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Woodbury County, Iowa public records

In Woodbury County, deeds are recorded by the Recorder; property values come from the County Assessor; 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 Woodbury 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 recordsRecorder4Search deeds2$.50 per page3
Property values and ownersCounty Assessor4Property search5—
Property tax billsTreasurer4Tax bill search6—
Court casesClerk of Court4—Copies $0.50 per page; certification and seal $50 per court document (Iowa Judicial Branch fee table, updated for 2026 legislative changes).7
Marriage recordsRecorder - Vital Records9—Certified copy fee: $20.00 each8
Divorce recordsClerk of Court4—Court copies $0.50/page; certified (certificate and seal) $50 per document per the Judicial Branch 2026 fee table.7
Birth certificatesRecorder - Vital Records9—Certified copy fee: $20.00 each10
Death certificatesRecorder - Vital Records9—Certified copy fee: $20.00 each11
Probate and willsClerk of Court4——
Business names (DBA)Recorder4——

Deeds and land records

Deeds, mortgages and other land documents for property in Woodbury County are recorded by the Recorder (combined Auditor & Recorder office).4

Years online
Index and images from June 1994 to present; new items uploaded within 48 hours of recording2
Older index search: cost quote
Search, view and print document images at no cost2
Older index search: years online
Deeds index 1/1/1970 - 5/31/1994; images January 3, 1972 - May 31, 1994; Auditor Transfer Books 1960 - February 24, 20202
Office holdings
Book index 1880 through May 1994 in the office; computer index June 1994 to present; scanned images January 1972 to present2
Copy fee
$.50 per page3
Certified copy fee
$5.00 per document plus $.50 per page3
Recording fee
$7.00 first page plus $5.00 each additional page; conveyances add $5.00 Auditor's Fee per addition, section or block3
How to order
Copies in the office; all recording, copy and fax fees paid in advance3
Liens
Federal tax lien search $6.00 per name; copy $5.00 per page; UCC search $5 per name3

How deeds work in Iowa

Property values, owners and tax bills

The County Assessor (all of the county except Sioux City) sets property values4; the Treasurer bills and collects the tax4.

Tax search: how
Search by name, address or 12-digit parcel number6
Appealing a value
Petition to the local Board of Review, April 2 to April 30; informal review with the assessor April 2 - April 2512
Tax due
First half due September 1 (delinquent October 1); second half due March 1 (delinquent April 1)6

How property tax works in Iowa

Court records: which clerk keeps which case

CourtCasesRecords kept byCase search
Iowa District Court for Woodbury County (Judicial District 3)Felony, civil, family, probate and other trial court cases, per Iowa's unified district court in the state recordClerk of Court (Iowa District Court, Woodbury County) Iowa Courts Online Search (free): the trial-court Case Search (statewide; by name, case ID or citation number) is available to all users; the trial-court Advanced Case Search (by county, up-to-the-minute) and Schedule Search are for registered users only; registered users are limited to 1,000 searches per calendar day. Case documents are viewable at the public terminal in the courthouse.14Free search
Juvenile Court OfficeJuvenile court office, 822 Douglas——
Fees
Copies $0.50 per page; certification and seal $50 per court document (Iowa Judicial Branch fee table, updated for 2026 legislative changes).7

Criminal records and background checks

Which court
Clerk of Court, 712-279-661115
State check
$15 per last name (separate form and payment for each).16

How Iowa courts keep their files

Marriage records

Kept by the Recorder - Vital Records.9

Years held
Marriage records from 1880 to present; 1921-1941 may not be accurate or complete8
Certified copy fee
$20.00 each8
Uncertified fee
50 cents each; cannot be mailed8
Who may order
Own record, or mother, father, sister, brother, spouse, grandmother, grandfather or child8
How to order
In person with current government photo ID, or by mail with money order only, a notarized signature, a copy of photo ID and a statement of tangible interest8
State alternative
Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Health Statistics, Lucas State Office Building, 1st Floor, 321 E. 12th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319-00758
Marriage license fee
$35.00, includes a certified copy8
License hours
8:00 a.m. - 3:30 pm., Monday - Friday8
License rules
Couple and one witness (18 or older) appear in person with photo ID; 3-day waiting period8

Iowa marriage records, statewide

Divorce records

Clerk of Court in the county where the case was filed; Iowa HHS holds divorce vital statistics under 75 years old18

Copy fee
Court copies $0.50/page; certified (certificate and seal) $50 per document per the Judicial Branch 2026 fee table.7

Iowa divorce records: decree or state record

Birth certificates

Kept by the Recorder - Vital Records.9

Years held
Birth records from 1880 to present; 1921-1941 may not be accurate or complete10
Certified copy fee
$20.00 each10
Uncertified fee
50 cents each; cannot be mailed10
Who may order
Own record, or mother, father, sister, brother, spouse, grandmother, grandfather or child10
How to order
In person with current government photo ID, or by mail with money order only, a notarized signature, a copy of photo ID and a statement of tangible interest10
State alternative
Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Health Statistics, Lucas State Office Building, 1st Floor, 321 E. 12th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319-007510

Ordering an Iowa birth certificate

Death certificates

Kept by the Recorder - Vital Records.9

Years held
Death records from 1880 to present; 1921-1941 may not be accurate or complete11
Certified copy fee
$20.00 each11
Uncertified fee
50 cents each; cannot be mailed11
Who may order
Own record, or mother, father, sister, brother, spouse, grandmother, grandfather or child11
How to order
In person with current government photo ID, or by mail with money order only, a notarized signature, a copy of photo ID and a statement of tangible interest11
State alternative
Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Health Statistics, Lucas State Office Building, 1st Floor, 321 E. 12th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319-007511

Ordering an Iowa death certificate

Probate records and wills

Iowa District Court sitting in probate; files kept by the Clerk of District Court in the county.19

Finding a will or probate case in Iowa

Business names (DBA)

Trade names are recorded by the Recorder2

Index
Trade Names index 1954 - 6/30/1994 on the Online Index Book site2

Voter records

Kept by the Auditor & Elections.4

Check your registration
sos.iowa.gov/…20
Lists
Voter lists are sold to anyone for limited purposes (requesting votes, genuine political purpose, bona fide political research, official purposes); commercial use is a serious misdemeanor. Statewide lists from the Secretary of State; county auditors produce lists for their districts.21

Historical records

County
Real estate records began in the mid-1800s; plat and transfer books kept for public view22
State
State Historical Society of Iowa / State Archives (history.iowa.gov). The Des Moines Research Center is open; the Iowa City Research Center closed to the public on December 31, 2025 (litigation over the building is ongoing; some Des Moines-held items can be viewed at the University of Iowa by request). SHSI holds county records on microfilm (births, marriages, deaths, wills, probates, naturalization papers, land deeds) and state vital records in the State Archives (RG 48): birth/marriage/divorce 75+ years old, death 50+.23

Good to know about Woodbury County records

  • Combined Auditor and Recorder office, one of two in Iowa, by popular vote in 1994, effective January 1, 19959
  • Separate assessors: a County Assessor and a Sioux City Assessor, both in the courthouse17
  • Earlier county seats: Thompsonville, then Sergeant Bluff from 1853, then Sioux City from 185624
  • Vital records duties were added to the Recorder's Office on July 1, 199710
  • Official drainage records: over 22 main ditches and 61 lateral ditches22
  • Satellite Treasurer office at the 'Little Courthouse', 105 N. 2nd St., Anthon25

Office addresses, phones and hours

Recorder (combined Auditor & Recorder office)

Address
620 Douglas St., Room 106, Sioux City, IA 511019
Hours
Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.9

Recorder - Vital Records

Address
620 Douglas St., Room 106, Sioux City, IA 511019
Hours
Certified-copy applications taken 8:00am to 4:10pm, Monday through Friday except legal holidays10

County Assessor (all of the county except Sioux City)

Address
620 Douglas St., Room 703, Sioux City, IA 511015
Mail
Woodbury County Assessor's Office, 620 Douglas St., Room 703, Sioux City, IA 5110112
Hours
Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.5

Sioux City Assessor

Address
620 Douglas St., Fifth Floor, Sioux City, IA 5110126
Hours
Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.26

Treasurer

Address
Trosper Hoyt Building, 822 Douglas St., Suite 102, Sioux City, Iowa 5110125
Mail
Woodbury County Treasurer, 822 Douglas St Room 102, Sioux City, IA 511016
Phone
712-279-6495 (Property Tax)25
Hours
Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.; satellite office closed 12:45 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.25

Auditor & Elections (Auditor, Recorder and Commissioner of Elections)

Address
620 Douglas St., Room 103, Sioux City, IA 5110113
Hours
Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.13

Clerk of Court (Iowa District Court, Woodbury County)

Address
620 Douglas Street, Room 101, Sioux City, IA 5110115

Clerk of Court (Iowa District Court, Woodbury County)

Address
620 Douglas Street, Room 101, Sioux City, IA 5110115

Clerk of Court (district court sitting in probate)

Address
620 Douglas Street, Room 101, Sioux City, IA 5110115

Clerk of Court (dissolution of marriage cases)

Address
620 Douglas Street, Room 101, Sioux City, IA 5110115

Sheriff

Address
Law Enforcement Center, 3701 28th Street, Sioux City, IA 5110527
Hours
Monday - Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.; Friday 8:00 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.27

Auditor & Elections

Address
620 Douglas St., Room 103, Sioux City, IA 5110113
Hours
Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.13

Records that are not online: public records requests

How to write a public records request

Questions people ask

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

The Recorder (combined Auditor & Recorder office) keeps deed records. To order copies: Copies in the office; all recording, copy and fax fees paid in advance. Plain copies: $.50 per page. Certified copies: $5.00 per document plus $.50 per page.43

Where do I get a divorce decree in Woodbury County?

Clerk of Court in the county where the case was filed; Iowa HHS holds divorce vital statistics under 75 years old.18

How much does a marriage license cost in Woodbury County?

$35.00, includes a certified copy.8

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

Use the property search of the County Assessor (all of the county except Sioux City): beacon.schneidercorp.com/Application.aspx5

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 Woodbury 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, Dubuque County, Johnson County, Linn County, Polk County, Pottawattamie County, Story County. Every county in the state: Iowa county list.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from; all 28 sources were checked on November 4, 2026. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. Government Units List 2026US Census Bureau
  2. Land and Records ManagementWoodbury County, Iowa
  3. Recording FeesWoodbury County, Iowa
  4. Woodbury County homeWoodbury County, Iowa
  5. Assessor (County)Woodbury County, Iowa
  6. Payment Methods & Due DatesWoodbury County, Iowa
  7. Civil Court FeesIowa Judicial Branch
  8. Marriage Records & LicensesWoodbury County, Iowa
  9. RecorderWoodbury County, Iowa
  10. Birth RecordsWoodbury County, Iowa
  11. Death RecordsWoodbury County, Iowa
  12. Valuation AppealWoodbury County, Iowa
  13. Auditor & ElectionsWoodbury County, Iowa
  14. Iowa Courts Online Search - Search SelectionIowa Judicial Branch
  15. Woodbury | Judicial District 3Iowa Judicial Branch
  16. Criminal History Record Check InformationIowa Department of Public Safety, Division of Criminal Investigation
  17. DepartmentsWoodbury County, Iowa
  18. Vital RecordsState Historical Society of Iowa
  19. Iowa Code ch. 633 Probate CodeIowa Legislature
  20. Elections siteWoodbury County, Iowa
  21. Voter Registration List RequestsIowa Secretary of State
  22. Real EstateWoodbury County, Iowa
  23. County RecordsState Historical Society of Iowa
  24. AboutWoodbury County, Iowa
  25. TreasurerWoodbury County, Iowa
  26. Assessor (Sioux City)Woodbury County, Iowa
  27. SheriffWoodbury County, Iowa
  28. County population totals: Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025)US Census Bureau