Vital Statistics (requests for birth, death, and marriage certificates):
(262) 653-2444
Real Estate (personal property records):
Kenosha (262) 653-2441
Bristol (262) 857-1845
Kenosha County Administration Building
Monday - Friday 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. (except holidays)
Kenosha County Center
Monday - Friday 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. (except holidays)
You can obtain a certified copy of a birth certificate from the Office of Register of Deeds, 1010 – 56th Street Kenosha WI 53140. The cost of a certified copy is $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for each additional copy. If you are unable to come to the office you can download the Application for a Birth, Death, or Marriage. Complete this form and mail to our office with a money order for the correct amount along with a self addressed envelope and we will complete your request as soon as we receive it. Cost of a death certificate and marriage is $20.00 for first copy and $3.00 for each additional copy.
To remove the name of the deceased spouse you will need to complete a document
called a Termination of Decedents Property Interest (pdf). Directions for completing this form are provided. You
will need a copy of the document that shows joint tenancy, life estate, survivorship
marital property, vendor’s interest, or mortgagee’s interest. A certified copy
of the death certificate and a copy of the real estate tax bill for each parcel
for the year immediately preceding the decedent’s death. The recording fee
is $25.00.
If you need to request a certified copy of a death certificate you can purchase
one at the office of Register
of Deeds, the cost will be $20.00 for one copy
and $3.00 for each additional copy.
To simply change your name on the property you own you will need to complete and record a document called a QuitClaim Deed (pdf). The cost for the deed is twenty-five cents and this can be obtained at the Office of Register of Deeds. The Wisconsin Transfer Form is not necessary. The cost for recording a document is $11.00 for the first page and $2.00 for each additional page.
This question is more complex then it seems at first. In its simplest form,
you are not required to take any action. When you sell the property at some
point in the future, simply indicate on the deed, for example “Mary Smith,
nka (now know as) Mary Jones hereby grants…etc.”
However, there are many other details that affect the answer to this question.
The most important of which is Wisconsin’s Marital Property law. This law assumes
that property used by a couple during the course of a marriage is jointly owned
unless specified otherwise.
If you wish to remain the sole owner of the property and do not intend to convey any interest in the property to your spouse, steps must be taken prior to and during the marriage to assure that this occurs.
If, however, you intend for your spouse to share in the ownership of the property, there are a number of ways a married couple can hold title to property and each one has distinct legal implications. Depending on your financial status, age and other factors, a trust might even be advisable.
As you can see, it is best to seek the help of any attorney to draft a deed that will accomplish your goals.
If you have received real estate in a divorce settlement you need to verify with your attorney that he has recorded a QuitClaim Deed or Warranty Deed with the office of Register of Deeds.
Joint Tenancy - An undivided interest in property, taken by two or more joint tenants. The interests must be equal, accruing under the same conveyance, and beginning at the same time. Upon the death of a joint tenant, the interest passes to the surviving joint tenants, rather then to the heirs of the deceased.
Tenancy in Common – An undivided ownership in real estate by two or more persons. The interests need not be equal, and, in the event of the death of one of the owners, no right of survivorship in the other owners exists.
To determine the ownership of a property you need to look at the deed that was recorded which established the ownership. If for example the deed does not show that the property is held as husband and wife or survivorship marital property it is assumed tenancy in common.
The complete legal description of your property appears on your deed. A copy maybe purchased at the Office of Register of deeds if you are unable to find your original. The cost for a 1 page document is $2.00 with each additional page costing $1.00.
While this seems simple enough, it can be complicated by two factors. If your property consists of a number of small parcels that have been combined over time, a simple concise legal description may not exist. The opposite can also be a problem. Your property may have previously been a large parcel from which smaller parcels were sold off. In both of these cases, several documents and some interpretation may be required to construct a legal description.
If the history of your parcel fits into either of the above descriptions, you should contact a registered land surveyor for professional assistance in writing an accurate, updated legal description.
According to a member of the Probate and Real Property Section of the Wisconsin State Bar Association that we conferred with, the answer is “NO.” The trust remains in effect. However, it is prudent to review the trust with your attorney periodically to determine if modifications to the trust would be advisable
Under Wisconsin law, you only ever receive one deed to your property and you should have received it shortly after you closed on your property.
If you take a look at your deed, you will notice that your name appears as a “Grantee” but the bank is never mentioned. So, when you pay your mortgage in full, it is not a necessary to update your deed.
What does need to be done is to have a “Satisfaction of Mortgage” document recorded with the Register of Deeds office. Financial institutions are required to record such a document within a specified timeframe. If you received a “Satisfaction of Mortgage” endorsed with a time, date, and document number from a Register of Deeds office, nothing further needs to be done. If you have not received the endorsed satisfaction, you should check with your lender to be certain they processed the appropriate paperwork
If you are borrowing money from a financial institution in order to make the purchase, a title search will be ordered by that financial institution well in advance of the closing. This search will reveal any outstanding liens.
If no financial institution is involved, then you will want to contract directly with a title company for a complete title search.
Probate is a court-supervised procedure for transferring ownership of someone's soley owned assets after he or she dies. The following brochure provides more information on Probate.
Kenosha County Register of Deeds office provides this service through INGEO and SIMPLIFILE. For further information contact
INGEO at WWW.INGEO.COM AND
SIMPLIFILE at WWW.SIMPLIFILE.COM
Where can I mail documents to be recorded by the Register of Deeds?
Register of Deeds
1010 56th Street
Kenosha, WI 53140