Recording

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The Recording division of the County Clerk's office

The purpose of the Recording Division is to make and preserve public records dealing with real property transactions. Ownership of property can be traced back to the early 1850s in the records maintained by the Recording Division. The Recording Division also issues marriage licenses and has marriage records back to the late 1840s.

The duties of the Clackamas County Clerk have changed considerably since the early years. In 1983, The State of Oregon took over the District, Circuit, and Probate Courts from the county clerks. At that time, over half of the Clerk's employees became State employees. The Recording and Elections Divisions assumed the duties unrelated to the courts.

The Clackamas County Clerk will record all documents authorized by Oregon State or Federal law, rule or regulation affecting title to, or an interest in, real property. Documents must be properly executed and acknowledged, correctly identify the property, and meet all other form, titling and fee requirements to be recorded. All our records are preserved either on microfilm or computer image. We maintain a public viewing area for research and copying of records.

Recording Hours:

Monday–Thursday 9:00 a.m. – noon
1–4 p.m.
(These hours are different from our office hours. These hours are when we are available to record property records.)
Friday
(Open during the lunch hour.)
8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

In accordance with state laws, the County recording office must maintain a reputation for the recording and storage of public recorded instruments in a fair and open manner. Recordation of a document makes it a public record, putting the public on notice. Since the public and courts may use recorded instruments to establish validity of certain claims, all pages must be readable. Oregon statutes and Clackamas County counsel support the need for legible text within recorded documents.

If the legibility of an instrument or notary seal is questionable and a deadline may be compromised should the county recorder reject the document, you may want to consider preparing a new, legible original prior to submission. Client demands may not always make this possible, but the client should be made aware if legibility problems exist, and informed that there may be delays if documents are rejected.

Manager’s Index Notice

Documents listed below are indexed within a 10-business day period from being recorded:

  • Death Certificates
  • Deeds
  • All Federal Tax Lien Types
  • All Distraint Warrant Types
  • All County Tax Warrant Types
  • All Judgement Types
  • All Clerk-Municipal Lien/Document Types
  • All Assessment Lien Types
  • All Hospital Lien Types
  • All Construction Lien Types
  • All Tax Deferred Property Types
  • All UCC Mortgage Fixture types
  • All types of Deed-Development Agreements
  • All Deed-Municipal Documents
  • All Lien-Completion Notices
  • All HOA Lien Types

For all other documents the current month the Recording team is indexing is March 2021. Some document types are taking priority (ex. Liens, Clerk Liens, UCCs, certain Deed & Mortgage Documents). The above list will grow as those prioritized documents move into current status.    

Requesting Documents

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Senate Bill 618 which amends ORS 192.502 and ORS 408.420 creates new rules for how Oregon counties must treat veterans' discharge documents. This new law creates stricter provisions and expands limitations for accessing discharge records.

If you wish to obtain a Military Discharge Record (DD214) please call for instructions and requirements.

Clackamas County
Recording Department
503-655-8551

Request for Military Discharge Papers via mail

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Recording Department
1710 Red Soils Court
Oregon City, Oregon 97045
503-655-8551

Important Notice:

House Bill 2093 amends Oregon Revised Statute 432.124 and prohibits Oregon County Clerks from accepting Death Certificates if the Death Certificate contains medical information related to the cause of death for any/all Oregon Death Certificates issued on or after January 1, 2014.

Certified copies of Death Certificates are recorded in conjunction with owning or having a claim or interest in real property (land) and will be rejected and returned unrecorded if the Death Certificate has been altered or if the Death Certificate contains medical information related to the cause of death.

NOTE: Oregon Vital Records Office does offer a short form Death Certificate, omitting the cause of death. You must select this option when completing the Vital Records order form.

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Phone:503-655-8551
Fax:503-650-5688
Email:recording@clackamas.us

1710 Red Soils Ct, Suite 110, Oregon City, OR 97045

Office Hours:

Monday to Thursday 
9 a.m. to noon 
(closed for lunch) 
1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Fridays 
8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 
(open during the lunch hour) 

e-Recording submitters: 
Simplifile 
support@simplifile.com 
CSC 
help@cscinfo.com 
ePN 
support@GOePN.com