Montana Quitclaim Deed

About the Carter County Clerk & Recorder

Carter County, in Montana's far southeastern corner, is centered entirely on Ekalaka, its county seat and only incorporated town. With just under 1,400 residents spread across 3,340 square miles, this is about as rural as recording offices get in Montana — a call ahead before the drive is a good idea, since it's a small staff covering a lot of ground.

Cities and Communities Served

Recording jurisdiction runs countywide, not by city limits — if the property sits anywhere within Carter County, this is the Clerk & Recorder’s office that will accept the deed. That includes:

Incorporated towns: Ekalaka (county seat).

Unincorporated communities: Alzada, Albion, Boyes, Hammond, Mill Iron, and Ridge.

Office Details

Address: 214 East Park Street, Ekalaka, MT 59324

Phone: (406) 775-8749  |  Fax: (406) 775-8750

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – Noon, 1:00 – 5:00 PM

Recording Fee: A flat statewide fee set by Montana law (MCA § 7-4-2637) — not a Carter-specific rate, and not a percentage of the property's value.

No additional county fees beyond the statewide rate were found for Carter County.

Official Website Get Directions

How to File a Document

  1. Prepare Your Document: Make sure your deed meets Montana's formatting and content requirements before you file.
  2. Get It Notarized: Have the document signed in front of a Montana notary public or other authorized official. No notary nearby in Ekalaka? Montana allows remote online notarization — you can notarize your Carter County deed online instead.
  3. Complete a Realty Transfer Certificate: Montana law requires a completed Realty Transfer Certificate (Form RTC) to accompany every deed submitted for recording — even transfers that don't require disclosing the sale price still need the form filed.
  4. Record It: You can file in person at the Carter County Clerk & Recorder's office; call ahead to confirm whether mail-in filing is accepted.
  5. Pay the Recording Fee: A flat statewide rate for the first page, with a lower rate for each additional page.
  6. Keep Your Receipt: Your recorded document (or a certified copy) is your proof of filing.

Still Have Questions About Filing With the Carter County Clerk & Recorder?

Ask below and get an instant answer on Montana quitclaim deeds.

Filing? Get a Deed the Carter County Clerk & Recorder Will Accept

FREE generic forms are the most common reason Montana deeds get rejected — usually over formatting, the legal description, or notary acknowledgment.

Two ways to avoid that:

Download the form yourself $14.95 Have it prepared for you $39.95

Both are built to meet Montana's recording requirements, tailored to what the Carter County Clerk & Recorder asks for.

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