Occasionally, we have an attorney charging a small fee (usually about $5) that they call something along the lines of a 'recordation fee' or sometimes an 'e-recording fee'. This is not a fee that most attorneys list - I see it on less than 1 in 10 closings. It is NOT charged by the attorney we list on the shopping list.

When asked further about this fee, we are usually told something along the lines of this - 'The recordation service is the service we use to get them recorded - this is not a recording fee - but the cost to get it to the recorder and an online-recording service fee - both of which we are charged.'

Here's my question: If you've ran into this fee before, what do you classify this fee on on the CD? And if you put it in section C., do you put 'Title' in front of it? (I'm supposing it's 'a component title insurance or are for conducting the closing'... but it also seems like 'fees assessed by a government authority to record and index the loan and title documents as required under State or local law' but it almost seems like it's more a fee assessed to the ATTORNEY for recording that a few of them choose to pass on to their client in an itemized manner.

Would love some feedback as to how other banks categorize them. Thanks!

Section C - labeled "Title - " and a prepaid finance charge.

It is not paid to a government agency. It is junk fee.

Follow up question on this.

If the attorney is charging the buyer AND the seller each one of these fees, the buyer's fee goes in C and the seller's fee goes in H, right?

Kind of doesn't make sense to me, since it's the same fee... but the borrower can't shop the seller's fees soooo??

And, would you put 'title - ' in front of the seller's e-recording fee too?

3. Title insurance services. The services required to be labeled beginning with “Title –” pursuant to § 1026.37(f)(2) or (3) are those required for the issuance of title insurance policies to the creditor in connection with the consummation of the transaction or for conducting the closing.

In H is would be limited to the owner's title policy.

So. you would put the 'recordation fee' for the seller in H, but no 'title' in front of it, but you WOULD put title in front of the same recordation fee for the buyer but put it in C?

If you believe that is a charge related to conducting the closing of the loan.