County Clerk Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a county clerk. Feel free to use our county clerk job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a county clerk.
Who is a County Clerk?
If you’ve ever desired to work in a highly responsible elected civil service position, consider becoming a county clerk. The county clerk is responsible for the filing of vital records, or significant documents on the population of a particular county, such as birth, death, and marriage certificates. Depending on the size of that population, the job’s responsibilities can extend much further. In counties with fewer residents, the clerk wears a variety of hats. It’s one of the few jobs where the more customers you have, the fewer responsibilities you have.
The county clerk is an elected or appointed official who is responsible for a variety of functions, including election oversight and serving as chief clerk of the county court system. He or she is responsible for the maintenance of birth, marriage, and death records, as well as legal publications. The county clerk also serves as secretary to the county commission, setting the agenda, recording minutes and votes, and assisting commissioners with administrative tasks.
The county clerk is also responsible for maintaining voter rolls and registering new voters. He or she is responsible for collecting candidate fees and financial disclosure reports filed by candidates for public office. The clerk is in charge of hiring, recruiting, and training election workers, as well as supervising ballots, voting equipment, and polling locations. When citizens submit petitions to recall a public official or a ballot initiative, the clerk processes the documents following applicable state and federal law.
The clerk is also the county recorder in some counties, particularly small or rural counties. Each day, this position processes hundreds or thousands of documents, depending on the county’s size. Each document is routinely copied and archived on microfilm to ensure its long-term preservation. Property records are made available to the public upon request by a county clerk/recorder.
Generally, the county clerk handles all recorded land transfers, foreclosures, and trust deeds. He or she communicates frequently with title companies and banks following the sale of property or the filing of a lien against it. The county clerk also collects all recording fees and forwards them to the comptroller’s office. In the majority of counties, the clerk prepares an annual report summarizing all office activity.
When the county clerk also serves as the chief court clerk, the duties of the county clerk can become more varied. This individual may file court cases and attend court proceedings. He or she may execute warrants, judgments, or court orders and maintains divorce records. The clerk is in charge of supervising other employees at the county courthouse and is responsible for hiring and firing them.
Certain county clerks are tasked with the responsibility of maintaining records for tax purposes. They are responsible for maintaining tax rolls and overseeing special assessments, as well as mailing tax and assessment documents to property owners. One of the responsibilities of this position is to collect and record property tax payments from citizens.
County clerk responsibilities vary by region but may include the processing of passport and homestead applications. Certain clerks are responsible for maintaining an inventory of the county’s assets and preparing reports on the county’s debt. Additionally, he or she may be tasked with the responsibility of maintaining records of all claims and lawsuits brought against the county.
According to the National Association of Counties, 24 states mandated that county clerks be elected officials. Two additional states allowed counties to decide whether these officials should be elected or appointed, while other states with county clerks required appointment.
Let’s take a look at Cook County, Illinois. This county encompasses much of Chicago’s metropolitan area and is estimated to have a population of nearly 5.3 million people. The county clerk accepts and files the certifying legal document whenever a Cook County resident is born, dies, marries, forms a domestic partnership, or divorces. Each of these adds to the Cook County clerk’s millions of records to maintain.
That’s a lot of records to file and maintain, which is why the Cook County clerk’s responsibilities are limited to those specific certificates. A typical day in the office of the Bergen County Clerk in New Jersey, which includes the county seat of Hackensack, can be somewhat more varied. Bergen County had a population of less than 900,000 in 2008, and thus the county clerk is responsible for more than just filing birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates. Additionally, the clerk’s office files and processes residents’ passport applications and property deeds, issues county identification cards, and grants and records licenses for local physicians and business owners. Residents seeking naturalization in the United States must apply with the clerk’s office. Additionally, the clerk of Bergen County confirms and licenses notaries public and occasionally officiates wedding ceremonies.
Bergen County’s clerk’s duties are fairly standard. Texas law requires county clerks to supervise local elections. The clerk is responsible for compiling the minutes of the local board of commissioners’ official meetings in San Juan County, New Mexico. Certain county clerks also serve as the county probate judge’s clerk of courts. This means they are accountable for compiling and maintaining records for each case heard by the judge.
Whether the county clerk’s office is kept busy by the sheer volume of records or by the addition of new responsibilities, it is frequently underfunded and understaffed.
The County Clerk is responsible for the county criminal court, the court of appeals, the probate/mental illness court, and the truancy court. Additionally, the County Clerk may serve as the trustee for minors and incapacitated individuals. He or she serves on the commissioner’s court as an ex officio member. Additionally, the county clerk collects court costs and misdemeanor court fines. The clerk also has responsibilities in probate court, which include compiling and maintaining records for each case heard by the judge.
Each day, the county clerk comes into contact with hundreds of different types of documents: marriage licenses and death certificates, absentee ballots, and deeds, to name a few. This office records liens against real property and incorporates them into the title. Each year, it processes thousands of legal documents.
Additionally, the county clerk answers phones, scans a large volume of documents, serves the public at the counter, types correspondence, reports, enters data, and performs other duties.
County Clerk Job Description
Below are the county clerk job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a county clerk job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of a county clerk include the following:
- Assisting with incoming telephone calls.
- Scanning documents and creating and certifying photocopies.
- Typing correspondence, reports, and other documents
- Create and maintenance of files, as well as the organization and filing of various documents.
- Collecting data using spreadsheets and various computer programs.
- Conducting errands, such as document collection and transport to other offices.
- Managing correspondence for the County Clerk’s office.
- Managing the document recording process, which includes computer entries, docketing, scanning, and filing of folders and documents.
- Issuing documents in plain, certified, and congressionally certified forms.
- Assisting the public when necessary and maintaining contact with the public.
- Maintaining good relationships with other offices.
- Answering the telephone and greeting visitors
- Providing information or referring inquiries to appropriate personnel
- Tracking incoming calls and recording messages
- Responding to emails and faxes.
- Entering, storing, and/or retrieving information using computerized data entry equipment and various word processing and file maintenance programs
- Maintaining pertinent files and records; scans and copies documents as necessary; ensures files are complete and accurate.
- Processing incoming and outgoing mail, including photocopying and collating documents
- Distributing mail to the appropriate department or employee.
- Preparing, then distributing, the agendas for all Commission Board meetings and attending all meetings.
- Preparing information notebooks for the Commissioners, the County Manager, and the County Attorney, as well as press packets.
- Duplicating the agendas for distribution to the public during meetings.
- Signing and distributing all official documents to the appropriate personnel.
- Distributing approved minutes to Department Heads, Constitutional Officers, and others upon request.
- Providing requested information about the Board of Commissioners’ records as part of the public record.
- Assembling and codifying all County ordinances promptly, as required by State law. Assure that the current Open Meetings/Open Records Act is followed.
- Ascertaining training schedules for County Commissioners, scheduling training sessions, and maintaining files to verify that Commissioners have completed all State-required training courses/hours.
Other critical tasks include the following:
- Vehicle Registration and Licensing
The County Clerk’s office is best known for the registration and licensing of motor vehicles. Currently, the office processes over 211,000 vehicle transactions per year.
- Serves as the beer board secretary
The county clerk serves as the beer board’s secretary. The board is responsible for issuing permits to sell beer on- and off-premises in unincorporated areas of the County. The beer committee meets on a need-to-know basis.
- Issuing business licenses
The County Clerk issues business licenses. The Tennessee Department of Revenue collects business privilege taxes. Each year, roughly 4,000 business licenses are issued or renewed. Additionally, pawnbroker licenses are issued. Additionally, hotel and motel operators in Blount County are required to pay occupancy tax to the county clerk.
- Notaries
Since public notaries are elected by the County Legislative Body, the county clerk maintains a record of the county’s notaries public and is responsible for coordination between the secretary of state and the notary applicant. The county clerk administers the notaries’ oath of office. Each year, about 300 notaries are commissioned in Blount County.
- Registrations of Boats
The county clerk also serves as the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s license agent. Sales tax is collected on boat purchases, and registration applications are processed.
Qualifications
- A high school diploma or a GED is required.
- 1-year experience as a municipal or county clerk, or 1-year experience in a general office setting.
- Computer and typing skills are excellent.
- Knowledge of Accounting is a plus
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Word, Outlook, and Excel, as well as experience with data entry.
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
- Excellent interpersonal skills.
- Driver’s license in good standing.
- Successful completion of the online application.
- Capacity to maintain information’s confidentiality and security.
- Capable of handling money.
Essential Skills
- Listening skills
- Analytical skills
- Ability to identify danger
- Observational skills
- Organizational skills
- Planning
- Prioritization
- Resolving issues
- Maintaining records
- Appointment scheduling
- Time management
How to Become a County Clerk
County clerks are critical to the county courtroom’s daily operations. Generally, county clerks are in charge of the majority of the court’s administrative functions. A high school diploma is typically all that is required to become a county clerk. County clerks frequently have an interest in legal matters, are proficient typists, adept at multitasking, and enjoy working with the public.
Strong administrative abilities are required of a county clerk. A clerk’s typical responsibilities include processing legal documents, scheduling appointments, filing public records, and scheduling court appearances. Additionally, court fees are frequently collected, court documents are authenticated, and legal licenses, such as marriage and business licenses, are issued. Additionally, a county clerk may transcribe minutes of proceedings and maintain a docket of scheduled cases.
County clerks must meet a variety of educational requirements. A high school diploma is frequently considered to be the minimum acceptable level of education, though certain positions may require an associate’s degree or higher. Prior experience in business, law or criminal justice is frequently recommended. Additionally, the individual must be familiar with the county court’s rules and regulations.
Typically, a county clerk will work with a variety of office machines, including a computer, typewriter, multi-line phone system, and fax machine. Interpersonal abilities are also necessary for county clerks. Discretion, decision-making ability, and self-reliance are all critical skills to possess. Additionally, as a county clerk, you will be responsible for customer service, as you will frequently interact with the public.
A county clerk may compile jury lists and process and mail jury duty notifications. The county clerk may also swear in jurors or individuals appearing to testify. In many cases, a county clerk will collaborate with attorneys to obtain and provide information on a variety of matters, including lawsuit filing.
Advancement is possible in this field, though it is likely to be highly dependent on an individual’s experience, background, and level of education. A county clerk may wish to advance in the ranks and work in a larger court setting. Additionally, working as a county clerk may open doors to other facets of the legal system.
Where to Work as a County Clerk
County clerks work in a variety of courts throughout various counties and states. Additionally, they work with judges, grieving families, defendants, jurors, and a large portion of the general public.
County Clerk Salary Scale
In the United States, the national average salary for a County Clerk is $38,890 per year.