Find Property Records in Butler County

Butler County property records are on file at the Recorder of Deeds office in Poplar Bluff. The office holds deeds, deeds of trust, plats, surveys, easements, and a general index of abstracts going back to 1845. If you need to search for who owns a piece of land or check what liens exist on a property in Butler County, the recorder's office is where you start. Computerized records begin in 1970, and earlier documents are kept in the office's abstract index books. You can visit in person or call ahead to ask about a specific filing.

Butler County Recorder of Deeds Office

Debby Lundstrom serves as the Butler County Recorder of Deeds. The office is at 100 N Main Street, Room 106, in Poplar Bluff, MO 63901. Office hours run from 8am to 4pm. Call 573-686-8086 to reach the staff or email dlundstrom@tcmax.net. The Butler County Recorder of Deeds website has additional details about services and what documents you can file or request.

The Butler County recorder's office handles a long list of document types. Deeds, deeds of trust, releases, easements, surveys, and plats are all filed here. The office also records restrictions, cemetery deeds, wills, road right of ways, articles of incorporation, patents, and affidavits. Marriage license information is on file as well. The office keeps a general index that serves as an abstract of deeds going all the way back to 1845, giving Butler County one of the deeper property record archives in southeast Missouri.

Computerized records in Butler County start from 1970. Anything before that year is in the old index books and paper files at the office.

Butler County Property Records Scam Alert

The Butler County Recorder of Deeds office warns residents about mailings from companies that are not connected to the county government. These companies charge $100 or more for copies of deed history that you can get directly from the recorder's office for far less. The mailings often look official but they come from private firms trying to sell you copies of your own property records at inflated prices.

If you get a letter like this, do not pay it. Instead, contact the Butler County Recorder of Deeds at 573-686-8086 to get copies of your deed and other property records at the standard county rate. Copies cost $1 per page, and certification is $1 per document. That is a fraction of what these outside companies charge for the same information.

How to Search Butler County Property Records

To look up property records in Butler County, visit the recorder's office at 100 N Main Street in Poplar Bluff during business hours. The office has index books and computerized files you can use to find documents by owner name. Staff can help you locate deeds, liens, and other recorded documents. Bring a valid ID and have the property owner's name or legal description ready before you start your search.

For historical research on Butler County property, the Missouri Digital Heritage database covers land patents from 1777 to 1969. The Bureau of Land Management has federal land patent records that can help trace the original owner of a parcel in Butler County. The FamilySearch Missouri land and property guide is also useful for genealogical research involving Butler County land records.

Note: UCC filings in Missouri moved to the Secretary of State's office as of July 1, 2001, so those are no longer filed at the Butler County recorder.

Butler County Property Recording Fees

Butler County follows the statewide fee schedule for recording documents. The cost is $24 for the first page and $3 for each page after that. Non-standard documents that fail to meet the formatting rules in Section 59.310 get an extra $25 charge. That means your document needs to be on the right size paper, with the right margins, and printed in at least 8-point type.

Copies of Butler County property records are $1 per page. Certified copies add $1 for the certification. Marriage records in Butler County start from 1845, and marriage license information is also on file at the recorder's office. Contact the office at 573-686-8086 to confirm current fees and accepted payment methods before you visit.

Document Types at Butler County Recorder

The Butler County Recorder of Deeds files a wide variety of property-related documents. Here are the main types on file:

• Warranty deeds and quitclaim deeds
• Deeds of trust and releases
• Easements, surveys, and plats
• Restrictions and cemetery deeds
• Wills, road right of ways, and patents
• Articles of incorporation and affidavits

Missouri also allows beneficiary deeds under Section 461.025. This type of deed lets a Butler County property owner designate who gets the property after death without going through probate. The deed can be revoked at any time before the owner dies. Military discharge records (DD 214) are also filed at this office, but those are closed records under Missouri law and are not available to the general public.

Butler County Property Tax Records

Property tax records in Butler County are managed by the county assessor and collector, not the recorder. The assessor determines the market value of all real property in Butler County. Missouri uses assessment ratios of 19% for residential, 12% for agricultural, and 32% for commercial property. The assessed value is what the tax rate applies to, not the full market value.

Tax bills in Butler County are mailed by November 1. The due date is December 31. If you miss the deadline, penalties and interest start to add up. The Missouri Department of Revenue offers property tax credits for seniors 65 and older and for disabled veterans. Contact the Butler County collector's office in Poplar Bluff for details on tax payments and any past-due amounts on specific properties.

Note: Missouri reassesses all real property every odd-numbered year, which can change your tax amount.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Butler County in southeast Missouri. Make sure you search the right county based on where the property is located.