Salt Lake County, Utah • deed and recorded-property research guide
Salt Lake County Recorder: Search Deeds, Property Records, Liens and Plats
The Salt Lake County Recorder’s Office is the official
custodian of recorded real-estate documents affecting property in Salt
Lake County. Its records include deeds, trust deeds, reconveyances,
liens, easements, subdivision plats, judgments, covenants and many other
instruments.
Salt Lake County uses a property-centered system called
Data Services. A first-time visitor can perform a
free search to see a quick list of recorded documents
associated with a property. More detailed digital research is available
through the Recorder’s paid Data Services options.
Fastest route for most homeowners:
use the free Recorder search → enter the property address or parcel number →
select the exact match from the auto-populated list → review the recorded
document list → save the parcel number, entry number and document type →
request the exact deed or other document only if you need the actual copy.
Current Recorder
Rashelle Hobbs
Office
2001 South State Street, Suite N1-600, Salt Lake City, UT 84190
Regular hours
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., except holidays
Standard recording fee
$40 per recording
Historical-record shortcut:
Salt Lake County currently states that its online digitized searches reach
back to Book 262, Page 1, Entry 899028, recorded March 1, 1941.
The Recorder is continuing a major digitization project intended eventually
to make its older vault collection back to 1850 digitally searchable.
Independent informational guide:
County-CAD.us is not affiliated with the Salt Lake County Recorder,
Salt Lake County Assessor, Treasurer, Auditor or another Utah government
agency. Official property searches, recording, certified copies and other
transactions must be completed through the government services linked below.
Start with what you actually need
Which Salt Lake County Recorder Task Are You Trying to Complete?
The simplest research order
Address → Parcel → Recorded Documents → Entry Number → Copy
1
Address
Start with the property.
2
Parcel
Select exact county match.
3
Free Search
Review document list.
4
Entry Number
Save the exact record.
5
Verify
Identify deed, lien, release, etc.
6
Order
Buy only if a copy is required.
The moving progress indicator is lightweight CSS only. It does not add
an image file, JavaScript library or external animation dependency.
Official government starting points
Which Salt Lake County Website Should You Open?
DATA
Recorder Data Services
Owner history, legal descriptions, documents, tract index, chain of title and maps.
Open Data Services
WATCH
Property Watch
Free email/text alerts for newly recorded documents attached to your property.
Open Free Property Watch
Best starting point for most residents
How to Search Salt Lake County Recorded Documents for Free
You do not have to buy a Data Services package just to see which
documents are attached to a property. Salt Lake County provides a free
property-level recorded-document search.
Open the official Free Search above.
Confirm that the page identifies itself as the Salt Lake County Recorder
Property Search.
Read the Terms of Service.
The county explains that the online information is informational and can
be at least 24 hours old.
Check “I have read and agree to Terms of Service.”
The search will not proceed until the terms are accepted.
Enter the property address or parcel number.
Select the result from the auto-populated drop-down.
Salt Lake County specifically requires the address or parcel number to
be selected from the suggestions rather than merely typed into the field.
Open the correct property.
Confirm the address and parcel before using the document list.
Review the recorded documents associated with the property.
Look for deeds, trust deeds, reconveyances, liens, releases, easements,
judgments or other relevant document types.
Save the entry number and document type.
These identifiers make detailed research and copy ordering much easier.
Data freshness:
the county warns that information in the free property search may be
24 hours old or older. A newly recorded transaction may not appear immediately.
If the street address is all you have
How to Find Salt Lake County Deed Records from an Address
Start with the Recorder’s Free Search.
Enter the exact physical property address.
Select the address from the drop-down list.
Do not type an address and press ahead without selecting the county-generated match.
Search by Address.
The Assessor allows parcel searching using frontage number, direction,
street name and street type/direction.
Save the parcel number.
A parcel number may also be called a serial number or tax ID number.
Return to the Recorder Free Search.
Search using the parcel number rather than the address.
Review recorded documents and locate the ownership deed.
Useful fallback:
if an address is ambiguous, a parcel number is normally the stronger
identifier because it is used countywide to identify the property.
Finding the ownership document
How to Find Your Salt Lake County Deed
The Recorder explains that the ownership document is generally the
deed received when the property was purchased. The
Recorder can provide a copy, but the office does not determine whether
title is legally clear.
Search the property for free.
Open the Recorder Free Search using the property’s address or parcel number.
Review the document types attached to the property.
Look for a deed-type instrument.
Salt Lake County’s document-type index includes categories such as
DEED, WD for Warranty Deed, QCD for Quit Claim Deed, SWD for Special
Warranty Deed and other conveyance instruments.
Compare the recording date with the purchase date.
The deed associated with your acquisition will normally be recorded
near the transaction date.
Save the Entry Number.
Use Data Services if you need the actual digital record or chain history.
Use Document Request if you need an official or certified copy.
Recorded deed ≠ clear title.
Salt Lake County specifically states that clear title is determined by
a title search performed by a title company or attorney—not by Recorder
staff simply looking at one deed.
When the free list is not enough
Salt Lake County Recorder Data Services: Free vs $5 vs Professional Access
Data Services provides deeper property research such as owner-of-record
information, parcel-number history, legal descriptions, recorded documents,
tract-index research, chain-of-title information, subdivision maps and plat maps.
Option
Current cost
Best use
Free Search
$0
Quick list of recorded documents attached to one property.
24-Hour Access
$5 / up to 150 Data Units
Occasional deed, legal-description or short chain research.
Package 1
$300 / 10,000 units
Repeated professional property research.
Package 2
$750 / 25,000 units
Higher-volume recurring use.
Package 3
$1,500 / 50,000 units
Professional/high-volume research.
Package 4
$6,000 / 200,000 units
Large recurring commercial/research workload.
How Data Units work:
the Recorder explains that a typical search or abstract retrieval consumes
one Data Unit, while opening a document generally uses one unit per page.
Plats and maps are much larger and generally consume 20 Data Units per page.
For one homeowner:
do not buy a large package automatically. Start with the free search.
If you need several actual digital documents or deeper history, the
$5 temporary option may be enough.
Newly Recorded Document Is Missing Online?
The Recorder says document images are generally available by the
next working day.
Documents recorded before approximately 2:00 p.m. are
typically available in Data Services by the next working day.
Newly recorded subdivision plats can take longer.
Therefore, a closing that happened today should not automatically be
treated as a failed deed recording simply because you cannot see an
online image immediately.
Official copy pricing
How to Get a Salt Lake County Deed Copy or Certified Copy
$2
Recorded Document Copy
Per page.
$5
Historical / Vault Copy
Per page.
$5+
Certified Copy
$5 certification plus $2 per page.
Find the document before ordering it.
Use the free search or Data Services and save the identifying reference.
Open the official Document Request instructions above.
Provide all required request fields.
The Recorder says every field is required except the optional comments area.
Enter the document reference accurately.
If you do not know the document’s book/page, provide the index or abstract
book/page and useful clues such as line number, party names, dates and document type.
Select Certified only when you need certification.
Review the request before submitting.
You are responsible for the fees generated from the order information.
Wait for the Recorder’s completion email.
The office processes requests in the order received.
Pay and collect the finished document.
The Recorder will advise when it is ready.
Email request?
The Recorder specifically says to wait for its response before coming
to the office to purchase documents requested by email.
Historical deed research
How Far Back Do Salt Lake County Online Deed Records Go?
Salt Lake County currently says online searches can reach
Book 262, Page 1, Entry Number 899028, recorded March 1, 1941.
The Recorder began keeping permanent title records in 1850 and now
maintains more than 14 million documents. Earlier vault material is
being digitized over time.
Search the modern property first.
Save the current parcel, legal description and recent entry numbers.
Follow older recording references.
A newer deed can contain book/page or entry references to earlier instruments.
Use Data Services for digitized historical records.
If the needed record predates searchable digitized coverage, contact the Recorder.
Give staff the owner name, approximate year, legal description and any
book/page or entry clue.
Check Salt Lake County Archives when appropriate.
The Archives maintains additional historical collections including
deeds, land certificates, assessment rolls and historical maps.
ARC
Salt Lake County Archives — Records Online
Historical deeds, land certificates, maps and assessment material.
Explore County Archives
Recording rather than searching
How to Prepare a Deed or Other Document for Recording
Salt Lake County’s Recorder requirements are governed by Utah law.
The Recorder checks the document for statutory recording requirements
but does not prepare the legal instrument for you.
Original or qualifying electronic document
Use an original document or an electronic instrument satisfying
Utah’s electronic-recording requirements.
Brief document caption
State the nature of the instrument.
Salt Lake County legal description
The document needs the legal description of the affected real property
when legally required.
Grantee information
Include names and mailing addresses of the grantee.
Legible text
The document must be clear enough to create certified copies.
Proper acknowledgment / notarization
Applicable acknowledgment requirements must be satisfied.
Printed signer names
Names of persons whose signatures appear must be typed or printed on the instrument.
Trust details when title goes to trustee
Utah requirements can include trustee name/address and the trust’s name and date.
Tax serial / parcel number
The Recorder’s detailed checklist says the tax serial number for each
affected parcel should appear on the instrument, though it is not itself
part of the legal description.
English-language requirement
A non-English document generally requires an accurate English translation
unless another rule applies.
Current detailed Recorder schedule
Salt Lake County Recorder Fees
$40
Standard Recording
Flat fee per recording.
$2
Extra Legal Description
Each legal description over ten.
$50
Subdivision / Condo Map
Per sheet, plus $2 per lot or unit.
$2
Recorded Document Copy
Per page.
$5
Vault / Historical Copy
Per page.
$5+
Certified Copy
$5 certification plus $2 per page.
$1
Ownership / Description Printout
Per page.
$5
Plat / GIS Print
Per page.
$5
24-Hour Data Access
Up to 150 Data Units.
These amounts come from the Recorder’s detailed
Recording Requirements & Fees document dated
October 29, 2024 and remain consistent with the Recorder’s current
online Data Services/copy guidance reviewed for this article.
Mortgage-payoff research
Paid Off Your Mortgage? Search for a Reconveyance
Utah recorded-property history often uses a
Trust Deed as a real-estate security instrument.
After payoff, homeowners should not expect a brand-new ownership deed
merely because financing ended.
Salt Lake County’s document-type index includes:
- TRD — Trust Deed;
- RECON — Reconveyance & Final Reconveyance;
- PT REC — Partial Reconveyance;
- REL — Release; and
- multiple specialized release categories.
Search your property in Recorder Data Services.
Find the earlier Trust Deed.
Save its entry number and recording date.
Review later property documents.
Look for RECON, release or related discharge documents.
Compare the later instrument with the original security document.
If an expected reconveyance is missing, contact the lender/title
company and Recorder as appropriate.
Lien research
How to Search Salt Lake County Liens and Releases
Salt Lake County’s recorded-document index includes multiple lien types,
such as general liens, federal liens, tax liens, attorney liens, judgment
information and corresponding releases.
Start with the property in Data Services.
Review all lien-related document types.
Do not limit the review to a generic document called “Lien.”
Save every relevant Entry Number.
Search later releases.
Salt Lake County’s index includes releases of lien, judgment,
federal lien and tax-lien documents.
Follow referenced entries.
Determine whether the release actually relates to the earlier lien.
The Recorder does not determine clear title.
The county expressly states that a proper title search is performed by a
title company or licensed/bonded title researcher, and legal advice can
require an attorney.
Important map-system change
How to Find Salt Lake County Plat and Parcel Maps
Salt Lake County recently upgraded the Recorder’s cadastral mapping
environment to a newer Parcel Fabric system.
Static tax-map page updates have been discontinued. Current parcel-map
data is now provided through a new interactive mapping platform, while
older static plat material remains available through Data Services.
MAP
Recorder / County Interactive Parcel Map
Use the current interactive map rather than relying on an old static tax-map page.
Open Property & Map Services
Parcel map ≠ legal survey.
Use the County Surveyor and a qualified land surveyor when the question
involves an exact legal boundary, encroachment or survey monument.
Free deed-fraud monitoring
How to Sign Up for Salt Lake County Property Watch
Property Watch is a free Recorder service that notifies
Salt Lake County property owners when a new document is recorded and
attached to the monitored property.
Open Property Watch.
Begin typing your physical property address.
Example format: 123 N Main St.
Select the address from the drop-down list.
Property Watch requires you to select the county-generated suggestion.
If the address is missing, add the directional.
Salt Lake County specifically recommends N, S, E or W after the house number.
For a duplex, try the address range.
The county gives an example such as 101-111.
Use the property address—not automatically your mailing address.
Your property-tax notice can help confirm the physical property address.
Complete your contact information.
Current Property Watch supports email and mobile text notifications.
A Property Watch email currently includes the
Parcel Number, Entry Number, Document Type and Recorded Date.
Official notification emails are sent from
propertywatch@slco.org.
Coverage limitation:
Property Watch alerts only when a document is attached to the property.
The Recorder warns that some documents can be recorded without being
attached to a particular parcel.
Unique Salt Lake County property-record resource
Found a Discriminatory Covenant in an Older Salt Lake County Record?
Some historical Salt Lake County subdivision documents contain racially
discriminatory restrictions that are no longer enforceable.
Salt Lake County allows an owner to record a
Restrictive Covenant Amendment to formally renounce
unlawful discriminatory language under Utah law.
Check the Recorder’s current list of identified subdivisions.
If your subdivision is not listed, contact Property Watch.
Provide the street address and/or parcel number and request a covenant check.
Download the Restrictive Covenant Amendment template if applicable.
Enter your name and mailing address.
Add the Tax Parcel Number and legal description where instructed.
Sign and notarize the completed form.
The Recorder does not provide notary service.
Submit the original completed instrument to the Recorder.
Salt Lake County states that it records this discriminatory-covenant
renunciation process without a recording fee.
The amendment does not erase the historic original document. It adds a
public record making clear that the discriminatory provision has been
renounced and is not valid.
What Happens to a Recorded Property Record After an Owner Dies?
A death does not mean the Recorder can simply replace the deceased
owner’s name in its records on request.
The correct document depends on how title was held, probate status,
trust terms, survivorship rights and other legal facts.
The Recorder explicitly describes its death-of-owner information as
a general guide and recommends consulting a legal professional or title
company. Recorder staff do not prepare legal forms or select the proper
transfer instrument.
Get a copy of the current recorded deed.
Determine how ownership is presently shown.
Do not assume the correct document is another deed.
Consult the appropriate title/probate professional.
Record the legally appropriate completed document when required.
Recheck the Recorder property record after processing.
Can the Recorder Tell You Whether a Property Has Clear Title?
No. This distinction is important.
Recorder research can show
- recorded deeds;
- trust deeds;
- reconveyances;
- liens and releases;
- judgments;
- easements;
- covenants;
- plats and other recorded instruments.
A professional title search determines
- ownership chain;
- title defects;
- encumbrances;
- priority questions;
- unreleased interests;
- other issues affecting marketable/insurable title.
For a purchase, refinance, estate, boundary dispute or legal ownership
conclusion, use a title company, licensed/bonded title researcher or attorney.
Recorder, Assessor, Treasurer or Auditor: Which Office Do You Need?
Your task
Correct office
What that office handles
Deed / lien / easement / plat
Recorder
Recorded real-estate instruments and property-record history.
Owner / value / parcel details
Assessor
Property characteristics, assessed value, classification and parcel search.
Pay real property taxes
Treasurer
Tax bills, payments, tax relief and prepayments.
Appeal property valuation
Auditor / Board of Equalization
Property valuation appeals.
Exact boundary / survey
Surveyor / licensed surveyor
Survey records, monuments and professional boundary work.
Zoning / building rights
City or county planning
Zoning, buildability and land-use questions.
Before Calling the Recorder, Have These Details Ready
Salt Lake County’s contact guidance specifically recommends including
the parcel number or address when contacting the office.
- your full name;
- property address;
- parcel / serial number;
- entry number, if already found;
- book and page, when relevant;
- approximate recording date;
- document type;
- one short explanation of what you need.
Email tip from the Recorder:
put your full name in the email subject line, include the parcel number
or address, and explain the question in a few clear lines.
How Long Until the Original Recorded Document Is Returned?
The Recorder currently advises that original recorded documents are
generally returned by mail approximately 2-3 weeks
after the office has fully processed and imaged them.
Do not interpret the physical return time as the same thing as the recording
date. A document can already be recorded and indexed while the original
paper is still being processed for return.
Salt Lake County-specific shortcuts
Local Tips That Make Recorder Research Faster
Use the free search before paying $5.
Many homeowners only need the document list and entry number.
Select the address from the drop-down.
Typing it without choosing the auto-populated result can prevent
the county search from working.
Keep the parcel number once you find it.
It is used across several Salt Lake County property systems.
Use Entry Number as your document fingerprint.
It is far more useful than repeatedly searching the same address.
New document? Wait until the next working day.
Images recorded before 2 p.m. are typically available the following workday.
Do not rely on the old static tax-map workflow.
Salt Lake County has moved current tax-map data to a new interactive platform.
After mortgage payoff, search RECON.
Reconveyance is a particularly important Utah document type.
Search both lien and release categories.
An old lien remaining in the record does not prove it is still outstanding.
Use Property Watch with the physical address.
Your mailing address may not be the correct property address.
Add N, S, E or W when Property Watch cannot find the address.
This is a specific Salt Lake County troubleshooting recommendation.
Historic records can require vault research.
Online digitization is extensive but does not yet replace every pre-1941 record.
The Recorder will not draft your deed.
It also does not provide blank legal forms, legal advice or notary service.
Use the correct office for zoning.
Property recording and permission to build are completely different issues.
Check old subdivisions for discriminatory covenants.
Salt Lake County provides an unusually useful free covenant-research and
amendment program.
Buying Property in Salt Lake County? Use This Research Order
1. Assessor
Confirm parcel number, owner, physical address and property characteristics.
2. Recorder Free Search
Review recent deeds, trust deeds, liens, easements and releases.
3. Data Services
Research chain history, legal descriptions and older recorded documents
when greater depth is needed.
4. Interactive Parcel Map
Understand parcel context and subdivision configuration.
5. Treasurer
Verify property-tax information separately.
6. Title / Survey Professionals
Obtain formal title and boundary conclusions before a high-stakes transaction.
County-CAD.us Research Standards
Report an Outdated Government Link
Tell County-CAD.us if a Recorder URL, fee, office detail or process changes.
Contact County-CAD.us
Independent Website Disclaimer
Review the limits of independent public-record guidance.
Read Disclaimer
Primary government research
Official Sources Used for This Salt Lake County Recorder Guide
Salt Lake County Recorder
Used for current office responsibilities, Recorder identity, contact
information and resident/industry resources.
Open Recorder Website
Recorder Data Services
Used for Free Search, $5 temporary access, package pricing,
document availability and data-unit rules.
Open Data Services
Free Property Search
Used for address/parcel search, drop-down requirement, informational
disclaimer and possible data delay.
Open Free Search
Recorder Requirements & Fees
Used for Utah document-format requirements, common rejection issues,
$40 recording fee and document-copy charges.
Open Requirements & Fees
Document Copy & Certified Copy Ordering
Used for $2/page copies, historical copies, certification pricing
and copy-order workflow.
Open Document Request
Property Watch
Used for free fraud-monitoring instructions, address troubleshooting,
email/text alerts and notification fields.
Open Property Watch
Recorder Industry Resources
Used for current searchable historical coverage back to March 1, 1941
and the ongoing vault-digitization project.
Open Industry Resources
Discriminatory Housing Records
Used for historic covenant research and the Restrictive Covenant Amendment process.
Open Covenant Resource
Salt Lake County Assessor
Used for address, owner and parcel-number lookup when Recorder
property identification needs a fallback route.
Open Assessor Search
Salt Lake County Archives
Used for additional historical deeds, land certificates,
maps and assessment records.
Open County Archives
Editorial verification: August 14, 2026.
Current online systems, fees, historical digitization coverage,
Data Services pricing, officeholders and recording requirements can change.
Recheck the responsible official page before recording, paying or traveling.
10 Salt Lake County Recorder questions
Salt Lake County Recorder FAQs
1. How do I search Salt Lake County deeds for free?
Open the Salt Lake County Recorder Free Property Search. Read and accept
the Terms of Service, enter the property address or parcel number, and
select the exact result from the auto-populated drop-down list. Open the
property and review its recorded-document list. Save the deed’s Entry
Number if you need deeper research or a copy.
2. Can I search Salt Lake County Recorder records by property address?
Yes. The Recorder Free Search accepts an address or parcel number, but
the selected address must come from the auto-populated drop-down list.
If the Recorder search does not identify the property, use the Salt Lake
County Assessor Parcel Search to find the parcel number and then return
to the Recorder search.
3. How far back are Salt Lake County Recorder records searchable online?
Salt Lake County currently states that online searches reach back to
Book 262, Page 1, Entry Number 899028, recorded March 1, 1941.
The Recorder is continuing to digitize older vault records with the goal
of making its collection back to 1850 searchable. Earlier research can
require Recorder staff or Salt Lake County Archives.
4. How much does Salt Lake County Recorder Data Services cost?
The basic property-level recorded-document list is free. Salt Lake
County currently offers 24-hour Data Services access for $5 and up to
150 Data Units. Larger packages include $300 for 10,000 units,
$750 for 25,000 units, $1,500 for 50,000 units and $6,000 for
200,000 units.
5. How much does a Salt Lake County deed copy cost?
The current Recorder schedule lists ordinary recorded-document copies
at $2 per page. Historical or vault copies are $5 per page. A certified
copy costs a $5 certification fee plus $2 per page. Use the Recorder’s
Document Request process after identifying the exact record.
6. How much does it cost to record a deed in Salt Lake County?
The current Salt Lake County Recorder fee schedule lists a $40 flat
recording fee for ordinary recorded documents. Additional legal
descriptions over ten cost $2 each. Subdivision and condominium maps
use a separate $50-per-sheet fee plus $2 per lot or unit.
7. What should I search after paying off a mortgage in Salt Lake County?
Search the property’s later recorded documents for a reconveyance,
release or related discharge connected to the original Trust Deed.
Salt Lake County uses RECON for Reconveyance and Final Reconveyance
in its document-type index. Paying off a loan does not normally create
a new ownership deed.
8. Can the Salt Lake County Recorder tell me whether title is clear?
No. The Recorder can provide recorded property documents, but Salt Lake
County states that clear title is determined through a title search
performed by a title company, licensed and bonded title researcher or
attorney. A Recorder document list is not a legal title opinion.
9. What is Salt Lake County Property Watch?
Property Watch is a free Recorder service that sends an email and,
when registered, text notifications when new documents are recorded
and attached to your property. Current notifications include the parcel
number, Entry Number, document type and recorded date. The service
helps monitor possible deed fraud but does not determine clear title.
10. What is the Salt Lake County Recorder address and phone number?
The Salt Lake County Recorder’s Office is at 2001 South State Street,
Suite N1-600, Salt Lake City, Utah 84190. The main phone number is
385-468-8145 and the general email is RecorderQ@saltlakecounty.gov.
Regular hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.,
excluding county holidays.