Register of Deeds FAQs
The Osage County Register of Deeds is an elected official who is required the Laws of the State of Kansas to record all documents submitted by the public which are qualified to be recorded; maintain an up-to-date and accurate set of indexes which show the correct ownership of land in the entire county and perform all functions of a clerical and technical nature to accomplish that objective. It is a place where all transactions having to do with land including liens and mortgages are recorded and maintained so that the public is made aware of their existence. This is also a place where financing statements and security agreements are filed on personal property under the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC). In addition to records on real estate and personal property; the Osage County Register of Deeds Office maintains records of military discharges, old school records, and information on county cemeteries.
Our filing system requires is to have a name, legal description, or sometimes the property address in order to retrieve records archived in the office. Some instruments are not subject to the Kansas Open Records Act or require special search documents to retrieve; at the time of your request the Register of Deeds stag will inform you i8f any of these circumstances apply to the requested document. Requests may be made by telephone, fax, mail, e-mail or in person at the Register of Deeds office. We are able to satisfy most document requests by the same methods in which they can be requested. Please remember that we are dealing with records that date back to the early 1800’s so it can often take time to locate some of the older records.
Documents are usually recorded on the same day that they are received in the office. Each document goes through a multi-step process when it is filed. The document is evaluated on the basis of completeness, compliance with state statutes; and then scanned for obvious errors. The proper fee is then assessed and no document is filed until the fee has been paid. After these steps are completed the documents are recorded in the proper reception books and indices. When the indexing is completed the document is reproduced digitally and as a hard copy; the original documents may then be sent back to their place of origin.
Some liens (mortgages, tax liens, etc.) filed against property will be listed in the indices. To obtain specific information about the lien it is always best for you to look at the actual document. The Deeds office also handles personal property liens; Commonly referred to as UCC’s (Uniform Commercial Code Filings) Federal and State Tax liens against real and personal property may also be on file in the Dees office. However all liens are not handled by the Register of Deeds. You should also check with the Osage County Clerk of the District Court, Motor Vehicles Department, Kansas Department of Human Resources, etc. for other lien filings.
The staff of the Osage County Register of Deeds Office can assist you in researching our archives. We are unable to do in-depth searches of the archives. In-depth searches are the realm of Title Companies, Attorneys, and privately contracted researchers. Our staff will answer simple questions concerning our records to inquiries made in person, by telephone, by fax, or by e-mail. Remember not all county records are filed in the Register of Deeds office. If you have questions, which are beyond our scope, we will refer you to another office or a professional to insure the best results to your queries.
No. The property, or part of it has to be located in Osage County.
No. Professional title examiners or abstractors use the records in our office as well as searching records in other offices to determine if the title is good and clear.
Besides deeds, mortgages and liens, there are oil and gas leases, plats of additions to the cities in Osage County, county school records, honorable discharges from the armed services, powers of attorney, and over several hundred different kinds of documents records and or filed in the office.
The office is located in the Osage County Courthouse at 717 Topeka Avenue in Lyndon, Kansas, on the second floor.
Fee Schedule
A portion of the following fee schedule is established by Kansas Statutes; and a portion by the Osage County Commissioners
NOTICE: OSAGE COUNTY IS NOW E-RECORDING!!! FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO GET STARTED, CONTACT SIMPLIFILE: 800-460-5657 OR WWW.SIMPLIFILE.COM. ALL YOU NEED IS A PC, SCANNER, AND HIGH-SPEED INTERNET ACCESS.
As of July 1, 2001, the Kansas Law concerning UCC filings has changed. Under the new law, financing statements covering consumer goods will be filed in the office of the Secretary of State.
As a result of this change only financing statements covering fixtures, timber to be cut, and abstracted oil, gas and other minerals are filed with the Register of Deeds in the county where the land is located. All other financing statements will be filed at the office of the Secretary of State. To be perfected you should file all financing statements, except for fixture filings pertaining to real estate, with the Secretary of State's office and not with the Register of Deeds. If you send the UCC to a Register of Deeds office with the correct filing fee it will be filed with no questions asked. The new law makes it the responsibility of the secured party to be perfected or secured. The Register of Deeds office can only reject for a few reasons and wrong place of filing is not one of them. If consumer goods are sent to counties for filing instead of the Secretary of State's office, the filing will not be rejected.
In order to file a fixture filing you still need the record owner's name and complete legal description.
UCC up to 10 pages $15.00 Each page after 10 pages $1.00 per page Amendments up to 10 pages $15.00 Each page after 10 pages $1.00 per page Terminations $15.00 Searches $15.00 per debtor name + $1.00 per page for copies
If you file electronically with the state it is less expensive. Visit the Kansas Secretary of State website for their fees and guidelines.
1. We will only accept the standardized UCC filing forms. (National UCC filing form) All others will be rejected.
2. Documents presented for filing must be presented in the proper medium.
3. Filing fees must accompany document. Payment must be made by check or cash.
4. Document will be rejected if it cannot be properly indexed.
a. We must have one complete debtor's name and address and one complete secured party's name and address. If multiple names and addresses are given, the UCC filing will be indexed only to the parties with complete or legible information. b. Failure to provide all information necessary to file the document. In the case of an assignment, failure to provide a name or address of the assignee would be a cause for rejection.
5. No searches will be done by telephone. We will only accept written requests using the new national form.
6. Mechanics Liens and Tax Liens will still be filed at the county level using the old fee schedule.
$13.00 -- Certificate, certifying any instrument of record, plus the photocopy fees stated below
Research Fee for Genealogy $20.00 per hour, minimum of 1/2 hour or $10.00 plus copy/or fax fee/or e-mail fee.
We do not do total phone searches, if you do not have a book and page of what you want we do not have the time to do a search. If you are needing a total search, please send someone here or contact the local title company for assistance. We do not do title work.
$2.00 -- Fax Copies per page. Photocopies $1.00 for the first page and $.50 for letter size paper and $.75 for legal size paper for each second page and each additional page or fraction thereof. Plus, have the right to charge for postage. E-Mail Copies $1.00 for the first page and $.50 for each additional page.
$25.00 -- Execution Fee for Passport.
$1.00 -- If names not printed or typed under signatures.
$21.00 -- For recording deeds, mortgages, or other instruments of writing, for first page (not to exceed legal size page 8 1/2" x 14", include Technology fees and Heritage Trust Fund).
$17.00 -- For second page and each additional page or fraction thereof (includes Technology fees & Heritage Trust Fund Fee).
$20.00 -- The filing fee for mortgage assignment & releases (Includes Technology Fees & Heritage Trust Fund Fee) and $4.00 for second page and each additional page or fraction thereof of assignment or release) (not to exceed legal size page 8 1/2" x 14"). ($16.00 for each Book & Page listed being Assigned or Released)
All fees shall be due and payable before the register of deeds shall be required to do the work.
Must have 3 to 4 inches clear across the top of the first page of a document for the recording stamp and or County Clerk's Transfer Stamp (if a deed). This must be done on ALL e-recordings too or we will have to reject the document.
If sufficient space is not provided for the necessary recording information and certification on a document, such recording information shall be placed on an added sheet and such sheet shall be counted an additional page.
Examples:
1 sheet, 1 book and page assignment/release = $20.00
2 sheets, 1 book and page assignment/release = $24.00
1 sheet, 2 books and pages assignment/release = $36.00
2 sheets, 2 books and pages assignment/release = $40.00
$17.00 -- To record liens for material and services under K.S.A. 58-201, and amendments thereto.
$5.00 -- To record Lis Pendens
$32.00 -- Recording town plats, for each page.
$32.00 -- Filing Federal Tax Lien Notice
$32.00 -- Federal Tax Lien Release
$71.00 -- State Tax Lien Release (First page only, additional fees apply for second & additional pages & fractions thereof). No charge for Medical Assistance Lien, and or assignment and or release (K.S.A. 39-709(g) to the secretary of health and environment or the secretary's designee. If it is unclear that the person requesting filing is the secretary's designee, standard filing fees shall be collected. Mortgage Registration Fee of .05% of the principal debt or obligation which is secured by such mortgage, collected on all mortgages. Except on exempt mortgages, see K.S.A 79-3102 for the exemptions.
No charge for Medical Assistance Lien, and or assignment and or release (K.S.A. 39-709(g) to the secretary of health and environment or the secretary's designee. If it is unclear that the person requesting filing is the secretary's designee, standard filing fees shall be collected.
1. We will only accept the standardized UCC filing forms. (National UCC filing form) All others will be rejected.
2. Documents presented for filing must be presented in the proper medium.
3. Filing fees must accompany document. Payment must be made by check or cash.
4. Document will be rejected if it cannot be properly indexed.
a. We must have one complete debtor's name and address and one complete secured party's name and address. If multiple names and addresses are given, the UCC filing will be indexed only to the parties with complete or legible information.
b. Failure to provide all information necessary to file the document. In the case of an assignment, failure to provide a name or address of the assignee would be a cause for rejection.
5. No searches will be done by telephone. We will only accept written requests using the new national form.
6. Mechanics Liens and Tax Liens will still be filed at the county level using the old fee schedule.
As of July 1, 2001, the Kansas Law concerning UCC filings has changed. Under the new law, financing statements covering consumer goods will be filed in the office of the Secretary of State.
As a result of this change only financing statements covering fixtures, timber to be cut, and abstracted oil, gas and other minerals are filed with the Register of Deeds in the county where the land is located. All other financing statements will be filed at the office of the Secretary of State. To be perfected you should file all financing statements, except for fixture filings pertaining to real estate, with the Secretary of State's office and not with the Register of Deeds. If you send the UCC to a Register of Deeds office with the correct filing fee it will be filed with no questions asked. The new law makes it the responsibility of the secured party to be perfected or secured. The Register of Deeds office can only reject for a few reasons and wrong place of filing is not one of them. If consumer goods are sent to counties for filing instead of the Secretary of State's office, the filing will not be rejected.
In order to file a fixture filing you still need the record owner's name and complete legal description.
UCC up to 10 pages $15.00
Each page after 10 pages $1.00 per page
Amendments up to 10 pages $15.00
Each page after 10 pages $1.00 per page
Terminations $15.00
Searches $15.00 per debtor name
+ $1.00 per page for copies
If you file electronically with the state it is less expensive. Visit the Kansas Secretary of State website for their fees and guidelines.
NOTICE: OSAGE COUNTY IS NOW E-RECORDING!!! FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO GET STARTED, CONTACT SIMPLIFILE: 800-460-5657 OR WWW.SIMPLIFILE.COM. ALL YOU NEED IS A PC, SCANNER, AND HIGH-SPEED INTERNET ACCESS.