• The document format must conform to Wisconsin Act 110, Standard Document Format implemented September 1, 1996.
• The upper right hand corner of the document must be completely blank (3” by 3” square) for our official recording stamp.
• The name and return address must be either (1) directly under the recording area, or (2) on the left side of the page and within the top 3 inches.
• The title of the document must be within the top 3 inches of the page, but not in the 3”x 3” corner left blank for our recording stamp.
• The entire document must be legible and reproducible.
• The paper is white, standard weight and letter or legal-sized.
• The ink is black so that the document will microfilm or scan properly.
• The top margin is a minimum of ½ inch for every page. The other margins are a minimum of ¼ inch.
• The pages are not hinged.
• Documents pertaining to real estate require the complete legal descriptions of the property.
• Original signatures are required.
• Signatures must be notarized or authenticated.
• Name of the document drafter.
• A complete Wisconsin Real Estate Transfer Return Form is required for conveyances.
• The correct fees must accompany the documents.

Contact information

Simplifile
Mark Moats
mark.moats@simplifile.com
801-373-0151 x1041

CSC eRecording Solutions
erecording@cscglobal.com
866-652-0111

eRecording Partners Network (ePN)
sales@goepn.com
888-325-3365 x1

LLC Indecomm Global Services
efile@indecomm.net
877-272-5250

Nationwide Title Clearing
Cassandra Craig
cassandra_craig@nwtc.com
727-771-4000 x341

Laredo

What records can I access? In Green Lake County, the index and images of recorded real estate documents, UCC documents and lis pendens begin January 1, 1980. If you need to obtain recorded copies of federal tax liens and federal tax lien releases, these documents recorded begin April 2003.

What equipment do I need? You must have MS Internet Explorer version 5.0 or better, and adjust the Internet security setting to “low”. A fast processor, modem and large, high-resolution screen are recommended. A “wall-paper” screen saver interferes with accessing images. If your firm is large and you have a firewall or Internet by proxy, you will require assistance from your technical support services.  Laredo also requires that your operating system must be Windows 2000, Windows XP or above and that your video and monitor are capable of at least 1024 X 768 resolution.

Are there disclaimers I should read?  Yes.  Click LAREDO DISCLAIMER, which includes “wall dates.”

How do I set up my search?  As with any system, you will need to determine the best strategy for finding your information. For more suggestions on how to search using Laredo, click LAREDO SEARCH TIPS.

Do I need to sign an agreement? Yes. Please contact our office for the Laredo Agreement and pricing.

How much does it cost? Monthly plans for Laredo must be purchased.  Pricing for plans range between $100 to $450 per month, depending on the usage you request.  Additionally there is a fee of $.50 per image for all images the customer chooses to print.  Our office offers 5 different monthly plans.  The minimum monthly fee must be paid each month whether the full usage has been met or not.  There is also an additional charge if you exceed the monthly minutes of your plan.  Please contact our office for a breakdown of each plan.

Do I need to set up an escrow account? Yes, with a $100 business check or money order. Click on the following escrow form agreement below to get a copy of the Laredo escrow receipt that you will need to print, fill out, and return to the Green Lake County Register of Deeds.

How can I access Laredo?  After we receive your completed agreement, we will assign you a user name and password that you can use to access Laredo.  You will also need to download a small application from the Fidlar Software website by clicking on the following link: Fidlar Software Install.

Contact the Green Lake Register of Deeds office for more information about Tapestry or Laredo.

Property Tax Data & GIS Map

Recording and Filing Fees
Fees are governed by Wisconsin Statutes and are uniform throughout the State.

Recorded Documents
(Recorded documents will be returned to sender or designee.)

Deeds, Mortgages, Land Contracts, Satisfactions, and miscellaneous documents entitled to be recorded in the Register of Deeds Office.

• $30.00
• Note: Maximum size sheet: 8 1/2″ x 14″. One side of a sheet constitutes a page and any riders attached are considered another page.

Copies of Documents
Copies of recorded documents are $2.00 for the first page and $1.00 each additional page, plus $1.00 for certificate if a certified copy is requested. Faxed documents will be charged an additional $1.00 for the first page and $.50 each additional page. Fees must be received before copies are sent out.

Plats
Recorded plats are not returned to sender.

• Subdivision: $50.00
• Cemetery Plats: $50.00
• Condominium Plats: $50.00
• Transportation Project Plats: $25.00

Real Estate Transfer Fees

1. A transfer form and fee or exemption number is required for all conveyances EXCEPT when exemption 1 applies.
2. Form is to be completed in detail.
3. Current rate of fee is $3.00 per $1000 of value rounded off to the next higher hundred. See form for exceptions.
4. VALUATION MUST BE SHOWN when documents are exempt except if exempt under 77.25(3) and (11).
5. WI Dept. of Revenue website: www.revenue.wi.gov

Cover Page for Real Estate
Wisconsin Register of Deeds Association – Real Estate Forms

Real Estate Transfer Form

If you wish to record legal documents affecting real estate such as deeds, land contracts, mortgages, satisfactions and assignments, you will need to use a form which conforms to the Wisconsin standard document format. Most office supply firms offer forms which do meet the requirements of Wisconsin Statute 59.43(2m)

Use of the standard document format helps to assure that important pieces of information are not inadvertently omitted, that the document is legible, and that it is properly indexed. Use of the standard document format also makes processing and retrieval more efficient.

Most states in the Midwest require some type of standard document format. If you are from a state outside of Wisconsin, you may add a cover-sheet to your document to make it conform to the Wisconsin standard document format. You can print or type the document title, return address, and parcel identification number in the proper locations and attach the cover-sheet to the front of your document so that it becomes the first page.

Requirements of the standard document format are as follows:

• The upper right hand corner of the document must be completely blank (at least 3” by 3”) for our official recording stamp.
• The name and return address must be either (1) directly under the recording area, or (2) on the left side of the page and within the top 3 inches.
• The parcel identifier number must be placed directly under the return address.
• The title of the document must be within the top 3 inches of the page but not in the 3 by 3 inch corner left blank for our recording stamp.
• Title, parties, return address and legal description must be legible & reproducible.
• The paper is white, standard weight, and letter or legal-sized.
• The ink is black, blue or red so that the document will scan properly.
• The top margin is a minimum of 1/2 inch for every page. Other margins are minimum of 1/4 inch.
• The pages are not hinged.

Remember, you still need:

• Original signatures notarized or authenticated.
• Proper fees accompanying the document.
• Name of the document drafter.
• Wisconsin Electronic Real Estate Transfer Return (completed and with proper fee or exemption #) for deeds and land contracts.
• Complete legal descriptions if the document refers to specific parcels of land.

A Complete Legal Description should include the following information:

• The platting information (if property is platted)
• Certified Survey Map number (CSM #), Volume and Page
• Complete Subdivision Name, lots and blocks
• Or, if unplatted, then “metes and bounds” tied into the Public Land Survey System

Public Land Survey Information:

• Quarter Section or Quarter/Quarter Section (e.g. NE ¼ or NE ¼ NE ¼)
• Section number (there is 36 sections in a township – e.g. Section 12)
• Town number (e.g. T10N) note all towns in Wisconsin are N (North)
• Range number (e.g. R10E)
• Municipality Name (with type: town, Village or City)
• County Name

Listed below are acceptable legal descriptions:

• Name of the plat as shown on the original recorded and filed plat and lot, block, out lot or unit within the plat. If a parcel being described is located within a subdivision, a statement is needed to show the lots/blocks to which the description pertains. This statement could precede the description or follow it. Statement example: A parcel of land being part of Lot 10 Block 2 in Sunset Strip described as follows…
• Certified Survey Map number and lot or out lot number, volume, page and county name. State Stat. 236.34(3)
  A statement indicating the quarter or quarter quarter section and section, town and range in which the parcel is located. The statement could precede the “commencing at” description or follow it. This is needed even if the “commencing at” description references a starting point in a quarter section and section, town and range because the parcel could be located in a different quarter section and section, town and range than what is referenced. Statement example: A parcel of land located in the NE ¼ of the NE ¼ of Section 1, Town 10 North, Range 12 East, Town of Princeton, Green Lake County described as follows…. State Stat. 706.05(2m)

Listed below are unacceptable legal descriptions:

• Commencing at a point 7 rods, 3 feet and six inches south of the east end of the “old mill house” thence south about 5 ½ rods to the Densmoor Mill Pond at high water mark… This legal description does not state the quarter quarter section, section, town and range, and would not permit ready entry.
• House located on land between blocks 1 and 2 Sunset Strip. This legal description does not include the lot or lots; therefore, it does not permit ready entry.

It is important to remember that tax parcel descriptions on tax bills are not complete legal descriptions. They are abbreviated descriptions used by the land information department for tax purposes.

Errors and Omissions: This is a working index and may contain errors and omissions due to errors in the preparation of the original document or in the indexing. The indexes are double entry verified.

Images: The images are authentic reproductions of the actual document, and the quality is usually good. However, blue or light-colored ink used on original documents will not reproduce well. A few older documents may be illegible since there was no requirement for legibility until 1997.

Wall dates: Documents are recorded in the order presented. The general rule is that the grantor-grantee (or party) index is available the next working day after being recorded. The image is available by noon of the next working day after the date recorded. The tract index is available the next working day after the date recorded. Documents will be verified within two business days. There are occasional exceptions due to equipment failures and high recording volumes. Send an email to the Green Lake Register of Deeds when you must have more specific information about wall dates.

What records can I access? In Green Lake County, the index and images of recorded real estate documents, UCC documents and lis pendens begin June 1982. If you need to obtain recorded copies of federal tax liens and federal tax lien releases, these recorded documents begin April 2003.

Click here to go to Tapestry

greenlake.colortract.com

Effective July 1, 2001 the State of Wisconsin adopted its version of the Revised Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code. Under Wisconsin’s version of the revised article, all non-real estate UCC filings are filed directly with the Department of Financial Institutions. (http://www.wdfi.org/ucc)

Information regarding UCC searches is also located at the Department’s web address listed above.

Real estate related filings are still filed with the county, but under the revised article, they are no longer maintained in a separate index. They are now indexed along with real estate records. The fees for these filings are the same as any other real estate document – $30.