Recorder’s Office

VITAL RECORDS REQUEST

Please use this link to obtain the application for a vital record https://hhs.iowa.gov/programs/vital-records/how-request-certified-record. Once you have opened the link, go to how to request a certified record at the top left. Then scroll down to the PDF listed under how to request a certified record by mail and you can open the PDF and print it off. Please fill the form out and sign it in front of a notary, include a copy of your driver’s license and a check or money order made payable to the Cass County Recorder. Please send all of this to our office at Cass County Recorder, 5 W 7th St, Atlantic, IA 50022. Please contact our office at 712-243-1692 to find out what records are available in our county. Please be advised that requests sent directly to the Iowa Department of Public Health in Des Moines are taking approximately 6 to 8 weeks.

DOWNLOADABLE FORMS

• Application for Certified Copy or Photocopy of Military Record
• Application for Registration, Title and Security Interest
• Bill of Sale for ATV, ORV, Boat, or Snowmobile
• Real Estate Transfer Tax Tables
• Groundwater Hazard Statement Instructions
• Groundwater Hazard Statement Form
• Declaration of Value (Fillable)
• Division of Land Process Form

About the Recorders Office

The Office of the Iowa County Recorder was created by the First Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Iowa in 1839. Since the creation of the County Recorder’s office, numerous additional responsibilities have been added over the years. The County Recorder is responsible for land and records management, maintaining and recording a wide variety of official documents affecting real estate and numerous other valuable miscellaneous documents. The office collects real estate transfer tax for the Iowa Department of Revenue and collects and reports the County Auditor’s fee on transfer of property. The Recorder’s office serves as a licensing agent for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources by issuing fishing and hunting licenses, and registering and titling boats, snowmobiles, and ORV’s.  The DNR has implemented a new statewide program to register boats, snowmobiles, and ORV’s called RVVRS. Since this is a statewide program it has made it easier for every county recorder to see where units have previously been registered and has reduced the possibilities of errors. As of July, 1997 the Recorder’s office is the County Registrar of Vital Records and has the responsibility of issuing Marriage Licenses, registering Birth, Death and Marriage Certificates and issuing certified copies of Vital Records. The Department of Public Health has implemented a new statewide system for deaths and marriage records. This allows any county recorder in Iowa to issue death and marriage records back to 1954 rather than having to go to the county where the event occurred. The Department of Public Health is working on the next phase of this program, which is to have a statewide program for births back to 1954. They currently have a statewide system for births from 1986 to current. The Recorder’s duties are defined by state statutes and established by state agencies through administrative actions. The County Recorder works with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa Department of Revenue, and the Iowa Department of Public Health. Detailed reports are filed monthly and annually to the county and to the state agencies. The Cass County Recorder’s Office DOES NOT:

• provide legal services
• prepare legal documents

The Cass County Recorder’s office can now accept Visa and MasterCard payments.