Winona County Property Records Search

Winona County property records are maintained at the County Recorder's office in Winona, Minnesota. The county has about 25,000 parcels covering bluff country, river valley land along the Mississippi, and agricultural areas inland. You can search deeds, mortgages, assessment data, and other land documents online through the Beacon system or in person at the Main Street courthouse where the Recorder and Property Tax Services are both located.

Winona County Recorder

The Winona County Recorder maintains all official real estate records for the county. The office is at 177 Main Street in Winona. Deeds, mortgages, mortgage satisfactions, liens, federal and state tax liens, easements, plats, and other documents affecting land ownership are recorded here. Documents must meet Minnesota state requirements before the office will accept them, including original signatures, notarization, a complete legal description, and the preparer's name on the first page.

Winona County accepts electronic recording, allowing title companies, lenders, and law firms to submit documents through an approved e-recording vendor. Paper filings are also accepted in person or by mail. Documents must arrive by 4:15 PM for same-day recording. The office closes at 4:30 PM. If submitting by mail, include the correct fee and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Torrens title records and UCC filings are also handled at this office.

Staff can search by name, parcel number, or document type. Certified copies cost $10 base plus per-page fees. Non-certified copies are less expensive. You can also search Winona County property records online through Beacon by Schneider Corp.

The screenshot below shows the Winona County Property Tax Services page, which links to assessment and tax information and is in the same office as the Recorder.

The Property Tax Services page covers assessment procedures, valuation appeals, and tax payment options for Winona County property owners.

Winona County Property Tax Services

The Winona County Property Tax Services office handles valuations and tax collections for the county's roughly 25,000 parcels. The office is at 177 Main Street in Winona, the same building as the Recorder. Values are set as of January 2 each year using sales data and physical inspections. Valuation notices go out in March and the Board of Appeal and Equalization meets in April to hear challenges.

Winona County has a varied parcel mix. The city of Winona has residential and commercial properties. The bluffs and river valley include seasonal and rural residential land. The inland portions of the county have a significant agricultural presence. All parcels are physically inspected on a five-year cycle, and the assessor applies the correct class rate based on how each property is used. Homestead applications, which reduce taxable value for primary-residence owners, are also handled by this office.

After the local board meeting, you can appeal to the County Board of Equalization and then to the Minnesota Tax Court. The deadline is generally 30 days after valuation notices are mailed.

The screenshot below shows the Winona County Recorder's page, where recording requirements and options for obtaining copies are listed.

The Recorder's page explains what documents are needed for recording and how to request certified copies of Winona County property records.

Search Winona County Property Records Online

Winona County property records are searchable online through Beacon by Schneider Corp. Beacon is free and does not require a login for basic searches. You can look up parcels by PIN, street address, or owner name. The interactive map shows parcel boundaries and lets you explore both the urban areas around Winona and the bluff and agricultural land throughout the rest of the county.

Each Beacon record shows the current owner and mailing address, legal description, estimated market value, land and building value breakdowns, sales history with dates and prices, and property details like acreage, year built, and square footage. Tax information is also included. The system is available 24 hours a day, every day of the week.

Beacon displays assessment and parcel data rather than actual recorded document images. For certified copies of deeds, mortgages, or other documents, contact the Recorder's office at 507-457-6340. The PRISM system from the Minnesota Department of Revenue also includes Winona County data in its statewide property records aggregation.

Note: Beacon data may be a few days behind the most recent recordings. Call the Recorder to confirm current ownership if precision is needed.

Winona County Property Record Types

The Recorder holds all major real property documents for Winona County. Deeds are the most common. They transfer ownership and must be recorded under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 507 to give public notice of the change. Without recording, the new owner has no protection against future claims by parties who had no notice of the sale.

Mortgages, releases, and satisfactions are also recorded here. When a lender holds a security interest in property, the mortgage is recorded to make that interest public. When paid off, a release or satisfaction is filed. Other documents include easements, plats, certificates of survey, federal and state tax liens, mechanics liens, and covenants. Well disclosure certificates are required on most sales and are either attached to the deed or filed separately for $50. Rural and bluff-country properties in Winona County often have private wells, making well disclosure a regular part of most transfers.

Some Winona County parcels use the Torrens title system under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 508. Torrens property is confirmed by a court-issued Certificate of Title rather than abstract records. Both abstract and Torrens records are maintained by the county. The Recorder's office can confirm which system applies to any specific parcel.

Recording Fees and Transfer Taxes

Recording fees in Winona County follow the state standard. The base fee is $46 for the first page of any document, plus $4 for each additional page. Plats cost $56 to record. Well disclosure certificates cost $50 if filed separately. If the certificate is attached to the deed at recording, no additional charge applies.

The State Deed Tax under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 287 is 0.33% of the net consideration, with a minimum of $1.65. On a $200,000 sale, that is $660. The Mortgage Registry Tax is 0.23% of the principal debt. On a $160,000 mortgage, that is $368. Both taxes must be paid when documents are submitted for recording.

Certified copies cost $10 base plus per-page fees. Non-certified copies are less. You can request copies in person at the Winona courthouse or by mail. Call 507-457-6340 to confirm payment methods before mailing documents or fees.

Property Tax in Winona County

Property taxes in Winona County are due in two payments each year under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 279. The first half is due May 15. The second half is due October 15. Taxes unpaid after May 15 become delinquent on January 1 of the next year and begin accruing interest at 9 to 10 percent per year.

Values are set January 2 each year. Tax statements and valuation notices are mailed in March. The general property tax framework under Chapter 272 and valuation standards under Chapter 273 apply to all parcels in Winona County. The county's mix of urban, river valley, bluff, and agricultural land means assessors apply different class rates depending on each property's type and location.

Properties delinquent for three years can enter the tax forfeiture process. The county takes title to those parcels and may sell them at public auction. The Minnesota Department of Revenue property tax page explains how delinquency and forfeiture work statewide.

Well disclosure is required on most property transfers in Minnesota. Sellers must file a well disclosure certificate at or before closing. More information is available at health.state.mn.us.

Communities in Winona County

Winona County has no cities that meet the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site. The county seat is Winona, the largest city in the county and home to the courthouse and all county offices. Other communities include Lewiston, Altura, and St. Charles. Property records for all land in Winona County are filed at the Recorder's office at 177 Main Street in Winona.

Nearby Counties

Winona County borders several counties in southeastern Minnesota and across the river in Wisconsin. Minnesota property records are maintained by each county's own recorder.