Register of Deeds New Laws

2015 Wisconsin Act 142 Publishing Vital Records
Effective February 6, 2016 – changes the way vital records are labeled and issued for events occurring before October 1, 1907. Under current law, Vital Record Offices may issue uncertified copies of vital records if they occurred before October 1, 1907, and the uncertified copy is labeled as uncertified and cannot be copied, made available to the public in an electronic format, or used for identification purposes. Under this bill, uncertified copies will no longer be labeled as uncertified, and are permitted to be copied or made available electronically. Uncertified copies still cannot be used for identification purposes.
 
2015 Wisconsin Acts 38 and 48 effective July 3, 2015
Blue ink is now allowed anywhere on real estate documents.
Original land contracts made on October 1, 1969 and thereafter will require a transfer return.
No longer have to check box 6 for UCC 1 filings.
Blank recording area in upper right-hand corner of real estate documents must be 3 inches by 3 inches
 
Changes to Wisconsin's Platting Law - 2014 Wisconsin Acts 272, 280, 358
Effective August 1, 2014 adds the term Licensed Land Surveyor and/or Registered Land Surveyor have been replaced with "Professional Land Surveyor". Surveyor's seal cannot state "registered" in the title. Transportation Project Plats now require a signature and seal on every page.
 
Makes changes to the practice of land surveying; surveying land abutting navigable waters; various changes regarding platting, surveying, certified survey maps and granting rule-making authority. Requirements related to the type of paper or media a plat must be prepared on to be accepted for recording with the register of deeds has been changed to “produced on media that is acceptable to the register of deeds”. New law also allows for the electronic submission of plats during the approval process by local authorities.
The time certified survey maps can be offered for recording from the time of approval has increased. A certified survey map is acceptable for recording if it is offered for record within 12 months after the date of the last approval of the map (formerly 6 months) and within 36 months after the date of the first approval of the map (formerly 24 months).
 
Fradulent Copy Solicitations - 2014 Wisconsin Act 247
Under the bill persons who solicit to provide a copy of a public record must clearly state that the solicitation is not from a governmental agency, provide the contact information for the governmental agency that has custody of the record and the fee to obtain a copy from that public office. The bill prohibits the solicitor from charging more than four times the amount charged by the governmental office that has custody of the pubic record and imposes fees if the law is violated.