Will County Recorder: Search Deeds, Land Records and Recorded Documents
The Will County Recorder of Deeds is the official land-records office for deeds, mortgages, releases, liens, plats and other recorded instruments affecting property in Will County, Illinois. If your goal is to confirm a recorded deed, trace ownership documents, obtain a copy, check a recording fee or submit a deed, start with the Recorder—not a generic property website.
This guide shows exactly which official search to use, how to search by owner name, PIN or address, how to retrieve document images and certified copies, how to prepare a deed for recording, and when you should instead use the Supervisor of Assessments or Treasurer.
158 N. Scott Street, Joliet, IL 60432-4143.
815-740-4637.
Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Records on the website are typically 1965 to current.
Karen A. Stukel, Recorder of Deeds.
What are you trying to do with a Will County record?
Search by name, PIN or address, then identify the deed by document number and recording date.
Follow the search stepsUse Tapestry for occasional online image retrieval or request a certified copy from the Recorder.
Review copy optionsCheck formatting, legal description, PIN, notarization, transfer declaration, municipal stamps and fees.
Use the deed checklistUse the Supervisor of Assessments when you know the address but need the property’s PIN.
Find the PINThe Treasurer—not the Recorder—handles property-tax balances, bills and payment information.
Go to the correct officeWill County offers a free Property Fraud Alert service that can notify you when a document is recorded in a subscribed name.
Set up an alertWill County Recorder guide contents
Jump directly to the task you need to complete.
How to search Will County Recorder deeds and records online
The fastest free starting point for most people is the Recorder’s Direct Search. Will County states that documents on its website are typically available from 1965 to the present, while plats are in the system back to the county’s inception. Older land records can be researched through the Archives Department.
Open Will County Direct Search
Open official Archives / Copies information
How to search by owner name, PIN or property address
Use the designated first- and last-name fields. For a company, trust or organization, place the entity name in the last-name/business-name field.
If spelling is uncertain, Will County permits the % symbol as a wildcard, such as Fis%her.
The Recorder search expects dashes in the PIN. Its guidance recommends omitting four trailing zeros when applicable to broaden the search.
Example structure: XX-XX-XX-XXX-XXX-XXXX.
Enter the street number and main street name, normally without “Street,” “Drive” or “Avenue,” then add the city.
If nothing appears, shorten the street entry before assuming there is no record.
If the Recorder search returns nothing
How to get a Will County deed or recorded-document copy
Finding a document in the index and obtaining the actual recorded image are separate tasks. Write down the complete document recording number whenever possible; the Recorder identifies this as the easiest and most efficient way to locate a specific document.
| Need | Best route | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Free index lookup | Direct Search | Useful for locating document information before paying for an image or copy. |
| Occasional online document image | Tapestry | Recorder fee information lists a $5.95 search fee and a $2 document print fee. |
| Frequent professional research | Laredo | Subscription/minute plans are designed for higher-volume researchers. |
| Paper or emailed copy | Recorder Archives | Provide the document number, names, approximate date, document type, address or PIN. |
| Certified copy | Recorder’s Office | Certified copies are not supplied through the normal online copy option; contact the Recorder. |
Micro-guide: request the correct document
Will County Archives / Copies
Open Recorder forms
Searching Will County records before the normal online range
Will County’s Recorder is the repository for recorded documents dating back to the county’s inception in 1836, but the Recorder states that documents available through the website are typically from 1965 to current. All plats are available in the system back to the county’s inception.
For older deeds and historical chain-of-title research, the Joliet Archives Department provides public computer workstations, microfilm viewers, historical recording indexes, books, plat books and plat maps.
Do not know the Will County property PIN?
If you know only the street address, the Will County Supervisor of Assessments is often the easiest place to identify the official Property Index Number before searching Recorder documents.
Search the Recorder index by PIN
How to record a deed with the Will County Recorder
Recording a deed is not simply a matter of printing a form and delivering it to the courthouse. The Recorder can reject a document that is missing required information, transfer documentation, municipal stamps or other recordability elements.
Basic requirements for all documents
Additional requirements commonly applicable to deeds
Municipal transfer stamps can stop a recording
Will County’s recording guidelines identify municipal transfer-stamp requirements for property in certain municipalities, including Aurora, Bolingbrook, Channahon, Joliet, Naperville, Park Forest, Romeoville, University Park and Woodridge. If your parcel is within one of these municipalities, verify the municipality’s current transfer-stamp or exemption procedure before taking the deed to the Recorder.
Real Estate Transfer Declaration: PTAX-203 / MyDec
Illinois generally requires a Real Estate Transfer Declaration with a deed unless the transaction qualifies for a statutory exemption that permits the proper exemption notation instead. The Illinois Department of Revenue operates MyDec for electronic real-property transfer declarations.
Check current Will County Recorder fees
Will County Recorder fees
The Recorder’s current fee page states that an updated fee implementation became effective October 1, 2025. The amounts below reflect the official schedule available when this guide was reviewed in October 2026. Always recheck the live fee page immediately before submitting a document.
| Service | Current listed fee | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Standard real-estate document executed after 7/31/2005 | $90 | Applies to most qualifying standard real-estate documents. |
| Standard non-real-estate or qualifying older document | $71 | See official fee classifications before paying. |
| Non-standard real-estate document executed after 7/31/2005 | $118 | Non-standard formatting or other listed conditions can trigger the higher fee. |
| Non-standard non-real-estate or qualifying older document | $99 | Confirm classification with the Recorder when uncertain. |
| Subdivision / condominium plat | $144 | Plats must be submitted no later than 3:30 p.m. |
| Miscellaneous plat | $118 | Includes listed items such as easement or dedication plats. |
| 8.5 × 11 in-house copy | $1/page | Produced from imaging, microfilm or photocopy. |
| 11 × 17 copy | $2/page | Larger paper copy. |
| 24 × 36 plat copy | $4/page | For subdivision, condominium or miscellaneous plats. |
| Certified copy | $42 | Request through the Recorder rather than the ordinary online-copy option. |
| Direct Search data | Free | Best first step for locating a document number. |
| Tapestry | $5.95/search | Recorder also lists a $2 per-document print fee. |
What makes a document “standard”?
A standard document generally must satisfy the Recorder’s formatting requirements, including:
- Individual 8.5 × 11-inch sheets.
- Legible black printing, with signatures and dates permitted in contrasting colors if reproducible.
- White paper of at least 20-pound weight.
- At least one-half inch of clean margin on each side.
- A blank area of at least 3 × 5 inches in the upper-right corner of the first page.
- No items stapled or taped to a page.
- Minimum 10-point type under the Recorder’s standard-document fee guidance.
- No more than five PIN references and no more than five related document-number references for the standard fee classification.
How re-recording works in Will County
Will County states that a re-recording cannot be submitted through e-recording. It must be mailed or presented to the office.
Will County e-recording
The Recorder accepts electronic recording through approved e-recording vendors. This route is used heavily by title companies, financial institutions, law firms and other real-estate businesses that submit recordable documents electronically.
Start with the Recorder’s official E-Recording page rather than sending documents by ordinary email. Approved vendors provide the secure submission environment and collect the applicable recording charges.
Open Will County APLD requirements
Sign up for Will County Property Fraud Alert
The Recorder offers Property Fraud Alert at no charge. The service can notify subscribers when a document is recorded under a subscribed name. It is useful because a fraudulent deed or other instrument can be recorded without the real property owner’s immediate knowledge.
Request redaction of sensitive information from a recorded document
Because recorded documents are generally public records, older instruments can occasionally contain sensitive identifiers that should not have been included. Will County provides an online Redaction Request process for specified information.
The request form identifies items such as Social Security numbers, employer tax identification numbers, driver’s-license or state-ID numbers, passport numbers and certain financial-account numbers. You will need the complete Recorder document number for each affected document.
Recorder vs. Assessor vs. Treasurer: where should you go?
| Your question | Correct office | Official resource |
|---|---|---|
| Who is named in a recorded deed? | Recorder of Deeds | Recorder Direct Search |
| What mortgages, releases or liens were recorded? | Recorder of Deeds | Recorder search tools |
| What is the parcel PIN or assessed value? | Supervisor of Assessments | Property Search Portal |
| What is owed in property taxes? | Will County Treasurer | Real Estate Tax Inquiry |
| How do I pay my property-tax bill? | Will County Treasurer | Treasurer’s Office |
| How do I change ownership by deed? | Legal/title preparation + Recorder | Recording guidelines |
Will County Recorder office locations and hours
Joliet, IL 60432-4143
Phone: 815-740-4637
Main fax: 815-740-4638
Archive fax: 815-740-4697
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
The office is in downtown Joliet at the southeast corner of Cass and Scott Streets.
Bolingbrook, IL 60440
Phone: 815-740-4637
Hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; closed 1:00-2:00 p.m. for lunch.
Important: plats are not accepted or printed at this location, and there is no public search station.
Frequently asked questions
How do I search Will County deeds online?
Start with the Will County Recorder’s Direct Search at ilwill.fidlar.com/ILWill/AvaWeb/. Search by owner name, PIN or address separately, then open matching results and record the document number and recording date.
How far back do Will County Recorder online records go?
The Recorder states that documents on its website are typically available from 1965 to current. Older documents can be researched through the Joliet Archives Department. Plats are in the system back to Will County’s inception.
Can I search Will County Recorder records for free?
Yes. The Recorder’s fee page lists Direct Search data viewing as free. Paid options such as Tapestry are available when you need online document-image access and printing.
What is the Will County Recorder phone number?
The main Recorder of Deeds phone number is 815-740-4637.
How much does it cost to record a deed in Will County?
The Recorder’s current fee schedule lists $90 for most standard real-estate-related documents executed after July 31, 2005. A non-standard qualifying real-estate document is listed at $118. Always confirm the live fee schedule before filing because document type and format can affect the charge.
Can the Recorder add or remove a person’s name from my deed?
No. Changing legal ownership generally requires preparation and recording of an appropriate new instrument. The Recorder provides courtesy forms but cannot choose a deed for you, complete the form, verify that it accomplishes your legal goal or provide legal advice.
Does the Will County Recorder keep my original deed?
No. The Recorder’s FAQ states that an original recorded document is generally kept for approximately three days for processing and then returned by U.S. mail or through the title company, attorney or lender that submitted it.
Where can I get a certified copy of a Will County deed?
Contact the Will County Recorder’s Office or use its Archives / Copies procedures. The current fee page lists certified copies at $42 and states that certified copies are not available through the normal online-copy option.
Where do I find my Will County property PIN?
Use the Will County Supervisor of Assessments Property Search Portal. You can search by address or owner name, open the correct property and copy the PIN for your Recorder search.
Where do I check Will County property taxes?
Use the Will County Treasurer, not the Recorder. The Treasurer’s Real Estate Tax Inquiry searches tax information by PIN.
Use the Recorder record that actually answers your question
For a Will County ownership-document question, begin with the Will County Recorder and identify the exact recorded instrument rather than relying only on a tax, assessment or commercial property profile. Search the index using the smallest amount of reliable information, record the document number, obtain the image when the wording matters, and use a certified copy when an official recipient requires one.
If you are recording a new deed, work backward from the Recorder’s rejection points: correct deed, legal description, PIN, notarization, prepared-by and return information, transfer declaration or exemption, municipal transfer requirements, proper formatting and the current recording fee. That approach prevents most avoidable trips and rejected submissions.