About the Jackson County Recorder of Deeds
The Recorder of Deeds is a separate county office from the Circuit Court. Director Diana Smith leads the staff. The office records land filings, marriage license applications, marriage licenses, military discharges, UCC filings, and other documents that state law assigns to the recorder. The Recorder also runs the marriage license intake and prints certified marriage copies. For court case files, see the Circuit Clerk. For estate matters, see probate records.
The official Recorder home page lists each service, the office hours, and the fee schedule.
See the Recorder of Deeds page for the full office profile.
The page links to the marriage application, the Aumentum public search, the fee schedule, and the eRecording sign-up.
Recorder of Deeds Office Contacts
The Recorder has two offices. The main office sits in the Historic Truman Courthouse in Independence. A second office sits in the Jackson County Courthouse in Kansas City. Both take filings, both sell copies, and both answer questions. Hours run Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. except holidays.
Recorder Main Office (Independence)
Director: Diana Smith
Historic Truman Courthouse
112 W. Lexington, Suite 30
Independence, MO 64050
816-881-4483
records@jacksongov.org
Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Recorder Office (Kansas City)
Jackson County Courthouse
415 E. 12th Street, Room 104
Kansas City, MO 64106
816-881-3191
Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Services Offered by the Recorder of Deeds
The Recorder runs a wide service list. Real estate is the largest line of work. Marriage is the second. UCC and military discharge round out the front-counter list. Each service uses a posted form and a posted fee. eRecording is open to banks, title companies, law firms, utilities, and other organizations that work with an approved submitter.
- Real estate filings, with online records dating back to 1960 and microfilm for older documents.
- Marriage license application, marriage license issue, and certified marriage copies, with online index back to 1826.
- UCC filing and UCC search under Missouri Revised Article 9.
- Military discharge recording, with free copies for authorized parties.
- Plat and survey recording for subdivision filings.
- eRecording for approved submitters.
How to Search the Recorder Records Online
The public search runs on the Aumentum portal. No login is needed. The portal splits work into Marriage, Official Public Records, and UCC. Each menu has its own search modes. The Real Estate Index search supports Grantor List, Grantee List, Search Real Estate Index, and Subdivision List.
The portal welcome page is the entry point.
The Aumentum public access portal opens with the main menu of search options.
Pick a menu, pick a search mode, and key the search terms. Copies can be added to a basket if you log in.
For land deeds, open the Real Estate Index search.
The Real Estate Index search page handles deed, mortgage, plat, and lien lookups.
The page supports Grantor, Grantee, date range, and document type filters. Date range presets cover today, this week, this month, and longer windows.
Recorder Search Fields and Menus
The portal organizes its public search by menu. Each menu opens to its own field set. The table covers the top-level options that any visitor sees on landing.
| Menu / Field | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage menu | Menu | Online Marriage App; Search Marriage Index. |
| Official Public Records menu | Menu | Grantee List, Grantor List, Search Real Estate Index, Subdivision List. |
| Uniform Commercial Code menu | Menu | Search UCC Index. |
| Date range presets | Context menu | Today, Yesterday, This Week, Last Week, This Month, Last Month. |
| Login | Link / form | Public search works without login. Login adds basket and account functions. |
| Basket | Cart link | Holds copy and certified copy orders. |
How to Order a Certified Copy
A certified copy comes with the Recorder's seal and signature block. It is the type of copy that a bank, title company, or government office wants. Three paths work for marriage license certified copies. Two paths work for land record certified copies. Both routes follow the same fee schedule.
- Find the record on the Aumentum portal. Note the document number and date.
- For online order, log in and add the record to the basket.
- For in-person order, take a printout or the document number to the Independence or Kansas City office.
- For mail order on a marriage certified copy, write a letter with the names used at application, marriage date, current mailing address, phone, and a $10 personal check or money order payable to Recorder of Deeds Department.
- Pay the fee at the counter or include payment with the mail order.
- Pick up the copy or wait for the mail to arrive.
For marriage license help, see also Jackson County marriage records.
Recorder of Deeds Fee Schedule
The Recorder posts a fee per service. Most fees follow a flat-then-per-page model. The fee schedule covers recording, copying, certification, marriage license services, plats, military discharge, and UCC search. The official fee page lists the same data.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Standard recording, first page | $21 |
| Standard recording, each added page | $3 |
| Document copy, first page | $2 |
| Document copy, each added page | $1 |
| Certification | $1 per document |
| Marriage license copy | $2 |
| Certified marriage license | $10 |
| Application for marriage license | $2 |
| Marriage license fee | $50 |
| Survey or plat copy, per page | $5 |
| Military discharge | Free for authorized parties |
| UCC search, first page | $2 |
| UCC search, each added page | $1 |
The official fee page lays the same data out by service line.
See the official recorder fee schedule.
The schedule sets the per-page rate for recording and copy work and the flat rate for certification and marriage services.
eRecording for Banks, Title Firms, and Law Offices
The Recorder accepts electronic recording from approved submitters. Banks, title companies, law firms, utilities, and other organizations can submit documents online through approved vendor channels. Questions about eRecording go to the Recorder email. Walk-in filers and mail-in filers still use the office counters in Independence and Kansas City.
Note: The Recorder of Deeds office does not give legal advice on land titles, marriage law, or UCC filings. Use a lawyer or title agent for legal review.
Date Coverage in Recorder Records
The Recorder's online index reaches back further than most county systems in Missouri. Land records on the public portal cover filings back to 1960. Older paper records sit on microfilm at both office locations and can be pulled at the counter. The marriage license index reaches all the way back to 1826. The deep date range is helpful for title work, genealogy, and old estate matters that need a marriage record from the 19th century.
- Real estate filings: 1960 to present online; older on microfilm.
- Marriage licenses: 1826 to present online; image quality varies for the oldest entries.
- UCC filings: searchable through the online UCC index under Missouri Revised Article 9.
- Plats and surveys: recorded at the office, with copies at the per-page survey rate.
- Military discharge: free for the discharged service member or authorized agent.
Marriage License Workflow at the Recorder
The Recorder issues the marriage license, takes the $50 fee, and prints the certified copy after the officiant returns the signed license. Both parties must show up in person to receive the license, even if the application is started online. The marriage workflow is the busiest counter line at the Independence office. The full process and the ID rules are on the Apply for a Marriage License page and the Recorder FAQ. For a deeper guide on the marriage and divorce search, see marriage and divorce records.
Common Recorder of Deeds Questions
The Recorder posts a public FAQ on marriage license rules, document recording, and ID needs. The page covers payment types, age rules, and the in-person requirement.
See the Recorder FAQ page for the office's published answers.
The page repeats the marriage age rule under RSMo § 451.090 and the officiant rule under RSMo § 451.100.