eRecording in Washington, D.C., DC

Washington, D.C. estimated recording costs

Estimated county charges, verified September 2026 against the DC Recorder of Deeds general recording requirements and fees. Counties change fees without notice — we confirm the exact amount on your invoice before anything is submitted. Documentary, transfer, and other statutory taxes are not included in this estimate; when taxes are due on your document, the total will be higher.

• • Recordation and transfer taxes are assessed separately on the FP-7/C form and are not part of the flat recording fee.
• • The $5 surcharge under DC Code §42-1211 applies on top of every base recording fee.
• • Deeds recorded more than 30 days after execution carry a $250 penalty, so timing matters.

Our flat $58 service fee is billed on top of the county charges, itemized on one invoice. No subscription, no monthly minimum, no per-seat software fee — you pay only when you record, and you approve the invoice first. One-time submissions are welcome; there is no minimum volume and nothing to sign up for.

Documents we record in Washington, D.C.

• Deeds and deed corrections
• Deeds of trust and mortgages
• Modifications and amendments
• Releases and satisfactions
• Long-term leases (30 years or more)
• UCC financing statements
• Condominium and plat documents
• Powers of attorney

Formatting rules that cause rejections here

1. 1

   Every deed must be accompanied by a completed FP-7/C Real Property Recordation and Transfer Tax form.

2. 2

   Use letter-size paper and leave the top 3" of the first page clear for the recording stamp.

3. 3

   Include the square, suffix, and lot numbers for the property, plus the names and addresses of all parties.

4. 4

   Deeds must be recorded within 30 days of execution — later filings carry a $250 penalty.

5. 5

   Signatures must be original and notarized with a complete District of Columbia acknowledgment.

How to record a deed in Washington, D.C., DC

Recording a deed with the DC Office of the Recorder of Deeds (Office of Tax and Revenue) electronically takes six steps. You do not need an account, software, or a trip to the recorder's office.

1. 1

   Prepare and sign the deed

   Complete the deed with the full legal description, the grantor and grantee names, and the return-to address. Sign it in front of a notary — Washington, D.C. will reject an unsigned or improperly acknowledged document.

2. 2

   Check the county formatting rules

   Confirm margins, page size, and the document title meet DC Office of the Recorder of Deeds (Office of Tax and Revenue) standards. Every deed must be accompanied by a completed FP-7/C Real Property Recordation and Transfer Tax form.

3. 3

   Scan the signed deed to PDF

   Scan at 200–300 dpi in black and white. Keep every page in one PDF, in order, with nothing cropped off the edges.

4. 4

   Submit the PDF to iRecord365

   Upload the file through the online submission form. We review it against Washington, D.C. requirements before it reaches the recorder, so formatting problems are caught first.

5. 5

   Approve the itemized invoice

   You receive one invoice showing the Washington, D.C. recording fees plus our flat service fee. Nothing is submitted until you approve it.

6. 6

   Receive the recorded deed

   District e-recordings are typically processed within one to two business days. The stamped, recorded deed with the official recording data is emailed back to you.

Washington, D.C. eRecording questions