Colorado's New Flat Recording Fees: What Real Estate Agents Need to Know
A Canyon Title Update for Colorado Real Estate Professionals
The way in which Colorado handles recording fees is about to undergo a significant change. Starting July 1, 2025, the state will transition from a traditional per-page fee structure to a streamlined flat fee system, as outlined in House Bill 24-1269. This shift promises to bring more predictability and efficiency to real estate transactions across the state.
The New Fee Structure
Beginning July 1, Colorado will implement a uniform flat recording fee of $40 per document, plus a combined $3 surcharge that includes $2 for the Electronic Recording Technology Board and $1 for the Clerk & Recorder technology fee. This brings the total to $43 per recorded document, regardless of page count.
This represents a significant departure from the current system, where counties typically charge $13 for the first page plus $5 for each additional page, with higher rates applying to oversized documents and plats.
What This Means for Your Practice
Predictable Costs: Gone are the days of calculating fees based on document length. Whether you're recording a single-page quitclaim deed or a multi-page mortgage document, the fee remains consistent at $43.
Streamlined Transactions: The flat fee structure eliminates one common source of recording delays: documents being rejected due to insufficient fees based on miscalculated page counts. This should lead to faster processing times and fewer administrative headaches.
Simplified Budgeting: For both agents and their clients, closing cost estimates become more straightforward. You can confidently quote $43 per document without worrying about last-minute adjustments based on final document formatting.
Important Exceptions to Know
While most documents fall under the new flat fee structure, there are key exceptions of which real estate professionals should take note:
Death Certificates: These documents incur no base recording fee, although a $1 surcharge may still apply, depending on the county.
UCC Filings: The Uniform Commercial Code filing structure remains unchanged and continues under the existing fee schedule.
County Implementation Examples
The rollout is happening statewide, but here's how it looks in some major Colorado counties:
El Paso County has fully adopted the $43 flat fee across all eligible documents, eliminating its previous page-based rate structure.
Routt County follows the standard $40 base fee plus $3 surcharge model, with the noted exceptions for death certificates and UCC filings.
Denver implements the $43 per-document fee while exempting death records from recording fees altogether.
Preparing for the Transition
As we approach the implementation date of July 1, now is an excellent time to review your current processes and update any fee schedules or closing cost worksheets you use with clients. The transition should be relatively seamless, but being prepared will help ensure smooth closings for your transactions.
Canyon Title is committed to helping you navigate this change efficiently. Our team stays current on all recording requirements and fee structures across Colorado counties, ensuring your transactions proceed without delay.
For questions about how these changes may affect your specific transactions or closing procedures, please don't hesitate to contact your Canyon Title representative. We're here to help ensure that this transition enhances, rather than complicates, your real estate practice.