RecordEASE Web Access
RecordEASE Web Access, provides fast, 24x7 online access to records maintained by the
Hennepin County Recorder/Registrar of Titles Office. This online resource consists of legal
documents primarily related to real estate, such as mortgages, deeds, easements, liens and
plats.
For optimum system performance, we recommend using Internet Explorer 11.0 or higher and
an image viewer. Alternatiff is a commonly used TIFF viewer that can be downloaded from
[Link] If you do not install this viewer, you may need to change your
browser settings to allow pop-ups from our website.
This guide covers what you need to know to search for and view records in RecordEASE Web
Access. When using an electronic copy of this guide, you may click on a topic in the Table of
Contents to go directly to that topic.
If you have questions that are not covered by this guide, contact:
RecordEASE Support Team at recordeasehelp@[Link].
This guide was updated 8/1/2018 to reflect changes to the system.
Watch for this symbol, which marks new information in this guide:
Take note of the ability for external RecordEASE Web subscribers to manage their own
user passwords –see page 21.
Note: If you do not click on Logout
to end your session, the system
may automatically log you out after
60 minutes of inactivity
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Contents (Press CRTL and click mouse over desired topic to bring you directly to the page)
User Groups ............................................................................................................................ 3
Access and Login .................................................................................................................... 3
Searching the Records ............................................................................................................ 4
Past Searches ........................................................................................................................... 5
Expanded View of Document Details................................................................................. 6
Legal Searches ......................................................................................................................... 7
Search by Legal-Addition/Plat Name ............................................................................. 7
Search by Legal-Unplatted ................................................................................................ 9
Search by Legal-Condominium ........................................................................................ 9
Plat and Tract Pages ............................................................................................................. 10
Tract Card – Abstract Only................................................................................................. 12
Search by Name .................................................................................................................... 12
Search by Name .................................................................................................................... 13
Search by Document Information ..................................................................................... 14
Doc Recorded Date ......................................................................................................... 14
Document Group ............................................................................................................ 14
Document Name ............................................................................................................. 14
Document Number ......................................................................................................... 14
Documents Related to Doc # ........................................................................................ 14
Certificate Number .......................................................................................................... 14
Book Type......................................................................................................................... 14
Search by Book Type....................................................................................................... 15
Search by Tax ID/PID (Property Identification Number) ........................................ 15
Search by Tax Address .................................................................................................... 15
Search by Certificate Information ...................................................................................... 16
Certificate Created Date .................................................................................................. 16
Certificate Number .......................................................................................................... 17
Document Group and Document Name ..................................................................... 17
Document Number ......................................................................................................... 17
Document Search Results ................................................................................................... 17
Certificate Search Results .................................................................................................... 19
Printing .................................................................................................................................. 20
Helpful Hints ........................................................................................................................ 21
RecordEASE Subscriber Password Changes .................................................................... 21
Contact Information ............................................................................................................ 21
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User Groups
This Guide provides instructions for four different RecordEASE web access user groups.
Some sections of the guide will specify different information or instructions for different
groups. Identify your group and follow the relevant sections of the guide.
General Public Users: The public may access RecordEASE Web from kiosks located at both
the Skyway Real Estate Service Area and 5th Floor of the Hennepin County Government
Center. No special agreement is required. All printing can be paid for at the customer
service counters.
Hennepin County Users: Hennepin County employees or contractors who require access to
RecordEASE to do their jobs.
Subscribers: Customers with a specific agreement to access RecordEASE Web Access from
their own locations. Subscribers are billed monthly for user activity.
Access and Login
Hennepin County Users Subscribers
URL: [Link] URL: [Link]
User Name: Network login ID
Password: Network Password Login using your User Name and Password,
which can now be changed (see page 21)
General Public Users
The PC will be at the Login screen
Skyway/5th Floor- see flyer by each kiosk stall
Logging in takes you to RecordEASE Web
Access Home.
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Click on one of the External Links on
the left to access detailed instructions
on a specific topic.
The Messages section provides
information about the date through
which documents are available as well
as other important updates.
Click Search in the upper left of the screen to begin a search, or click Logout to end your
session.
Searching the Records
Click Search to open the search screen.
Search by Legal Description, Name, Document/Certificate information or a combination,
such as legal description and name.
You can also specify the Land Type and Result Type.
The defaults are :
Land Type: Both Return Count Limit:
Hennepin County Users: 1000
Result Type: Document Public Users: 1000
Subscribers: 400
Trust Account Users: 1000
You may also choose to Include Canceled Certificates or
search for Only Documents that Transfer Title by
checking the appropriate boxes.
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Past Searches
You will find a link on the left side of the screen under Past Searches. Each time you press the
search button a new link will be added. The system will track your past 10 searches but only for
the current login session. This past search feature will only display history searches where the
“search button” was hit. This will allow you to return to previous searches without incurring any
additional search fees (if you hover your mouse over a Document and Certificate Search it will
show a brief description).
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Expanded View of Document Details
Click on the “+” sign or double click the line item to view details of the document. Any information
highlighted in blue is a link.
Expand All: Click the “Expand All” button to open details of all documents in the search inquiry.
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Legal Searches
When you search by legal, first choose Platted, Unplatted or
Condominium. Platted is the default setting.
Search by Legal-Addition/Plat Name
Type the most unique part of the addition name in the Addition/Plat Name. Press Enter. RecordEASE
will populate the field with the closest match, and you will see a dropdown arrow to browse other
similar addition/plat names:
• Type the most descriptive or unique part of the name
• Avoid any words that may be abbreviated – for example Saint could also be St.
• Avoid punctuation – If you are searching for Fallden’s Fourth Addition, type Fallden
• Use caution with numeric designations such as Fourth, which could also be 4th
Use caution with terms that may or may not include spaces – for example, if you are searching for
Clock Tower Suites, just type the name clock.
Note: Quotation marks are not needed
to search addition names
Note: Click the Clear button to clear the Addition Plat Name.
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The dropdown list for Blocks will automatically populate with the block numbers
electronically associated with the plat. The blank screen is default. If you do not
select a block, the system will return with the following error: “You must select a
block number, None, or All from the block drop down.”
Note: To clear the Blocks field, choose the “blank” at the top.
Use the Outlot/Tract/Other dropdown to search legal platted description, if
applicable.
Click the Search button at the top or bottom of the screen to
view the search results.
Click Clear All to begin a new search.
See Search Results for information about sorting results, viewing document details and viewing
records.
Type in the lot or lots and block.
Enter a range for more than one lot, such as 1-3 in the Lots field, or separate the lots with
commas-1,2.
Do not use spaces.
Type a block number or All in the Blocks field.
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Search by Legal-Unplatted
Complete the Section, Township, Range and QQ fields using the abbreviations such as NE or NESE.
If the legal contains Government Lots, complete that field with numerical lots; 1,2,3,etc.
Click the Search button at the top or bottom of the screen to see the results.
As with Platted, select a Land Type to view a Tract page. (Remove QQ or government lots to search tract
page for best results.)
Search by Legal-Condominium
The Condominium/CIC (Common Interest Community) search works just like the platted search,
however you may also use the condo number to search—simply type the condo number and press
enter. RecordEASE will return the condominium name. At this point you may search by Unit
number and/or building number if applicable.
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Plat and Tract Pages
Below the Plat Name field are two buttons:
To view a Plat, select Land Type both.
Complete the Addition/Plat name, then click the Plat button.
Plats recorded from 1850 to present day are available to view through RecordEASE Web.
Tract Page is an image of the old paper indexes.
To view a Tract Page you must select a Land Type--Abstract or Torrens.
Complete the Plat Name, Blocks and Lots fields, as appropriate, and click Tract Page.
We have now completed the conversion of all historical tract index pages dating back to 1850.
These images are available through RecordEASE Web.
Here is a screenshot of an example of how you can access images for tract pages added during our
Microfilm Conversion Project.
Saint Louis Park- Block 1
Note: You may not find all block numbers displayed in the search screen block drop down menu, but
when you select “All” on the search screen block drop down menu and then search, you will then
have an option to pick and choose additional blocks from the document image.
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You may now see two documents returned on the results screen.
In most cases the historical records will appear on Document 1. You need to use the drop down
menu to select the page you would like to view.
The electronic indexes began in 1988. Documents recorded prior to 1988 and Certificates of Title
that were canceled prior to 1988 are searchable by document number or certificate number only.
If you do not know the document number, obtain the legal description and complete a tract page
search to find the document number.
Exception: Torrens documents that were memorialized to a Certificate of Title that was current in
1988 (at the time of conversion to electronic indexes) are searchable by any criteria.
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Tract Card – Abstract Only
The Abstract Tract
Card view allows you
to see the recording
history for a specific
legal description in
the same format as
the Tract Page for
documents recorded
from 1988 to present
day
The table shows the required Platted Plat name and block. Lot is
information for each type of optional.
search. Unplatted Section, township and range
You may further refine a Condominium Condo name and building.
platted search by including the Unit is optional.
lot number or numbers , and a
condominium search by
including the unit number or
numbers.
Note: If you do not specify lots or units, RecordEASE will return the first 10 lots or units.
Unplatted Tract Card Searches
Enter the section, township and range. If you enter the quarter quarter sections (QQs), it will not
impact your results. All quarters will be shown in the results whether you specify QQs or not.
Search by Name
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Search by Name
Document Result Type
Selected
To search by name (person),
enter the Grantor or Grantee
name, or enter a Grantor and
Grantee name to refine the
search.
The Name search defaults to
Person; select Entity to
search by an entity name,
such as a bank, company,
corporation, trustee or trust.
Search for a person or entity
as Grantor or Grantee by
selecting or. This will change
the Grantor and Grantee
search fields to a single field
for both: Grantor/ee.
Certificate Search Result
Type Selected
Enter the Fee Owner name.
As with the Document Type,
the Name search defaults to
Person; select Entity to
search by an entity name,
such as a bank.
Enter the first part of the name. RecordEASE will retrieve all names that start with the characters
you entered.
For example, if you enter Joe Johnson, RecordEASE will retrieve Joe, Joel and Joette Johnson, but
not Joseph Johnson.
Do not use punctuation, such as a period after a middle initial.
Exact, Sound Ex and Alias Search
These boxes do not need to be checked but can be used to refine your search or if the exact
spelling is unknown.
Exact: Search for exact matches to the information you have entered.
SoundEx: If you are uncertain of the exact spelling. For example, if you enter the
last name of “Olson” it will return results including “Olsen.” The first name of
“John” would include results such as Jean, Joan, and Jon.
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Search by Document Information
Doc Recorded Date: The date that the document was recorded. Enter a date, including the
slashes and all 4 digits of the year, or click the calendar icon to select a date. (Examples:
1/5/2008 or 10/18/2008)
Document Group: General categories of documents such as Assignments or Deeds. Use the
drop-down to select a document group. When you select a document group, you will see only
documents in that group in the document name field.
Document Name: Specific document names such as Assignment of Mortgage or Warranty Deed.
Use the dropdown to select a document name. If you selected a Document Group, you will only
see names of documents in that group.
Document Number: Search for a specific document number or a range of document numbers.
Documents Related to Doc #: Search for documents that reference the document number
entered. For example, if you enter the document number of a Mortgage, this search will show
assignments and satisfactions linked to that Mortgage.
Certificate Number: Search a specific or range of certificate numbers to view the certificate.
Note: If you are using search criteria that allows a range—Doc Rec Date, Document Number
and Certificate Number—Enter the data in the first field and press tab to auto-fill the same data
in the second field. If you would like to search for a range, edit the to field to show a number
greater than the first field. If the to field is left blank, RecordEASE will retrieve all matches equal
or greater than the number in the first field.
Book Type: Search for historic Abstract documents by their book/page designation.
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Search by Book Type
Select form the Book Type drop down, enter the book number/page and hit <Search>. From
the results page, select the returned records to view the page you selected and the next four
from the book in sequence.
Note: Don’t enter leading zeros in either book number page fields.
Search by Tax ID/PID (Property Identification Number)
Note: This search offers as an alternative means of information. It has limitations driven by the
integration of RecordEASE and our Property Tax System.
Enter the 13 digit Property Identification Number with no dashes or spaces and press
<Search>.
Search by Tax Address
Note: This search offers as an alternative means of information. It has limitations driven by
the integration of RecordEASE and our Property Tax System
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Enter the house or building number and partial street name (at least 3 characters of street
name) and press <Enter>. Note: Less is better for more results
This creates a drop down list of addresses.
Select the address then click on Search.
Search by Certificate Information
To view a certificate of title, select the Certificate radio
button under Result Type.
If you are not certain that the certificate you are searching
for is the current certificate, or if you would like to see the
history, click the Include Canceled Certs checkbox.
Selecting the Certificate radio button will change the Doc Rec Date to Cert Created Date.
Certificate Created Date: Search by the date that the certificate was created. Enter a date or
date range, including the slashes and all 4 digits of the year, or click the calendar icon to select a
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date. (Examples: 1/5/2015 or 10/18/2015). This search will return all certificates created in that
date range.
Certificate Number: Search for a specific certificate number or a range of certificate numbers.
You must select the certificate result type.
Document Group and Document Name: Narrow a certificate search by specifying a type of
document filed on or against them.
Document Number: Use this field to search for all certificates to which a particular document
has been memorialized.
Document Search Results
The search results will be listed by the oldest document first (this is the default). You can sort the
results by clicking on any of the column headers. Click on View Image to view a document
image. Download Results will give you the option of printing and/or saving the worksheet at no
additional cost. Plat will bring up the actual plat. Note: The system will return up to 1,000
results. If there are more than 1,000 you will see the following on your screen and will need to
refine your search: Results
Hennepin County Users and Subscribers
Note the instructions below the Download Results Button.
To view a document image, click View Image.
Click Back to Search Page to return to
your search. Do not use the Back
button in your browser.
Click Download Results to view a
printable search results list.
On the printable results screen, use the button bar at the top to print, save a copy, move between
pages or resize.
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Trust Account Users and General Public Users
Click Back to Search
Page to return to
your search. Do not
use the Back button
in your browser.
Click Print Results
to print if you are a
Trust Account User.
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Certificate Search Results
As with the document search results; you can click on any column to sort the columns.
To view a certificate, click View Certificate.
Certificate and
Document
numbers that
appear on the
Certificate of
Title in blue
text are links to
that record.
This could
include:
o Transfer From Certificate Number o Memorials
o Created by Document Number o Transfer to Certificate (on Cancelled
Certificates)
If a document or certificate number does not link, it means you will have to view the image from
the search screen if it was imaged or cancelled prior to 1988.
If there is no Transfer From number, the certificate you are viewing is the First Certificate.
Trust Account Users
The screen will have a slightly different appearance. You may Print Certificate without viewing.
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Printing
Hennepin County Users
Documents: Use the File menu or the printer icon.
Certificates: click the Download Report button to open the printable
version, then click the printer icon.
Search Results lists: Click the Download Results button to open a
printable version, then click the printer icon.
General Public Kiosk Users
Note: All printing is defaulted to letter size
printer paper
When you choose to print a document image,
plat map or tract page, a Print Document box
will open
This box also shows a summary of printing
costs.
Next, a Print Confirmation box will appear.
This box will confirm the print selections and the
cost for those selections.
You will receive only the Print Confirmation box
when you print certificates, document details
and tract card.
Print Pick-up and Payment
Skyway/5th Floor- customer service counters
General Public Users
The general public now has the ability to print from the kiosks and pick up
materials at the Skyway or 5th floor customer service counters. Staff will
retrieve the prints and collect the printing fees. Let staff know which station
you are printing from.
Subscribers
Charges are incurred when you view/download a document or certificate, but not for printing.
Please refer to the fee schedule in your contract for details
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Helpful Hints
If you obtain unexpected results when performing a search, click Search at the top of the screen,
or click the Clear All button.
There are many ways to refine your search, including searching using a combination of fields,
selecting a land type or a result type, or limiting your return count limit.
If you obtain unexpected results when performing a search, click Search at the top of the screen,
or click the Clear All button.
Please review the online help available under External Links in RecordEASE Web Access for
assistance with specific types of searches.
RecordEASE Subscriber Password Changes
RecordEASE Web subscribers can now manage their own user passwords.
Access the “Change Password” option in the User Admin section on the homepage
Follow the instructions given:
Contact Information
If you have technical questions or business questions not covered by this guide, please contact
the RecordEASE Support Team at recordeasehelp@[Link].
Trust Account Users and the General Public accessing RecordEASE from the Skyway or 5th floor
records area; please see the Service Counter Staff for questions or technical assistance.
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