Search Greene County Deed Records

Greene County deed records are filed at the Probate Court in Eutaw. This rural county in Alabama's Black Belt region maintains land records going back many years.

Greene County Probate Office

The Greene County Probate Judge records all deeds. This office sits on Morrow Avenue in Eutaw. Staff members handle land transfers, estate matters, and other probate work. They index every deed by grantor and grantee names and by book and page number.

Greene County is a small, rural county in west-central Alabama. It is part of the Black Belt, named for the dark, rich soil in this region. The county has a low population but a lot of land. Many deeds here involve large tracts of farmland or timberland.

How to Search Greene County Deed Records

Greene County offers online access to deed records through the Ingenuity portal. You can search from your home computer. Look up records by name, date, or document type. Basic searches are free. Document images may cost money to view or print.

To search deed records, try to have:

• Name of the buyer or seller
• Property location or legal description
• Approximate date of recording
• Book and page number if you know it

The online system is good for recent records. Older deeds may not be in the digital database. For those, you will need to call or visit the office in Eutaw. Staff can search the physical deed books. They charge a per-page fee for copies.

Greene County is small, so the staff often know the local land well. They may be able to help even if you have limited information. A phone call can save you a trip if you just need to check on something simple.

Greene County Recording Fees

Greene County charges fees to record deeds. These fees help cover staff time and record keeping. The county has some of the lower fees in Alabama for the first page.

Current recording fees:

• First page: $10.00
• Each additional page: $3.00
• Transfer tax: $0.50 per $500 of value

The deed transfer tax applies to most sales. Code of Alabama Section 40-22-1 sets this rate. Two thirds goes to the state, and one third stays in Greene County. Family transfers and transfers between spouses may be exempt from this tax.

Bring enough money for all fees when you visit. The office takes cash and checks. Call ahead to ask about credit cards or other payment methods. Fees can change, so confirm current rates before your visit.

What Deeds Must Include

Alabama law tells what must be on a deed. The Greene County Probate Judge checks each document. Deeds that miss something will be rejected. Check your deed before you go to save time.

Every deed in Greene County must have:

• Complete legal description of the property
• Grantor's name, mailing address, and marital status
• Grantee's name and mailing address
• Derivation clause with source of title
• Name of the person who prepared the deed
• Notarized signatures of all grantors
• Completed RT-1 form

Marital status is required by Code of Alabama Section 35-4-73. The deed must say if the grantor is married, single, widowed, or divorced. If married, the spouse may need to sign too. The Probate Judge can refuse deeds without this information.

The RT-1 form has been required since August 2012. This tells the state the sale price or fair market value. Get the form from the Alabama Department of Revenue website. No deed can be recorded without it.

Types of Deeds

Several deed types are used in Greene County. Each one works differently for legal purposes. All types go through the same recording process at the Probate Office. Fees are the same regardless of type.

Common deeds filed in Greene County:

• Warranty deed: Seller guarantees clear title
• Quitclaim deed: Transfers only what grantor owns
• Special warranty deed: Limited protection
• Personal representative deed: From an estate
• Tax deed: From a county tax sale
• Timber deed: For timber rights only

Warranty deeds are standard for most sales. The seller promises the title is good and will defend it against claims. Quitclaim deeds offer no such promise. They just transfer whatever interest the grantor has. Use quitclaim deeds for family transfers or to clear up title problems.

In Greene County, timber deeds are also common. These transfer the right to cut timber without selling the land itself. Timberland is a big part of the local economy.

Other Property Records

Deeds are one type of record at the Probate Office. Other documents affect property ownership too. A complete title search checks all these records.

Other records in Greene County include:

• Mortgages and deeds of trust
• Mortgage releases and satisfactions
• Judgment liens and tax liens
• Easements and restrictions
• Plat maps and surveys
• Timber contracts and leases

Tax records are at the Revenue Commissioner office. This is separate from the Probate Court. Check there for assessed values and unpaid taxes. Tax liens can lead to loss of property through a tax sale.

Court records are at the Circuit Clerk. Lawsuits about property, divorce decrees, and money judgments show up there. A judgment against a property owner can attach to their land as a lien.

Historical Deed Records

Greene County was created in 1819, the same year Alabama became a state. It is one of the original counties. The county is named after General Nathanael Greene of the Revolutionary War. Land records here go back to the early 1800s.

The Alabama Secretary of State has federal land patents from territorial times. These show who first owned each piece of land from the government. You can search these records free online at the Secretary of State website.

Greene County has old records, but some have been lost to time. Fires, floods, and simple wear have damaged documents over nearly 200 years. The office has worked to preserve what remains. Many older records are on microfilm now.

Cities in Greene County

Greene County has a few small towns. All deed recordings happen at the county Probate Court in Eutaw. The town where land sits does not affect where you record.

Towns in Greene County include Eutaw, Forkland, and Boligee. Eutaw is the largest with about 2,600 people. None have populations over 100,000. For all deed records, contact the Greene County Probate Office.

Nearby Counties

These counties share borders with Greene County. Make sure you know which county your property is in before recording a deed.