Washington County Recording Documents Electronically

Washington County has successfully received, recorded, and returned its first electronic documents as it steps into the world of electronic recording.

The availability of eRecording services means that those needing to record land record documents will be able to securely and cost effectively file documents with Washington County through a web browser from the comfort and convenience of their offices. All land record documents will be included in this service.

This will allow the county to reduce its document processing time, to follow the state requirements of a five-day turnaround time. This service will not only save time and money, but it will also expedite document recordings. 

For organizations that currently submit documents to the Washington County Recorder’s Office via express mail, mail, runner or courier service, this step is a continuation of the evolution of the recording process in Washington County over the last 100-plus years, which saw documents recorded in books, on film, and on microfiche.

Raymond Marshall, of Saint Croix Title in Lake Elmo, works at one of the first firms to use the electronic recording system, which launched Nov. 14. Marshall said that he anticipates that the new system will provide convenience to his business. “We will no longer have to leave our office and bring our documents to the county office. We anticipate that it will have the savings of the travel time or hiring a courier,” he said. “But it is also quicker. We will get the confirmation the same day that we record the documents.”

Marshall’s work requires recording title documents, deeds, mortgages, and other real estate documents, all of which must be recorded with the county.

“The bulk of our work is in Washington County,” Marshall said, “and we have been preparing for this for over a year.” Marshall commended the work of the Washington County staff in making the electronic recording process a reality. While Marshall’s firm works primarily with Washington County, once the system is in place, he looks forward to working with other counties to do electronic recording.

Hennepin, Dakota and Anoka counties are currently accepting electronic recording documents, as well as other counties in the state.