Washington County, Ohio • Recorder guide • Updated September 2026
Washington County Recorder: Deeds, Land Records, Search, Office, Fees & Recording Steps
The Washington County Recorder keeps permanent land records for Washington County, Ohio.
Use this office to search deeds, mortgages, liens, releases, easements, plats, powers of attorney and other documents affecting real estate.
The Recorder records and indexes documents. The office does not prepare deeds, decide ownership disputes, collect property taxes or provide legal title advice.
Fast answer
What the Washington County Recorder Does
Records documents affecting ownership, liens and encumbrances on land in Washington County, Ohio.
The county site lists Teresa Judson as Washington County Recorder.
Marietta, OH 45750.
Use extension 2223 or 2225 for Recorder office help.
Monday through Friday, except legal holidays.
The county FAQ says online access is available at no charge.
Search the official online records first. If you need to record a deed, confirm the Auditor transfer/conveyance requirements, Tax Map needs, recording fees and return-envelope rules before visiting or mailing documents.
Office details
Washington County Recorder Office, Address, Phone, Hours and Map
Recorder’s Office
Recorder: Teresa Judson
Address: 205 Putnam Street, Marietta, OH 45750
Phone: 740-373-6623, ext. 2223 or 2225
Fax: 740-373-9643
Email: recorder@wcgov.org
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM, except legal holidays.
Open official Recorder pageOffice visit planning
Bring: final signed document, recording fee, Auditor forms if required, parcel details and return envelope.
SASE / postage: the Recorder FAQ says a self-addressed stamped envelope or postage is required.
Turnaround: the county FAQ lists document turnaround time as three days.
No blank forms: the county FAQ says the Recorder does not supply blank forms for purchase.
Registered land: the county FAQ says Washington County does not have Torrens / registered land.
Map to the Recorder’s Office
The Recorder is listed at 205 Putnam Street in downtown Marietta, Ohio.
The Tax Map Office is also in the Washington County Courthouse area and works closely with the Auditor and Recorder on legal descriptions and land ownership records.
Record search
How to Search Washington County Deeds and Land Records Online
Washington County links to online Recorder search tools for land records. The current cloud search shows real property records and searchable grantor, grantee, subdivision, document type and document number fields.
Use the online index to locate the recorded document, then open the image or full record before relying on the result.
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Open the official search portal.
Start with the county-linked Recorder search rather than a third-party people-search site.
Open Washington County Recorder searchAfter opening: choose the real property search, enter a grantor, grantee, subdivision, document type or document number, then narrow by recorded-date range if needed. -
Try more than one search method.
Search by current owner, prior owner, business name, document number, subdivision or date range.
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Compare the result fields.
Check party names, document type, recording date, legal description, document number and image availability.
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Open the document image when available.
The recorded image is more reliable than the index row alone.
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Save the reference.
Keep the document number, book/page if shown, document type and recorded date for future copies or title work.
Search fewer words, remove punctuation, try the surname only, try business-name variations, search the prior owner, or use the Auditor parcel search and Tax Map tools to find parcel or legal-description clues.
Result decoder
What You May See in a Recorder Search Result
Grantor: the person or entity giving, selling, mortgaging, assigning or releasing an interest.
Grantee: the person or entity receiving a recorded interest, lien, release or other right.
Document type: deed, mortgage, release, easement, lien, lease, plat, power of attorney or another recorded document.
Document number: the recording reference used to identify a specific document.
Recorded date: the date the Recorder accepted and recorded the document.
Book and page: an older or alternate recording reference that may still appear in land records.
Legal description: the property description used to confirm the record matches the correct land.
Image: the scanned recorded document. Review it before relying on the index alone.
Recorder records are public documents, not a legal title opinion. Use a title company or Ohio real-estate attorney for deed drafting, ownership disputes, title defects, inheritance transfers or title insurance questions.
Recording workflow
How to Record a Deed in Washington County, Ohio
A deed transfer may involve the Tax Map Office, County Auditor and Recorder. Do not assume the Recorder is the first stop for every transfer.
County offices do not draft deeds for you. If you need a new deed, transfer-on-death affidavit, survivorship deed, trust deed or corrective deed, use a qualified attorney or title professional.
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Prepare the deed correctly.
Use the correct parties, legal description, parcel number, notarized signatures and Ohio recording standards.
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Check Tax Map needs.
The Tax Map Office works with the Auditor and Recorder to maintain accurate legal deed, ownership and real-estate descriptions.
Open Tax Map OfficeAfter opening: review the Tax Map description, use the GIS links if needed, and call extension 2161 or 2162 if the legal description or map issue is unclear. -
Use the Auditor for transfer review.
The Auditor states that deeds are transferred in the Auditor’s office and that all deeds must include parcel numbers.
Open Auditor guidanceAfter opening: search the page for real estate transfers, conveyance fee, transfer fee, DTE forms and parcel-number requirements. -
Pay Auditor transfer charges when required.
The Auditor lists a conveyance fee of $0.40 per $100 and a transfer fee of $0.50 per parcel.
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Record with the Recorder.
Submit the document to the Recorder with the correct recording fee and return envelope or postage.
Arrive early when a deed needs Tax Map, Auditor and Recorder review. Multiple county offices may be involved before the document is finally recorded.
Document checklist
Washington County Recording Checklist
Original signed document: bring or mail the final document ready for recording.
Notary acknowledgment: Ohio real-estate documents generally need proper acknowledgment.
Parcel number: the Auditor states all deeds must include parcel numbers.
Legal description: the document should include a complete legal description when required.
Auditor form: real-estate transfers generally need conveyance-fee payment or an exemption form.
Transfer fee: the Auditor lists a $0.50 transfer fee per parcel.
Recording fee: Recorder recording fees are governed by Ohio law and document length.
SASE / postage: the county FAQ says a self-addressed stamped envelope or postage is required.
Correct payment: underpaid documents may be returned, and small overpayments may be returned in cash according to the county FAQ.
Once a document is recorded, correcting it may require another recorded document, attorney work, extra fees or title-company review.
Fees
Washington County Recorder Fees, Copies and Auditor Transfer Charges
Ohio recorder fees are set by state law, and county-specific transfer charges may also apply before recording a deed.
Always confirm the current total with the Recorder or Auditor before mailing documents.
Ohio recorder fee structure commonly starts with the first two pages under ORC 317.32.
Additional pages increase the recording cost.
The Recorder FAQ references $4.00 for marginal notations on releases and assignments.
The Auditor gives a $400 example on a $100,000 sale.
Collected by the Auditor’s office for real-estate transfers.
The public-records form says Recorder copies are $2.00 per page and are not emailed.
E-recording
Washington County E-Recording Vendors
Washington County Recorder’s official page says the office accepts e-recordings through CSC, ePN and Simplifile.
The county FAQ adds an important note: Simplifile is listed but marked as unable to record deeds.
Phone: 866-652-0111
Website: erecording.com
Phone: 888-325-3365
Website: GOePN.com
Phone: 800-460-5657
FAQ note: unable to record deeds.
Veteran records
DD-214 / Soldiers Discharge Records
The Washington County Recorder FAQ says the office records Soldiers Discharge Records, commonly known as DD-214 records.
DD-214 recording can help veterans and families preserve a discharge record for future benefit, burial, education, home-loan or service-verification needs.
Because discharge records can contain sensitive information, call the Recorder before visiting if you need privacy, copy or eligibility guidance.
Open Recorder FAQFraud awareness
Property Record Safety and Fraud Awareness
The official Washington County Recorder pages reviewed for this guide did not show a dedicated recorder-run property fraud alert signup.
You can still protect yourself by periodically searching your name and property records, saving recording references and contacting the Recorder if a document looks unfamiliar.
Check your name: search your legal name and common spelling variations in the Recorder search.
Check recent activity: use short date ranges such as the last 30 days or last year when the portal allows it.
Review images: open the document image before assuming the index result is correct or incorrect.
Act quickly: if a suspicious deed, lien or release appears, contact the Recorder, a title professional and legal counsel.
Use the correct office
Recorder vs. Auditor, Tax Map, Treasurer, Clerk and Attorney
Recorder
Use for recorded deeds, mortgages, liens, releases, easements, plats, powers of attorney, DD-214 recording and land-record copies.
Tax Map Office
Use for real-estate descriptions, land title research, GIS, plat maps and legal-description support.
Auditor
Use for property transfers, parcel numbers, conveyance fees, transfer fees, assessed values and property records.
Treasurer
Use for tax bills and property-tax payments. The Recorder does not collect property taxes.
Clerk of Courts
Use for court records, civil cases, judgments and title-division matters outside land-record recording.
Attorney or title company
Use for deed drafting, title searches, legal descriptions, corrective deeds, probate-related transfers and title insurance.
Avoid rejection
Common Washington County Recorder Mistakes
Going to the Recorder first: many deed transfers need Auditor and possibly Tax Map steps first.
Missing parcel numbers: the Auditor states that all deeds must include parcel numbers.
Wrong fee amount: underpaid documents may be returned.
No return envelope: the FAQ says SASE or postage is required.
Expecting blank forms: the Recorder FAQ says the county does not supply blank forms for purchase.
Using only one search term: search multiple name spellings and prior owners.
Ignoring the document image: the index helps find records, but the recorded image is the stronger source.
Expecting legal advice: the Recorder records documents but does not decide whether a deed is legally correct for your situation.
Decision path
What Should You Do Next?
I need a deed copy: use the Recorder search, open the document image, save the reference and request copies if needed.
I need to record a deed: confirm parcel number, legal description, Auditor forms, conveyance fee, transfer fee and Recorder fee.
I need to change ownership: ask an attorney or title company to prepare the deed, then use Auditor and Recorder steps.
My mortgage was paid off: search for a release or satisfaction. Paying off a loan does not automatically create a new deed.
I found a suspicious document: review the image, call the Recorder and speak with a title professional or attorney.
I am a veteran: call the Recorder about recording Soldiers Discharge Records / DD-214 documents.
Important notice
Independent Information, Legal Caution and Property-Records Notice
This page is independent informational content. It is not the official website of Washington County, the Washington County Recorder, the Auditor, the Tax Map Office, the Treasurer, the Clerk of Courts or any government agency.
It is not legal advice, title advice, tax advice, a title search, deed-preparation help or an official recording decision.
Verify fees, office hours, forms, routing rules and document requirements directly with the official county office before submitting any document.
Public land-record information should be used for deed, recording, title-reference and property-research purposes only. Do not use property-record data for employment, tenant screening, credit, insurance or other FCRA-regulated decisions.
FAQs
Washington County Recorder FAQs
Where is the Washington County Recorder’s Office?
The Recorder’s Office is listed at 205 Putnam Street, Marietta, Ohio 45750. The phone number is 740-373-6623, extension 2223 or 2225.
Who is the Washington County Recorder?
The official county website lists Teresa Judson as the Washington County Recorder.
What are the Recorder’s hours?
The official Recorder page lists hours as Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, except legal holidays.
How do I search Washington County deeds online?
Use the official Recorder search portal linked from the county Recorder page. Search by grantor, grantee, subdivision, document type, document number or recorded-date range when available.
Is there a cost for online Recorder access?
The county Recorder FAQ says online access is available at no charge.
How much does it cost to record a deed in Washington County, Ohio?
Ohio recorder fees are governed by state law, and many documents follow the $34 first-two-pages and $8 each additional page structure. Confirm the exact total with the Recorder before recording.
What is the Auditor conveyance fee?
The Washington County Auditor lists a conveyance fee of $0.40 per $100, which equals $4.00 per $1,000 of sale price.
Does Washington County require a self-addressed stamped envelope?
Yes. The Recorder FAQ says a SASE or postage is required for returned documents.
Does the Recorder accept e-recordings?
Yes. The county lists CSC, ePN and Simplifile as e-recording vendors. The FAQ notes that Simplifile is unable to record deeds.
Does the Recorder record DD-214 discharge records?
Yes. The Recorder FAQ says the office records Soldiers Discharge Records, commonly known as DD-214 records.
Official resources