Is Delaware County Recorder of Deeds the official office name in Ohio?

The commonly searched phrase is Delaware County Recorder of Deeds, but the official local office name is the Delaware County Recorder. It records and indexes deeds, mortgages, liens, land contracts, plats and other qualifying instruments.

How do I search Delaware County Ohio deed records online?

Start with the Delaware County Recorder Recorded Document Search page, continue to the Public Access database, then search by name, book and page, or instrument number. For deeds, search both grantor and grantee names when necessary.

How far back does the Delaware County Recorder online search go?

The Recorder's current search instructions state that the website contains real-estate documents from 1990 to present and that records before 1990 can be found in the Recorder's Office. Because Ohio law now addresses electronic access to records dating from 1980, contact the Recorder if you need a 1980s record that does not appear in the public portal.

Where is the Delaware County Recorder office?

The Delaware County Recorder is located at 145 N. Union St., Delaware, Ohio 43015. The office phone is 740-833-2460.

What are the Delaware County Recorder recording hours?

The Recorder lists recording hours as Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a document submission cutoff of 4:00 p.m. The Exam Room is listed as open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Can I search Delaware County deeds by street address?

The Recorder's published search methods focus on name, book and page, and instrument number. If you only know the property address, first use the Delaware County Auditor property search to identify the owner and parcel, then search the Recorder database using the owner name.

How do I get a certified copy of a Delaware County deed?

Identify the instrument first, then contact or visit the Delaware County Recorder for a certified copy. The Recorder currently lists certified copies at $2 per page plus $2 for certification.

Does Delaware County offer deed fraud alerts?

Yes. The Delaware County Recorder provides access to the voluntary AlertMe notification service, which can send an email when a document containing a registered name is recorded after enrollment.

Delaware County, Ohio · Deeds, mortgages, liens, plats and recorded documents

Delaware County OH Recorder of Deeds: Search Records, Copies, Fees & Office

Q: What does it cost to record a deed in Delaware County Ohio?

The Recorder currently lists the basic recording fee for many deeds, mortgages, leases, releases and similar instruments as $39 for the first two pages and $8 for each additional page. Additional charges may apply, so verify the current fee page before filing.

If you searched for the Delaware County Recorder of Deeds, the official Ohio office you need is the Delaware County Recorder. This is the county office that records and indexes deeds, mortgages, land contracts, certain liens, plats and other instruments affecting real property.

This guide takes you directly to the official search, shows exactly how to find a deed, explains what an instrument number means, tells you when an online image is not enough, lists current recording and copy charges, and routes address, tax and parcel questions to the correct county office.

Search official Recorder records Open Public Access portal Recorder office & hours

The Recorder is not the county’s street-address property search. If all you know is a property address, start with the Delaware County Auditor to identify the owner and parcel. Then take the owner name into the Recorder database to locate the deed or other recorded instrument.

1990+ Recorder’s current published online real-estate coverage statement.

$39 Listed first-two-page basic recording fee for many instruments.

$8 Listed charge for each additional basic-instrument page.

8:30–4:30 Recorder’s published recording hours on regular weekdays.

4:00 p.m. Published document-submission cutoff.

Start with the right office

What are you actually trying to find?

A common reason deed searches become frustrating is that Delaware County property information is divided among several offices. Choosing the right system first is faster than trying to force one database to answer every property question.

Deed, mortgage or lien

Use the Delaware County Recorder for recorded real-estate instruments, document images, instrument numbers and certified copies.

Search deed records

Owner, address or parcel

Use the Delaware County Auditor when your starting information is a street address, parcel number, ownership record or property valuation.

Start with the Auditor

Tax bill or payment

Use the Delaware County Treasurer for tax balances, bills, payment activity and payment-related questions.

Go to tax tools

Foreclosure court case

A recorded mortgage or lien may be at the Recorder, but court pleadings and foreclosure case activity belong with the Clerk of Courts.

See office routing

Delaware County Recorder guide

Jump directly to the task you need to complete.

Official deed search

How to search Delaware County Recorder of Deeds records online

The Recorder’s official instructions say its database can be searched by name, book/page or instrument number. The index is both forward and reverse, which is important because deeds and mortgages can be located through either side of the transaction.

Open the Recorder’s official search instructions first Review the public-record notice, database coverage and indexing instructions before entering the document system.
Open Delaware County Recorded Document Search →

Continue to the Delaware County Public Access database The document system is hosted through Document Technology Systems. Confirm that the page identifies the Delaware County Recorder’s Office before searching.
Open official Public Access →

Use an instrument number when you already have one An instrument number is the Recorder-assigned identifier for a recorded document. It is normally the most precise reference because it points to a specific filing instead of every document associated with a person’s name.

Use book and page when another document gives you that citation Older title documents, prior deeds and legal paperwork may cite a volume or book and page. Enter those references rather than beginning with a broad owner-name search.

Use name search when you do not have a document number The Recorder instructs users to enter a person’s name with the last name first and first name last. Try reasonable spelling variations if the expected result does not appear.

For a deed, search both sides of the conveyance Search the grantor—the person conveying the interest—and the grantee—the person receiving it. Searching both can uncover a deed that one name variation misses.

For a mortgage, try both mortgagor and mortgagee The mortgagor is generally the borrower pledging the property; the mortgagee is generally the lender or lienholder. Either can provide a useful index entry.

Open the document and save its permanent reference Confirm the document type, parties, recording date, instrument number, book/page reference and other indexing information. Save that reference before leaving the search.

Useful name-search detail: Delaware County’s instructions say to enter the full business name for a business. If a business begins with a number, the Recorder instructs users to begin with NUMBER-. The county also publishes special prefixes for some church and school searches.

Official instructions: Delaware County Recorder Recorded Document Search.

When all you have is an address

How to find a Delaware County deed from a street address

The Recorder’s published search methods are document-oriented rather than address-oriented. If you landed here because you typed an address into Google and want to know “who owns this property?” or “where is the deed?”, use this two-system workflow.

Open the Delaware County Auditor property search The Auditor provides official searches by owner, address and parcel number.
Open Auditor Real Estate Data Property Search →

Search the exact street address Identify the correct parcel and note the owner name, parcel number and any legal-description clues shown on the property record.

Copy the owner’s indexed name A precise owner name gives you a better starting point in the Recorder database than a street address alone.

Move to the Recorder Public Access search Search the owner as a possible grantee to locate the deed by which the current owner acquired the property. If necessary, search the prior owner as grantor.

Verify the deed against the property Compare the legal description, parcel information, parties and recording date rather than assuming the first matching surname belongs to your parcel.

Do not treat a mailing address as proof of legal ownership. Parcel databases are useful for locating the account, but the recorded deed and related title documents are the appropriate records when you need to research the recorded conveyance.

Record decoder

What the Delaware County Recorder search result is telling you

Common fields and what to do with them
Field	What it means	Why it matters
Instrument number	A unique Recorder-assigned reference for a filed document.	Save this first. It is the cleanest reference for future searches or copy requests.
Grantor	The party conveying an interest in the deed transaction.	Useful for following ownership from a prior owner to the next owner.
Grantee	The party receiving the conveyed interest.	Often the side to search when locating the deed under which an owner acquired property.
Book / page	A volume and page reference assigned to the recorded instrument.	Older deeds and related documents frequently refer to earlier instruments this way.
Recording date	The date the instrument entered the county’s official records.	Helps separate similarly named parties and establish filing chronology.
Document type	Deed, mortgage, release, assignment, lien, affidavit, land contract or another recorded category.	A deed and a mortgage answer different questions even when both contain the same owner name.

The Recorder explains that Delaware County uses a tract indexing system and assigns an instrument number as well as page and volume references to recorded documents. That is why a complete document reference is usually more useful than simply saving an owner’s name.

Historical record access

What if the Delaware County deed is older?

The Recorder’s current public search instructions state that the website contains real-estate documents from 1990 to present and that real-estate documents before 1990 can be found in the Recorder’s Office. The same page warns that not every document recorded since 1990 is computerized and that imaging start dates vary by document type.

Document is 1990 or newer

Search online first. If the index entry exists but the image is unavailable, save the instrument reference and contact Recorder staff.

Document is before 1990

The Recorder’s current instructions direct users to the Recorder’s Office for pre-1990 real-estate records.

Important 2026 access note: Ohio Revised Code §317.13 now requires county recorders to make electronic indexes and electronic versions of qualifying instruments recorded on or after January 1, 1980 available to the public, subject to statutory exceptions. Delaware County’s own search-instruction page still describes its public real-estate website as “1990 to present.” If you need a 1980–1989 instrument and cannot locate it online, call the Recorder at 740-833-2460 rather than concluding that no record exists.

Federal tax lien images have their own published imaging limitation: the Recorder states that those images are available after January 1, 1995. UCC indexing also changed over time, so older UCC-related research may require a different index.

Official references: Recorder search coverage · Ohio Revised Code §317.13

Plain vs certified documents

How to get a copy or certified copy of a Delaware County deed

Finding an online image and obtaining an official certified copy are different tasks. The Delaware County Public Access portal states that online images are provided for informational purposes and should not be treated as equivalent in legal legitimacy to documents properly filed with the Recorder or certified copies supplied by the Recorder.

Online image

Useful for research, reading the legal description and identifying instrument information.

Plain copy

Useful when you need a copy from the record but do not require the Recorder’s certification.

Certified copy

Use when the receiving agency, attorney, court, title professional or other party specifically requires certification.

Micro steps for a certified deed copy

Search the document first Identify the exact deed and save its instrument number, book/page, names and recording date.

Check the current copy charge The Recorder currently lists photocopies at $2 per page and certified copies at $2 per page plus $2 for certification.

Contact the Recorder if certification is required Tell staff you need a certified rather than informational copy and provide the document reference you already located.

If requesting by mail, follow the return-envelope instructions The Recorder’s fee page says mailed documents should include a postage-paid return envelope or sufficient money to cover an appropriate envelope and postage.

Current published charges

Delaware County Recorder fees

Recording charges are not based on the property’s value. The amount generally depends on the instrument type, number of pages, indexing requirements and any additional statutory charges.

Selected Delaware County Recorder charges published by the office
Service	Published charge	Practical note
Basic instrument	$39 first 2 pages; $8 each additional page	Applies to listed deeds, mortgages, leases, powers of attorney, releases, assignments and similar instruments.
Marginal references	$4 each	May apply to releases, amendments, assignments, rerecordings and related references.
Map, plat or print	$40 per page	Recorder lists this for recording or rerecording maps, plats and prints.
Real-estate-related UCC filing	$12 plus $4 per name indexed	Different UCC transactions and historical filings can have different handling rules.
Photocopy	$2 per page	Use when certification is not required.
Certified copy	$2 per page + $2 certification	Request certification specifically when an official certified copy is required.

Verify the total before submitting a document. A deed can involve more than the basic Recorder page charge. Transfer documents may also require county Auditor review, conveyance forms or other approvals and charges depending on the transaction. Do not mail or deliver a payment based only on an estimated page count when the transaction is unusual.

Before you file

Preparing a deed or other document for recording

The Recorder records qualifying documents; it does not replace an attorney, title company or other professional who determines what legal instrument should be used or how ownership should be transferred. A document can be formatted correctly for recording and still fail to accomplish the legal result its signer intended.

Ohio’s standard document-format rules

Ohio Revised Code §317.114 establishes standard formatting for many documents presented to a county recorder. Unless a statutory exception applies, check the following before submission:

Print must generally be at least 10-point size.

Paper must be at least 8.5 × 11 inches.

Paper cannot generally exceed 8.5 × 14 inches.

Use black or blue ink.

Do not use highlighting.

Maintain one-inch side margins.

Maintain a one-inch bottom margin.

Leave a three-inch blank top margin on page one.

Reserve the right half of the first-page top margin for the Recorder.

Leave a 1.5-inch top margin on later pages.

State law also provides for additional charges on certain nonconforming documents. Because exceptions exist, review the statute and Recorder instructions rather than altering an older or specialized document solely to fit this checklist.

A practical deed-recording workflow

Confirm that you have the correct legal instrument Do not choose between a warranty deed, quitclaim deed, survivorship instrument, transfer-on-death document or another deed type simply because a template is available online. The legal consequences differ.

Verify names and the property description carefully Compare the proposed document with the prior recorded deed, parcel information and any title documentation being used for the transaction.

Determine whether an Auditor conveyance form is required Delaware County Auditor publishes Ohio conveyance forms including DTE 100 and DTE 100EX. Which form applies depends on the transaction.
Open Delaware County Auditor forms →

Check whether additional county approval is required Splits, new descriptions, plats and other specialized transactions may involve the Auditor, Engineer or other review before the Recorder can complete the recording sequence.

Calculate the Recorder fee from the final document Count the actual pages and check for other applicable fees or references. Use the Recorder’s current fee schedule rather than an old fee quoted by another website.

Submit before the office cutoff if filing in person The Recorder lists a 4:00 p.m. document submission cutoff, even though recording hours continue until 4:30 p.m.

Keep the recorded reference Once recording is complete, retain the instrument number and recorded copy with your permanent property records.

Privacy check before recording: The Recorder warns that recorded documents generally become public records and recommends checking documents carefully for Social Security numbers before filing.

Official law: Ohio Revised Code §317.114.

Common deed terminology

Grantor, grantee, warranty deed and quitclaim deed

Understanding a few Recorder terms makes the search far easier. Delaware County’s own real-estate guide defines these common terms and deed types.

Grantor

The person or entity giving or conveying the deed interest. When researching a sale, this is commonly the transferring owner.

Grantee

The party receiving the title or interest. If you know the current owner’s name, searching that person as grantee can help locate the acquisition deed.

General warranty deed

A deed containing broader title warranties from the grantor than a quitclaim deed.

Quitclaim deed

A deed conveying whatever interest the grantor has without the same warranties of ownership associated with a warranty deed.

A quitclaim deed is not automatically the right document for a family transfer. The easiest form to download is not necessarily the safest instrument for your estate plan, divorce, trust, inheritance or title situation. When the legal effect matters, obtain Ohio legal or title advice before signing.

Name monitoring

Delaware County property fraud alerts: how AlertMe works

Delaware County Recorder provides access to a voluntary service called AlertMe. After registration, the service can send an email notification when a document containing the registered name is recorded.

Search existing records first if you are already concerned AlertMe is for future activity after signup. Use Public Access to search documents already recorded under your name.

Register the name you want monitored Open the county’s AlertMe service and follow the registration process.
Open Delaware County AlertMe →

Treat an alert as a notification, not a fraud determination A legitimate deed, mortgage, release, assignment or other instrument can also trigger a name match.

Investigate an unfamiliar recording promptly Search the instrument, save its number and review the image. The Recorder instructs users who suspect fraudulent activity to contact local law enforcement as soon as possible.

What AlertMe cannot do: The Recorder explains that the notification service does not guarantee or verify the truthfulness of a recorded document. It is an awareness tool, not title insurance and not a substitute for legal review.

Avoid the wrong-office loop

Recorder vs Auditor vs Treasurer vs Clerk of Courts

Which Delaware County office controls your task?
Your task	Start here	Official action
Find a recorded deed	Recorder	Recorded Document Search
Find owner by address	Auditor	Real Estate Property Search
Check appraised or taxable property data	Auditor	Property data
Pay or research property tax	Treasurer	Property tax search
Find foreclosure court filings	Clerk of Courts	Clerk of Courts
Get a certified deed copy	Recorder	Check copy fees
Obtain DTE conveyance forms	Auditor	Auditor forms

Simple rule: “Show me the deed” normally means Recorder. “Show me the property account or value” normally means Auditor. “Show me the tax bill or payment” normally means Treasurer.

In-person help

Delaware County Recorder office, phone and hours

Delaware County Recorder

145 N. Union St.
1st Floor
Delaware, OH 43015

Phone: 740-833-2460
Fax: 740-833-2459

Published hours

Monday–Friday, excluding holidays
Recordings: 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Document submission cutoff: 4:00 p.m.
Exam Room: 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

If you need an older instrument, unusual filing, certified copy or time-sensitive recording, calling before traveling can prevent an unnecessary trip.

What to have ready before calling or visiting

Instrument number if you found the document online.

Book and page if another deed cites the document.

Grantor or grantee name.

Approximate recording date.

Document type: deed, mortgage, release, lien or plat.

Parcel and owner information if you started with the Auditor.

Open official Recorder contact page →

Official sources only

Delaware County deed and property links you may actually need

Frequently asked questions

Delaware County OH Recorder of Deeds FAQs

Is “Delaware County Recorder of Deeds” the correct office name?

It is a common search phrase, but the official office name is the Delaware County Recorder. That office records and indexes deeds, mortgages, IRS liens, mechanics liens, land contracts, plats, zoning resolutions and other qualifying instruments.

How do I search Delaware County Ohio deeds online?

Open the Recorder’s Recorded Document Search, read the county instructions, then continue to Public Access. Search by name, book/page or instrument number. For a deed, try both grantor and grantee names.

Can I search the Recorder by street address?

The Recorder publishes name, book/page and instrument-number search methods. If you only know the street address, first use the Delaware County Auditor property search to identify the owner and parcel, then search the owner name through the Recorder.

How far back do Delaware County online deed records go?

The Recorder’s current search page says its website contains real-estate documents from 1990 to present and directs users to the Recorder’s Office for earlier real-estate records. Ohio law now contains a broader electronic-access requirement covering qualifying instruments from January 1, 1980 forward, so call the Recorder if a 1980s document does not appear online.

What is an instrument number?

It is a reference number assigned by the Recorder to a recorded document. Once you locate the correct deed, mortgage, release or lien, save the instrument number because it makes future research and copy requests much easier.

How much does it cost to record a deed in Delaware County?

The Recorder currently lists the basic charge for many deeds and similar instruments as $39 for the first two pages and $8 for each additional page. Other charges can apply depending on the transaction, so check the official fee schedule immediately before filing.

How do I get a certified Delaware County deed copy?

Find the document first and save its instrument number or book/page. Then request a certified copy from the Recorder. The current fee page lists certified copies at $2 per page plus $2 for certification. Confirm the current total before ordering.

What are the Delaware County Recorder office hours?

The office lists recordings from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. The document submission cutoff is 4:00 p.m., and the Exam Room is listed from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Does Delaware County have a deed fraud alert?

Yes. The Recorder provides access to the voluntary AlertMe service. It can notify registered users when a document containing their registered name is recorded after signup. It does not verify whether a document is legitimate.

Who should I contact if the property owner or value looks wrong?

Start with the Delaware County Auditor for parcel ownership display, property values and property-account information. Use the Recorder when the issue concerns the actual recorded deed or another recorded instrument.

Bottom line

Fastest way to complete a Delaware County deed search

For most users, the shortest path is simple: if you know the owner’s name, instrument number or book/page, start with the Delaware County Recorder. If you only know the property address, identify the owner and parcel through the Delaware County Auditor first, then move to the Recorder database.

Once you locate the correct document, save its instrument number. Use the online image for ordinary research, and request a certified copy when the receiving party specifically requires certification. If the record is older, missing or difficult to index, call the Recorder before assuming it does not exist.

Start official deed search Find owner by address

Delaware County OH Recorder of Deeds: Search & Office