Cherokee County Recorder's Office

07/22/2026

‼️Good news‼️

Birth records for 1983 have now been added to Iowa's statewide vital records database.

What this means is if you were born in 1983 or later, you can obtain a certified copy of your Iowa birth certificate from any Iowa County Recorder's Office.

If you were born in 1982 or earlier, you'll still need to obtain your birth certificate from the county where your birth occurred.

If you have questions or need assistance obtaining a certified copy of your birth certificate, contact our office!

07/17/2026

🦌 Attention Deer Hunters!

The Iowa DNR has updated deer hunting regulations by dividing the state into two management zones to help the deer population recover.

Zone B includes these northwest Iowa counties:
• Lyon
• Sioux
• O'Brien
• Plymouth
• Woodbury
• Ida
• Crawford
• Shelby

To explain the changes before deer season, the Iowa DNR is hosting four informational meetings:

📍 Aug. 3 – Yellow Smoke Park (near Denison) – 6:00 p.m.
📍 Aug. 4 – Dennis L. Sohl Center (Hinton) – 6:00 p.m.
📍 Aug. 5 – Sandy Hollow Clubhouse (Sioux Center) – 6:00 p.m.
📍 Aug. 6 – Prairie Heritage Center (near Peterson) – 6:00 p.m.

While Cherokee County remains in Zone A, these changes could affect you if you hunt in another county—especially in Zone B. If you plan to hunt this fall, consider attending one of these meetings to learn how the new regulations may impact your season.

07/01/2026

Reminder that effective today, July 1, 2026, the fee for certified copies of vital records in Iowa will increase from $15 to $20 per copy. This includes certified copies of birth, death, and marriage records.

The additional revenue generated from this fee adjustment will help support increased workload and associated costs at the State Medical Examiner’s Office.

06/05/2026

📣Please note that effective July 1, 2026, the fee for certified copies of vital records in Iowa will increase from $15 to $20 per copy. This includes certified copies of birth, death, and marriage records.

The process for obtaining certified copies will remain the same, and the marriage application fee will remain $35.

The additional revenue generated from this fee adjustment will help support increased workload and associated costs at the State Medical Examiner’s Office.

06/01/2026

🐟Iowa's Free Fishing Weekend in 2026 is June 5th through June 7th.

During this weekend, Iowa residents can fish in public waters without a license or trout fee. All other fishing regulations including hook limits and size restrictions still apply. This event is held annually on the first full weekend in June.

05/29/2026

Having an attorney prepare legal documents can ensure the document contains accurate & complete information that the general public can overlook. They also have most up-to-date forms.

However, if you choose to prepare your own documents, please make sure they follow Iowa Document Formatting Standards as required by Iowa Code. Documents that do not meet these standards cannot be accepted for recording.

You can review the Iowa Document Formatting Standards here:https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/331.606B.pdf

04/01/2026

Know the law before you take your off road vehicles out on the roads!

03/26/2026

📢 Starting a Business in Iowa? Don’t Forget to file your Trade Name! If you’re operating a business in Iowa under a name different from your personal legal name, Iowa law requires you to file a Trade Name with the County Recorder’s Office in the county
where your business is located.

🔎 What is a Trade Name?
A trade name (sometimes called a “Doing Business As” or DBA) is the name your business uses that isn’t your own legal name.

📝 Who Needs to File?
Sole proprietors and partnerships operating under a business name must record a Trade Name Statement.

🏢 Where Do You File?
With our office or the County Recorder’s Office in the county where your business is based. Each county maintains its own records.

💲 Fees & Forms:
Filing fees and requirements may vary by county. Contact our office or your local County Recorder’s Office to obtain a form and inquire on the filing fee.

📌 Why It Matters:
Recording your trade name helps ensure transparency and lets the public know who is behind the business.

If you’re launching a new venture or updating your business name, make sure your paperwork is in order! ✔️

Have questions? Reach out to our office for guidance!

03/20/2026

Need a certified copy of a vital record in Iowa?

County Recorder offices can issue certified copies of Iowa birth records (1984–present), Iowa death records (1954–present), and Iowa marriage records (1954–present) at any county Recorder’s office in Iowa. For earlier records or plain paper copies, please contact the county in which the event took place.

If you have questions, give us a call! (712)225-6735.

03/03/2026

Just a reminder as we have seen an increase in these instances:

The ONLY official website for you to renew your passport is travel.state.gov.

If you use any other website, you are being overcharged and it adds an unnecessary step to the process and you basically end up paying double or more to renew.

If you ever have any questions about your passport and the process, please don’t hesitate to call us. We will gladly help!

We recommend the old fashion way - paper application and mail in your renewal since there are so many scam websites out there!

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/renew-online.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawQT2ptleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe8vUftJaMyEv8DVSjl01JLkSsdHjWxZF6uVU4SJWZ29SS5zB43irnHLILxdw_aem_lfIRQnZpqDWX9_Vaf8mD5Q

This page includes information about online passport renewal, and instructions to complete your application. This is the only official page to renew your U.S. passport online.