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Washington County, Minnesota public records

In Washington County, deeds are recorded by the County Recorder; property values come from the County Assessor; court files are kept by the Washington County District Court - Court Administration.

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. Historical records
  11. Good to know about Washington County records
  12. Office addresses, phones and hours
  13. Records that are not online: public records requests
  14. Questions people ask
  15. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  16. Sources

Where to get each record

RecordOfficeSearch onlineFee
Deeds and land recordsCounty Recorder2Search deeds2$1 per page paper copies; $1.50 per document by email (pre-payment required)2
Property values and ownersCounty Assessor3——
Property tax billsTaxpayer Services4Tax bill search4—
Court casesWashington County District Court - Court Administration5—Certified copies generally $14 per document; uncertified copies free6
Marriage recordsWashington County Vital Records (records from 1870); kept by the county that issued the license7—$10 certified copy7
Divorce recordsWashington County District Court (family)8——
Birth certificatesWashington County Vital Records (any Minnesota birth); county records from 18709—$26 first certified copy; $19 each additional at the same time; non-certified $13 / $69
Death certificatesWashington County Vital Records; county death records 1870-1997 only at the Government Center9—$13 first certified copy; $6 each additional at the same time9
Probate and willsWashington County District Court - Probate8——
Business names (DBA)Statewide: Assumed names are filed with the Secretary of State, not the county10——

Deeds and land records

Deeds, mortgages and other land documents for property in Washington County are recorded by the County Recorder (Property Records, within Property Records and Taxpayer Services).2

Cost
Account2
Who runs it
RecordEASE (county-hosted at prweb.co.washington.mn.us)2
Online fees
Occasional user $3.25 per login/session; subscription $30 per month; search $0.50 each; documents $1.50 each; certificates of title, tract page, tract cards $2.50 each; recorded plat $5 each2
Copy fee
$1 per page paper copies; $1.50 per document by email (pre-payment required)2
Certified copy fee
$10 certified copy; $15 certified plat; attested copy $22
How to order
Research in person at the Public Research Room (Government Center, first floor) or by RecordEASE subscription; copies by mail or email with pre-payment2
Recording fee
Deeds & mortgages $46; state deed tax $3.30 per thousand; mortgage registration tax $2.30 per thousand; conservation fee $5; well certificate $542
Electronic recording
ePN, Simplifile, CSC eRecording Solutions, Indecomm Global Services2
Torrens
Abstract and Torrens systems; Examiner of Titles (court-appointed) reviews Torrens documents; directive or approval $200; proceeding subsequent $5002
Racial covenants
Discharge of racial covenants: no recording fee2

How deeds work in Minnesota

Property values, owners and tax bills

The County Assessor sets property values3; the Taxpayer Services (Property Records and Taxpayer Services) bills and collects the tax4.

Property search
Property Information Search (washington.minnesotaassessors.com, linked from the county site)11
Tax bill search
mn-washington.publicaccessnow.com (search statement, pay online; eCheck $0.75, card 2.35% min $1.49)4
Parcel map (GIS)
Property Maps - GIS Viewer2
Appealing a value
Call the Assessor (651-430-6175); in-person property review; Local Board of Appeal and Equalization or Open Book meeting; then County Board of Appeal and Equalization12
Calendar
Property assessed January 2; valuation notice and tax statement mailed by March 31; proposed tax notice mid-November4
Parcel data
Parcel transfers, parcel changes and foreclosure data downloadable (XLSX) on the Property Records page2

How property tax works in Minnesota

Court records: which clerk keeps which case

CourtCasesRecords kept byCase search
Washington County District Court (Tenth Judicial District)Civil, criminal, traffic, family, probate and juvenileWashington County District Court - Court Administration (Tenth Judicial District) Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO), statewide; court records line 651-413-8030 option 613
Fees
Certified copies generally $14 per document; uncertified copies free6

Criminal records and background checks

Court records
District Court criminal records via MCRO or Court Administration; Criminal/Traffic Violations Bureau 651-413-81338

How Minnesota courts keep their files

Marriage records

Washington County Vital Records (records from 1870); kept by the county that issued the license7

Fee
$10 certified copy7
Marriage license
License $125, or $50 with premarital education statement; cash or check7
MOMS
Washington County does not participate in the statewide MOMS marriage index14

Minnesota marriage records, statewide

Divorce records

Kept by: Washington County District Court (family)8

Minnesota divorce records: decree or state record

Birth certificates

Washington County Vital Records (any Minnesota birth); county records from 18709

Fee
$26 first certified copy; $19 each additional at the same time; non-certified $13 / $69
How to order
Mail or in person; same-day in person at Cottage Grove, Headwaters or Government Center; cash (in person), check or money order9

Ordering a Minnesota birth certificate

Death certificates

Washington County Vital Records; county death records 1870-1997 only at the Government Center9

Fee
$13 first certified copy; $6 each additional at the same time9

Ordering a Minnesota death certificate

Probate records and wills

Kept by: Washington County District Court, Probate (651-413-8131)8

Finding a will or probate case in Minnesota

Historical records

Survey
County Surveyor archive of survey records, maps and plats from 184715
Historic courthouse
Historic Courthouse (1870) in Stillwater, oldest standing courthouse in Minnesota, now a county parks history site16

Good to know about Washington County records

  • Washington County marriage records are not in the statewide MOMS index; order them from the county (records from 1870).14
  • The 1870 Historic Courthouse in Stillwater is the oldest standing courthouse in Minnesota; county offices moved to the Government Center in 1975.16
  • Land records come in two systems, abstract and Torrens; most county property is abstract.2
  • Owners can discharge racial covenants from old deeds at no recording fee.2
  • Recorder, assessor, tax, vital records, elections and licensing are combined in one Property Records and Taxpayer Services department.17

Office addresses, phones and hours

County Recorder (Property Records, within Property Records and Taxpayer Services)

Address
Washington County Government Center, 14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 55082 (Public Research Room, first floor)2
Mail
Washington County Property Records, 14949 62nd Street North, P.O. Box 6, Stillwater, MN 550822
Hours
Office Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.; Public Research Room 8 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.2

County Assessor

Address
Washington County Government Center, 14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 550823
Phone
651-275-7515 (County Assessor); value questions 651-430-61753
Hours
Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.3

Taxpayer Services (Property Records and Taxpayer Services)

Address
Washington County Government Center, 14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 5508217
Mail
Washington County Taxpayer Services, 14949 62nd St. N., P.O. Box 200, Stillwater, MN 55082-0200 (tax payments)4
Hours
Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.17

Washington County District Court - Court Administration (Tenth Judicial District)

Address
Washington County Courthouse, 14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 550825
Mail
14949 62nd Street North, P.O. Box 3802, Stillwater, MN 550825
Phone
(651) 413-8030; civil 651-413-8131; court records 651-413-8030 option 68
Hours
Mon - Fri, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.5

Washington County District Court - Court Administration (criminal/traffic)

Address
14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 550828
Phone
651-413-8133 (Criminal/Traffic Violations Bureau)8
Hours
Mon - Fri, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.5

Washington County District Court - Probate

Address
14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 550828

Washington County District Court - Family Court

Address
14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 550828

Taxpayer Services - Vital Records (Property Records and Taxpayer Services)

Address
Washington County Government Center, 14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 55082; also Cottage Grove and Headwaters (Forest Lake) Service Centers for same-day certificates9
Mail
Washington County Property Records and Taxpayer Services, ATTN Vital Records, 14949 62nd Street N., P.O. Box 6, Stillwater, MN 550829
Hours
Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.9

Elections Administration

Address
Washington County Government Center, 14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 5508218
Hours
Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.18

Records that are not online: public records requests

Where to send it
[email protected]19

How to write a public records request

Questions people ask

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

The County Recorder (Property Records, within Property Records and Taxpayer Services) keeps deed records. To order copies: Research in person at the Public Research Room (Government Center, first floor) or by RecordEASE subscription; copies by mail or email with pre-payment. Plain copies: $1 per page paper copies; $1.50 per document by email (pre-payment required). Certified copies: $10 certified copy; $15 certified plat; attested copy $2.2

Where do I get a divorce decree in Washington County?

Divorce decrees are court records; ask the Washington County District Court (family).8

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 Washington County office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Other counties in Minnesota with a full guide: Anoka County, Carver County, Dakota County, Hennepin County, Olmsted County, Ramsey County, Wright County. Every county in the state: Minnesota county list. Looking for another Washington County? Washington County, Arkansas; Washington County, Maryland; Washington County, Ohio; Washington County, Oregon; Washington County, Pennsylvania; Washington County, Rhode Island; Washington County, Tennessee; Washington County, Utah; Washington County, Wisconsin.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from; all 20 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. Property Records (County Recorder)Washington County, Minnesota
  3. Assessment and ValuesWashington County, Minnesota
  4. Property TaxWashington County, Minnesota
  5. Washington County District CourtMinnesota Judicial Branch
  6. Copy RequestsMinnesota Judicial Branch
  7. Marriage ServicesWashington County, Minnesota
  8. Court AdministrationWashington County, Minnesota
  9. Birth and Death RecordsWashington County, Minnesota
  10. Minn. Stat. 333.01 Commercial assumed namesMinnesota Revisor of Statutes
  11. Site MapWashington County, Minnesota
  12. Appealing Your Property ValueWashington County, Minnesota
  13. Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO)Minnesota Judicial Branch
  14. Minnesota Official Marriage SystemMinnesota counties (linked from MDH)
  15. Survey - ArchivesWashington County, Minnesota
  16. Historic CourthouseWashington County, Minnesota
  17. Property Records and Taxpayer ServicesWashington County, Minnesota
  18. Elections & VotingWashington County, Minnesota
  19. Data PracticesWashington County, Minnesota
  20. County population totals: Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025)US Census Bureau