Welcome to the Morgan County Register of Deeds website.  I encourage you to use our website to search real estate transactions.  We strive to give customers immediate assistance when providing copies or recording documents.  Our user-friendly system helps citizens access records easily.  We take pride in keeping up to date records immediately available.  All documents can be recorded and returned to customers while they wait.  The Register of Deeds files certain legal documents mainly pertaining to or affecting real estate and provides public access to these records.

The primary function of the register is to make and preserve a record of instruments required or allowed by law to be filed or recorded, included but not limited to the following.

• Warranty Deeds
• Powers of Attorney
• Deeds of Trust
• Liens
• Contracts
• Plats
• Leases
• Judgements
• Wills
• Court Orders
• Military Discharges (free of charge)
• Fixture Filings

The register has specific directions on how to index, record, and maintain the records.  The register must perform the following functions: keep accurate records of the fees, commissions, and taxes collected as well as of office expenses; make reports on the fees, commissions, and expenses to the county; make reports on the taxes collected to the revenue department.  The register is responsible for collecting “transfer” and “mortgage” taxes.  With some statutory exceptions, the register must collect a tax on the transfer of all interests in real estate and the “mortgage: tax on recording instruments that evidence indebtedness.

The register must interact with the county mayor and/or a finance/budget director as well as the county legislative body regarding the register’s budget and budget amendments.