Show All Answers

1. Where can I purchase a plat book?

Plat books are for sale at the Portage County UW Extension Office:

Portage County Annex Building - 2nd Floor
1462 Strongs Avenue
Stevens Point, WI 54481

Phone: 715-346-1316

2. How do I change my name on my tax bill after a marriage or divorce?

Your name appears as it holds the title. Changing your name requires a legal document to be recorded. We do recommend consulting an attorney or title company when completing these forms. When complete, it should be recorded in our office along with a Real Estate Transfer Form. The fee for recorded documents is $30 per document.

3. Birth, Marriage, Domestic Partnership, Domestic Partnership Termination & Death Certificates

With the new statewide issuance law now in effect, if the vital record you are requesting falls within the dates listed below you can obtain the copies from The Portage County Register of Deeds office despite where the event took place in the state of Wisconsin.

• Records available for statewide issuance:
• Birth Certificates
• Death Certificates - from September 1, 2013 to present
• Marriage Certificates
• Divorce Certificates - January 1, 2016 to present
• Tribal Marriage or Divorce - January 1, 2016 to present

Applications are available on the Vital Records Certificates page. You may call 715-346-1428 or email the Register of Deeds

4. The names of both the husband and wife are on the deed, but now my spouse is deceased. How do I remove my deceased spouse's name from my deed?

The termination of the decedent's interest form (HT-110) and instructions on how to fill it out are available at the Wisconsin Register of Deeds Association forms page on the State of Wisconsin Department of Revenue Website. The completed HT-110 form along with a certified copy of the death Certificate, a copy of the recorded deed, and the tax bill for the year preceding death, a printed receipt of an eRETR once completed - you can access the eRETR at the State of Wisconsin Department of Revenue Website, along with the $30 fee can be mailed or brought in person to the Register of Deeds.

5. How can I record my document?

Mail or drop off at the
Register of Deeds Office
1516 Church Street, Stevens Point
WI 54481.

If coming in person to drop off document(s), any documents received after 3:30 pm will be processed the following day.

• Original document(s)
• E-RETR receipt, if applicable (Required for all conveyance documents
• Check payable to Register of Deeds or cash. No credit or debit accepted

Each document submitted for recording requires a $30 recording fee, regardless of the number of pages. Transfer fee if applicable. This amount will be on your e-RETR receipt. Documents must be completed before submitting them for recording. The owner may prepare these items or hire an attorney or title company. We can not attest to the legality of documents, nor can we assist you in preparing your documents, as we are not attorneys.

6. Where can I get a deed form?

• Visit the Wisconsin Electronic Real Estate Transfer Return (RETR) Instructions (PDF)
• Visit the Wisconsin Register of Deeds Association Website.
• Visit the Revenue Website.

7. How much does it cost to record a document?

Recording fees are $30.00 per document.

8. How do I obtain a copy of my recorded real estate document.

Copies of recorded real estate documents may be acquired in one of the following ways:

Online Using Our Tapestry Application

Use the Tapestry application to search our archive and print your document from the convenience of your home or office computer. Step-by-step instruction guide (PDF).

Tapestry Costs: $8.75 per search. To print, costs are $1.50 for the first page of a document and $1.00 for each additional page. Certified copies are not available via Tapestry, and must be ordered directly from the Portage County Register of Deeds office.

1. Go to www.landrecords.net.
2. Click "Search Now!" to begin your search session.
3. Select State (Wisconsin) and County (Portage).
4. Enter the search criteria. The click "Search".

Note: Each time you click "Search", a charge will be incurred.

You will need to accept a user agreement and enter your credit card information to pay for your session. Upon approval of a $30.00 credit authorization, you will be forwarded to a search results screen where you may view and/or print any document associated with the name you have entered. Upon completion of your session, the $30.00 authorization will be reduced to the actual charges incurred during your session.

For additional information see Tapestry FAQs
Note: Tapestry is not designed to conduct complex searches. Contact the Register of Deeds office at (715) 346-1428 if you have trouble and need assistance locating a record using Tapestry.

By Mail

All requests will be processed on the date received by our office. Document copies are mailed via first-class mail on the next business day. 

To request a document, mail a written request to:

Portage County Register of Deeds
1516 Church St.
Stevens Point, WI 54481

Requests must including all of th the following:

• The type of document you are seeking (and the recorded Document Number, if you have it)
• Specify if you would like a certified copy (must include additional $1 fee for certification)
• Your full name
• Property address
• Telephone number
• Check payable to “Portage County Register of Deeds” for the cost of your request. See Fees & Costs.

In Person

Visit the Register of Deeds office during normal business hours.

Monday through Friday 
7:30 am to 4:30 pm
(Except Holidays)

Fees & Costs

For an exact price quote, please contact the Register of Deeds offfice at (715) 346-1348
Copy charge: $2 for the first page $1 for each additional page of the same document.
Certification: $1 per document (optional, please specify if you would like a certified copy).

Historical Research Requests

Searches of real estate ownership dating back many years through a succession of owners require an appointment made at least 24-hours in advance. Searches of this nature can be very complex and may require many hours of research. Register of Deeds staff will provide guidance to help you use the archive but cannot do the research for you.
We are unable to accommodate visitors without an appointment.

Access to Records for Professional Searches

Laredo is a subscription-based service with a monthly fee paid to the Portage County Register of Deeds for access to Portage County real estate records. This solution is intended for use by real estate professionals and other industry partners that conduct a significant number of real estate searches, and need access to document images on a regular basis. Email the Portage County Register of Deeds Office to establish a subscription.

9. How long does it take to get my deed back?

You will be able to receive recorded documents back electronically!

Swift is a software program designed giving the Portage County Register of Deeds Office the ability to return paper submitted documents electronically via email to the appropriate recipient. Instead of waiting to pick up the document or receive it back via mail, our customers will find their document was recorded and received electronically. The PDF document recorded is sent via email as an attachment and can be saved for convenient electronic real estate record keeping. An extra benefit to submitters is the ability to find out a document was rejected from being recorded nearly instantly. This saves valuable time in preparing and submitting the corrected document.

10. Do I have to come to the courthouse to obtain a birth record?

You may request your birth record via mail. Send a completed birth application including the child's name at birth, the father's name, the mother's maiden name, and the date of birth. Also include your signature, a copy of your driver's license, the address where you want the certificate mailed, and a daytime phone number. A Cashiers Check or Money Order must be included. You can find more information on how to obtain a birth certificate and other vital records on the Birth, Marriage, Domestic Partnership, Domestic Partnership Termination, and Death Certificates page.

11. How much is a copy of a birth certificate?

Birth Certificates are $20 for 1 copy, and $3 for each additional copy of the same record, purchased at the same time.