Crawford County Deed Records Search

Crawford County deed records are maintained by the Crawford County Clerk and Recorder in Robinson, Illinois. The office files and indexes all deeds, mortgages, liens, and other instruments affecting real property in the county. This page covers how to record a deed, what documents and fees are required, how to search existing records, and where to get help if you need it.

Recording Deeds in Crawford County

The Crawford County Clerk and Recorder is at 100 Douglas St. in Robinson. This office handles all property recordings under 765 ILCS 5, the Illinois Conveyances Act. Recording a deed gives public notice of the transfer and protects the new owner against later claims from third parties who had no knowledge of the sale. The date and time of filing establishes priority among competing claims, which is why recording promptly after closing matters.

Most property closings in Crawford County are handled by local attorneys or title companies, but individual owners can also record documents directly at the recorder's office. Call (618) 544-3204 before you come in to confirm current hours and to ask about any changes to the fee schedule or document requirements.

What Your Deed Must Include

Before you bring a deed to the recorder's office in Robinson, review this list. Missing any item will get your document returned at the counter.

Every grantor on the deed must sign before a notary public. The notary seal and acknowledgment text must appear on the document. If the deed has multiple grantors, all must be separately notarized. Photocopied signatures are not accepted under any circumstances.

The property index number (PIN) must appear on the face of the deed for every parcel involved. Get the PIN from the Crawford County Assessor's office or from a recent tax bill. The PIN is required and identifies the specific parcel in the county's land records system.

Leave a clear 3-inch by 5-inch area in the upper right corner of the first page. The recorder stamps this space with the recording data. Text or markings in this area will cause rejection. Paper must be white, between 8.5 by 11 and 8.5 by 14 inches, with text at least 10-point and margins of at least half an inch.

Include the grantee's full mailing address and the preparer's name and address on the document. Provide a return address so the recorder can send the original back after filing.

The PTAX-203 and MyDec

Most transfers require a completed Real Estate Transfer Declaration (PTAX-203). This form is filed alongside the deed. Even exempt transfers need the form with the correct exemption code checked. The Illinois Department of Revenue provides full instructions at tax.illinois.gov.

You can complete the PTAX-203 online through the MyDec portal at mytax.illinois.gov/MyDec before going to the recorder's office. MyDec generates a confirmation number after submission. Bring that number to the Crawford County Clerk and Recorder, where the clerk will verify it in the system before proceeding with recording. Filing through MyDec in advance speeds up the recording appointment.

The image below shows the MyDec portal, which is where you complete the online transfer declaration for Crawford County deed recordings.

MyDec also walks you through the transfer tax exemption screening. If your transfer qualifies for an exemption, the portal identifies the correct code and notes it on the declaration so no tax is owed at recording.

The screenshot below shows the 55 ILCS 5/3-5018 statute page at ILGA.gov, which governs the fee schedule and recording duties for the Crawford County Clerk and Recorder.

You can read the full text at ILGA.gov. The statute covers what documents the recorder must accept, how fees are set, and what indexing duties the office must fulfill.

Recording Fees and Transfer Taxes

You will pay two types of costs when recording a deed in Crawford County: recording fees and real estate transfer taxes.

Recording fees are governed by 55 ILCS 5/3-5018. The standard fee covers the first page of a document plus a per-page charge for each additional page. The Rental Housing Support Program (RHSP) surcharge of $18 is added to every document regardless of page count. Call (618) 544-3204 before going in to confirm the current per-page amount and to calculate your total.

The state transfer tax rate is $0.50 per $500 of consideration under 35 ILCS 200. Crawford County adds $0.25 per $500. On a $90,000 sale, the state takes $90 and the county takes $45. Both amounts are collected by the recorder at the time of filing. Revenue stamps are placed on the deed as proof of payment.

Military discharge documents (DD-214) are recorded free of charge for veterans. The recorder keeps a certified copy permanently on file and gives the veteran a certified copy. This service is free and available to any person who served in the U.S. military.

How to Submit a Deed for Recording

You have three ways to record a deed with the Crawford County Clerk and Recorder.

In person, bring your original notarized deed, the PTAX-203 form or MyDec confirmation, and payment to 100 Douglas St. in Robinson. The recorder reviews and stamps the document, collects fees, and typically returns the original to you the same day for documents in the digital system.

By mail, send the original deed, completed PTAX-203 (or MyDec confirmation number), and a check or money order for the total amount owed. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for return. Always call ahead to confirm the exact fee so you do not underpay. Underpayment will cause the recorder to hold or return your document without recording it.

eRecording under 765 ILCS 33 allows digital submission through approved vendors including Simplifile, CSC, EPN, Hopdox, and Indecomm. Contact the Crawford County Clerk and Recorder directly to ask whether eRecording is active and which vendors are currently approved for the county.

Searching Crawford County Deed Records

The recorder maintains a grantor-grantee index of all instruments on file. You can search in person at the Robinson office by party name or by parcel PIN. Staff can assist with lookups, though complex title searches covering many decades are typically handled by a local title company or abstractor who knows the county's records well.

Some Illinois counties have set up online deed search portals. Check the Crawford County official website or call (618) 544-3204 to find out whether one is available. Where online portals exist, they let you search by name or PIN and view scanned document images. Older records not yet digitized may require an in-person request at the Robinson office.

Certified copies of recorded documents are available from the recorder's office. A certified copy carries the county seal and is accepted by courts, lenders, and government agencies. You can request copies in person or by mail with a written request and fee payment enclosed.

Relevant Illinois Statutes

The key statutes governing deed recording in Crawford County are worth knowing before you file.

765 ILCS 5 is the Conveyances Act. It sets out how deeds must be prepared, acknowledged, and recorded. It establishes what makes a deed valid and what the recorder must check before accepting a document.

55 ILCS 5/3-5018 governs county recorder authority, indexing duties, and the fee schedule. This is the statute the Crawford County Recorder operates under when setting fees and processing documents.

35 ILCS 200 is the Property Tax Code. It covers transfer taxes, PIN assignment, and assessment records. The transfer tax rates collected at recording come from this statute.

765 ILCS 33 is the Uniform Real Property Electronic Recording Act. It is the legal basis for eRecording in Illinois and authorizes counties like Crawford to accept digitally submitted instruments.

Legal Help and Resources

For free guidance on recording property documents, Illinois Legal Aid at illinoislegalaid.org provides plain-language guides. They cover what to bring, how fees work, and how to handle a rejection if the office sends your document back. For legal disputes over title, boundaries, or liens in Crawford County, contact a licensed Illinois real estate attorney. The Illinois State Bar Association offers a lawyer referral service for people who need help finding an attorney in the area.