11-480

11-480. Requirements for form of
instruments

A. Only an instrument which upon presentation to a county recorder for recordation
fails to meet any of the following conditions may be rejected for recordation at the time
of presentation for recordation:

1. Each instrument shall have a caption briefly stating the nature of the
instrument, such as warranty deed, release of mortgage and like captions. The county
recorder shall have no obligation to index any instrument under any subject index
category maintained by the county recorder unless that category is included in the
caption to the instrument.

2. Each instrument shall be an original or a copy of the original and shall be
sufficiently legible for the recorder to make certified copies from the photographic or
micrographic record.

3. Each instrument shall have original signatures except when otherwise provided by
law.

4. Each instrument dated and executed on or after January 1, 1991, shall be no
larger than eight and one-half inches in width and no longer than fourteen inches and
shall have a print size no smaller than ten point type.

B. Each instrument dated and executed on or after January 1, 1991, shall have at
least a one-half inch margin across the top, bottom and the left and right sides from the
top to the bottom. Any markings, entries or text which are within the one-half inch
margin shall be deemed not to impart the notice otherwise imparted by recordation unless
such markings, entries or text appear in the reproduction produced under the direction
and control of the county recorder. Failure to meet the one-half inch margin requirement
of this subsection may affect notice imparted by the document but shall not constitute
grounds for rejection for recordation pursuant to subsection A.

C. The first page shall have a top margin of at least two inches which shall be
reserved for recording information. The left three and one-half inches of the top margin
of the first page or sheet may be used by the public to show the name of the person
requesting recording and the name and address to which the document is to be returned
following recording. If the first page of the instrument does not comply with the top
margin requirements, a separate sheet that meets the requirements and that reflects the
title of the document as required by subsection A, paragraph 1 shall be attached to the
front of the document by the party requesting recording.

D. Any instrument presented to a county recorder for recordation which modifies in
any way the provisions of a previously recorded document must state the date of
recordation and the docket and page of the document being modified.

E. Any instrument accepted for recordation is not subject to a later claim of
invalidity for failure to comply with the requirements of this section.