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Recorder seeks $75 fee to process judicial address-protection requests under new state law
Summary
Charlene Stirk, Beltrami County recorder, outlined the 2025 Judicial Security Act and asked commissioners to approve a $75 processing fee (plus $25 for additional mask entries) for judicial real-property address-protection notices that take effect Jan. 1 and are retroactive for online records.
Beltrami County Recorder Charlene Stirk briefed the board on a new state law establishing an address-protection program for the judiciary and requested approval of administrative fees to process requests.
Stirk described three existing Minnesota address-protection programs (Safe at Home, Daniel's Law and the new Judicial Security Act passed in 2025) and said the Judicial Security Act allows judges—active and retired—and certain family members to submit a judicial real-property notice to mask identifying property information in county digital records. The law is retroactive for online and digital records and takes effect Jan. 1.
"We're allowed to charge up to $75 to process these requests," Stirk said, and she asked the board to approve a $75 fee for initial judicial real-property notices, a $25 fee for additional masks such as mortgage or easement masking, and $75 for consent-to-release and consent-to-terminate forms. Stirk noted the county will only mask information in its digital records and cannot control third-party hunting apps or other external platforms.
Commissioners asked whether masking would be automatic or only upon request; Stirk said it is only upon request and that demand may vary. The board did not take a formal vote during the work session; Stirk requested the fee schedule be placed for formal action through the appropriate meeting packet.
