Wallowa County Deed Records

Wallowa County deed records are filed with the County Clerk in Enterprise, Oregon. The clerk records all property deeds, land transfers, and related documents for this remote northeast Oregon county. You can search Wallowa County deed records by visiting the office, calling by phone, or using Simplifile for e-recording. Records here date back to 1887 when the county was first formed. Enterprise is the county seat and the location of all recording services.

Wallowa County Clerk Office

The Wallowa County Clerk office is at 101 South River Street in Enterprise, OR 97828. You can reach them by phone at (541) 426-4543. This is the only office where you can record deed records or get copies of recorded documents in Wallowa County.

Wallowa County sits in the far northeast corner of Oregon. It borders Idaho and includes parts of the Wallowa Mountains and Hells Canyon. The area has a mix of ranch land, forest, and lake properties near Wallowa Lake. All of these land types have deed records on file with the clerk. The county was formed in 1887, and records go back to that year. If you own property or plan to buy land in Wallowa County, the clerk office is your main resource for deed records.

For general county information, visit the Wallowa County website.

The county website links to departments and services that can help with property questions in Wallowa County.

Wallowa County Office Hours

The Wallowa County Clerk has set hours for the public. Plan ahead since the office closes early on Fridays.

• Monday through Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

If you need to record a deed or get copies of property documents, arrive well before closing time. The Friday hours end two hours early. This is common in smaller Oregon counties. Call (541) 426-4543 if you have questions about when to visit. Staff can tell you if any special closures are planned.

Note: Wallowa County is a rural area with long drive times, so confirm hours before you make the trip.

Wallowa County Deed Recording Fees

The fee to record a deed in Wallowa County is $84 for the first page. Each extra page costs $5. These fees follow the Oregon schedule set by ORS Chapter 205. The total includes the base recording fee, land corner preservation, assessment and taxation funds, the Oregon Land Information System fee, and the housing alliance tax.

Oregon has no state transfer tax on real property. The recording fee is the main cost when you file a deed in Wallowa County. All fees must be paid at the time you present the document. The clerk will not accept a deed for recording until the full fee is paid. If your document does not meet format rules, a $20 extra fee applies for non-standard instruments.

Keep in mind that the first page of your deed must list the names of all parties, the type of transaction, and the true amount paid for the property. These rules come from ORS Chapter 93 and must be met before the Wallowa County Clerk will record the deed.

E-Recording in Wallowa County

Wallowa County supports e-recording through Simplifile. You can reach Simplifile at 1-800-460-5657. E-recording lets you submit deed records and other property documents without driving to Enterprise. This is a big help in a county where distances are long and weather can limit travel in winter months.

To use e-recording, you need to work with a title company or law office that has an account with Simplifile. The document is sent digitally and the Wallowa County Clerk reviews and records it just like a paper filing. All the same format rules and fees apply. The deed must meet Oregon standards for paper size, type size, and first page content. E-recording does not change the fee amount. It just makes the filing process faster for deed records in Wallowa County.

Searching Wallowa County Property Records

Deed records in Wallowa County go back to 1887. That means you can trace land ownership for well over a century. The clerk keeps both a direct and indirect index. You can search by the name of the buyer or seller. You can also search by legal description or parcel information. Older records may be on paper and take more time to find.

The area has a rich land history. Wallowa Lake properties, ranch land in the valley, and forest tracts near Hells Canyon all have deed records in the clerk files. If you are doing a title search or just want to know who owned a piece of land in Wallowa County, the clerk office is the right place to start. All deed records are public under ORS Chapter 192. Any person can ask to see them.

For very old records, the Oregon State Archives may have early Wallowa County land documents on file. The archives holds records from across the state and can help with historical property research.

Wallowa County Deed Filing Rules

Oregon uses a race-notice recording system under ORS 93.640. This means an unrecorded deed is void against a later buyer who pays fair value and records first without knowing about the earlier sale. In a rural county like Wallowa, where land sales may happen between neighbors with a handshake, this rule matters a great deal. Always record your deed with the Wallowa County Clerk as soon as the sale is done.

The clerk keeps all deed records safe and open to the public. Under ORS 192, any person can ask to see recorded documents. You do not need to be a party to the transaction. The Oregon DOJ public records page explains the appeal process if a request for deed records is denied. In practice, deed records are rarely withheld since they are part of the public record by design. Copies can be ordered from the Wallowa County Clerk for a small fee set by state law.

Nearby Counties

Wallowa County borders Union County to the west and Baker County to the southwest. It also shares a border with Idaho to the east. This is one of the most remote counties in Oregon. Make sure your deed is filed in Wallowa County if that is where the property sits. The clerk will only accept recordings for land within county lines.