriptions, units, lots or sheets.
- Confirm the complete payment amount with the Recorder.
5. Uintah County Recording Requirements
County checklist for legibility, names, acknowledgment, title, mailing information, legal description, signatures and page standards.
Review Recording Requirements ↗- Check original or certified-copy eligibility.
- Verify signer names and required acknowledgments.
- Check the legal description and grantee address.
- Confirm paper size, margins and reproduction quality.
6. Recorder Forms and Resources
County hub for the subdivision checklist, quick-reference guide, effective fee schedule and Recorder FAQs.
Open Forms and Resources ↗- Select the applicable Recorder resource.
- Review the subdivision checklist for subdivision plats.
- Use the quick-reference guide for recording questions.
- Check the current holiday schedule before visiting.
7. Legal Description and Electronic Recording Policies
The county’s policies explain expectations for property descriptions and real-property electronic recording.
Open Recorder Policies ↗- Review the Legal Description Policy.
- Confirm the property can be identified from the description.
- Read electronic-recording requirements when using a vendor.
- Ask the Recorder about an unclear or unusual description.
8. Property Watch Signup
Free county monitoring service for eligible property owners.
Open Property Watch ↗- Confirm your name is listed as a property owner.
- Provide your name and email address.
- Enroll every relevant parcel.
- Review future recording notifications.
9. Utah’s Current County Recorder Law
Utah Code Title 17, Chapter 71 contains current statutory provisions governing recorder duties, recordability and fees.
Read Utah Recorder Fee Law ↗- Review the applicable May 2026 recording-fee language.
- Check the one-fee-per-instrument rule.
- Compare state law with Uintah County’s published amounts.
- Obtain legal advice if the applicable statutory interpretation is disputed.