Putnam County Property Records
Putnam County property records are held at the Recorder of Deeds office in the county courthouse in Unionville. These files cover deeds, deeds of trust, plats, liens, and other land documents that trace ownership of real estate across the county. If you need to look up a deed or check on a lien in Putnam County, the recorder's staff can help you search through the records on file. Marriage records at this office go back to June 1881, and deed records date as far back as 1847. You can visit the office in person during business hours or reach out by phone to ask about a specific filing.
Putnam County Quick Facts
Putnam County Recorder of Deeds
Dottsie Wood serves as the Putnam County Recorder of Deeds. The office is on the second floor of the courthouse at 1601 Main Street in Unionville. Staff at this office handle the recording of all property documents for Putnam County. That includes warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, releases, and easements. They also file plats, surveys, and liens. When you bring a document in, staff will check it for format and then stamp it with the recording date and a book and page number. You get the original back once it has been entered into the system.
If you have questions about a filing, the office can be reached by phone or fax. Walk-ins are welcome during normal courthouse hours. All documents for recording must meet state format rules, including 8.5 by 11 inch paper and a 3 inch top margin. Documents that do not meet those standards get a $25 penalty fee added to the recording cost under Section 59.313 of Missouri law.
| Office | Putnam County Recorder of Deeds |
|---|---|
| Recorder | Dottsie Wood |
| Address |
1601 Main Street, Room 202 Unionville, MO 63565 |
| Phone | (660) 947-3295 |
| Fax | (660) 947-7348 |
| dwood@nemr.net |
Search Putnam County Property Records
To search for property records in Putnam County, you will need to visit the courthouse in Unionville or contact the recorder's office by phone. The office maintains index books that cover all recorded documents. You can look up records by the name of the buyer or seller. Staff can pull the actual document once you find an entry in the index. Copies are available for a per-page fee.
For older Putnam County land records, the Missouri Digital Heritage land database has over 280,000 entries of historical land patents from 1777 to 1969. This is a good place to start if you are tracing property ownership in Putnam County back to the original patent. The Bureau of Land Management also has federal land patent records that may cover parcels in the county. Eight federal land offices ran in Missouri, and their records include cash sales, homesteads, and military bounty land warrants.
The Missouri Recorders Association lists contact details for all 115 county recorders. If you are not sure where to start your search, this is a good central resource.
Putnam County Recording Fees
Recording fees in Putnam County follow the statewide fee schedule set by Missouri law. The base cost is $24 for the first page of a standard document and $3 for each page after that. These fees apply to deeds, deeds of trust, releases, and most other property documents. Plats and surveys may have different fee amounts depending on their size. Under Section 59.313, any document that does not meet the state format standards will have a $25 penalty added to the filing cost.
Copies cost $1 per page. Certified copies carry a small additional charge for the certification stamp. The Putnam County Recorder's office takes cash and checks. Call ahead to check if they accept other payment methods. If you need to record a document from out of the area, e-recording may be an option through providers like Simplifile or CSC.
Note: Always confirm current fees with the Putnam County Recorder before submitting documents.
Types of Property Records in Putnam County
The Putnam County Recorder of Deeds office handles a range of documents that relate to real estate. Warranty deeds are the most common type filed. They transfer ownership from one party to another and include a guarantee that the title is clear. Quitclaim deeds also get recorded, but they carry no such guarantee. Deeds of trust secure a loan against the property, and a release deed is filed when the loan is paid off. All of these documents are public record once they are filed at the Putnam County courthouse.
Beyond basic deeds, the office records plats that show how land has been divided into lots, surveys that mark the boundaries of a parcel, and easements that grant someone the right to use a portion of the property. Tax liens get recorded here if a property owner falls behind on payments. Mechanic's liens are filed when a contractor has not been paid for work done on a property. Missouri also allows beneficiary deeds under RSMo 461.025, which let an owner name someone to receive the property after death without going through probate.
Under Section 442.380 of Missouri law, all documents that affect real estate must be recorded in the county where the property sits. For Putnam County property, that means filing at the courthouse in Unionville.
Putnam County Property Tax Records
Property tax records are part of the public record in Putnam County. The county assessor values all real estate on odd-numbered years following the state schedule. Missouri uses assessment ratios of 19% for residential property, 12% for agricultural land, and 32% for commercial property. Tax bills go out by November 1 each year, and the due date is December 31. If taxes go unpaid, a lien can be placed on the property.
The Missouri Department of Revenue provides information on property tax credits that may apply to Putnam County homeowners. The Senior Citizen Property Tax Credit is available for residents 65 and older. There are also programs for disabled veterans. The county collector handles tax payments and can give you a receipt or statement for any parcel.
Historical Land Records in Putnam County
Putnam County has deed records that go back to 1847 and marriage records from June 1881 to the present. Some earlier records from the county's formation may have gaps due to the age of the files. For research that goes further back in time, the Missouri State Archives holds land patents and concessions from 1777 to 1969. These records include French and Spanish land grants from before statehood, federal land sales from 1818 to 1903, and state-issued patents.
The FamilySearch Missouri Land and Property guide is useful for genealogy research tied to Putnam County. It explains how to use county deed books and state archives together. Pre-1900 deed records for many Missouri counties are available through the FamilySearch catalog on microfilm.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Putnam County in Missouri. Property records must be filed in the county where the land sits, so check that you are searching in the right place.