Des Moines County Public Records /Des Moines County Property Records

Des Moines County Property Records

What Is Des Moines County Property Records

Property records in Des Moines County are official documents that establish, transfer, and encumber interests in real property — including land, buildings, and permanently affixed structures — located within the county's jurisdiction. These records are created and maintained by multiple county offices, primarily the Recorder's Office, the Assessor's Office, and the Treasurer's Office, each of which captures a distinct aspect of property ownership and valuation.

The primary purposes of property records include:

Establishing chain of title — documenting the successive transfers of ownership from one party to another over time
Providing constructive notice — informing the public and prospective buyers of existing ownership interests, liens, easements, and encumbrances
Protecting property rights — ensuring that recorded interests are legally enforceable against third parties
Facilitating real estate transactions — enabling title searches, mortgage underwriting, and due diligence by buyers, lenders, and attorneys

Pursuant to Iowa Code § 558.1, instruments affecting real property must be recorded in the county where the property is situated to be effective against subsequent purchasers and encumbrancers. The Des Moines County Recorder serves as the official custodian of these instruments.

Des Moines County Recorder's Office 513 N. Main Street, Burlington, IA 52601 (319) 753-8262 Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM Des Moines County Recorder

Are Property Records Public Information In Des Moines County?

Property records in Des Moines County are public records under Iowa law, and members of the public may inspect them without demonstrating a specific legal interest or providing a reason for the request. Iowa's open records framework, codified at Iowa Code § 22.2, establishes that government records are presumptively open to public examination. Recording statutes further reinforce this principle: instruments recorded with the County Recorder become part of the public record at the moment of recording, providing constructive notice to all persons.

The legal basis for public access to property records rests on several foundations:

Property ownership is a matter of public record by statutory design, ensuring transparency in land tenure
Recording statutes require that instruments be made available for public inspection to fulfill their notice function
Transparency in land ownership serves the public interest by deterring fraud, facilitating commerce, and supporting equitable taxation
No showing of need, purpose, or identity is required to access recorded property documents in Iowa

Under current law, the Des Moines County Recorder, Assessor, and Treasurer are each obligated to maintain their respective property-related records in a manner accessible to the public, both in person and, where systems permit, through online portals.

How To Search Property Records in Des Moines County in 2026

Members of the public may search Des Moines County property records through several official channels. The following steps outline the standard process for conducting a property records search:

Identify the property — Gather the parcel number, legal description, or street address of the property in question before beginning a search.
Determine the record type needed — Ownership and deed history are held by the Recorder; assessed value, exemptions, and parcel data are held by the Assessor; tax payment history and delinquency status are held by the Treasurer.
Visit the appropriate county office in person — Each office maintains public access terminals and staff-assisted lookup services during regular business hours.
Submit a written request if needed — For certified copies or records not available through self-service terminals, requestors may submit a written request at the counter or by mail.
Pay applicable fees — Certified copies and certain document reproductions are subject to statutory fees established under Iowa Code.
Use online portals — Des Moines County participates in the Iowa Land Records system, which provides remote access to recorded real estate documents.

Des Moines County Assessor's Office 513 N. Main Street, Burlington, IA 52601 (319) 753-8224 Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM Des Moines County Assessor

Des Moines County Treasurer's Office — Tax Department 513 N. Main Street, Burlington, IA 52601 (319) 753-8271 Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM Tax Department – Treasurer's Office

How To Find Property Records in Des Moines County Online?

Des Moines County provides several online resources through which members of the public may access property records remotely. The Iowa Land Records website, administered statewide, allows users to search for recorded real estate documents and review recording fees applicable to Des Moines County instruments.

Online search options currently available include:

Iowa Land Records portal — Accessible through the Des Moines County Recorder's website, this statewide system allows searches by grantor/grantee name, parcel number, or document type for instruments recorded in Des Moines County
Des Moines County Assessor's real estate search — The Assessor's online portal provides parcel-level data including ownership information, assessed values, property characteristics, and exemption status
Treasurer's online tax records — Property tax payment history, current balances, and delinquency information are accessible through the county's online payment and records system
Online payments — Residents and researchers may also make online payments for property taxes, vehicle renewals, and other county fees through the official county portal

Users accessing these systems should note that online records may not reflect same-day recordings; instruments are typically indexed within one to two business days of physical recording.

How To Look Up Des Moines County Property Records for Free?

Several no-cost methods are available for accessing Des Moines County property records. Members of the public are not required to pay fees simply to view or inspect records; fees apply only when requesting certified copies or certified abstracts.

Free access options include:

In-person inspection at county offices — The Recorder's, Assessor's, and Treasurer's offices each provide public access terminals where individuals may view records at no charge during regular business hours
Iowa Land Records online portal — Basic document viewing through the statewide Iowa Land Records system is available at no cost; fees apply only for printed or certified copies
Assessor's online real estate search — The Des Moines County Assessor provides free online access to parcel data, ownership history, assessed values, and property characteristics
County GIS mapping tools — Where available, geographic information system (GIS) layers maintained by the county provide parcel boundary and ownership data at no charge
Tax records lookup — Current and historical property tax information, including payment status and special assessments, may be reviewed through the Treasurer's online portal without charge

Individuals seeking only general ownership or valuation information will typically find that free online resources satisfy their needs without requiring a formal records request.

What's Included in a Des Moines County Property Record?

Des Moines County property records encompass a broad range of documents and data maintained across multiple county offices. It is important to distinguish between real property records — pertaining to land and permanently affixed structures — and personal property records, which relate to movable assets and are assessed separately.

A comprehensive property record in Des Moines County may include:

Deeds — Warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, and special warranty deeds documenting transfers of ownership
Mortgages and deeds of trust — Instruments pledging real property as security for a loan
Liens — Mechanic's liens, judgment liens, and tax liens encumbering the property
Easements and covenants — Recorded agreements affecting use or access
Plats and surveys — Legal descriptions, subdivision plats, and boundary surveys
Assessed value and classification — Data maintained by the Assessor reflecting the property's taxable value and use classification
Tax payment history — Records of property tax payments, delinquencies, and special assessments maintained by the Treasurer
Vital and military records — The Recorder also maintains certain vital records and military discharge documents (DD-214 forms) as part of its broader custodial function

Pursuant to Iowa Code § 558.41, every instrument recorded with the County Recorder must contain the names of the grantor and grantee, a legal description of the property, and the consideration paid or a statement of the nature of the transaction, ensuring a minimum standard of information in each recorded document.

How Long Does Des Moines County Keep Property Records?

Des Moines County retains property records in accordance with the Iowa County Officers Records Manual and applicable state retention schedules established by the Iowa State Archives. Retention periods vary by document type and office.

Current retention periods for principal record categories include:

Deeds, mortgages, and recorded instruments — Permanent retention; these documents are never destroyed and constitute the permanent chain of title
Assessor's parcel records — Retained permanently as part of the official assessment roll
Property tax records — Generally retained for a minimum of ten years following the tax year to which they relate, with older records transferred to archival storage
Plats and subdivision records — Permanent retention as part of the official land records
Lien releases and satisfactions — Retained permanently alongside the original lien instrument
Correspondence and administrative records — Typically retained for three to seven years depending on the category

The Iowa State Archives, operating under the authority of the Iowa Code, establishes mandatory minimum retention schedules for county government records. Des Moines County offices are required to comply with these schedules and may not dispose of records prior to the expiration of the applicable retention period.

How To Find Liens on Property In Des Moines County?

Liens on real property in Des Moines County are recorded instruments and are therefore part of the public record maintained by the County Recorder. Members of the public may search for liens using the following methods:

Iowa Land Records portal — Users may search recorded documents by grantor/grantee name or parcel number to identify mortgages, mechanic's liens, judgment liens, and other encumbrances; the Des Moines County Recorder provides access to this system
In-person search at the Recorder's Office — Staff at the public counter can assist with lien searches; requestors should bring the property address, parcel number, or owner name
Federal tax liens — Liens filed by the Internal Revenue Service are recorded with the County Recorder and are searchable through the same systems as other recorded instruments
Iowa District Court records — Judgment liens arising from court judgments are filed with the Clerk of Court and may also be recorded with the County Recorder to attach to real property
Treasurer's tax lien records — Delinquent property tax liens are maintained by the Tax Department of the Treasurer's Office and are searchable by parcel

A thorough lien search typically requires examination of records at both the Recorder's Office and the Clerk of Court, as not all judgment liens are cross-filed with the Recorder.

Des Moines County Clerk of Court 513 N. Main Street, Burlington, IA 52601 (319) 753-8262 Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM Iowa Judicial Branch – Des Moines County

What Is Property Owner Rule In Des Moines County?

The property owner rule in Des Moines County refers to the body of Iowa statutory and common law principles governing who may hold title to real property, how ownership interests are structured, and what rights and obligations attach to property ownership within the county. Under Iowa law, any individual, corporation, partnership, trust, or governmental entity with legal capacity may hold title to real property in Des Moines County.

Key ownership principles currently in effect include:

Forms of co-ownership — Iowa recognizes tenancy in common, joint tenancy with right of survivorship, and tenancy in partnership as permissible forms of concurrent ownership; the form of ownership must be stated in the deed
Homestead rights — Iowa Code provides homestead protections for owner-occupied residential property, limiting certain creditor claims and providing property tax credits to qualifying owners
Adverse possession — Under Iowa law, a party in open, hostile, continuous, and exclusive possession of real property for a statutory period may acquire title through adverse possession
Transfer on death deeds — Iowa currently permits owners to designate beneficiaries for real property through a transfer on death deed, recorded with the County Recorder during the owner's lifetime
Property tax obligations — All owners of real property in Des Moines County are subject to annual property taxation administered by the Assessor and Treasurer; failure to pay taxes may result in a tax sale pursuant to Iowa Code

The Assessor's office maintains ownership records for all taxable parcels and updates these records upon receipt of recorded deeds from the Recorder's Office, ensuring that tax notices are directed to the current owner of record.