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Dubuque County, Iowa public records

In Dubuque County, deeds are recorded by the Dubuque County Recorder; property values come from the Assessor - Dubuque County; court files are kept by the Clerk of Court.

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. Where to get each record
  2. Deeds and land records
  3. Property values, owners and tax bills
  4. Court records: which clerk keeps which case
  5. Marriage records
  6. Divorce records
  7. Birth certificates
  8. Death certificates
  9. Probate records and wills
  10. Business names (DBA)
  11. Voter records
  12. Historical records
  13. Good to know about Dubuque County records
  14. Office addresses, phones and hours
  15. Records that are not online: public records requests
  16. Questions people ask
  17. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  18. Sources

Where to get each record

RecordOfficeSearch onlineFee
Deeds and land recordsDubuque County Recorder2Search deeds2$1 per page, including faxed or emailed copies3
Property values and ownersAssessor - Dubuque County4Property search4—
Property tax billsDubuque County Treasurer5Tax bill search5—
Court casesClerk of Court6Iowa District Court for Dubuque County6Copies $0.50 per page; certification and seal $50 per court document (Iowa Judicial Branch statewide table)7
Marriage recordsDubuque County Recorder2—Certified copy fee: $20 each; immediate family members only8
Divorce recordsClerk of Court6—Copies $0.50 per page (statewide table)7
Birth certificatesDubuque County Recorder8—$20 per certified copy; mailed requests need a notarized signature8
Death certificatesDubuque County Recorder8—$20 per certified copy8
Probate and willsClerk of Court6——
Business names (DBA)Dubuque County Recorder2—$7 first page, $5 each additional page3

Deeds and land records

Deeds, mortgages and other land documents for property in Dubuque County are recorded by the Dubuque County Recorder.2

Copy fee
$1 per page, including faxed or emailed copies3
Certified copy fee
$2 per document; the copy to be certified must be made in the office3
How to order
Recorded documents can be viewed in the office and copies obtained. Contact the Recorder at the courthouse.9
Recording fee
$7 first page, $5 each additional page3
Federal tax lien copy
$53

How deeds work in Iowa

Property values, owners and tax bills

The Assessor - Dubuque County sets property values4; the Dubuque County Treasurer bills and collects the tax5.

Appealing a value
Board of Review petition form: dubuquecountyiowa.gov/…4
Transfer records
County Auditor keeps real estate transfer books and plat maps, open to public examination, kept by legal description11

How property tax works in Iowa

Court records: which clerk keeps which case

CourtCasesRecords kept byCase search
Iowa District Court for Dubuque County (Judicial District 1)Felony, civil, divorce and probate case filesClerk of Court (Iowa District Court for Dubuque County)iowacourts.state.ia.us/…6
Fees
Copies $0.50 per page; certification and seal $50 per court document (Iowa Judicial Branch statewide table)7
Documents access
Case documents are available from the clerk's office or its public computer12

Criminal records and background checks

How Iowa courts keep their files

Marriage records

Kept by the Dubuque County Recorder.2

Marriage license fee
$35, including a certified copy of the marriage certificate; three-day waiting period8
Certified copy fee
$20 each; immediate family members only8
Records held
1839 to present on the page's general statement. Applications for 1954 onward can be made through any Iowa county.8
Where to apply
Any Iowa County Recorder, if the ceremony is in Iowa8

Iowa marriage records, statewide

Divorce records

Clerk of Court in the county where the case was filed14

Copy fee
Copies $0.50 per page (statewide table)7

Iowa divorce records: decree or state record

Birth certificates

Kept by the Dubuque County Recorder (county registrar).8

Fee
$20 per certified copy; mailed requests need a notarized signature8
Who may order
Immediate family members only8
Records held
1880 to present, with gaps. 1880 to 1982 must have been born in Dubuque County; 1983 to present can be requested in any Iowa county per this page.8
Gaps
Some 1921-1941 births missing; births before January 1, 1985 with legal action or single-parent births are not held here8
State
Iowa HHS: hhs.iowa.gov/…8

Ordering an Iowa birth certificate

Death certificates

Kept by the Dubuque County Recorder (county registrar).8

Fee
$20 per certified copy8
Records held
1880 to present, with gaps. 1880 to 1953 must have occurred in Dubuque County; 1954 to present can be requested in any Iowa county.8
Gaps
No death records from 1904-1907 or 1917-19418

Ordering an Iowa death certificate

Probate records and wills

Iowa District Court sitting in probate; Clerk of District Court keeps the files (state record)15

Finding a will or probate case in Iowa

Business names (DBA)

County Recorder records trade name statements under Iowa Code ch. 547; contact the office for the form16

Fee
$7 first page, $5 each additional page3

Voter records

Auditor maintains all official voter registration records11

Historical records

Military
DD214 discharge papers may be recorded with the Recorder17

Good to know about Dubuque County records

  • Two separate assessors: the City Assessor covers property inside Dubuque city limits and the County Assessor covers the rest.18
  • The county's own Recorder holds a marriage series starting 1839 and birth and death records starting 1880, with stated gaps.8
  • The courthouse was built in 1891 and replaced an 1839 building; it is on the National Register of Historic Places.19
  • The State Certified Vital Records page still names the Iowa Department of Public Health and the older address, while the Recorder page and HHS link use Iowa HHS. Follow the HHS link.20
  • Vital record fee rose from $15 to $20 per copy on July 1, 2026.2

Office addresses, phones and hours

Dubuque County Recorder

Address
Dubuque County Courthouse, 720 Central Avenue, Dubuque, IA 520012
Mail
Dubuque County Recorder, P.O. Box 5001, Dubuque, IA 52004-50012
Hours
Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm2

Assessor - Dubuque County

Address
Dubuque County West Campus, 1225 Seippel Road, Dubuque, IA 520024
Hours
Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm4

Assessor - City of Dubuque

Address
1789 Elm St Suite A, Dubuque, IA 5200118
Hours
Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm18

Dubuque County Treasurer

Address
720 Central Avenue, Dubuque, IA 520015
Hours
Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm; 3rd Wednesday of the month, 10 am to 4:30 pm. Courthouse visits by appointment are requested.5

Dubuque County Auditor

Address
Dubuque County Courthouse, 720 Central Ave., Dubuque, IA 5200111
Mail
P.O. Box 5001, Dubuque, IA 52004-500111
Hours
Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm11

Clerk of Court (Iowa District Court for Dubuque County)

Address
720 Central Avenue, Dubuque, IA 520016

Clerk of Court (Iowa District Court for Dubuque County)

Address
720 Central Avenue, Dubuque, IA 520016

Clerk of Court (district court sitting in probate)

Address
720 Central Avenue, Dubuque, IA 520016

Juvenile Court Office

Address
350 W 6th St., Ste 215, Dubuque, IA 520016

Dubuque County Sheriff's Office

Address
Dubuque Law Enforcement Center, 770 Iowa Street, Dubuque, IA 52004-100413
Mail
PO Box 1004, Dubuque, IA 52004-100413

Dubuque County Recorder (county registrar)

Address
720 Central Avenue, P.O. Box 5001, Dubuque, Iowa 52004-50018

Dubuque County Auditor, Commissioner of Elections

Address
880 Central Ave, Dubuque, IA 5200121
Mail
PO Box 5001, Dubuque, IA 5200121
Hours
8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday21

Dubuque County GIS / Mapping

Records that are not online: public records requests

Where to send it
County Auditor is the lawful custodian23
Fees
$0.25 per black-and-white page; colour is shown inconsistently in the policy ($0.30 in the schedule, $0.50 in the worksheet)23

How to write a public records request

Questions people ask

How do I get a copy of a deed in Dubuque County?

The Dubuque County Recorder keeps deed records. To order copies: Recorded documents can be viewed in the office and copies obtained. Contact the Recorder at the courthouse. Plain copies: $1 per page, including faxed or emailed copies. Certified copies: $2 per document; the copy to be certified must be made in the office.293

How much is a birth certificate in Dubuque County?

$20 per certified copy; mailed requests need a notarized signature.8

Where do I get a divorce decree in Dubuque County?

Clerk of Court in the county where the case was filed.14

How much does a marriage license cost in Dubuque County?

$35, including a certified copy of the marriage certificate; three-day waiting period.8

How do I look up who owns a property in Dubuque County?

Use the property search of the Assessor - Dubuque County: beacon.schneidercorp.com4

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any Dubuque County office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Other counties in Iowa with a full guide: Black Hawk County, Dallas County, Johnson County, Linn County, Polk County, Pottawattamie County, Story County, Woodbury County. Every county in the state: Iowa county list.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. Government Units List 2026US Census Bureauchecked November 4, 2026
  2. RecorderDubuque County, Iowachecked November 7, 2026
  3. Recording FeesDubuque County, Iowachecked November 7, 2026
  4. Assessor - Dubuque CountyDubuque County, Iowachecked November 7, 2026
  5. TreasurerDubuque County, Iowachecked November 7, 2026
  6. Dubuque | Judicial District 1Iowa Judicial Branchchecked November 7, 2026
  7. Civil Court FeesIowa Judicial Branchchecked November 7, 2026
  8. Birth, Death, & Marriage CertificatesDubuque County, Iowachecked November 7, 2026
  9. Real Estate InformationDubuque County, Iowachecked November 7, 2026
  10. GIS / MappingDubuque County, Iowachecked November 7, 2026
  11. AuditorDubuque County, Iowachecked November 7, 2026
  12. Public Records RequestsIowa Judicial Branchchecked November 7, 2026
  13. SheriffDubuque County, Iowachecked November 7, 2026
  14. Vital RecordsState Historical Society of Iowachecked November 7, 2026
  15. Iowa Code ch. 633 Probate CodeIowa Legislaturechecked November 7, 2026
  16. Trade Name LawsDubuque County, Iowachecked November 7, 2026
  17. Military Service RecordsDubuque County, Iowachecked November 7, 2026
  18. Assessor - City of DubuqueDubuque County, Iowachecked November 7, 2026
  19. CourthouseDubuque County, Iowachecked November 7, 2026
  20. State Certified Vital RecordsDubuque County, Iowachecked November 7, 2026
  21. Dubuque County Elections (home page)Dubuque County, Iowa (Auditor, Commissioner of Elections)checked November 7, 2026
  22. Public Records RequestDubuque County, Iowachecked November 7, 2026
  23. Public Records Request PolicyDubuque County, Iowachecked November 7, 2026
  24. County population totals: Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025)US Census Bureauchecked November 4, 2026