Lake County IL Recorder: Deeds & Records

Lake County, Illinois • deed and recorded-property research

Lake County Recorder: Search Deeds, Mortgages, Liens and Land Records

People still commonly search for the Lake County Recorder of Deeds, but Lake County’s recording functions are now handled by the Recording Division of the Lake County Clerk’s Office.

The Recording Division records, preserves and provides access to deeds, mortgages, release deeds, liens, lien releases, subdivision plats, judgments, powers of attorney and other public land records.

Anthony Vega is the current Lake County Clerk. The county completed a major modernization of its recording system in 2025 and now provides a GovOS-powered Official Records Search with Quick Search, Advanced Search, document-content OCR searching, online ordering tools and Property Alert.

Fastest beginner route: if you know only the address, search the free Lake County Property Tax Information system first → confirm the correct parcel → save the Property Index Number (PIN) and owner → open the Official Records Search → search the owner’s name as LASTNAME FIRSTNAME → narrow by date or document type → verify the deed, mortgage, release or lien → save the document number.
Current office Recording Division of the Lake County Clerk’s Office
Lake County Clerk Anthony Vega
Recording office 18 N County Street, 6th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085
Recording phone 847-377-2575
Public counter hours Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Historical records Recorded documents date back to 1844
Do not confuse Lake County, Illinois with Lake County, Florida, Indiana or Ohio. The official county government domain used throughout this guide is lakecountyil.gov, and the current official records search is hosted at lake.il.publicsearch.us.
Independent informational guide: County-CAD.us is not the Lake County Clerk, Recording Division, Chief County Assessment Office, Treasurer, Illinois Department of Revenue or another government agency. Complete final searches, filings and payments through the official resources linked below.
Choose your task

What Are You Trying to Find or Record?

Beginner deed-search route

Address → PIN → Owner → Recorder Search → Document Number → Copy

1 Address Start with the property.
2 PIN Identify exact parcel.
3 Owner Note current/prior names.
4 Land Records Search official index.
5 Verify Match parcel/parties/date.
6 Copy Purchase only if needed.
Use the correct official system

Official Lake County Property and Recorder Websites

DOC
Official Records Search Deeds, mortgages, liens, releases and historical recorded documents.
Open Official Records Search
TAX
Property Tax Information Search Search by Parcel ID, owner or property address and identify the PIN.
Open Property Search
REC
Recording Division Forms, fees, eRecording, FAQs and contact information.
Open Recording Division
FEE
Recording & Copy Fees Current standard, non-standard and copy charges.
Open Current Fee Schedule
IL
Lake County PTAX-203 / MyDec Illinois property-transfer declaration guidance.
Open PTAX-203 Resources
ALRT
Property Alert Monitor names/property-related recordings for possible fraud.
Open Property Alert
No result does not automatically mean no document

Lake County Land Record Search Troubleshooting

Too many name results Use quotes, a date range and Advanced Search → Grantor or Grantee.
No owner result Search a prior owner or trust/company name from the property-sale history.
Address search fails Use the property-tax system first and save the PIN.
Recent recording missing Check the portal’s displayed “Certified Through” date before assuming the filing failed.
Need words from document text Switch to Full Text OCR.
Very old document Contact the Recording Division or visit the public records terminals.
Copies without unnecessary FOIA

How to Get a Lake County Deed or Recorded Document Copy

$1 Recorded Document Current copy fee per page.
$5 Recorded Plat Current plat-copy charge per page.
$1 PTAX Form Current copy fee per form.

Lake County says ordinary recorded land records are public records and do not require a Freedom of Information Act request.

Search the document first. Save the document number, recording date and parties.
Use the online Official Records Search when convenient. Register/sign in if the portal requires an account for ordering or downloading.
Or request the copy directly from Recording staff.
Give staff the document number whenever possible. This avoids a broad manual search.
Tell staff if you need certification or another special copy type. Ask for the current certification procedure and fee before submitting payment.
In person Recording Division, 18 N County Street, 6th Floor, Waukegan.
By mail Send the request to the Recording Division at the Waukegan office.
By phone 847-377-2575
Cost-saving rule: identify the exact document before ordering a copy. A grantor/grantee search with a common surname can produce many unrelated recordings.
Historical Lake County land records

How Far Back Do Lake County Recorded Documents Go?

The Recording Division says its public recorded-document collection dates back to 1844.

Lake County also publishes a historical Year / Document Number Table with beginning document numbers for years going back to 1880.

Search the current parcel first. Save PIN, current owner and sale-history clues.
Search recent deeds for prior parties or recording references.
Move backward through grantor/grantee results.
Use the Year / Document Number Table when a historical number needs context.
Visit the Recording Division for difficult historical searches. Public land records can be reviewed in the office.
Lake County historical research resources also include plat maps dating from 1861 through the Lake County History Archives at the Bess Dunn Museum.
Lake County’s official payoff guidance

Paid Off Your Mortgage? Check the Release Deed First

Lake County’s Recording Division gives a very specific answer for homeowners who receive a release deed after paying off their mortgage.

Inspect the release deed from the lender.
Look for a Recording Division file stamp. A recorded document should show a document number, recording date and other county recording information.
If the release is already recorded, keep it safely. Lake County says no additional recording action is required merely because the lender returned the recorded release.
If the release has not been recorded, submit it for recording. Lake County allows mail or in-person submission.
Add “Mail To” plus the return address. The county specifically recommends this so the original can be returned after processing.
Check the current recording fee before submitting.
Online check: you can also search your name/property in the Official Records Search for a Release Deed, Satisfaction of Mortgage or related release document.
Do not stop at the first lien result

How to Search Lake County Liens and Releases

Confirm the correct owner/PIN first.
Open the Official Records Search.
Search the owner’s name.
Use Advanced Search or document type to narrow lien records.
Save the lien document number and recording date.
Search later releases. Lake County records include Release of Lien, Release of Judgment, Release of Federal Tax Lien, municipal lien releases and related documents.
Match the release to the original lien. Do not assume any later release applies to the lien you are researching.
Land-record search ≠ guaranteed title search. Lake County says the Recording Division cannot perform or guarantee a complete title search. Use a title company or Illinois real-estate attorney when ownership, lien priority or insurability matters.
Free/online fraud-monitoring tool

Lake County Property Alert

Lake County’s current Official Records platform includes a Property Alert service designed to notify users when new land-record documents matching registered criteria are recorded.

ALRT
Official Property Alert Part of the Lake County Clerk’s land-record platform.
Open Property Alert
Open Property Alert from the official records system.
Register or sign in when requested.
Add the name/property criteria you want monitored.
Save the notification.
If an alert arrives, search the document independently. Verify document number, type, parties and recording date.
An alert does not prove property fraud. Legitimate deeds, mortgages, releases, liens and other documents can trigger notifications. Review the actual recording and obtain legal assistance when a filing appears unauthorized.
Preparing a Lake County deed for recording

Lake County Deed Recording Checklist

Use the correct legal instrument The Clerk provides forms as a courtesy but cannot tell you which deed is legally appropriate.
Complete grantor and grantee information Make sure the parties are clearly identified.
Include the legal description Do not substitute only a street address for a legal description when one is legally required.
Include the Property Index Number Verify every PIN against the property record.
Complete acknowledgment / notarization Satisfy applicable Illinois deed-execution requirements.
Check PTAX-203 Determine whether the transaction needs an Illinois Real Estate Transfer Declaration or qualifies for an exemption notation.
Check Plat Act Affidavit Lake County’s deed packets note that certain unsubdivided/metes-and-bounds transfers may need this affidavit.
Check local transfer requirements Some Lake County municipalities require local revenue stamps or signed exemption certificates.
Check document standard A non-standard document currently costs more to record.
Provide return mailing information Make it clear where the original recorded document should be returned.
FORM
Lake County Recorder Forms Warranty deed, quitclaim packet, Plat Act Affidavit, cover sheet and transfer-tax resources.
Open Official Recorder Forms
Legal consequence warning: Lake County specifically recommends obtaining legal counsel before changing ownership because deeds can affect taxes, inheritance, creditor rights and other legal interests.
Why $70 and $82 are different

Standard vs Non-Standard Recording in Lake County

Illinois law uses a predictable-fee system. A document that meets the statutory format generally qualifies as a standard document. Certain documents automatically fall into the non-standard category.

8.5 × 11-inch sheets Individual sheets rather than permanently bound or continuous forms.
Legible black printing Signatures and dates may use contrasting colors if they reproduce clearly.
White 20-pound paper minimum Meets the statutory paper standard.
Half-inch clean margins Top, bottom and each side.
3 × 5-inch first-page recording space Leave the upper-right corner blank.
No stapled attachments Do not staple or otherwise affix attachments to document pages.
A document may also be non-standard if it creates a division of an existing active tax parcel, references more than five Lake County PINs, references more than five other recorded document numbers, or falls into another statutory non-standard category.
Current Lake County Recording Division fees

Lake County Recorder Fees

$70 Standard Document Current standard recording fee.
$82 Non-Standard Document Current non-standard recording fee.
$43 Federal / State Lien Includes qualifying lien or lien-release filings.
$58 UCC-1 / Certain UCC-3 Current listed filing charge.
$1 Document Copy Per recorded-document page.
$5 Plat Copy Per recorded plat page.
$
Current Fee Schedule Recheck before paying or mailing a document.
Verify Current Fees
The county states that the only additional amounts collected at recording beyond the applicable recording charge are State and County Real Estate Transfer Taxes that are due for the transaction.
Payment options: cash, check payable to Lake County Clerk, and Discover, MasterCard or Visa are currently accepted for Recording Division services.
Illinois + Lake County transfer tax

Real Estate Transfer Tax on a Lake County Deed

Illinois imposes Real Estate Transfer Tax when title or qualifying beneficial interests are transferred unless an exemption applies.

Illinois rate $0.50 for each $500 of value or fraction thereof.
County authority Illinois counties may impose an additional $0.25 per $500 of value.
Lake County property-sale records commonly display the State Tax Stamp and County Tax Stamp separately, which makes it useful to distinguish transfer tax from the ordinary document-recording fee.
Municipal transfer requirements can also apply. Home-rule municipalities may impose separate transfer taxes, and certain Lake County municipalities require revenue stamps or exemption certification before deed recording/eRecording.
Illinois Real Estate Transfer Declaration

Lake County PTAX-203 and MyDec Workflow

Lake County participates in the Illinois Department of Revenue’s MyDec program. MyDec allows users to prepare and submit qualifying real-estate transfer declarations electronically and track or correct them during the recording process.

MYDEC
Lake County PTAX-203 Resources County-specific PTAX forms and MyDec instructions.
Open Lake County PTAX-203
IDOR
Illinois MyDec State property-transfer declaration system.
Open Illinois MyDec
Determine whether PTAX-203 is required. Illinois generally requires PTAX-203 for real-estate transfers unless a listed exemption applies.
Gather all PINs. Enter every parcel identifier affected by the transfer.
Enter buyer, seller and transaction information.
Enter the full actual consideration.
Complete supplemental forms when applicable.
Submit / approve through MyDec.
Use the approved electronic declaration with the deed-recording workflow.
PTAX-203-A May be required when the sale price is over $1 million and the property’s current use falls into specified non-residential categories.
PTAX-203-B Used in qualifying transfers involving instruments other than an ordinary deed/trust document under Illinois rules.
Important Lake County eDeed exception

Check Municipal Revenue Stamps Before Recording a Deed

Lake County’s current eRecording guidance specifically identifies the following municipalities as requiring a signed exemption certificate or municipal revenue stamps before certain deeds can be submitted electronically:

Buffalo Grove
Highland Park
Lake Forest
Lincolnshire
Mettawa
North Chicago
Postal city is not enough. Confirm the property’s actual municipality before deciding which municipal transfer requirements apply.
Speed eRecord

Can You E-Record a Deed in Lake County?

Yes. Lake County says most deeds and many other land-record documents are eligible for electronic recording through its Speed eRecord program.

CSC Authorized eRecording submitter.
eRecording Partners Network Authorized eRecording submitter.
Simplifile Authorized eRecording submitter.
Choose an approved eRecording vendor.
Prepare the document package. Enter indexed information and attach scanned document images.
Complete MyDec when required.
Submit the package to Lake County.
The Recording team reviews it. A rejected package is returned electronically for correction.
Approved documents receive a digital recording stamp. Final official images are returned to the submitter.
Paper PTAX-203 limitation: Lake County currently says deeds with a paper PTAX-203 cannot be submitted through its eRecording system.
Standard county recording fees still apply. The eRecording vendor may also charge its own processing/service fee.

Open Lake County eRecording Guide

Common homeowner confusion

Can the Lake County Recorder Give You Your Property Survey?

Usually no.

Lake County says individual plats of survey are not normally submitted to the Recording Division for recording.

If you received a survey at closing Check your closing/title documents and files from the title company or attorney.
If no survey was provided You will usually need to hire a professional land surveyor to prepare a new one.
Subdivision plat These are recorded records and can be available from the Recording Division.
Exact property boundary Do not use an online parcel map as a substitute for a professional survey.
Full-size recorded plat images use a separate high-resolution system. Lake County currently lists plat copies at $5 per page.

Do You Need a FOIA Request for a Lake County Deed?

No, normally not.

Lake County explicitly says all recorded land records are open to the public and are available without filing a Freedom of Information Act request.

Search the Official Records portal, visit the Recording Division or request the copy by phone/email before creating a FOIA request.

Recording Division vs Assessment Office vs Treasurer vs Court

Your task
Correct office
What to do
Deed / mortgage / lien / release
County Clerk Recording Division
Search recorded land documents or request copies.
PIN / assessment / property characteristics
Chief County Assessment Office / Township Assessor
Search assessment/property records.
Property-tax bill / payment
Lake County Treasurer
Review bills, payments and tax status.
Foreclosure court case
19th Judicial Circuit / Circuit Clerk
Search the foreclosure litigation rather than only the recorded notices.
Exact legal boundary
Licensed surveyor
Obtain a professional survey.
Clear-title determination
Title company / attorney
Obtain professional title examination.
Current Recording Division contact

Lake County Recorder Office Address, Phone and Hours

Recording Division of the Lake County Clerk’s Office

County Clerk
Anthony Vega
Address
18 N County Street
6th Floor
Waukegan, IL 60085
Phone
847-377-2575
Fax
847-984-5860
Email
recorder@lakecountyil.gov
Hours
Monday-Friday
8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Before You Visit

  • find the PIN;
  • save the document number if searching records;
  • check current recording fees;
  • complete PTAX/MyDec if required;
  • confirm municipal transfer requirements;
  • bring the original recordable document when filing;
  • confirm accepted payment method;
  • allow time for building security screening.

Directions to Lake County Recording Division

Mailing a Deed or Other Document for Recording

Mailing address
Lake County Clerk’s Office
Recording Division
18 N County Street – 6th Floor
Waukegan, IL 60085-4358
Complete the original document.
Include PTAX, exemption statement, municipal stamp or other required supporting material.
Check whether the document is standard or non-standard.
Include the correct payment payable to Lake County Clerk.
Show where the recorded original should be returned. Use clear “Mail To” information.
Lake County-specific shortcuts

Practical Tips That Prevent Failed Searches and Recording Problems

Find the PIN before searching a common surname. It gives you an independent property identifier for verification.
Use LASTNAME FIRSTNAME in the land-record search. This is the format recommended by Lake County’s current portal.
Put quotes around an exact name. Example: “SMITH JOHN”.
Use Advanced Search for Grantor or Grantee. It is cleaner than relying on one broad Quick Search.
Check the “Certified Through” date. A just-recorded document may not yet be included in the searchable index.
Use Full Text OCR only when useful. Index searching is normally the cleaner first step.
Save every document number. It makes copy requests and later research much faster.
After mortgage payoff, inspect the file stamp. A document number and recording date tell you the release was already recorded.
Do not expect the Recorder to have your individual boundary survey. Individual plats of survey are normally not recorded there.
Do not file FOIA for an ordinary deed copy. Recorded land documents are already public.
Check municipality before eRecording a deed. Six Lake County municipalities have special revenue-stamp/exemption requirements.
Use MyDec instead of an unnecessary paper PTAX workflow. Lake County participates in Illinois MyDec.
A paper PTAX-203 prevents the current eDeed route. The county specifically calls out this limitation.
Keep document format standard when possible. A standard document currently costs $12 less than a non-standard document.
Register Property Alert. It gives you an additional early-warning layer for unfamiliar land-record activity.

Buying Lake County Property? Review These Records

PIN and property record Verify the exact parcel and municipality.
Current deed Confirm grantor, grantee and legal description.
Prior deeds Follow earlier owners when title history matters.
Mortgages Identify financing recorded against the property.
Release deeds / satisfactions Determine whether older mortgage interests were released.
Liens and releases Search both claims and later releases.
Subdivision plat Review recorded plat information where relevant.
Property taxes Check current bills and payment status separately.
Municipal transfer requirements Important before a deed is recorded or eRecorded.
Professional title search Use a title company/attorney for a guaranteed legal title conclusion.
Primary government source ledger

Official Sources Used for This Lake County Recorder Guide

Lake County Official Records Search

Verified current GovOS search fields, name format, Quick Search, Advanced Search, date filters, Property Alert and Full Text OCR.

Open Official Records Search
Recording Division

Verified current county recording authority and public-service resources.

Open Recording Division
Recording Division FAQs

Verified office hours, copy methods, mortgage-release workflow, survey limitations and title-search restrictions.

Open Recorder FAQs
Recording & Copy Fees

Verified $70 standard, $82 non-standard, lien/UCC charges, $1 recorded-document copies and $5 plat copies.

Open Fee Schedule
Recorder Forms

Verified warranty/quitclaim deed packets, recording cover sheet, Plat Act Affidavit, transfer-tax exemption statement and historical document-number resource.

Open Recorder Forms
Lake County eRecording

Verified eDeed eligibility, vendors, municipal requirements and paper PTAX-203 restriction.

Open eRecording
Lake County PTAX-203 Forms

Verified Lake County participation in MyDec and PTAX-203, 203-A, 203-B and NR resources.

Open PTAX-203 Resources
Illinois Department of Revenue

Verified MyDec, Illinois transfer-tax rules and current state rate.

Open Illinois Transfer Tax
Lake County Property Tax Search

Verified Parcel ID, owner and address search rules used in the address-to-deed workflow.

Open Property Search
Lake County Historical Research

Verified deed/mortgage/release research and historical plat resources.

Open Historical Research
Editorial verification: August 14, 2026. Recording fees, portal certification dates, forms, municipal transfer requirements, eRecording rules, office contacts and state tax procedures can change. Use the linked official government source for the final action.
10 Lake County Recorder questions

Lake County Recorder FAQs

1. How do I search Lake County Illinois deeds online?

Open the Lake County Official Records Search at lake.il.publicsearch.us. Leave Department set to Land Records and search the grantor or grantee using LASTNAME FIRSTNAME. Put quotation marks around an exact name, add a Recorded Date range when possible, and use Advanced Search for exact Grantor or Grantee selections. Save the document number after identifying the correct deed.

2. How do I find a Lake County deed if I only know the property address?

Start with the Lake County Property Tax Information search. Search the address using one search parameter, open the correct property, and save the Property Index Number and owner name. Then open the Official Records Search and search the owner as a grantor or grantee. Verify the property before relying on the deed.

3. Who handles Recorder of Deeds records in Lake County now?

Lake County’s former Recorder of Deeds functions are handled by the Recording Division of the Lake County Clerk’s Office. Anthony Vega is the current Lake County Clerk. The Recording Division is located at 18 N County Street, 6th Floor, Waukegan, Illinois 60085.

4. How far back do Lake County Illinois deed records go?

The Recording Division states that its public recorded-document collection dates back to 1844. Lake County also provides a historical Year / Document Number Table with beginning document numbers back to 1880. Older or difficult searches can be researched through the Recording Division’s public-access resources.

5. How much does a Lake County deed copy cost?

Lake County’s current fee schedule lists recorded-document copies at $1 per page. Recorded plats cost $5 per page and PTAX form copies cost $1 per form. Search the document first and save its document number before ordering a copy.

6. How much does it cost to record a deed in Lake County Illinois?

The current Lake County fee schedule lists $70 for a standard document and $82 for a non-standard document. State and County Real Estate Transfer Taxes may also be due when a deed transfers real property. Check the official Recording and Copy Fees page immediately before filing.

7. What is MyDec and does Lake County use it?

Yes. Lake County participates in the Illinois Department of Revenue’s MyDec program. MyDec allows users to prepare and submit qualifying Illinois Real Estate Transfer Declarations electronically, track their status and make permitted corrections during the recording workflow.

8. What should I do after paying off a Lake County mortgage?

Inspect the release deed sent by your lender. If it already has a Lake County Recording Division file stamp showing a document number and recording date, Lake County says you can keep the document safely and no additional recording action is required. If it was not recorded, submit the release deed to the Recording Division by mail or in person.

9. Does Lake County provide property fraud alerts?

Yes. Lake County’s current Official Records platform includes Property Alert. Users can register monitoring criteria and receive notice when matching land-record activity is recorded. An alert does not by itself prove fraud, so always review the actual recorded document.

10. Where is the Lake County Recording Division office?

The Recording Division of the Lake County Clerk’s Office is at 18 N County Street, 6th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085. The phone number is 847-377-2575. Current public office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding applicable county holidays.

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