Hennepin County, Minnesota Property Records

Hennepin County Property Search

Hennepin County property records are legal documents containing the county's real estate information. Typical contents of property records include ownership information, property details, assessed value, tax history, and the property’s location details. Property records also contain other legal information about real estate, such as deeds and mortgages.

Property records are part of Hennepin County Public Records, which are usually accessible to the general public to view and research. The property records are recorded and maintained by the Hennepin County Recorder - Registrar of Titles. Pursuant to Minnesota state statutes, property documents must meet certain criteria before these documents can be registered with the recorder/registrar. Some of these criteria are mentioned under Minnesota Statutes, Section 507. They include and are not limited to:

Document Format: Section 507.093 dictates that documents must not be any larger than 8.5 by 14 inches or smaller than 8-point type. The section also states that documents must be printed, typewritten, or computer generated in black ink. The above-mentioned document format must be followed for readability and reproduction.
Signatures: Section 507.24 states that the document must have the original signatures of all parties concerned and the notary public or other officer taking an acknowledgment.
Order of Recording: The state follows a “race-notice” recording standard, meaning that documents are recorded by priority on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Prerequisites: Certain property documents, such as deeds, require that certain prerequisites must be met before the document can be recorded. For instance, per section 507.235, a Certificate of Real Estate Value (CRV) must be filed with the county assessor’s office and approved before a deed can be recorded.

Members of the general public can search for property records on the property information search tool provided on the Hennepin County website. Property owners, buyers, sellers, and other interested parties can use this tool to gain significant insight into a property. Interested parties can obtain information such as property purchase information, current value, ownership information, and historical detail through the portal. The aforementioned pieces of information can be used for settling property disputes and other related real estate issues.

Are Hennepin County Property Records Public?

According to the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA), the public can access property records in the state. The MGDPA states that most records generated and maintained by government entities are subject to public inspection and copying. The MGDPA allows several entities to collect, store, and release public records in Hennepin County. These include the Hennepin County Assessor, Hennepin County Recorder of Registrar of Titles, Hennepin County Auditor, and Minnesota Department of Revenue.

However, records or information that are made confidential pursuant to a court order or by law are exempt from the Act. Some examples of this information and records include and are not limited to the following:

Social Security Numbers (SSN): SSNs are protected by federal data privacy laws, so any property records that contain them in Hennepin County requires that the SSN be redacted before the records are made accessible by the public according to Minnesota Statutes Section 13.03.
Personal Identifying Information (PII): information such as driver's license, passport numbers, or birthdates that can be categorized as PIIs may be confidential due to privacy concerns.
Medical information
Financial account details and audit information
Ongoing legal proceeding: information concerning a property involved in an ongoing investigation or litigation may be made confidential.
Sensitive legal matter: Cases like divorce decrees and court orders are undisclosed to protect the privacy of involved parties
Law enforcement investigations: public access to information regarding properties involved in law enforcement investigations and intelligence gathering may be restricted to protect the public’s safety.

What Do Hennepin County Property Records Contain?

Information found in Hennepin County property records can be divided into several categories, including:

Property identification: property address, tax identification number, lot number, parcel number
Ownership information: current owner’s name and contact information, owner’s mailing address, and previous owner’s name.
Deed information: these included the property's most recent deed, purchase price, date of transfer, grantor, and grantee names
Tax information: market value, taxable value, tax payment history, tax assessment history, tax exemptions
Building and zoning information: the building details (size, type, age of structure), construction or renovation permits, zoning designation, land use restrictions, and building code violations.
Sales and transaction history: previous sales prices and dates, mortgage information, liens or claims, foreclosure history, transfer history (including between family and relations)
Legal information: leases or rental agreements, past legal disputes, easements or covenants affecting the property
Mapping and Survey Records: This section includes maps and surveys of the property and surrounding areas which provides information on the property’s dimensions, boundaries, environmental reports, survey reports
Miscellaneous Information: appraisal reports, environmental reports, historic designations, property condition, utility easements.

Where to Perform a Hennepin County Property Lookup

Interested persons can perform a Hennepin County Property lookup through various online platforms, in-person at county offices and self-service kiosks, and via mail requests.

Online Search: Inquirers can access the Hennepin County official website and proceed to use the property information search tool. The tool avails tax, assessment, sales and other relevant information on Hennepin County properties to the public.
Inquirers can also subscribe to RecordEase Pro, made available by the county and get access to view and download documents, certificates of plats and titles. Users will need to complete an online subscription agreement beforehand. They will then be contacted by the Recorder’s office and given a password and ID between 1-2 business days. Users will be requested to pay a fee each time to view items.
Another option would be the RecordEASE Public search which offers limited free access to search indexes. Inquirers can email their access request to ts.recordease.support@hennepin.us and will later be contacted with their user ID and password within 1 business day.

Search by Hennepin County’s property interactive map allows users to lookup property by inputting the property address or property ID number (PID). The property map gives inquirers a view of where the property is located.

In-Person: The Recorder - Registrar of Titles maintains property records and has made public computers and self-service kiosks available for inquirers to search for property records themselves. The property records can be best searched by legal description and individual or entity name. Individuals must visit the Skyway level of Hennepin County Government Center, located at 300 South Sixth Street. The research center is open from 8 am to 4:30 pm, Mondays through Fridays, except for holidays.
By Mail: When requesting for property records by mail, individuals can request by stating the information needed. This information must include the document or certificate type (deed, mortgage, etc) and number. They must pay fees to purchase a copy of the certified document or plat. They can send a direct mail request and payment to:
County Recorder/Registrar of Titles
Attn: Document copies
Hennepin County Government Center
300 S. 6th St. – MC 074
Minneapolis, MN 55487

Inquirers can also specifically request non-certified copies to be sent to them by email by emailing recordsrequest@hennepin.us

How to Perform a Property Owner Lookup in Hennepin County

A property owner lookup can be performed on Hennepin County’s website.The steps for performing a property owner lookup include:

On the website homepage, click on “Property Information Search”
Under the “Online Search” accordion, select Property Interactive Map
Enter a property address, parcel ID, or owner name in the search bar to find its owner
View the property information page of the search result which includes details like the property owner's name and address, property tax information, and property characteristics.

Discrepancies in the property owner information can be corrected by contacting the Hennepin County property assessor's office. Property Information can also be obtained by visiting the Hennepin County property assessor's office in person or subscribing to third-party databases.

How to Find Hennepin County Property Records Online

The most up-to-date property information can be found online on Hennepin County’s website and can be obtained by doing a Property Information Search page on the county's website.

There are, however also, several third-party databases that also provide access to Hennepin County’s property records online.

They provide property information, including ownership information, sales history, and property values on their websites and some may even offer mobile applications. Users can search for properties by address, parcel number, or owner name and some third-party resources offer other features, including market analysis tools and customised reports.

Third-party resources usually require a subscription fee to access their services, ranging from $19.95 monthly to $99.95 yearly. The information provided by third-party resources may not be accurate or complete and should be cross-checked with official county records.

How to Find Property Owner by Address Free

Due to privacy laws and data regulations, only limited information on property owners is publicly accessible. A person can find a property owner by address for free by conducting a Property information search on the Hennepin County website. This search provides free property information, such as the property owner's name and mailing address. The search, however only provides the current property owner’s information and not the ownership history.

The steps to find a property owner by address for free using the Hennepin County Property Information Search include:

Go to the Hennepin County website
Click on Property Information Search
Under “Search By” options, select Property Address
Type the address into the search form and click search
View the property information displayed which includes the property owner's name, mailing address, and property details.

Hennepin County Property Tax Lookup

There are several ways to obtain property tax information in Hennepin County, Minnesota, including online tools, and in person assistance. Some of these ways include:

Online: A property Information search can be conducted on the Hennepin County website to get information about s property, including its tax information. A property’s tax information may include its current tax amount, its tax history and its tax payment status.
Offline: A person can visit the Property Taxpayer Services office in-person at the Hennepin County Government Center for assistance and access to tax information.
Taxpayer Service: The Hennepin County Property Taxpayer Services can be contacted by phone at (612) 348-3011 or emailed at taxinfo@hennepin.us to obtain property tax information.
Hennepin County Property Tax Estimator tool: Using this online tool on the Hennepin County website, a person can estimate property taxes for a particular property based on its value, location, and other factors.
Property Tax Workshop: The Hennepin County Property Taxpayer Services runs property tax Workshops which provide information on property taxes, assessments, and appeals to property owners, tenants, and interested parties.

Tax lookups provide valuable information that can help property owners, buyers, sellers or renters make informed decisions. Some of the situations where a tax lookup would be necessary in Hennepin County include:

Property Sale or purchase: When buying or selling a property, it is important for a person to know the current and past tax payment history of the property. A tax lookup helps them to determine whether the property taxes are paid up to date, whether there is a tax lien or there are any outstanding tax balances due.
Property assessments and appeals: During property assessments and appeals, a property owner can look up their property tax information to review their property assessments in order to appeal if necessary. They can use the information they get to compare how their property was assessed with similar properties around them.
Budgeting: When budgeting to own or rent a property, a person can look up the property’s tax information in order to be able to budget their expenses because property taxes can be a weighty expense for property owners. With the knowledge of the property tax amount, they can make a better informed budget for the property.
Research: Researchers including real estate agents, journalists, and academics who are interested can look up property tax information for research purposes. Reasons for the research can include to see property values, to analyze tax trends, etc.

How to Find Hennepin County Property Appraiser

In Hennepin County, a property appraiser, can be found on Hennepin County’s website. A person looking for an appraiser on the website should follow these steps:

Click on the "Residents" tab and select “Property”
Under Property, click on “Assessment”
The email, phone number, and working hours of the assessor can be found
An inquirer can also scroll down to check the “Commercial assessment offices” tab or “Residential assessment offices” for their assessor if their property falls under other cities.

Individuals can also conduct a property information search on the website to find details of a property, including the property appraiser’s name and contact details. The search can be done by property address, property ID number (PID), Addition name, or the property interactive map.

Some of the services offered by a property appraiser include property valuation, homestead exemption, tax assessment review, property information, property tax appeals, exemptions and credits and property sales information.

Hennepin County Property Assessor

Being responsible for all taxable property within Hennepin County, The Hennepin County Property Assessor offers a number of services to property owners. These services include:

Property Valuation: This is ascertaining the market value of taxable property. These properties can include lands, buildings or personal property such as airplanes and boats.
Homestead Exemption: This is the issuing of homestead exemptions in order to reduce the taxable value of a property owner's primary residence.
Tax Assessment Review: This is the investigation of wrong review claims by property owners. People who believe that their property's assessed value is incorrect submit a request for review, and the assessor's office investigates the request and makes any necessary adjustments.
Property Information: The assessor's office manages a database of property information that property owners can access physically or virtually. The information contained in the database includes ownership, legal descriptions, and tax history.
Property Tax Appeals: Property owners who believe their property tax assessment is too high can appeal to the assessor’s office. The assessor provides guidance on the appeals process and guides them in filing an appeal.
Exemptions and Credits: This is the offering of exemptions and credits to property owners, for example, the Green Acres program for agricultural land, Senior Citizen Property Tax Deferral Program, and Disabled Veteran homestead credit
Property Sales Information: To help determine property values, the assessor's office keeps a database of property sales information.

The Hennepin County Property Assessor's office can be visited in person at:

Hennepin County Government Center
300 S. 6th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55487
Phone: (612) 348-3046
Email: assessor.ao@hennepin.us