Wisconsin Recorded Documents

In Wisconsin, deeds, mortgages, liens, and other real-property documents are recorded at the county level by the county Recorder (or Clerk-Recorder). The Official Wisconsin Recorded Documents at www.wdfi.org handles statewide filings such as UCC-1 financing statements and corporate documents.

UCC-1 financing statements covering personal property and business collateral are filed centrally with the Official Wisconsin Recorded Documents at www.wdfi.org. Fixture filings on real estate are an exception — those go to the county where the property is located.

Most Wisconsin countys publish a free online index of recorded documents (by name, document type, or date). Image access (the actual deed image) is often available either free or for a small per-page fee. Statewide UCC and corporate filings are searchable through the Official Wisconsin Recorded Documents at www.wdfi.org.

Certified copies of deeds, mortgages, and other recorded documents are issued by the county Recorder where the document was originally recorded. Fees and ID requirements vary; see your specific county page below. The Official Wisconsin Recorded Documents (www.wdfi.org) handles certified copies of statewide filings such as UCCs and articles of incorporation.

A deed is the recorded instrument that conveys ownership; the title is the legal concept of ownership itself. Deeds in Wisconsin are recorded with the county Recorder; title insurance and title searches are private-sector services that examine the chain of recorded deeds. The Official Wisconsin Recorded Documents at www.wdfi.org publishes the statewide rules.