Search Boone County Property Records

Boone County property records are managed by the Recorder of Deeds office at the county courthouse in Columbia. This is one of the larger counties in Missouri, home to the University of Missouri and a growing population that keeps the recorder's office busy. Whether you need to look up a deed, check for liens on a piece of land, or trace the ownership history of a home in Boone County, the recorder's office is the starting point. Land and marriage records in Boone County go all the way back to 1821, giving researchers a deep archive of property documents to work with.

Boone County Recorder of Deeds Office

Bob Nolte serves as the Boone County Recorder of Deeds. The office is at 801 E Walnut, Room 132, in Columbia, MO 65201. You can call the office at (573) 886-4345 or send a fax to (573) 886-4359. For email, reach out to bnolte@boonecountymo.org. The Boone County recorder handles all property document filings, including deeds, deeds of trust, plats, surveys, liens, and easements. Every real estate transaction in Boone County goes through this office to be made part of the public record.

Boone County has one of the more active real estate markets in Missouri, driven in part by Columbia's status as a college town and regional hub. The volume of property records filed here each year is higher than in many other Missouri counties. The recorder's office keeps pace with that demand and has systems in place for both in-person and remote access to Boone County property records.

Military discharge records (DD 214) are also filed at this office, though those are closed records and not available to the public.

How to Search Boone County Property Records

You can search Boone County property records in several ways. The recorder's office allows in-person visits where you can use index books or computer terminals to find documents by owner name or legal description. Staff at the Boone County courthouse can help you locate what you need if you are not sure where to start. Bring a valid photo ID when you visit. You will want to have the property owner's name or parcel details ready before you begin your search.

For online searches, Boone County is among the Missouri counties that offer digital access to recorded documents. Check with the recorder's office for current online search options and any fees that may apply for viewing or printing document images. The Missouri Recorders Association can also point you to the right search tool for Boone County property records.

Historical property records in Boone County go back to 1821. For land patents and early sales records, the Missouri Digital Heritage database has entries from across the state. The Bureau of Land Management also holds federal land patent records for Boone County from when Missouri was still a public-domain state.

Note: Records in Boone County are indexed by name, not by property address, so have the owner's name ready for your search.

Boone County Property Recording Fees

The standard recording fee in Boone County is $24 for the first page and $3 for each page after that. This matches the statewide schedule set by Missouri law. Documents that do not meet formatting requirements under Section 59.310 face an extra $25 non-standard penalty. That means your document needs to be on 8.5 by 11 inch paper with a 3-inch top margin and at least 8-point type to avoid the surcharge.

Copies of Boone County property records cost $1 per page. Certified copies add $1 for the certification. Call the recorder's office at (573) 886-4345 to confirm current fees and accepted payment methods before making a trip to the courthouse. Some Missouri recorder offices accept only cash and checks, while others take credit cards too.

Other Sources for Boone County Property Records

Boone County has several places beyond the recorder's office where you can find property-related records. The Circuit Court Clerk maintains marriage, death, probate, land, and court records going back to 1821. Court records can include judgments, liens, and foreclosure filings that affect property in Boone County. If you are searching for a lien or judgment tied to a specific property, the circuit court is a good place to look.

The Boone County Health Department holds birth records since 1920 and death records since 1980. While these are not property records, they can help with genealogical research that connects property ownership to family lines. The Boone County Historical Society runs a museum and offers genealogy resources. The Daniel Boone Regional Library provides access to Ancestry.com and Heritage Quest Online, which can be helpful for tracing old property records in Boone County and across Missouri.

The FamilySearch Missouri land and property guide lists pre-1900 deed records available on microfilm for most Missouri counties, including Boone County. This is a free resource for anyone doing deep historical research on Boone County property records.

Boone County Deed Types and Documents

Several types of deeds are filed with the Boone County Recorder of Deeds. Warranty deeds are the most common in regular home sales. They guarantee that the seller has clear title and the right to sell the property. Quitclaim deeds transfer whatever interest the seller has, but they make no promises about the title. These often show up in family transfers or divorce settlements involving Boone County property.

Deeds of trust secure a mortgage loan by putting the property up as collateral. When the loan gets paid off, a release deed is filed to remove the lien from the Boone County property records. Missouri also allows beneficiary deeds under Section 461.025, which let a property owner name a person to receive the property after death without going through probate. All of these documents are recorded and stored at the Boone County Recorder of Deeds office in Columbia.

Note: Beneficiary deeds can be changed or revoked at any time before the property owner's death.

Property Tax Records in Boone County

Property tax records in Boone County are kept by the county assessor and collector, not the recorder. The assessor values all real estate in Boone County during each odd-numbered year. Residential property is assessed at 19% of its market value. Agricultural land is assessed at 12%, and commercial property at 32%. Tax bills go out by November 1, and payment is due by December 31.

If you need to check how much property tax is owed on a piece of land in Boone County, contact the collector's office. The Missouri Department of Revenue runs programs like the Missouri Property Tax Credit for seniors aged 65 and older and for disabled veterans. These credits can reduce the property tax burden for qualifying Boone County residents.

Cities in Boone County

Columbia is the largest city in Boone County and serves as the county seat. All property records for real estate within Boone County are filed at the recorder's office in Columbia, regardless of which city or town the property sits in. Other communities in Boone County include Centralia, Ashland, and Hallsville. Residents of these areas file property documents at the same Boone County office.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Boone County in Missouri. Property that sits near a county line must be recorded in the county where the land is located, per Section 442.380.