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Brookings County register of deeds reports $423,293 in 2024 revenues; scanning project underway
Summary
Register of Deeds presented the 2024 annual report showing a year-over-year revenue increase to $423,293.50, outlined fee distributions and described an ongoing document-scanning project averaging 10 books per day.
BROOKINGS, S.D. — At the March 18 Brookings County Commission meeting the county Register of Deeds delivered the office's 2024 annual report, citing $423,293.50 in total recorded revenue and describing an active scanning project for older land records.
Bev (Register of Deeds) told commissioners the 2024 totals showed an increase from 2023 of $29,750.50. She reported transfer fees (a $1-per-$1,000 fee on deed purchase price) totaled $238,307; general recording fees (including the $30 per-document recording fee) totaled $129,853.50; certified-copy receipts were $40,815 (2,721 certified copies at $15 each); and copies/disc and related items totaled $3,878, bringing the 2024 collection to $423,293.50.
Bev explained the distribution of statutory fees: the $30 recording fee includes a technology component ($5) established by the 2012 state law; $2 of that $5 goes to the South Dakota Association of County Officials and $3 remains with the county for technology and real-estate-record preservation. The county's share from the tech fee distribution this year was $3,818.58, credited to a special county fund for deed-office technology and related expenses. Bev said the county retained $384,631.50 after state and other shares were allocated.
She also described a budgeted scanning project in the office's final phase: one scanner is in use with a backup unit available. The scanner operator is averaging about 10 books per day; staffs estimate each book contains roughly 1,000 pages, meaning the project is scanning about 10,000 pages per day during active processing. Commissioners thanked Bev for a thorough report.
What the record shows and does not show
The transcript and packet numbers given at the meeting were the source for the revenue totals cited above. The report gives fee breakdowns, the statutory split of the $30 recording fee and the county's technology-distribution amount; it does not change statutory allocations but explains how the county receives and uses the county portion of the technology fee.
