Marion County Clerk
About the Marion County Clerk
Marion County has the unusual distinction of its county seat also being the state capital — Salem is both, which means government is the single largest employer in a county otherwise built on agriculture and food processing. The marionberry, developed by USDA and Oregon State researchers, was named for the county, and that same fertile Willamette Valley ground still drives a big share of the local economy today. Marion is Oregon's fifth-most-populous county and one of its most complex to map out, with twenty incorporated cities inside its borders, so the Clerk's office handles a high volume of filings and keeps a searchable online index for anyone who wants to track down a recorded document without a trip to Salem.
Cities and Communities Served
Recording jurisdiction runs countywide, not by city limits — if the property sits anywhere within Marion County, this is the Clerk’s office that will accept the deed. That includes:
Incorporated cities: Aumsville, Aurora, Detroit, Donald, Gervais, Hubbard, Jefferson, Keizer, Mt. Angel, St. Paul, Salem (county seat and state capital), Scotts Mills, Silverton, Stayton, Sublimity, Turner, and Woodburn — plus Gates, Idanha, and Mill City, which are only partially within Marion County (see footnote below).
Unincorporated communities: Breitenbush, Clear Lake, Chemawa, Macleay, McKee, Mehama, Monitor, Niagara, Pratum, and Waconda.
Gates, Idanha, and Mill City each straddle the Marion/Linn county line along the North Santiam River, so parts of those cities sit in Linn County. If you're unsure which side of a boundary your property falls on, the Clerk's office can help confirm before you file.
Office Details
Address: 555 Court St NE, Suite 2130, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: (503) 588-5225
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Recording Fee: Oregon recording fees are set individually by each county and change periodically — check Marion County's current fee schedule or call the office to confirm the exact amount before filing.
Document Search: Search Recorded Documents
How to File a Document
- Prepare Your Document: Make sure your deed meets Oregon's formatting and content requirements before you file.
- Get It Notarized: Have the document signed in front of an Oregon notary public or other authorized official. No notary nearby in Salem? Oregon allows remote online notarization — you can have your Marion County deed notarized online by an Oregon-commissioned notary instead.
- Meet Oregon's First-Page Requirements: Oregon law requires your deed's first page to show the title, grantor and grantee names, the true consideration, and an address for tax statements. If your document doesn't already include this, you'll need to attach a cover sheet, which adds $5 to the recording fee.
- Record It: You can file in person or by mail with the Marion County Clerk's office.
- Pay the Recording Fee: Oregon recording fees are set individually by each county and change periodically — check the current fee schedule or call the office to confirm the exact amount before filing.
- Keep Your Receipt: Your recorded document (or a certified copy) is your proof of filing.
Filing? Get a Deed the Marion County Clerk Will Accept
FREE generic forms are the most common reason Oregon deeds get rejected — usually over formatting, the legal description, or notary acknowledgment.
Two ways to avoid that:
Both are Oregon-compliant and built for the Marion County Clerk’s exact requirements.
Disclosure: affiliate links to Standard Legal, our partner — no extra cost to you.
You are not on the official Marion County government website. OregonQuitclaimDeed.com is a privately owned website and is not affiliated with any government agency.