FAQs • Clay County, MN • CivicEngage

Does the Clay County Recorder perform abstracting services?: The Clay County Recorder’s Office does not provide abstracting services. You may contact an independent abstract company for abstracting services.

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Recorder

1. How do I get a Marriage License?: View the Marriage License webpage for information.

2. Can I get a reduced Marriage License?: View the Reduced Marriage License Fee webpage for information.

3. Can I get a copy of a birth certificate?

Clay County can issue Certified Birth Certificates for people born in Minnesota to an authorized requestor. Birth records prior to 1932 may require additional processing times. Identification, such as a government issued photo ID, is required to obtain a certified birth certificate.

Check Vital Records Services at the U.S. Department of State for information on where to call or write for vital records in other states.

4. How can I search a property?

The records in the Clay County Recorder's Office can be viewed in person at:

3510 12th Ave S
Moorhead, MN 56560

Hours:
Monday - Friday
8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

If you have a document number and need a copy mailed or faxed, the Clay County Recorder’s Office will be happy to help you at the time of payment.

Recording is the 1st priority. If a request is mailed or faxed, we will do limited research at no charge as we have time available. There is a charge for copies and faxing. Requests are processed in the order they are received. If you need research done quickly, contact an abstractor, attorney, title company or some other type of researcher to help you.

5. Are there any liens on this property?: View the tax liens webpage for information.

6. Where can I get real estate forms?

Clay County does not sell any legal real estate forms. FM Printing is the forms distributor for Clay County. They can be contacted by calling 218-233-1531 or visiting the business located at:

710 Main Ave.
Moorhead, MN 56560

The Minnesota Department of Commerce provides free public access to forms as a convenience for the public. Our staff is prohibited from providing legal advice, including which form you need for your situation for how to fill in a form. If you have questions regarding these forms, we strongly recommend you speak with an attorney.

Minnesota Department of Commerce

7. Does the Recorder's Office provide notary services?: The Clay County Recorder’s Office does not provide notary service. To find a notary public you can check with your personal banker.

Any person wishing to have a document notarized must provide appropriate identification for this service, and all signatures must be completed in the presence of the notary.

Fees may be charged for notary service.

8. Are well certificates required on all deeds?

If a transferring document requires a Certificate of Real Estate Value, well information is also required. If there are no wells on the property, the transfer document must contain a statement attesting to this fact, such as:

"The seller certifies that the seller does not know of any wells on the described real property."

If there is a well(s) located on the property, a completed Well Disclosure Certificate must accompany the transferring document, or if the seller can make the following statement on the transferring document, a Well Disclosure Certificate is not needed:

"I am familiar with the property described in this instrument and I certify that the status and the number of wells on the described real property have not changed since the last previously filed Well Disclosure Certificate."

The Well Disclosure Certificate Form, in addition to further information regarding wells, is available on the Minnesota Department of Health's website.

9. Does the Clay County Recorder perform abstracting services?: The Clay County Recorder’s Office does not provide abstracting services. You may contact an independent abstract company for abstracting services.

10. Will the Recorder's Office help me fill out my forms?: No one in the Recorder's Office has a license to practice law, so you will need to contact your own attorney for legal advise and for help completing forms.

11. Is this land torrens or abstract?: To determine if a piece of property is abstract or torrens, search the parcel on the Clay County GIS Map and the property type will display

12. Can I see the list of pending foreclosures?

Foreclosures are not filed with the courts in Minnesota like they are in North Dakota. We do not automatically have a list of pending foreclosures.

Searchers can search all foreclosure type documents taken in daily and view the documents at the Clay County Recorder's Office, which is located at:

3510 12th Ave S
Moorhead, MN 56560

To view upcoming sales, view the Sheriff’s Office Calendar