You can give them any effective date they want, but if someone records a mortgage prior to your effective date, but after the REAL effective date, who do you think is going to have their head on the block?  We have a county here in Michigan that was THREE MONTHS behind until recently.  Had a client reject our order saying our effective date was too old and to change it.  I just laughed and asked what would they like me to do?  Threaten the Register of Deeds?  That'll get you REAL far....  I often tell the client right up front that the effective date is miserable in X,Y or Z county and leave it to them about what to do and/or how long to wait for an update.

Alix