Cook County, Illinois • Recorder of Deeds search and office guide • reviewed September 13, 2026
Cook County IL Recorder of Deeds: Search Recorded Documents, Find the Office and Use the Right Property Records
The old Cook County Recorder of Deeds name is still widely used by homeowners, buyers, attorneys and title companies.
The current office is the Cook County Clerk’s Office — Recordings Division. It handles deeds, mortgages, releases, liens, plats, easements and other recorded real-estate documents.
Use the Clerk’s recording system when you need a recorded deed or document history. Use the Assessor for assessed value, the Treasurer for tax bills and the Board of Review for assessment appeals.
Fast answer
Cook County Recorder of Deeds Quick Facts
The separate Recorder of Deeds office no longer exists as a standalone office.
This is the downtown Chicago recording office for Cook County land records.
Call before visiting with original documents, fee questions or recording-status problems.
The Property Index Number is usually the cleanest way to connect a parcel to recorded documents.
Use party names when tracing a deed chain or when the PIN is missing.
The Clerk records documents. It does not confirm that a deed is legally correct for your situation.
Find the PIN, search the Clerk’s recording system, open the latest deed or release, compare names and legal description, then order the correct copy if needed.
Office role decoder
Which Cook County Office Handles Your Property Record Problem?
Cook County Clerk — Recordings Division
Use for: deeds, mortgages, releases, liens, easements, plats, TODI documents, recorded copies and property-fraud alerts.
Office: 118 N. Clark Street, Room 120, Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: 312-603-5050
Email: clerk.recordings@cookcountyil.gov
County Clerk: Monica Gordon
Open Recordings DivisionCook County Assessor
Use for: assessed value, exemptions, property characteristics, assessment notices and Assessor-level appeals.
Best first step: search by address or PIN to confirm the property record before comparing values.
Assessor: Fritz Kaegi
Open Cook County AssessorCook County Treasurer
Use for: property tax bills, payment status, refunds, due dates, tax history and payment receipts.
Important: the Treasurer does not record deeds or correct deed language.
Open Cook County TreasurerCook County Board of Review
Use for: assessment appeals after or separate from Assessor review, depending on the township filing window.
Important: this office reviews assessments. It does not record deeds or sell document copies.
Open Board of ReviewAssessor and tax records are useful for tax administration. Recorded deeds are the public land-record source, but legal ownership questions may still require a title company or attorney.
Start with the parcel
How to Find the Cook County PIN Before Searching Deeds
Cook County uses a Property Index Number, usually called a PIN.
A PIN connects the parcel map, Assessor record, Treasurer record and many Clerk recording searches.
Use address, 10-digit PIN, 14-digit PIN, dashed PIN or intersection.
Open CookViewerThe portal can help when you only know a street address or need tax-bill context.
Open Cook County Property Tax PortalHigh-rise, condo, mixed-use and split parcels can return multiple PINs.
Match the unit, legal description and address before relying on one result.
Recorded document search
How to Search Cook County Recorded Documents
Use the Cook County Clerk recording system when you need the recorded deed, mortgage, release, lien, easement, plat or similar instrument.
If you only have an address, find the PIN first. If you already have a deed or closing packet, you can also search by document number.
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Open the Clerk recording search.
Start with the official Cook County Clerk recording search portal.
Open Cook County Clerk Recording SearchAfter opening: choose the search criteria, enter the PIN, grantor, grantee or document number, run the search, then open the result that matches the property and date range. -
Use PIN for parcel-specific research.
PIN search is best when you want documents tied to a specific parcel.
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Use grantor and grantee names for chain research.
Grantor usually means the person or entity giving an interest. Grantee usually means the person or entity receiving it.
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Use document number for exact lookup.
This is best when a deed, mortgage, release or court paper already references a recorded instrument number.
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Confirm before ordering.
Compare document type, recorded date, parties, PIN and legal description before buying a copy.
Try the dashed PIN and the undashed PIN, remove punctuation from names, search only the surname or entity keyword, and check whether a condominium unit has a different PIN.
Result decoder
What Cook County Recording Search Results Mean
Document number: the unique recording reference. Use it when ordering, citing or rechecking a specific instrument.
Recorded date: the date the document was accepted for recording, not always the date the document was signed.
Document type: may show deed, mortgage, release, lien, assignment, easement, plat, TODI or another recording category.
Grantor: the party giving, releasing or transferring an interest.
Grantee: the party receiving an interest or benefit from the document.
PIN: the parcel identifier used across Cook County tax and land-record systems.
Legal description: the land description that should be compared with the deed or title documents.
Image / copy option: use only after confirming the result is the document you actually need.
If a very old deed does not appear online, contact the Recordings Division. Older tract-book research may require in-person or professional title research.
Copies and certification
How to Get Copies of Cook County Recorded Documents
A basic index result is not the same as a certified copy.
Use a certified copy when an agency, court, lender, title company or attorney specifically requires certification.
The published fee materials list electronic document copies from the Clerk website at $5.
Use certification when the receiving party requires an official Clerk-certified copy.
Match PIN, parties, document type and recording date before ordering.
Recording a document
How to Prepare a Deed or Other Document for Recording
Cook County recording is document-specific. A deed, mortgage release, lien, TODI or corrective recording may have different requirements.
The Clerk records documents but does not draft your deed or decide whether the document protects your legal interest.
Use black ink and standard paper: fee guidance describes standard 8.5 × 11 inch paper, black ink and basic margin rules.
Leave recorder space: the first page should leave a 3 × 5 inch blank box in the upper-right corner.
Do not staple pages: the fee tutorial identifies stapling as a formatting issue.
Include a legal description: do not rely only on a street address for a deed or real-estate instrument.
Include the PIN: use the correct Cook County Property Index Number for the parcel.
Check transfer-tax declarations: many conveyances need MyDec / PTAX declaration steps before recording.
Use the downtown recording office: published recording guidance points document recording to 118 N. Clark Street, Room 120.
Fee planning
Cook County Recording Fees: What to Check Before You Submit
Fee materials explain this as a flat total for many common standard documents.
Transfer on Death Instrument pricing is treated separately in the tutorial.
Formatting problems can move a document into an irregular category.
Documents referencing many PINs or prior document numbers can be priced differently.
The published fee materials list a mail handling fee for documents submitted by mail or carrier.
The fee schedule lists recording DD-214 military discharge papers, including one certified copy, as free.
Recording fees can change, and document class can change the total. Use the official fee documents and call the Recordings Division before submitting an original document.
Transfer taxes
Cook County Deeds, MyDec and Municipal Transfer Tax Checks
Many Cook County conveyance documents need real-estate transfer declaration review before recording.
MyDec is the Illinois Department of Revenue system used for transfer-tax declarations and electronic stamps where applicable.
State declaration: Illinois PTAX-203, and sometimes PTAX-203-A or PTAX-203-B, can apply depending on the transfer.
Cook County transfer tax: Cook County transfer tax may apply to transfers subject to county rules.
City of Chicago: Chicago transfers may have additional city transfer-tax declaration requirements.
Suburban municipalities: some Cook County municipalities require stamps, water clearance, inspections, certificates or local transfer steps.
Exempt transfers: exemption treatment is document-specific. Do not assume “no tax due” means “no declaration required.”
Fraud prevention
Cook County Property Fraud Alert: What It Does and What It Does Not Do
Cook County’s Property Fraud Alert can notify a registrant when a document is recorded against a property or name.
It is an alert service. It does not stop a fraudulent document from being recorded and does not replace legal action if fraud occurs.
Information requested: name, property address, unit, city, ZIP and PIN if known.
PIN help: the form states the PIN can be found near the top of the property tax bill.
Alert method: the form allows phone or email alert preference.
Fraud email: the published form lists clerk.recordsfraud@cookcountyil.gov.
Office map
Cook County Clerk Recordings Office Address and Map
The main Cook County recording office is in downtown Chicago at 118 N. Clark Street, Room 120.
Call before visiting if you are bringing original documents, need a certified copy, or are unsure whether your document can be recorded.
Cook County Clerk’s Office — Recordings Division
Address: 118 N. Clark Street, Room 120, Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: 312-603-5050
Email: clerk.recordings@cookcountyil.gov
Arrival tip: allow extra time for downtown parking, building entry and document review.
Avoid common errors
Common Cook County Recorder Search and Recording Mistakes
Using the old office name only: search results may say Recorder of Deeds, but the current office is the Cook County Clerk’s Recordings Division.
Starting without a PIN: address searches can fail or return multiple parcels. Find the PIN first when possible.
Ignoring condo unit issues: a building address can have many PINs. Match the unit and legal description.
Buying the wrong copy: compare grantor, grantee, document type and recording date before ordering.
Confusing tax owner with title owner: tax portals help identify property, but legal title review may need recorded documents and professional review.
Recording a deed without transfer-tax steps: MyDec, state, county, Chicago or municipal requirements may apply.
Submitting nonconforming documents: margin, paper, staple and blank-space problems can increase cost or cause rejection.
Expecting the Clerk to draft documents: the Clerk records documents; it does not provide private legal drafting advice.
Decision path
What to Do Next
Find the PIN, search Clerk recordings, filter for deed-type documents and compare parties and recording date.
Search by PIN and borrower/lender names. Look for release, satisfaction or assignment records tied to the original mortgage.
Review formatting, PIN, legal description, MyDec and municipal transfer requirements before submitting.
Register for alerts, pull the recorded document, contact the Clerk’s fraud unit and speak with a qualified attorney if ownership is threatened.
Use the Cook County Assessor or Board of Review appeal process, not the recording office.
Use the Cook County Treasurer and Property Tax Portal after verifying the PIN and property identity.
Important caution
Independent Information, Legal Caution and Property-Records / FCRA Notice
This page is independent informational content. It is not the official website of Cook County, the Cook County Clerk, the Recordings Division, the Assessor, the Treasurer or the Board of Review.
It is not legal advice, title advice, tax advice, a title search, a closing opinion, a deed-preparation service or an official property record.
Recording rules, fees, forms, search systems, office hours and transfer-tax procedures can change. Verify directly with the responsible office before recording, paying, filing or relying on a document.
Property records should be used for property, recording, tax, title-reference or public-record research only. Do not use property-record information for employment, tenant screening, credit, insurance or any FCRA-regulated consumer-reporting purpose.
FAQs
Cook County Recorder of Deeds FAQs
Does the Cook County Recorder of Deeds office still exist?
No. The separate Recorder of Deeds office no longer exists as a standalone office.
Recording duties are handled by the Cook County Clerk’s Office — Recordings Division.
Where do I search Cook County recorded deeds online?
Use the Cook County Clerk recording search at crs.cookcountyclerkil.gov/Search.
Search by PIN, grantor, grantee or document number when available.
Do I need a PIN to search Cook County deeds?
A PIN is not always required, but it is usually the best search key.
Use CookViewer or the Cook County Property Tax Portal to find the PIN from an address.
Can I search Cook County Recorder records by owner name?
Yes. Grantor and grantee name searches are useful for tracing deeds, mortgages, releases and other recorded instruments.
Try spelling variations, business-name keywords and date ranges if the first search fails.
Does a Cook County recorded deed prove legal title?
A recorded deed is an important public land record, but it is not legal advice or a title insurance opinion.
For ownership disputes, estates, trusts or deed defects, use a title company or qualified Illinois attorney.
How do I get a certified copy of a Cook County deed?
Find the correct document in the Clerk recording system and choose the copy option that matches your need.
Use a certified copy only when the receiving agency, lender, court or attorney requires certification.
Where do I record a deed in Cook County?
The main recording office is the Cook County Clerk’s Office — Recordings Division, 118 N. Clark Street, Room 120, Chicago, IL 60602.
Call 312-603-5050 before visiting with original documents.
How much does it cost to record a deed in Cook County?
The 2024 recording fee tutorial lists many common deeds, mortgages, leases and easements at $107.
Verify the current fee and document class before submitting because irregular, blanket, lien, TODI, copy and mail fees can differ.
What is the Cook County Property Fraud Alert?
It is an alert service that can notify a registrant when a document is recorded against a property or name.
It does not stop a fraudulent recording or replace legal action.
Which Cook County office handles property taxes or assessment appeals?
The Assessor handles assessments and exemptions, the Treasurer handles tax bills and payments, and the Board of Review handles assessment appeals.
The Clerk’s Recordings Division handles recorded land documents.
Official resources