Recording & Document Fees
Effective October 1, 2025

Pursuant to House Bill 192 (69th Legislature, 2025) and amendments to MCA §§ 7-4-2632, 7-4-2635, and 7-4-2637, recording fees for documents filed with the County Clerk and Recorder will increase as follows:

$20 for the first page or fraction of a page & $10 for each additional page or fraction of a page
Starting July 1, 2027, fees and allocations will be adjusted biennially for inflation.

The Lincoln County Clerk & Recorder offers services for recording documents, plat maps, surveys, tax liens and provides certified copies of previously recorded documents. All fees must be paid in advance of services rendered. Payment by cash, money order or check payable to the Clerk & Recorder.

Electronic Recording (ERecording) is available in Lincoln County, Montana through Simplifile.

Lincoln County uses Simplifile to eRecord documents online.  To get started contact Simplifile at 800.460.5657 and speak to a representative.

Public Information
Lincoln County Public Information Policy

Common Recorded Documents – Updated Fees Effective October 1, 2025

⚖️ Recording Fee Structure (MCA §§ 7-4-2632–2637):
$20.00 for the first page (or fraction of a page)
$10.00 for each additional page   

+$10.00 per document if nonstandard formatting applies (per MCA § 7-4-2637(2))
📌 Documents must have a three-inch (3″) top margin and a return address in the upper-left corner to avoid the nonstandard fee.

  • Affidavit
  • Assignment
  • Bill of Sale
  • Certificate of Location
  • Contract for Deed
  • Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions (CC&R)
  • Declaration of Homestead
  • Deeds: Warranty, Quitclaim, Bargain & Sale, Transfer on Death
  • Easement
  • Judgement
  • Lease
  • Notice of Purchasers Interest
  • Power of Attorney
  • Right of First Refusal
  • Property Bond and Release
  • Satisfaction of Mortgage
  • Sheriff’s Deed
  • Tax Deed
  • Trust Indenture, Deed of Trust and Mortgage

UCC-New Filing is $7 flat fee; UCC Continuation is $5; UCC Termination no fee

🟨 Fee Exempt Documents:

The following documents are not subject to recording fees:

*Military Discharges 
*Corner Recordings (survey-related)

Documents that do not meet Montana’s formatting standards are subject to a $10.00 additional fee per document.
See MCA § 7-4-2637(2) for formatting requirements.

📞 Questions?

Please contact our office if you have questions about formatting or fee calculations prior to submission.  (406) 283-2301

Permanent File

Fees are $5 per document.

  • Lis Pendens and Release of Lis Pendens
  • Mechanics & Construction Lien and Release of Lien
  • Notice of Right to Claim a Lien and Release
  • DEQ Approval Letters / Sanitation Restrictions Lifted
  • Road/Access Approach Permits
  • Fire Protection / Water Supply Approvals
  • Soils or Groundwater Studies
  • Drainage Reports

*Permanent Files are only for supporting or informational documents that do not affect title or ownership.

Plat Maps and Surveys

Certificates of Survey – $25.00
(Affidavits attached to surveys are recorded at applicable per-page rates)

  • Subdivision and Townsite Plats – $25.00
    -Up to 100 lots: $0.50 per lot
    -More than 100 lots: $0.25 per lot

Additional Documents Filed with Subdivision or COS:
*Title Insurance / Platting Certificates (PF) – $1.00/page

Plats & Surveys Process Fees

Federal Tax Liens

  • Federal Tax Liens – $8.00
  • Partial Release of Federal Tax Lien – $5.00
  • Release of Federal Tax Lien – No Fee
    *These are fixed by MCA § 71-3-206 and remain in effect unless that specific statute is amended.

Copy Fees

  • Copy fees:  First page of document – $0.50
  • Each subsequent page of same document – $0.25
  • Certified Copy Fee – $2.00