Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 24, 2026 and September 26, 2026.
West Des Moines, Iowa, in Polk County, has about 74,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). The title to a parcel in West Des Moines is in the deed records of the County Recorder and its taxable value is set by the County Assessor; what is built on it is a matter for the city. This guide says who keeps each record and where the page for each office is.
This guide covers deeds, assessed values, city permits and records, evictions and court cases, records requests, directory links and common questions.
Related guides: West Des Moines public records, Polk County property records, West Des Moines arrest records, West Des Moines warrants, West Des Moines inmate search, West Des Moines police reports, Iowa arrest records and Iowa inmate search.
Deeds, Mortgages and Liens in West Des Moines
Who owns a parcel in West Des Moines and what it sold for are in the deed records of the County Recorder, with every lien or mortgage against the land.
SearchSystems opened and checked the County Recorder's page at polkcountyiowa.gov/county-recorder/search-records (page title: Search Records | Polk County Iowa), phone 515-286-3175, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 24, 2026.
Assessed Values and the Tax Roll in West Des Moines
What a parcel in West Des Moines is taxed on is the business of the County Assessor, which also keeps the parcel maps. Iowa reassesses property in odd-numbered years and applies a statewide rollback, so the taxable value is a fraction of the assessed value.
SearchSystems opened and checked the County Assessor's page at assess.co.polk.ia.us/cgi-bin/web/tt/info.cgi (page title: Polk County Assessor Property Search), phone (515) 286-3014, 111 Court Avenue #195 Des Moines, IA 50309-0904, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 24, 2026.
Permits and City Records in West Des Moines
Building permits, zoning and code cases are the city's own. For West Des Moines, SearchSystems opened and checked the city hall page at wdm.iowa.gov/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/60... (page title: City Hall | City & Public Offices | West Des Moines, IA), phone 515-222-3600, 4200 Mills Civic Parkway P.O. Box 65320, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 26, 2026.
The city clerk's page SearchSystems verified is at wdm.iowa.gov/government/city-manager/city-clerk (page title: City Clerk | West Des Moines, IA), phone 515-222-3603, 4200 Mills Civic Parkway, 2B, West Des Moines, IA 50265, Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 26, 2026.
Evictions and Court Cases About Land in West Des Moines
Court cases about land from West Des Moines, evictions among them, are filed in the Iowa District Court for Polk County.
Asking a County Office for a Record
Under the Iowa Open Records Law (Chapter 22) a county office must answer a request without delay; the law sets no fixed number of days, and a delay past 20 days must be justified, and it may charge the actual cost of copying and retrieval.
More Official Property and Land Records Pages for Polk County
The SearchSystems directory, online since 1997, lists the official pages for Polk County and Iowa. These property pages from its Polk County listing were opened again on October 2, 2026 and each one still answers:
- Polk County Assessor Home (web.assess.co.polk.ia.us)
Frequently Asked Questions
Who records deeds in West Des Moines?
The County Recorder, at polkcountyiowa.gov, phone 515-286-3175. Deeds, mortgages and liens on land in West Des Moines are filed there, and the County Assessor (assess.co.polk.ia.us/cgi-bin/web/tt/info.cgi) has the assessment records.
Who sets the assessed value of a property in West Des Moines?
The County Assessor, whose page SearchSystems verified is at assess.co.polk.ia.us/cgi-bin/web/tt/info.cgi.
Where are evictions from West Des Moines filed?
In the Iowa District Court for Polk County. The file is public unless the court seals it.
How is property assessed in Iowa?
Iowa reassesses property in odd-numbered years and applies a statewide rollback, so the taxable value is a fraction of the assessed value.
Is this the official West Des Moines website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.