Find Montgomery County Property Records

Montgomery County property records are held at the Recorder of Deeds office in Montgomery City, Missouri. The office files deeds, deeds of trust, liens, plats, surveys, and other land documents for all real estate in the county. If you need to search Montgomery County property records, you can visit the office at 310 Salisbury Street or call ahead with your request. The recorder maintains the county's land document index and can help you look up a specific filing by name or book and page number. Montgomery County is a mid-sized rural county in east-central Missouri with a steady mix of farm land and residential parcels.

Montgomery County Recorder of Deeds

Sheila See serves as the Montgomery County Recorder of Deeds. The office is at 310 Salisbury Street A in Montgomery City. Staff record all property documents for the county and keep the index of recorded instruments. They can help you search for a deed, get copies, or file something new. You can reach the office by phone at (573) 564-3157 or by email at recorder@mcmo.us.

The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Walk-in visits work well during these hours. If you plan to file a document, bring it formatted to state standards so you avoid the non-standard penalty. Staff can also provide certified copies of any recorded document for legal use. The Montgomery County courthouse is a compact building in the center of Montgomery City.

How to Search Montgomery County Property Records

The primary way to search Montgomery County property records is in person at the courthouse in Montgomery City. The office keeps a grantor-grantee index that lets you look up property filings by name. You give the staff a name, and they find all recorded documents linked to that person. Once you spot the record you need, you can view it and request a copy. The process is quick if you know the name you are looking for.

For broader research, the Missouri Digital Heritage land database has historical land patents from 1777 to 1969. You can search by name or county to find entries for Montgomery County. The Missouri Recorders Association lists all 115 county recorder offices and any online tools they offer.

Note: Contact the Montgomery County Recorder at (573) 564-3157 to ask about any online search options that may have become available since the last update.

Montgomery County Recording Fees

Montgomery County follows the state fee schedule for recording property documents. The first page of a standard document is $24. Each page after that costs $3. Under Section 59.313 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, a $25 penalty applies to documents that do not meet format standards. Pages must be 8.5 by 11 inches, have a 3 inch top margin, and use type that is at least 8 point in size.

Copies at the Montgomery County office are $1 per page. Certified copies carry a small extra charge per document. These rates are standard across Missouri and apply to all types of recorded instruments. Call ahead at (573) 564-3157 to confirm accepted payment methods before your trip to Montgomery City.

Property Records Filed in Montgomery County

The Montgomery County Recorder files a full range of property documents. Warranty deeds transfer ownership with a guarantee that the title is clear of defects. Quitclaim deeds also transfer interest, but with no warranty. Deeds of trust put a lien on the property to secure a loan. Release deeds remove that lien once the borrower pays off the debt. Under Section 442.380, every document that touches real estate in Montgomery County must be recorded at this office.

Beyond deeds, the recorder handles plats showing lot layouts, surveys marking boundaries, easements granting access rights, and restrictive covenants. Tax liens from unpaid property taxes and mechanic's liens from unpaid contractor work are filed here too. Beneficiary deeds, allowed under RSMo 461.025, let a Montgomery County property owner name someone to receive the land after death. This skips the probate process and saves the family both time and money.

Montgomery County Property Tax Records

The Montgomery County assessor values all real property on odd-numbered years. Missouri uses assessment rates of 19% for residential, 12% for agricultural, and 32% for commercial property. Tax bills go out by November 1 each year and are due December 31. Unpaid taxes lead to a lien on the property, which gets recorded at the recorder's office.

Montgomery County has a good mix of farm land and small-town residential parcels. The Missouri Department of Revenue has information on property tax credits that may apply to Montgomery County homeowners, including programs for seniors and disabled veterans. The county collector handles tax payments and can issue a receipt for any parcel.

Historical Land Records for Montgomery County

For older Montgomery County land research, the Missouri State Archives has land patents from 1777 to 1969. These include French and Spanish grants, federal land sales from 1818 to 1903, and state-issued patents. The Bureau of Land Management has federal patent records for Missouri lands. You can search by name or legal description to find entries tied to Montgomery County.

The FamilySearch Missouri Land and Property guide is helpful for tracing land through multiple owners. It explains how to link county deed books with state and federal records to build a complete chain of title for a Montgomery County parcel.

Nearby Counties

These counties are next to Montgomery County in east-central Missouri. Property records are filed where the land sits, so confirm which county your property is in before searching.