SB 978: Recordable instruments; modifying certain margin requirements. Effective date. Emergency. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates Oklahoma's recordable instrument filing requirements by clarifying what documents county clerks must accept, standardizing formatting rules for legal descriptions and margins, and adding provisions for handling nonconforming documents. The changes aim to modernize filing procedures and ensure consistency across counties while maintaining flexibility for electronic submissions.

Scope change

The bill expands applicability to include digitized images and electronic copies submitted under the Uniform Real Property Electronic Recording Act, and clarifies that existing documents filed before 1997 are deemed compliant.

REQUIREMENT

Updated legal description requirements to specify sorting by addition/block/lot for platted property or township/range/section for governmental survey descriptions.

Added $1.00 per page fee for instruments containing more than 25 legal descriptions per page.

Established minimum margin requirements: 2 inches on top page, 1 inch on other margins.

Clarified that stray markings within margins do not void document acceptance if sufficient space remains for stamps and recording information.

ELIGIBILITY

Added exceptions allowing county clerks to accept nonconforming documents if they meet specific criteria including originality, legibility, and payment of additional fees.

Permitted digitized images and electronic copies to satisfy original document requirements when submitted electronically under the Uniform Real Property Electronic Recording Act.

TIMELINE

Deemed all documents filed before February 18, 1997, as complying with current requirements.

Engrossed → Floor (House) · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to change its title from 'Engrossed Senate' to 'House of Representatives - Floor Version' and updated the legislative session reference from the 60th Legislature (2025). The substantive text of the bill regarding recordable instruments, margin requirements, and filing fees remains unchanged.

TECHNICAL

The bill header was changed from 'Engrossed Senate' to 'House of Representatives - Floor Version' to reflect its current stage in the legislative process.

The legislative session reference was updated to specify the '1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)' for clarity.

Page headers and footers were reformatted to include 'SB978 HFLR' and notes about bold face denoting committee amendments, which are formatting conventions for floor versions.

Introduced → Engrossed · 8 edits · Mar 11, 2025

MODERATE

This bill updates Oklahoma's recordable instrument requirements by clarifying formatting standards, adding provisions for electronic submissions, and establishing specific margin and page size requirements for documents filed with county clerks. The changes modernize filing procedures to accommodate both traditional paper documents and electronic submissions under existing state law.

Scope change

The bill expands applicability to include digitized images and electronic copies submitted under the Uniform Real Property Electronic Recording Act, while maintaining requirements for traditional paper documents.

REQUIREMENT

Added specific margin requirements: top margin of first page must be at least 2 inches, all other margins at least 1 inch

Added document size limit: all documents must measure no larger than 8.5 inches by 14 inches

Added requirement for documents to include space free of printed information for affixing documentary stamps and recording information

Modified filing fee structure to specify additional fees for instruments with more than 25 legal descriptions per page

ELIGIBILITY

Added provisions allowing county clerks to accept nonconforming documents if they meet five specific criteria including legibility and payment of additional fees

Added explicit recognition that digitized images or electronic copies satisfy original instrument requirements when submitted electronically under existing state law

TIMELINE

Added effective date of July 1, 2025, and declared an emergency provision

EXEMPTIONS

Added exemptions for plats, Uniform Commercial Code filings, and other instruments filed under separate laws

Recordable instruments; modifying certain margin requirements. Effective date. Emergency.

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