Washington County Deed Records Search

Washington County deed records are filed with the County Clerk in Nashville and document all real property transfers, mortgages, liens, and easements in the county. This guide explains the recording process, what Illinois law requires, what fees apply, and how to search or get copies of recorded instruments from the clerk's office.

Where Washington County Deeds Are Filed

The Washington County Clerk at 101 E. St. Louis St. in Nashville is the recording authority for all real property instruments in the county. The clerk reviews every deed, mortgage, lien, and easement presented for filing, assigns a document number, stamps the date and time of recording, and enters it into the grantor-grantee index. That index is the official public record of all real property transactions in Washington County.

Illinois deed recording requirements come from 765 ILCS 5. Under that statute, every deed must be notarized, include the property index number (PIN) from the county assessor, show the grantee's full mailing address, and carry the preparer's name and address. A blank 3-by-5-inch space in the upper right corner of the first page must be left clear for the recording stamp. Documents that fall short on any of these points are returned without recording.

The Illinois Department of Revenue PTAX-203 instructions explain what goes on the transfer declaration that must accompany most deed recordings in Washington County.

The PTAX-203 is required for most transfers, even those exempt from transfer tax. The form can be submitted online through the MyDec portal at mytax.illinois.gov/MyDec/ before the recording appointment, which speeds up the process at the Nashville courthouse.

Recording Fees in Washington County

Recording fees in Washington County follow the statewide schedule under 55 ILCS 5/3-5018. The base fee is $50 for the first four pages and $1 for each additional page. The Rental Housing Support Program (RHSP) surcharge is $18 per document. Real estate transfer taxes are also collected at recording: $0.50 per $500 of consideration for the state and $0.25 per $500 for Washington County.

On a $80,000 property sale, the state transfer tax is $80 and the county portion is $40. Add the base recording fee and RHSP surcharge and the total at the window is well over $175 for a standard deed transaction. All fees must be paid when the document is presented. Bring enough to cover the full amount; documents with short payment are held.

Veterans recording DD-214 military discharge papers pay no recording fee. That exemption applies statewide and is honored at the Washington County Clerk's office in Nashville.

Searching Washington County Deed Records

In-person searches at the Nashville courthouse are the main way to access Washington County deed records. The grantor-grantee index is open to the public at no charge during regular business hours. You can search by grantor name, grantee name, or PIN. Staff can help if you're working through unfamiliar records or searching over a long time span.

Washington County was organized in 1818. Records from the 1800s may be in handwritten ledger books or on microfilm. The Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville holds historical records from southwestern Illinois counties and may have older Washington County deed materials. For deep title searches or genealogical research tied to land, IRAD is worth a call before visiting Nashville.

Call (618) 327-4800 before your visit to confirm hours and ask whether any online index access is currently available. Some small county clerks in Illinois have added web-based search access, and a quick call can save a trip if that option is live.

Illinois Legal Aid Online has a free plain-language guide explaining how to file documents at a county recorder's office and what to expect at the window.

The guide is helpful for anyone recording a deed for the first time. It explains what to bring, how documents are reviewed and stamped, what happens if a document is rejected, and how to request copies after recording is complete.

Document Format Requirements

All deeds filed in Washington County must follow the physical format rules in 765 ILCS 5. Paper must be white and between 8.5 by 11 and 8.5 by 14 inches. Text must be at least 10-point and clearly legible. Margins must be at least half an inch on all sides. The upper right of the first page must have an unprinted 3-by-5-inch block for the recording stamp. Grantor signatures must be original and notarized. The notary seal and commission expiration date must be readable. The grantee's mailing address and the preparer's name and address must both appear in the document. Exhibits must follow the same paper and margin rules.

Transfer Taxes and Electronic Recording

Real estate transfer taxes in Illinois fall under 35 ILCS 200. The clerk collects state and county shares when the deed is filed and affixes revenue stamps as permanent proof of payment. Exempt transfers still require the PTAX-203 with the correct exemption code. Common exemptions include transfers between spouses, gifts to family, and conveyances to revocable trusts.

Illinois authorized eRecording under 765 ILCS 33. Ask the Washington County Clerk at (618) 327-4800 whether eRecording is active and which vendors are approved. Platforms like Simplifile, CSC, EPN, Hopdox, and Indecomm are used across Illinois. When eRecording is available, documents can be submitted digitally without a trip to Nashville.

Requesting Copies of Recorded Documents

Certified copies of Washington County deed records are available from the clerk's office in Nashville. A certified copy carries the clerk's seal and is accepted for legal, financial, and court purposes. Plain copies are cheaper and fine for reference. Request copies in person at 101 E. St. Louis St. or by mail to Washington County Clerk, 101 E. St. Louis St., Nashville, IL 62263. Include the document number or property description, a check for the copy fee, and a return envelope. Call (618) 327-4800 for the current per-page rate before mailing payment.