Contact Info

Recorder of Deeds
P.O. Box 78, 131 S Winchester, Room 134 
Benton, Missouri 63736
Phone: 573-545-3551
Fax: 573-545-4482

E-Mail: tmason@scottcomo.com

Office Info

Office Hours:
Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 
Open during the lunch hour

The Recorder's office is located on the north side of the bottom floor of the Scott County Courthouse (Room 134).

Staff:
Tara Mason, Recorder 
Kelly Talley, Deputy
Lauralee Dye, Deputy

Services

The Recorder of Deeds is an elected position and Tara Mason has worked in the office since 2002 and was appointed Recorder of Deeds in August of 2011 and elected in November 2012. Her office is responsible for recording legal documents such as:

Plats of cities in Scott County Land transfers Military discharges Home school affidavits

County surveys Deeds of trust Federal and State tax liens Marriage licenses

Copies of documents are available for a fee of $1 per page. Online access to all deeds on our computer system (from 1999 to present) are available for a monthly registration fee. For more informaiton please go to scottmo.icounty.com or contact our office. Recording fees are $24 for the first page and $3 for each additional page. To record documents the following requirements must be met:

1. All documents must have a 3-inch margin at the top of the first page (nothing but recording information can be in the top margin);
2. The document must be on a 8 1/2" by 11" sheet of white paper and printed on one side only. It must have a 3/4-inch margin on both sides and top and bottom of additional pages. If these requirements are not met the document becomes a non-standard document and an additional $25 will be added to the first page of the document.

All documents must have the following:

Title of document All grantor's names Any statuary address

Date of document Grantee's names Legal descriptions Notarized Signature

The Recorder's office also holds documents of historical and genealogical significance. These records include land transfers (begin in 1820), deeds of trust/mortgages (begin in 1869), and marriage licenses (begin in 1840).

Marriage License Requirements
Governor Mike Parson signed legislation to modify age requirements for marriage licenses in Missouri that took effect on August 28,2018.  Senate Bill 655, which was passed by the Missouri Legislature and signed into law, prohibits marriage licenses from being issued if either party is under 16 years of age. Additionally, the legislation bars the marriage of individuals 21 or older to anyone under age 18. Parental consent will still be required for minors to marry someone under age 21.  All marriage license applicants will be required to provide proof of age to the Recorder of Deeds through a government issued ID. For example: driver’s license or non-driver ID. If you have any questions about ID’s, please call the office for more information. The Recorder will document this proof of age. 

Recorders of Deeds are committed to preserving records, including marriage licenses, with the utmost care and consistency. The duty to fulfill all legal requirements for documents is paramount. As with any statutory change, the Scott County Recorder's Office will modify its policies in order to implement the marriage age law as soon as it takes effect.

 The fee for the license is $51.00  (Cash, Debit or Credit Card. A $2.00 fee will be charged to your card. No checks please).

When applying for a marriage license, both parties must personally appear at the Recorder's office. Original signatures are required from both parties. Social Security numbers shall be obtained for the application. If the applicant does not have a Social Security number, they may sign an affidavit in lieu of Social Security Number. This affidavit is provided by the Recorder. The license is valid for only 30 days from the date it is issued and can be used in any Missouri county. Blood tests are no longer required in the State of Missouri.

Questions can be directed to the Scott County Recorder of Deeds, Tara Mason at 573-545-3551. ​