How to Find Your Montana Legal Description
During the process of filling out the Montana Quitclaim Deed Form, you will encounter the question of providing the “LEGAL DESCRIPTION” for your Montana property. Sometimes this can be a difficult stumbling block for completing the Form.
The best source for this information is from a previous document. Perhaps you have the closing papers from the sale of the property.
If you have your legal documents at home, you probably can find a paper containing the Legal Description. If not, and you have explored every source, you still have options available short of actually visiting the county seat.
Most Montana county Clerk & Recorder offices provide an online records search, and many counties also have a separate assessor/GIS property search. Start with your county's page below for contact info and its official website, then look for a "property search," "records search," or "GIS" link once you're there.
Find Your County's Property Search
Every Montana county's Clerk & Recorder office page includes its official website — from there, look for a "property search," "records search," or "GIS" link, which a few of our county pages link to directly. Select your county to get started:
Browse All 56 Montana Counties →
FAQs About Legal Descriptions
What is a Legal Description?
A Legal Description is the formal, surveyed description of a property's exact boundaries and location — such as a lot, block, and subdivision name, or a metes-and-bounds description — used to uniquely identify the parcel on recorded documents like a quitclaim deed. It is not the same as the property's mailing address.
Can I retrieve the legal description online?
In most cases, yes. Most Montana county Clerk & Recorder or assessor offices provide a free online property search by owner name, address, or parcel number, which will display the recorded legal description for that property.
What if my county does not provide online records?
Check a prior recorded document you may already have, such as your closing or settlement papers, since the legal description is usually printed there. Otherwise, contact the county recorder's or assessor's office directly by phone or in person and they can look it up for you.