City guide · Des Moines, Iowa · Details last checked Oct 30, 2026

Des Moines, Iowa document errands: printing, fax, notary, passports and certified copies (2026)

Where to print, fax, notarize, apply for a passport and get certified copies in Des Moines, using only official and provider pages. Each fact links to its source. Some facts are statewide or national rather than local. We label those.

Printing, copying, scanning and fax

Des Moines Public Library

• Prints and copies: 25¢ a page for prints (black and white or color) and 25¢ for black-and-white or color photocopies, at all locations. Printing from your own device is also 25¢ a page ^[3].
• Computers: free; a library card or guest pass is required, for up to two hours, with more time if no one is waiting ^[3].
• Scanning: "All faxing and scanning is free at the library," according to the technology page ^[3].
• Fax (sources differ): the same technology page says all libraries have fax machines for public use and that faxing is free ^[3], but the library's Community Fax Services page says, "Due to privacy concerns, the Des Moines Public Library is no longer offering fax services at our locations," and lists other places to fax, including nearby suburban libraries ^[9]. Call before you go.

• The UPS Store: it lists 2 locations in Des Moines: 2643 Beaver Ave, (515) 277-5001; and 4225 Fleur Dr, (515) 285-0113. Its city page says they offer packing, shipping, printing, shredding, notarizing, faxing and mailbox services ^[10]. We didn't find prices on the store pages; The UPS Store's site says products, services, prices and hours may vary by location ^[11].

See printing prices and fax prices.

Notary in Des Moines

• City Clerk's office (free for residents): the City Clerk offers a public notary service for Des Moines residents "at no charge during business hours." Bring your photo ID and your unsigned documents ^[4]. The library's notary page gives the hours as Monday–Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1200 Locust Street, phone 515-283-4209 ^[5].
• Library: "Des Moines Public Library is no longer offering notary services." Its page points to banks, some suburban libraries, The UPS Store and the Secretary of State's notary search, and says the UPS Store on Fleur Drive, for example, charges $8 per stamp ^[5]. We didn't confirm that price on a UPS Store page.
• Polk County Recorder: its passport fee page lists notarized passport copies at $5.00 each ^[12]. We didn't find a general notary service on the Recorder pages we checked.
• The UPS Store: its Des Moines page lists notarizing ^[10].
• Fees (statewide): the Iowa Secretary of State's notary handbook says "A notary in Iowa may charge a reasonable fee for the notary's services," and that a notary "cannot refuse to perform a service because a person is not a client/customer" ^[13]. We didn't find a per-act maximum fee in the handbook, so ask what a notary charges before you go. The $30 on the Secretary of State's fee page is what a notary pays for a commission, not what you pay for a notarization ^[14].
• ID and remote notarization (statewide): the handbook says signers must personally appear (or appear by approved audio-video technology for a remote online notarization) and lists acceptable ID as a passport, driver's license or government-issued nonoperator ID that is current or expired not more than three years. Iowa notaries may notarize only within Iowa; a remote online notary must be in Iowa but may notarize for a signer elsewhere in the U.S. (or abroad, if certain conditions are met). The handbook also says Iowa doesn't require a notary bond ^[13].

Passports in Des Moines

The U.S. Department of State's Passport Acceptance Facility Locator data lists 2 facilities with a Des Moines address, and lists 1 of them as taking photos on site ^[6]:

• Post office: the locator says to schedule a passport appointment or check other acceptance times at usps.com ^[6].
• Polk County Recorder (appointment only): passport applications by appointment only; call 515-286-3160. The office won't process applications after 3:00 p.m. The $35 acceptance (agent) fee and photo fee can be paid by cash, check or card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover) to the Polk County Recorder; the application fee must be a check, money order or bank draft to the Department of State ^[15][12].
• Photos (sources differ): Polk County says, "Photos are provided for $15.00" ^[15], while the locator data doesn't list the Recorder as taking photos ^[6]. Ask when you book.
• Post office fees (national): a $35.00 acceptance fee and a $15.00 photo fee "if needed" ^[16].
• Faster service (national): the State Department's 1–3 business day return delivery is $26.87, for passport books only ^[17].
• State Department fees (national): for a first passport or other in-person (DS-11) application, the application fee for an adult (16 and older) is $130 for a book, $30 for a card or $160 for both; for a child under 16 it is $100, $15 or $115. A $35 acceptance fee is paid separately to the acceptance facility, and expedited service is $60 more ^[17].

See the passport checklist and passport photo prices.

Birth, death, marriage, court and recorded-document copies

Birth, death and marriage certificates: Iowa HHS (statewide)

• Fee (statewide): "At both the county and state level, a fee of $20.00 is required for each record search conducted, with a copy issued if one is found." If no record is found you get a no-record letter and the fee isn't refunded ^[18]. County recorders can issue certified copies of births from 1986 on and of deaths and marriages from 1954 on; for earlier events, order from the county where the event happened (marriages: where the application was made) ^[19].
• Who can order (statewide): you must be the person named on the record or have "a lineal relationship" to that person, "such as a legal parent, grandparent, spouse, brother, sister, child, legal guardian, or legal representative." County requests must be in writing and state the purpose; the state also takes telephone requests paid by credit card. Bring a valid, current government-issued photo ID (a legible photocopy by mail). HHS notes that some county recorders "may only accept cash or money orders for in-person requests and money orders for mail-in requests" ^[18].
• State office (statewide): the Iowa HHS Bureau of Vital Statistics takes in-person requests at the Lucas State Office Building, 1st Floor, 321 E. 12th Street, Des Moines, 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday–Friday; requests received by 2:00 p.m. are processed in 2 hours. Mail applications must be notarized. VitalChek is its only authorized online and phone vendor and adds its own fee, starting at $14.00 an order online and $9.00 by phone. Questions: 515-281-4944 ^[19][18].

Birth and death certificates: Polk County Recorder

• Fee: "Effective July 1, 2026 the fee for certified copies (birth, death, and marriage) of vital records increased from $15 to $20." Pay by cash, check, card (MasterCard, Visa, Discover) or money order ^[7][20].
• Which records: Polk County has all Iowa birth records from 1985 on, and Polk County births before that, except single-parent births and records with legal action; it doesn't have births from 1921 through 1941. It has no death records before July 1, 1941. For records it doesn't hold, contact Iowa HHS at 515-281-4944 ^[7][20].
• How: in person (same-day vital records service ends at 3:30 p.m.; the office is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday–Friday) or by mail with the request form and a photocopy of your ID to 111 Court Avenue, Suite 245, Des Moines, IA 50309. Mailed requests go out the day after they arrive. Mailed signatures must be notarized ^[7][21].

Marriage licenses: Polk County Recorder

• Fee: $35. Both of you and one witness who knows you and is 18 or older come in with photo ID and fill out the application. If you can't come in, the office can mail the application, which must be signed before a notary. The application isn't online; call 515-286-3781 ^[8].
• When it's valid: Polk County excludes the day of application and counts 4 days after that, weekends included. The license is void if it isn't picked up within six months of the application. People aged 16 and 17 need a judge's consent ^[8].
• Certified copies: $20 each, by mail or in person, for licenses applied for in Polk County. Judges who perform weddings outside court hours and facilities may charge up to $200 ^[8].
• Fee and waiting period (statewide): Iowa Code § 331.605 sets the fee for filing a marriage license application at $35, which "includes payment for one certified copy" of the marriage certificate after it is filed ^[22]. Under § 595.4, a license "shall not become valid until the expiration of three days after the date of issuance," a judge can authorize early validation in an emergency, and an application is void if no license is issued within six months ^[23]. Early validation carries a separate $5 application fee ^[22].

Recorded documents: Polk County Recorder

• Recording: the Recorder's fee page says the $12.00 fee for deeds, changes of name, condemnations and contracts includes a $5.00 transfer fee for each parcel; add $5.00 for each additional parcel ($50.00 maximum). A document with more than one transaction is $7.00 more per transaction ^[24]. We didn't find the rest of the fee table in the page text.
• Copies: real estate documents from Jan. 1, 1992 on are free to view and print online. Otherwise, in-office copies are $0.50 a page; mailed copies $1.00 for the first page and $0.50 for each additional page; emailed copies $2.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page. A certified copy is $5.00 more. Imaging: 515-286-3175 ^[25].
• Recording fees (statewide): Iowa Code § 331.604 sets a $5 fee "for each page or fraction of a page" recorded, plus $1 per recorded transaction for records management and $1 per transaction for the county land record information system ^[26].

Court copy fees (statewide; sources differ)

• Iowa Judicial Branch: its Civil Court Fees page lists "Certification and seal of court document" at $50 under Iowa Code § 602.8105(2)(b), and copies at $0.50 a page, with the note "Court fees updated to reflect Iowa Legislature 2026 changes" ^[27].
• Iowa Code 2026 text: the Legislature's posted Iowa Code 2026 version of § 602.8105, dated Dec. 12, 2025, says the clerk collects "For a certificate and seal, thirty dollars" ^[28]. That file predates the 2026 session the Judicial Branch cites, so the $50 figure may reflect a later change. Confirm the amount with the clerk of district court before you pay.

Apostilles (statewide)

• Who: the Iowa Secretary of State issues apostilles and certifications confirming that the Iowa notary or elected official who signed a document was commissioned or serving at the time. Since 2025 it uses a single certificate format for every country, Hague member or not. It can certify only documents signed by Iowa notaries or Iowa officials; for a federal document such as a federal background check, it refers you to the U.S. Department of State ^[29].
• Fee: "$5.00 per apostille or certification," by check (payable to Iowa Secretary of State), Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover; "Do not mail cash" ^[30].
• How: same-day walk-in service 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday–Friday (except holidays) at the Lucas Building, First Floor, 321 E. 12th Street, Des Moines; or mail the request form and a copy of the document to that address; or upload one multi-page PDF through Fast Track Filing. You need one copy of the document for each certificate. Certificates come back by USPS unless you include a prepaid shipping label. Phone 515-281-5204 ^[29][30].
• Processing time: not posted for mail or uploads; uploads are "reviewed and issued in date order" ^[29].

More on certified copies: how to get a certified copy.

Money orders

USPS money order fees are national: $2.65 for $0.01 to $500.00, and $3.75 for $500.01 to $1,000.00. Pay with cash or a debit card, not a credit card. The limit is $1,000 per domestic money order ^[31]. Other sellers: money order guide.

Shredding

• Free events: we didn't find a free document shred event on the official Des Moines or Polk County pages we checked. The city's free SCRUB cleanup days (the last of 2026 is Saturday, Nov. 21) take yard waste, debris and, at MEGA SCRUB events, some household hazardous waste; the page doesn't mention paper shredding ^[32].
• The UPS Store: its Des Moines page lists shredding ^[10]. We didn't find prices.

For paid per-pound shredding, see where to shred documents.

Questions

Sources

Sources last checked Oct 29 or Oct 30, 2026, as marked on each, except the locator data file.

1. U.S. Census Bureau, "2020 Place by County relationship file, Iowa": www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/codes2020/place_by_cou/st19_ia_place_by_county2020.txt (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
2. Polk County, "County Recorder": polkcountyiowa.gov/county-recorder (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
3. Des Moines Public Library, "DMPL Technology Services": dmpl.org/explore/featured-services/technology (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
4. City of Des Moines, "City Clerk's Office": dsm.city/departments/city_clerk/index.php (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
5. Des Moines Public Library, "Notary Services": dmpl.org/notary-services (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
6. U.S. Department of State, Passport Acceptance Facility Locator (locator data file, downloaded Oct 28, 2026, filtered to Iowa): passportfacilitylocator.travel.state.gov (last checked Oct 28, 2026)
7. Polk County, "Birth Records": polkcountyiowa.gov/county-recorder/vital-records/birth-records (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
8. Polk County, "Marriage Records": polkcountyiowa.gov/county-recorder/vital-records/marriage-records (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
9. Des Moines Public Library, "Community Fax Services": dmpl.org/fax-services (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
10. The UPS Store, "The UPS Store Locations in Des Moines, Iowa": locations.theupsstore.com/ia/des-moines (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
11. The UPS Store, "Notary Services Nationwide": theupsstore.com/store-services/notary-services (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
12. Polk County, "Passport Fees": polkcountyiowa.gov/county-recorder/passports/passport-fees (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
13. Iowa Secretary of State, "Handbook for Iowa Notaries Public (2023, PDF)": sos.iowa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-03/notaryhandbook.pdf (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
14. Iowa Secretary of State, "Notary Forms and Fees": sos.iowa.gov/notaries/notary-forms-and-fees (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
15. Polk County, "Passports": polkcountyiowa.gov/county-recorder/passports (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
16. USPS, "Passports": usps.com/international/passports.htm (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
17. U.S. Department of State, passport fees page (Last Updated March 19, 2026): travel.state.gov/en/passports/apply/help/fees.html (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
18. Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, "Vital Records": hhs.iowa.gov/family-community/vital-records (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
19. Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, "How to Request a Certified Record": hhs.iowa.gov/family-community/vital-records/how-request-certified-record (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
20. Polk County, "Death Records": polkcountyiowa.gov/county-recorder/vital-records/death-records (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
21. Polk County, "Vital Records": polkcountyiowa.gov/county-recorder/vital-records (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
22. Iowa Legislature, "Iowa Code 2026, section 331.605, Other fees (PDF)": legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/2026/331.605.pdf (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
23. Iowa Legislature, "Iowa Code 2026, section 595.4, Age and qualification, verified application, waiting period (PDF)": legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/2026/595.4.pdf (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
24. Polk County, "Recording Fees": polkcountyiowa.gov/county-recorder/real-estate-department/recording-fees (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
25. Polk County, "Get a Copy": polkcountyiowa.gov/county-recorder/imagingmicrofilm-department/get-a-copy (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
26. Iowa Legislature, "Iowa Code 2026, section 331.604, Recording and filing fees (PDF)": legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/2026/331.604.pdf (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
27. Iowa Judicial Branch, "Civil Court Fees": iowacourts.gov/for-the-public/representing-yourself/civil-court-fees (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
28. Iowa Legislature, "Iowa Code 2026, section 602.8105, Fees for civil cases and other services (PDF)": legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/2026/602.8105.pdf (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
29. Iowa Secretary of State, "Apostilles and Certifications": sos.iowa.gov/notaries/apostilles-and-certifications (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
30. Iowa Secretary of State, "Apostille or Certification Request Form (Rev. 10/25, PDF)": sos.iowa.gov/business/pdf/APCERT.pdf (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
31. USPS, "Money Orders": usps.com/shop/money-orders.htm (last checked Oct 30, 2026)
32. City of Des Moines, "SCRUB Events": dsm.city/departments/public_works/garbage_recycling/scrub_events/index.php (last checked Oct 30, 2026)

Related guides

• Omaha, Nebraska document errands
• Minneapolis, Minnesota document errands
• Sioux Falls, South Dakota document errands
• Where to get something notarized, and what it costs: banks, credit unions, libraries, AAA, The UPS Store and online notary, plus state fee limits.
• US passport application checklist: what to bring, fees, forms and photocopy rules from the State Department.
• How to get a certified copy: birth, death, marriage, property and court records from the offices that issue them.
• Free notary options
• Map of our city guides
• All guides