Franklin County Recorder of Deeds: Search Deeds, Liens & Office
If you landed here looking for the Franklin County Recorder of Deeds, the official Ohio office is called the Franklin County Recorder. This is the office that records and preserves deeds, mortgages, mortgage releases, liens, assignments, plats, leases and other real-estate instruments for property in Franklin County.
The fastest search depends on what information you already have. If you know an owner name, instrument number, parcel number or document reference, start with the Recorder. If you only know a street address, start with the Franklin County Auditor to identify the parcel and owner, then move to the Recorder to locate the actual recorded document.
Franklin County Recorder Official Records Search.
373 S. High St., 18th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215.
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Documents are not accepted for recording after 3:45 p.m.
Which Franklin County property office do you really need?
A common reason deed searches become frustrating is that three different Franklin County offices handle three different parts of a property record. The Recorder holds recorded instruments. The Auditor maintains parcel, ownership-display and valuation information. The Treasurer handles property-tax billing and payment records.
Use the Franklin County Recorder when you need the actual document filed in the county’s land records.
Follow the deed-search stepsUse the Auditor when your starting point is a street address or you need parcel and appraisal information.
Search from an addressUse the Franklin County Treasurer for tax balances, billing records and property-tax payments.
Go to tax-search guidanceUse the Recorder’s certified-copy process when a bank, court, title company or legal process requires authentication.
See copy fees and stepsReal-property transfers normally begin with the Auditor before the approved deed is recorded.
Review the filing sequenceThe Recorder offers Property Alert so you can receive notice when a matching name appears in a newly recorded document.
Set up property alertsFranklin County Recorder deed-search guide
Jump directly to the task you need to complete.
How to search Franklin County Recorder deed records online
Franklin County’s public-record database contains deeds and many other recorded real-estate documents. The Recorder’s current search system allows you to search indexed information and, where available, the text of document images. You do not need to pay a third-party property-record site simply to begin searching the official county records.
How to find a Franklin County deed by street address
This is one of the most important Franklin County search details: the Recorder does not use street address as a standard deed index field. Trying variations of a house address in the deed database may therefore produce poor results even when the deed is online.
The practical route is to convert the address into Recorder-friendly identifiers first.
What the Franklin County deed-search fields mean
| Field | What it means | How it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Grantor | Person or entity giving or transferring the interest shown by the instrument. | Useful for locating a deed when you know the seller or prior owner. |
| Grantee | Person or entity receiving the interest. | Useful when searching for the deed by buyer or current owner’s acquisition. |
| Instrument number | Recorder-assigned document identifier. | Usually the strongest reference for reopening or ordering a specific recorded document. |
| Recorded date | Date the document was entered into the Recorder’s records. | Narrows sales, refinances, releases and other filings to the correct period. |
| Document type | Classification such as deed, mortgage, release, lien, assignment or plat. | Prevents you from confusing financing documents with ownership documents. |
| Legal description | Recorded description identifying the land or lot. | One of the strongest ways to confirm that a same-name result applies to the correct property. |
| Parcel number | Auditor parcel identifier when included with the document. | Connects a Recorder document to the corresponding county parcel record. |
What to do when a Franklin County deed does not appear
The Recorder does not treat property address as a normal deed index field.
Fix: Find the owner and parcel through the Auditor first.
Marriage, divorce, trusts, estates and business ownership can produce different indexed names.
Fix: Search prior surnames, middle initials, trust names and entity names.
A current Auditor display does not tell you every grantor/grantee name in the historical chain.
Fix: Work backward from the latest known deed and search the prior grantee.
Online systems can display a “certified through” date that trails today’s date.
Fix: Check the date shown on the official search page and contact the Recorder if timing is critical.
The deed may be indexed under a trustee, LLC, corporation or other legal entity.
Fix: Search the exact entity name plus individual parties connected with the transfer.
Older Franklin County records can use legacy indexes, handwritten books or volume/page references.
Fix: Use the Recorder’s legacy/historical search resources or ask Customer Service for search assistance.
How to get a Franklin County deed copy or certified copy
First decide whether you actually need certification. For ordinary research, ownership review or your personal records, an unofficial image from the public-record search may be enough. A court, lender, bank, title company or another legal process may require a certified copy.
Use the Recorder search, open the correct document and use the available image or download tools. This is normally the practical choice for personal research.
A deputy Recorder certifies that the copy is a true copy of the document filed with the office.
Certified-copy fee
Franklin County Recorder office address, phone and hours
18th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
How to record a deed in Franklin County, Ohio
Franklin County’s own deed-recording guidance separates preparing the legal instrument, Auditor transfer approval and Recorder recordation. A deed that transfers real property generally must go through the Auditor before the Recorder accepts the completed transfer for record.
Franklin County Recorder recording fees
Recording fees are separate from the Auditor’s conveyance tax and parcel transfer fee. Check the current Recorder fee calculator or fee page immediately before filing because the exact cost depends on document length, references and standardization.
| Item | Published amount | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Many recordable documents | $34 first two pages | Each additional page is generally $8. |
| Additional page | $8 | Applies after the first two pages for typical documents. |
| Non-standard document | $20 additional fee | May apply when Ohio document-format standards are not met. |
| Marginal/reference indexing | $4 per reference | Can apply to releases, assignments, amendments and other documents referencing earlier instruments. |
| Credit/debit card payment | 3% convenience fee | County currently lists Discover, Mastercard and Visa for card payments. |
| Document return without SASE | $1 | Provide a self-addressed stamped envelope when filing by mail when appropriate. |
| Certified copy | $2/page + $1 certification | Postage may apply for mailed requests. |
Paid off your mortgage? Search for the release, not a new deed
Homeowners often expect a new deed after their final mortgage payment. That is usually not what happens. Your deed represents the ownership conveyance. When a mortgage is satisfied, the lender generally records a separate release of mortgage.
How to search Franklin County liens without confusing a record search with a title search
The Recorder maintains many liens and related releases affecting real property, but a keyword search is not automatically a complete title examination. A property can have documents indexed under prior owners, name variations, legal descriptions, related entities or different government offices.
Search recorded real-property liens, releases and related instruments held by the Recorder.
Use the Treasurer when your concern is current property-tax billing, tax balance or certain tax-related matters.
Some judgments or legal proceedings may require research through the appropriate court rather than relying only on Recorder documents.
Use Franklin County Recorder Property Alert to watch for new filings
The Recorder’s Property Alert service can send an email when a document matching a name you monitor is recorded. It is designed as an early-warning tool for potentially suspicious activity—not as a system that automatically blocks or invalidates a filing.
Where to search Franklin County property taxes
A deed may show the legal transfer, but it does not tell you the current amount due for property taxes. For tax billing and payment information, use the Franklin County Treasurer.
Searching older Franklin County deeds and legacy indexes
Franklin County has property records extending far beyond modern digital deed images. The Recorder has historically provided access to deed indexes covering the county’s early years, including archival material from the 1800s. Older research can therefore look different from a modern grantor/grantee search.
Search current and more recent digitized records using party names, document types, recording references and other indexed data.
You may encounter handwritten deed indexes, book/volume/page references or legacy-search tools. Follow the older reference from the index to the corresponding recorded image.
A practical chain-of-title workflow
- Start with the newest deed you can verify.
- Write down the grantor, grantee, recording date and prior instrument references.
- Search the prior owner as a grantee to identify how that person acquired title.
- Repeat the process backward one transfer at a time.
- Do not skip a result simply because the spelling, initials or entity style changed.
- For legal title conclusions, have a qualified professional review the complete chain rather than treating this research workflow as a title opinion.
Franklin County Recorder and property-record resources
| Need | Correct source | What to do there |
|---|---|---|
| Deed, mortgage, release, lien or plat | Recorder Official Records Search | Search recorded documents and identify the instrument number. |
| Recorder office information | Franklin County Recorder | Confirm contact details, hours and county services. |
| Address, parcel or ownership display | Franklin County Auditor Property Search | Convert a street address into an owner and parcel ID. |
| Tax balance or payment | Franklin County Treasurer Property Search | Review property-tax records and balances. |
| Certified copy | Certified Copy Request | Request an authenticated copy of a recorded document. |
| Recording fees | Recorder Recording Fees | Verify current filing charges before submission. |
| Record a document | Real Estate Recording | Review submission, payment, mail and e-recording requirements. |
| Fraud-monitoring alerts | Recorder Property Alert | Create alerts for matching newly recorded documents. |
Franklin County Recorder of Deeds FAQs
What is the Franklin County Recorder of Deeds called in Ohio?
The official office is the Franklin County Recorder. “Recorder of Deeds” is a common search phrase, but Franklin County, Ohio uses the title County Recorder.
Can I search Franklin County deeds by street address?
Not efficiently through the Recorder alone because the Recorder does not index street address as a standard deed-search field. Start with the Franklin County Auditor property search, get the owner and parcel information, then search the Recorder.
Is the Franklin County Recorder deed search free?
Basic searching of the official public-record system does not require paid third-party access. The Recorder says registration is not required simply to search, although an account can provide additional functionality.
How much is a certified deed copy?
The Recorder currently publishes a fee of $2 per page plus $1 per document for certification. Postage may also apply for mailed requests.
Where is the Franklin County Recorder office?
The office is at 373 S. High St., 18th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215. The main number is (614) 525-3930.
What time does the Recorder stop accepting documents?
The office lists regular hours of 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, but documents for recording are not accepted after 3:45 p.m.
Do I get a new deed when my mortgage is paid off?
Normally no. The ownership deed remains the deed. The lender generally records a release of mortgage showing that the mortgage obligation secured by that instrument has been satisfied.
Can Recorder employees tell me whether a property has clear title?
No. Recorder staff can help you locate public records, but the county states that employees cannot conduct an extensive title search or provide legal advice. Use a qualified title company or attorney when you need a professional title examination.
Where do I check Franklin County property taxes?
Use the Franklin County Treasurer Property Search. The Recorder maintains recorded documents rather than current tax bills and payment balances.
How can I monitor my property for suspicious new filings?
Use the Recorder’s Property Alert service and consider also enrolling in the Auditor’s separate property eAlert system. The two systems monitor different county record activity.
The fastest way to find a Franklin County Ohio deed
If you already know the property owner, instrument number, parcel number or another recording reference, go directly to the Franklin County Recorder Official Records Search. If all you have is a street address, first use the Franklin County Auditor property search to identify the parcel and owner, then use those details to locate the recorded deed.
Use the Recorder for the actual deed, mortgage, release, lien, assignment or plat; the Auditor for parcel and valuation information; and the Treasurer for tax bills and balances. When you need legal proof of a filing, request a certified copy rather than relying only on an ordinary screen image.