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
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
TAX
Property Tax Information Search
Search by Parcel ID, owner or property address and identify the PIN.
Open Property Search
ALRT
Property Alert
Monitor names/property-related recordings for possible fraud.
Open Property Alert
Start here when you know only the address
How to Find the Lake County PIN and Owner
Open the official Property Tax Information search.
Use only one search parameter.
Lake County specifically warns that the basic search may fail if you
combine several parameters at once.
For an address, enter Address No. and Street Name.
Do not include the street direction.
The current search instructions say to use the street name without
direction when performing the basic address search.
Open the correct property.
Compare address, municipality, township and property details.
Save the Property Index Number.
The county property record may display it as PARID.
Note the owner and sales history.
These names and dates become Recorder-search clues.
Move to the Official Records Search.
Search the owner as grantor/grantee and verify the matching property.
Other places to find your PIN:
Lake County says the PIN can also appear on your deed, property-tax bill
and annual assessment notice.
Current GovOS land-record system
How to Search Lake County Deeds by Owner Name
Open the official records portal.
Confirm the header says County of Lake and County Clerk Anthony Vega.
Leave Department set to Land Records.
Enter names as LASTNAME FIRSTNAME.
The current portal gives SMITH JOHN as the preferred format.
Use quotation marks for an exact-name search.
Example: “SMITH JOHN”.
Add a Recorded Date range.
A purchase, mortgage, payoff or lien year can greatly reduce unrelated results.
Use Search Index Only first.
This searches the formal indexed fields.
Try Advanced Search for better party matching.
The portal specifically recommends Advanced Search when you want
exact Party Name, Grantor or Grantee selections.
Review the matching document.
Compare document type, grantor, grantee, recording date and parcel/legal clues.
Save the document number.
Use that identifier for later searches, copies and questions to Recording staff.
Quick Search vs Advanced Search vs OCR
Which Lake County Recorder Search Should You Use?
What you know
Best search
Why
Owner / seller / buyer
Advanced Search → Party Name / Grantor / Grantee
Reduces unrelated name matches.
Document number
Quick Search
Strongest direct recorded-document identifier.
Subdivision
Quick or Advanced Search
The current portal supports subdivision searching.
Document type
Quick / Advanced Search
Useful for deed, mortgage, lien, release, TODI and other records.
Words inside a scanned document
Search Index & Full Text (OCR)
Searches document contents, not just formal index information.
Approximate year only
Name + Recorded Date range
Prevents very broad countywide results.
Index vs OCR behavior:
Lake County’s current portal says multiple words in
Index Only are searched individually, while multiple
words in Full Text OCR are treated as a phrase.
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.
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.
Can the Lake County Recording Division Perform a Title Search?
No. The county says the Recording Division cannot
legally perform a title search for you.
Staff can provide access to the public records and can assist with
information available on public-access terminals, but the office does
not guarantee the legal completeness of your research.
Recorder research
Find deeds, mortgages, liens, releases, judgments, easements and plats.
Professional title search
Determines the complete chain, defects, unresolved interests and
insurable title using professional research methods.
Lake County specifically notes that title companies employ professional
searchers familiar with the complexities of land-record research.
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.
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.
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.
Mailing a Deed or Other Document for Recording
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
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.