Recorder's Office
The Maricopa County AZ Recorder's Office records and preserves deeds, plats, and many other documents that become part of the county's public record. This article explains what the Recorder's Office handles, how to search recorded documents, how documents may be submitted for recording, the formatting rules and fees that apply, how to obtain official or certified copies, and how to avoid common problems when using recording services.
Recorder's Office Responsibilities
The Maricopa County Recorder's Office is responsible for the public recording and preservation of essential documents filed in Maricopa County. Its records include deeds, plats, and a variety of other instruments. The office reports that more than 52 million documents, comprising about 200 million images, are searchable online, with records dating back to 1871.
The office also maintains voter registration files and administers the mail voting component of elections in Maricopa County. These responsibilities are separate from its document-recording functions. Someone looking for a deed, lien, recorded plat, or other recorded property document should generally use the Recorder's recorded-document system rather than a voter or election public-record request.
A major limitation of the Recorder's Office is that its employees cannot provide legal advice, determine which document a person should record, prepare a document, or help complete recording forms. The office also does not provide notary services. Its role is to accept qualifying documents for recording, preserve the recorded information, index it, and provide public access to the resulting records.
Recorded Document Services
The county's Recorded Document Search is the primary place to look for documents already recorded with the Recorder's Office. It supports several search methods, which is useful because older documents and newer recordings may not be identified in exactly the same way.
Search Methods and Fields
If you already have a recorded document number, you can search directly by that number and enter a suffix when applicable. Documents recorded under the older Docket/Book and Page system can instead be searched by docket or book number and page number.
When those identifiers are unknown, the search system provides broader fields. Available search information includes:
Business name.
Last name and first name.
Middle initial.
Document code.
Document title.
Beginning and ending recording dates.
If no document code is selected, the system searches across the available codes. Date fields can be particularly useful when you know approximately when a deed or other document was recorded but do not know its recording number.
Name formatting also matters. For an individually owned property, the Recorder's FAQ instructs users to search by last name and first name. If the document was recorded under a trust or business, use the Business Name search instead. The same field can be useful when searching for records associated with a homeowners association or subdivision.
Property Record Searches
Recorded documents and property ownership information should not be treated as identical systems. The Recorder's Office maintains recorded instruments. Current property ownership records are maintained by the Maricopa County Assessor's Office. A Recorder search can show deeds and other instruments recorded under an owner's name, but it is not presented as a guarantee that a property is free of liens or other claims.
To locate a deed through the Recorder, search the owner's last and first name and narrow the results with dates when the approximate recording period is known. If ownership is under a trust or business, search the trust or business name instead.
Recorded Document Search may also be used for more specialized property research. CC&Rs are commonly recorded under a subdivision or HOA name, so the Business Name field is appropriate for those searches. Plat maps can be searched by entering a subdivision name under Business Name and selecting the document code for Plat Maps. If the complete subdivision name returns no results, the Recorder's instructions suggest trying the first portion of the subdivision name.
For foreclosure-related recordings, the system can be searched using the document code “Notice of Trustee Sale.” A search for a particular property can also be performed using the property owner's name. These search results identify public recordings; they should not be interpreted as legal determinations concerning ownership, liens, or foreclosure status.
Recording a Document
The Recorder's Office identifies three primary ways to record documents: in person, by mail, or electronically. Recording kiosks are also available at several county locations. The appropriate method depends partly on the volume of documents and the type of access needed.
Regardless of submission method, the document itself must satisfy applicable recording requirements. The Recorder's Office accepts an original document or, when applicable, a government-issued certified copy. Staff members do not choose forms, prepare documents, or determine whether a particular form is legally appropriate for a transaction.
In-Person Recording
Documents may be presented at the Main Downtown Office during business hours. An appointment is not required. The downtown office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding holidays.
For in-person recording, the Recorder accepts cash, card, or check. A check should be made payable to Maricopa County Recorder. After an in-person document is recorded, the original is returned immediately according to the Recorder's FAQ.
A new identification requirement takes effect on September 13, 2026. Beginning on that date, all in-person and kiosk recordings require presentation of photo identification under A.R.S. § 11-472. Anyone planning an in-person or kiosk recording on or after that date should account for the identification requirement before traveling to a location.
Mail Recording
Documents can also be sent to the Recorder's Office by mail. Mail payments may be made by check, cashier's check, or money order. Checks should be payable to Maricopa County Recorder.
The office specifically cautions that a document received by mail is not guaranteed to be recorded on the day it arrives. Once a mailed document has been recorded, the Recorder's FAQ states that the original is mailed to the address shown in the upper-left corner of the document or to the return address on the envelope within two to four weeks.
The office also operates a Document Return Log for obtaining mailback information. A specific document can be checked using its recorded document number and suffix. The system also allows users to view a monthly return log by year and month.
Digital Recording Accounts
Electronic recording is designed primarily for high-volume customers. Frequent users may establish a Recorder's Office customer account to streamline recording and copy transactions. According to the office's customer-account instructions, opening an account requires an account application, memorandum of understanding, public record request form, and a $300 check payable to Maricopa County Recorder.
The $300 is posted to the account as a credit balance for recording or copy fees. After an account is established, it can be replenished online by Visa or MasterCard, by ACH or wire transfer, or by check. When paying by check, the account number must appear on the front of the check.
The office states that after it receives the application packet and check, the account is set up within 24 hours. Customers who indicate an interest in electronic recording on the application receive additional instructions from the electronic recording team.
Recording Kiosks
The county provides recording kiosks at several locations outside the downtown office. The Recorder's locations and hours page lists kiosks at Sun City Library, Georgia T. Lord Library in Goodyear, the Maricopa County Northeast Regional Court Center in Phoenix, and Ed Robson Library in Sun Lakes. The Southeast Regional Library kiosk in Gilbert is identified as currently unavailable in the provided county information.
Kiosk hours differ from downtown office hours, so the county's location information should be reviewed before a visit. The only payment method accepted for recordings at kiosks is credit card. The photo-identification requirement for in-person and kiosk recordings begins September 13, 2026.
Document Format Requirements
Documents presented for recording must satisfy statutory form standards. The county's recording form requirements describe the conditions that can affect whether an instrument is accepted.
Each instrument must have a caption that briefly identifies the nature of the document, such as a warranty deed or release of mortgage. The Recorder is not obligated to index an instrument under a subject category unless that category is included in the document's caption.
The document must generally be an original and sufficiently legible for the Recorder to produce certified copies from the recorded image. Original signatures are required unless another law provides otherwise.
For instruments dated and executed on or after January 1, 1991, the document may be no larger than 8.5 inches wide by 14 inches long, and the print may be no smaller than 10-point type.
First-Page and Margin Rules
Documents dated and executed on or after January 1, 1991, must have margins of at least one-half inch along the top, bottom, left, and right sides. Text or markings placed within those margins may affect the notice imparted by the recorded document, although failure to meet the one-half-inch margin standard is not itself identified as a ground for rejection under that subsection.
The first page must provide a top margin of at least two inches for recording information. The left 3.5 inches within that top area may be used for the name of the person requesting the recording and the name and address where the document should be returned.
If the first page does not satisfy the top-margin requirement, the party requesting recording can attach a separate sheet to the front. That sheet must satisfy the required margin and show the title of the document.
An instrument that modifies a previously recorded document must state the date on which the earlier document was recorded and its docket and page information. Reviewing these requirements before submission can reduce the risk of presenting a document that cannot be accepted in its current form.
Deeds and Property Value
A deed has an additional requirement. It must include either an Affidavit of Property Value or an exemption code to be accepted for recording.
The Affidavit of Property Value records information that includes the selling price and date of sale. If the transaction qualifies for an exemption, the applicable exemption code can be placed on the deed instead of completing the affidavit.
The Recorder's Office will not determine whether a transaction qualifies for an exemption, choose an exemption code, or help complete the affidavit. Those questions fall outside the office's recording function.
Fees and Payment Methods
The official Recorder's Office fee schedule lists a $30 recording fee for documents other than plats and surveys. Plats and surveys are $24 for the first page and $20 for each additional page.
Certain recordings have no Recorder fee, including military discharge documents, child support documents, racketeering documents, and restitution documents under the statutes cited by the county.
Payment options depend on how a document is submitted:
Downtown office: cash, card, or check.
Mail: check, cashier's check, or money order.
Recording kiosks: credit card only.
The Recorder's Office requires recording and copy charges to be paid upfront. Mail users should also remember that receipt of a document does not mean that the document will necessarily be recorded on the same day.
Copies and Certified Records
Once a document is located through Recorded Document Search, an unofficial image can be viewed online by selecting the available page image. For an official copy, the search results provide purchasing options.
Copies of recorded documents cost $1 per page. A certified copy also carries an additional $3 certification charge per document. When purchasing through the online system, the Recorder instructs users to edit the purchase before checkout so they can select the appropriate options.
Available delivery choices include a downloadable copy sent by email or a physical copy sent by mail. A certification option is also available during the purchase process.
If an online document image does not display or print as expected, the Recorder notes that recorded images may use PNG or PDF formats. The office recommends using a current browser. In some cases, an image may need to be downloaded and opened in imaging software so it can be resized for printing.
Public Records Requests
A recorded-property-document search is different from a general public records request. If the document you need was recorded with the Recorder's Office, the county directs users to Recorded Document Search rather than requiring a public records request.
The Recorder's public records request system is used for other categories of information, including voter registration data, communications, and internal documents. Public records requests may be submitted for voter data and recording information, although certain data can be restricted from electronic posting or sharing under state law.
The time required for a public records response depends on the scope of the request and the resources necessary to process it. This differs from searching an already recorded deed or other instrument that is available through the county's online document index.
Title Alert Monitoring
Maricopa Title Alert is a free Recorder's Office program that monitors names supplied by subscribers. When a document is recorded under an individual or business name being monitored, the service can send a notification.
The program applies only to documents recorded after the subscriber signs up. There is no limit to the number of names that can be monitored under an account. Subscribers can change their monitored information or unsubscribe, but they must maintain a current email address and/or phone number to receive notifications.
Name entry matters when setting up monitoring. For individuals, the Recorder instructs users to enter the full last name and first name. For a hyphenated last name, the office recommends creating an entry for the hyphenated name and separate entries using each portion of the last name. Business users can monitor a business name and may create another entry containing punctuation when the official business name includes punctuation.
Title Alert is a notification service rather than a determination that a recording is valid or invalid. The Recorder also specifies that the program is not intended for commercial purposes.
Common Recording Mistakes
Several problems can be avoided by distinguishing what the Recorder's Office records from the services it does not perform.
Expecting staff to prepare a deed: Recorder employees do not prepare documents, provide forms, select forms, or help complete them.
Expecting notary service: the Recorder's Office does not provide notary services.
Submitting a copy when an original is required: recording generally requires the original document or an applicable government-issued certified copy.
Missing a deed requirement: deeds must include an Affidavit of Property Value or an applicable exemption code.
Ignoring document formatting: captions, legibility, signatures, page size, print size, and first-page margins can affect recordability.
Using the wrong name field: documents under a trust, company, HOA, or subdivision should generally be searched through the Business Name field rather than an individual's name.
Treating a Recorder search as a title guarantee: the office specifically cautions that searching its records does not guarantee that property is free and clear of liens.
Using a public records request for an ordinary deed search: recorded property documents are searchable directly through the recorded-document database.
Bringing the wrong kiosk payment method: recording kiosks accept credit cards only.
Missing the identification change: photo identification is required for in-person and kiosk recording beginning September 13, 2026.
Users should also distinguish the Recorder's Office from other county offices. Birth and death certificates are handled through the Maricopa County Office of Vital Registration. Marriage license and divorce decree records are handled through the Clerk of the Superior Court. Current ownership information and property mailing-address changes are handled through the Assessor's Office rather than the Recorder. Keeping these functions separate can prevent unnecessary record searches or visits to the wrong department.
Recorder's Office Contact
Maricopa County Recorder's Office Main Downtown Office
301 W Jefferson St, Second Floor, Suite 200
Phoenix, AZ 85003
602-506-3535
Recorder's Office FAQs
Why can’t I find the selling price of a property?
A recorded deed does not always show enough information to identify the property's selling price. According to the Recorder's official FAQs, the price is available through its records only when an Affidavit of Property Value was recorded with the deed. After locating the deed through the Recorded Document Search, look for a “View Affidavit” option. If an affidavit is available, its recorded image may contain the selling price. If the deed used an exemption code instead of an affidavit, the Recorder may have no recorded sale price for that transaction.
Can personal information be removed from recorded documents?
Certain protected individuals may qualify to have specified identifying information redacted from public records under Arizona law. Eligible categories include certain current and former public officials, judges, peace officers, prosecutors, public defenders, corrections personnel, election officers, health professionals, and people protected by qualifying court orders or confidentiality programs. The process generally begins with a sworn affidavit and requires supporting copies of the documents to be protected. A judge determines whether a court order should be issued. The Recorder's record redaction guidance explains eligibility and the application process. Approved protections generally remain in effect for five years unless renewed through another qualifying court order.
Can I record proof that my business uses a DBA?
The Recorder distinguishes between registering a trade name and recording a document showing that a business operates under a DBA. Trade-name registration questions belong with the Arizona Secretary of State. However, someone who needs a permanent public record showing use of a DBA may record an appropriately prepared document with the Recorder, provided it satisfies applicable recording requirements. The Recorder does not prepare the declaration or determine what wording should be used. Its official recording FAQs explain this distinction and the requirements that apply before a DBA-related document is submitted.