How to contact us:
106 Fourth Avenue East
Polson, MT. 59860
Phone: (406) 883-7208 and 883-7210
Fax: (406) 883-7283

Hours: Monday thru Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
 

The Recording Department records or files all public documents pertaining to property in Lake County, as well as various miscellaneous documents. A document for recording must have a notarized signature and a full legal description, If applicable.

A document is recorded as quickly as possible. The date, time, fee, and recording number a re placed on the document as soon as it is presented for recording. The information is then entered daily into our computer index, scanned, and zipped to our web site. The images are converted to microfilm for archival purposes. Each week the original paper documents are returned to the address give when the document is recorded.

   Click Here for New Recording Fees

DOCUMENT STANDARDS 7-4-2636 MCA

All documents that are acknowledged as having been executed prior to 4-28-07 are accepted for recording as a standard document. The fee will be $7.00 per page.

Unless accompanied by the fee required in 7-4-2637, all documents submitted for recording must meet the following requirements:

1. Margin requirements are: 3” at top of 1st page, at least 1” at top of all subsequent pages, 1” at bottom of each page, at least ½” on sides of each page.

2. Include the name and mailing address of the person to whom the document is to be returned in the margin in the upper left-hand corner of the 1st page of each document which may be legibly printed in ink or typed. This must be within the 3” top margin and between the ½” side margins.

3. Except for page numbers or other designations all margins must be clear of all markings. The document standards committee has determined that other designations may be:
a. form numbers
b. form names
c. last date form updated
d. fax transmittal information
e. tribal information
f. Initials
The above listed items in a – f do not have to be 10 point type

4. The document must be legibly printed or typed in blue or black ink in at least 10 point typeface on white paper of not less than 20 lb. Weight, on 8 ½ x 11” or 8 ½ x 14” paper. The document standards committee decided on the following: 1a of the law provides for a document to be legibly printed or typed in black ink and 1d of the law allows for handwriting to be in blue or black ink. This appears to be a conflict so we decided to allow legible printing in blue or black ink. Addresses of grantees must be in blue or black ink when legibly printed in. A whole document legibly printed in blue or black ink, meeting all other document standards, is a standard document. A whole document that is written in cursive is non-standard. If only the date is handwritten in cursive on a printed or typed form the document is standard.

Documents that convey an interest in real property as defined in 70-21-301 M.C.A. (this may include deeds, contracts for deed, reconveyances, satisfactions, assignments, mortgages, deeds of trust and substitution of trustee documents) must meet the above requirements plus:

1. Provide the names of the parties to the conveyance on the 1st or 2nd page of any document with more than one page.

2. Provide a description of the property. The document standards committee has determined that a legal description is required or the document may reference, as provided in 7-4-2613, any provision, statement, description, or other language or material that is contained in another properly recorded instrument and that is recorded in the same county as the instrument that is incorporating the language or material by reference is to be recorded.
A street address is not a description of the property.

3. Have all signatures, initials, dates, handwriting, or notary stamps in blue or black ink.


An acknowledgment by a notary is exempt from the color, typeface, and font requirements of this section.

An officially certified court or other government document, whether from an in-state or out-of-state office, is exempt from the provisions of this section.

A document which includes highlighting is a non-standard document. Be sure to put in the note field of your program that the document contained highlights which may not show up on the scanned image and microfilm.

Documents we record are:

• BILL OF SALE
• CORONER RECORDS
• DEEDS DISCHARGES Discharges from Military Service
• DECREES Court orders and Decrees
• CONTRACTS Contracts for deed
  Notices of Purchasers’ Interest and similar documentation Assignments of Interest in Contracts for deeds
• MORTGAGES Mortgages or Trust Indentures
  Deeds of Trust
  Mortgage Extension Agreements
  Mortgage Subordination Agreements
  Assignments of Mortgages, Deeds of Trust, etc.
  Appointments of Successor Trustee
  Notices of Trustee’s Sale
  Assignments of Beneficiary’s Interest
  Mortgage foreclosures or documents relating thereto
• POWERS OF ATTORNEYS
• RELEASES Satisfactions, Terminations or Deeds of Reconveyances
  Partial Reconveyances
  Partial Releases and Partial Satisfactions of Mortgages
  Termination of Trust Indentures, Deeds of Trust, etc.
  Notices of Cancellation and all documents relating thereto
• EASEMENTS Easements and Rights of Way
  (does not include “deeded” rights of way when land is being conveyed).
• LEASES Oil, Gas, Mineral, General

FILING DOCUMENTS

Filing a document costs$5.00 for the entire document. The original is retained in our office. It is indexed, scanned and microfilm is created for archival purposes. A filed document must have a original signature.

Documents we file include but are not limited to :

• FEDERAL TAX LIENS
• FINANCING STATEMENTS
  Amendments
  Continuations
  Terminations
  Partial releases
• LIENS, MECHANICS, ETC.
• LIEN RELEASES
• LIS PENDENS
• MINING CLAIMS
• MISCELLANEOUS
• NOTICES OF RIGHT TO CLAIM A LIEN
• OIL AND GAS LEASES
• PLATS
• SURVEYS
• BIRTH AND DEATH RECORDS

The Clerk and Recorder’s Office is where you can get copies of Births in the State of Montana. Death records for deaths that occurred in Lake County can also be obtained.

Certified Birth Certificates are available for $5.00 for a paper copy.

Montana law allows a certified copy of a birth certificate to be issued to the registrant, the registrant’s spouse, children, or parents. A guardian or an authorized representative may also receive copies upon proof of their authority. GRANDPARENTS, FORMER SPOUSES, OR A FATHER WHO’S NAME DOES NOT APPEAR ON THE BIRTH RECORD, ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO RECEIVE COPIES.