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 30, 2026.
Des Moines County, Iowa, has about 38,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). The title to a parcel in Des Moines County 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 or the county. This guide says who keeps each record and where the page for each office is.
This guide covers deeds, assessed values, city permits, evictions and court cases, records requests and common questions.
Related guides: Des Moines County public records, Des Moines County arrest records, Des Moines County warrants, Des Moines County inmate search, Des Moines County criminal records, Iowa arrest records and Iowa inmate search.
Deeds, Mortgages and Liens in Des Moines County
Deeds, mortgages, liens and easements that affect title to land in Des Moines County are recorded by the County Recorder, which indexes them by name and sells copies.
SearchSystems opened and checked the County Recorder's page at desmoinescounty.iowa.gov/recorder/real_estate_documents_recording_fees (page title: Real Estate Documents | Des Moines County, Iowa), 513 N Main St. Burlington, IA 52601, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 30, 2026.
Assessed Values and the Tax Roll in Des Moines County
What a parcel in Des Moines County 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 desmoinescounty.iowa.gov/assessor (page title: Assessor | Des Moines County Government | Iowa), phone 319-753-8224, 513 N. Main St., Fourth Floor Burlington, IA 52601, Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 30, 2026.
Permits and City Records in the Cities of Des Moines County
Building permits, zoning and code cases inside a city are the city's own records. The cities in Des Moines County with a SearchSystems guide to their offices, with the city page SearchSystems verified:
- Burlington: the city hall page SearchSystems verified is at burlingtoniowa.org/facilities/facility/details/City-Hall-16 (verified September 26, 2026).
Evictions and Court Cases About Land in Des Moines County
An eviction, a foreclosure, a lien dispute or a quiet title suit is a court case in the Iowa District Court for Des Moines County, and the file is public unless sealed.
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at iowacourts.gov/for-the-public/public-records-requests.
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. The county records request page SearchSystems verified is at iowacourts.gov/for-the-public/public-records-requests (page title: Public Records Requests | Iowa Judicial Branch).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who records deeds in Des Moines County?
The County Recorder, at desmoinescounty.iowa.gov. Deeds, mortgages and liens on land in Des Moines County are filed there, and the County Assessor (desmoinescounty.iowa.gov/assessor) has the assessment records.
Who sets the assessed value of a property in Des Moines County?
The County Assessor, whose page SearchSystems verified is at desmoinescounty.iowa.gov/assessor.
Where are evictions from Des Moines County filed?
In the Iowa District Court for Des Moines 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 Des Moines County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.