Search Tazewell County Deed Records

Tazewell County deed records are kept by the Tazewell County Clerk and Recorder at 11 S. 4th Street, Suite 201 in Pekin. The office maintains the official land record for every deed, mortgage, lien, easement, and plat filed in the county. To search Tazewell County deed records, you can visit the Pekin office in person, call (309) 477-2264, or check the Recorder's website at tazewell-il.gov for guidance on what to bring and what to expect. Whether you need a recent deed or want to trace older ownership, this office is the right place to start.

Tazewell County Clerk and Recorder Office

The Tazewell County Clerk and Recorder is the official custodian of land records for all property in the county. The office sits at Suite 201, 11 S. 4th Street, Pekin, IL 61554. You can reach staff at (309) 477-2264 during regular weekday hours. Under 765 ILCS 5, the Illinois Conveyances Act, any instrument that conveys or affects title to real property must be recorded in the county where the property lies. That rule means every deed filed on Tazewell County land goes through this office.

The office records warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, trustee deeds, mortgage documents, releases, liens, easements, and subdivision plats. Staff accept documents, process them, and return the originals to you after recording. What staff cannot do is prepare deed forms, check your document for legal errors, or give legal advice. If you need help drafting a deed or resolving a title problem, work with an attorney or a licensed title company before you come to the counter.

The Tazewell County Recorder's website at tazewell-il.gov covers recording requirements, fees, contact details, and more. It is the best place to confirm current office procedures before you visit or mail in documents.

The screenshot below shows the Tazewell County Clerk and Recorder homepage, taken from the official office site at tazewell-il.gov/countyclerkrecorder.

The Tazewell County Clerk and Recorder homepage gives you the current recording requirements, office contact details, and resources for anyone searching or filing deed records in Tazewell County.

How to Search Tazewell County Deed Records

The most direct way to search Tazewell County deed records is to visit the Recorder's office in Pekin. Staff can help you find a deed by grantor or grantee name, legal description, or document type. Many counties across Illinois also offer online access through third-party search platforms connected to the Recorder's index. Call the office at (309) 477-2264 to ask what remote search tools are currently available and whether a public access terminal is set up at Suite 201.

The Recorder FAQ page is a good read before you go in. It covers how to get copies of recorded deeds, what the office needs from you to process a records request, and what fees apply to copies. You can find it at tazewell-il.gov/countyclerkrecorder/countyclerkfaq. Reading it first saves time at the counter.

The screenshot below comes from the Tazewell County Recorder FAQ page at tazewell-il.gov.

The Recorder FAQ page answers common questions about how to get copies of filed deeds, what forms the office accepts, and what to bring when you visit the Pekin office to search Tazewell County deed records.

For a title search going back many decades, visiting in person gives you the best access. Newer digital records are easier to pull up remotely. If your research covers a long ownership history, calling ahead lets staff prepare for your needs.

Tazewell County Deed Recording Requirements

Recording a deed in Tazewell County starts with a signed, notarized document that includes the complete legal description of the property. Illinois law also requires a 3-inch by 5-inch blank space in the upper right corner of the first page so the Recorder can stamp the document. The parcel identification number, or PIN, must appear on the deed. Leave it off and the office may not accept the document at all.

Most deed transfers also require a PTAX-203 Real Estate Transfer Declaration. You file this form before recording using the MyDec portal run by the Illinois Department of Revenue. MyDec walks you through the transfer details and produces a completed declaration that you bring along with your deed. Some transfers are exempt. The PTAX-203 instructions at tax.illinois.gov list which types of transfers do not need the form, including certain family gifts and trust transfers.

The general information page from the Tazewell County Recorder covers specific formatting rules and document standards in more detail. You can access it at tazewell-il.gov/countyclerkrecorder/countyclerkgeninfo. It is worth reviewing before you submit anything so your document is not sent back at the counter.

See the screenshot below, from the Tazewell County Recorder general information page at tazewell-il.gov.

The Tazewell County Recorder general information page outlines the formatting rules and document requirements the office uses when deciding whether to accept a deed for recording.

Fees, Transfer Tax, and the RHSP Surcharge

State transfer tax under 35 ILCS 200 is $0.50 per $500 of consideration. Tazewell County adds $0.25 per $500. So on a $200,000 sale, expect state tax of $200 and county tax of $100. The Rental Housing Support Program surcharge, set at $18 per document, applies at the time of recording. Base recording fees for deeds follow the schedule set by 55 ILCS 5/3-5018. Call the office at (309) 477-2264 to confirm the exact total for your document before you come in.

Veterans can record DD-214 military discharge documents at no cost in Tazewell County. This benefit applies statewide. If you are a veteran who needs to file a discharge record, bring your original DD-214 to the Recorder's office and staff will handle the recording free of charge.

Certain transactions are fully exempt from transfer tax. Transfers by will or inheritance, certain trust changes, and some family gifts may qualify. Check the PTAX-203 instructions before you file so you know which taxes and forms your Tazewell County deed transaction requires.

eRecording in Tazewell County

The Illinois Electronic Recording Act at 765 ILCS 33 allows counties to accept deed documents electronically. Contact the Tazewell County Recorder at (309) 477-2264 to ask whether eRecording is currently available for your document type. Title companies and attorneys who file deeds regularly in the county may find electronic submission faster than driving documents to Pekin. Common eRecording vendors used by Illinois counties include Simplifile, CSC, EPN, Hopdox, and Indecomm. Ask the office which platforms, if any, it currently accepts.

For one-time filers, in-person submission at Suite 201 is still the standard approach. If you are mailing documents, call first to confirm what the Recorder needs included with your submission and where to send payment for recording fees and transfer taxes.

What the Tazewell County Recorder Files

The Recorder's office handles a wide range of land documents. Deeds are the most common. That includes warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, and trustee deeds. Beyond deeds, the office records mortgages, mortgage releases, liens, lis pendens notices, easement agreements, and subdivision plats. Survey documents may also be filed here depending on their type.

All recorded documents become part of the county's permanent public land record. Anyone can search and get copies of filed deed records in Tazewell County. There is no private status for recorded land documents. If it went through the Recorder, it is a public record and can be requested by any member of the public.

The county's land records are primarily indexed by grantor and grantee name and by the parcel identification number. If you know the PIN for a property, that is often the fastest way to pull up the full record for a specific parcel in the Tazewell County deed index.

State Resources for Tazewell County Deed Searches

Illinois Legal Aid Online has a plain-language guide to county deed recording at illinoislegalaid.org. It covers what recording does, how to get copies of filed documents, and what to expect when you visit a county recorder. This is worth reading if you are new to the process or if you want to understand what happens after you leave the Recorder's office with a stamped deed in hand.

The PTAX-203 instructions from the Illinois Department of Revenue at tax.illinois.gov explain every field on the transfer declaration and list the transfers that qualify for an exemption. Review these before you use the MyDec portal to avoid errors that cause delays when you get to the Tazewell County Recorder's counter.

Cities in Tazewell County

Tazewell County includes Pekin, East Peoria, Washington, Morton, and a number of other communities along the Illinois River and inland. All deed recordings for property anywhere in the county go through the Tazewell County Clerk and Recorder at Suite 201, 11 S. 4th Street in Pekin. No city in Tazewell County reaches the 50,000 population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. Deed records for any Tazewell County community are on file at the Pekin office.