Geauga County Recorder: Deeds & Records

Geauga County links to the AVA Online Indexes system for recorded land-document research.

Start with a person’s or company’s name, then identify the correct recording using available document information.

1. Open the official Recorder website.

   Select AVA Online Indexes under the Documents & Property Records menu.

   Open Geauga County Recorder
   After opening: choose AVA Online Indexes. In the linked document system, select Geauga County if prompted and start a name-based record search.
2. Search the name associated with the property.

   Try the current owner, earlier owner, lender or legal entity, depending on the document being researched.

3. Identify the correct document type.

   Review the results for deeds, mortgages, assignments, satisfactions, releases or liens.

4. Match the recording reference.

   Compare the names, date, volume and page or other available reference details against your property information.

5. Open the record image when available.

   Review the parties, legal description and recording details. Save the reference before requesting an official copy.

What if you only know the street address?

Use the Geauga County Auditor’s REALink system to find the property first.

REALink is designed for locating parcels, owner references, parcel characteristics and maps. It is separate from the Recorder’s deed index.

Why an exact name match may not be enough

Multiple owners can share a surname, and a property’s title may be held in a trust or business name.

For land-record research, confirm the document’s legal description and prior recordings rather than relying on a personal name alone.

Geauga County Recorder’s Office

Recorder: Celesta Mullins

Physical address: 231 Main Street, Suite 1-C, Chardon, OH 44024

Office: Courthouse Annex

Direct phone: 440-279-2020

Main county line: 440-285-2222, extension 2020

Newbury and Burton residents: 1-888-714-0006, extension 2020

Email: recorder@co.geauga.oh.us

Office hours: 8:00 AM–4:30 PM

Recording and research hours: 8:00 AM–4:00 PM

Destination: 231 Main Street, Suite 1-C, Chardon, OH 44024.

The Recorder and Auditor are located in the Courthouse Annex. The Auditor’s Suite 1-A is nearby when a deed needs conveyance review.

Bring the original document, necessary conveyance endorsements and correct recording payment if you intend to record a deed.

Parking and building access can change. Contact the county before traveling if you need accessible entry or parking arrangements.

Geauga has a specific in-person deed procedure. The county instructs filers to visit the Auditor first for conveyance processing.

After the Auditor completes the process, the original stamped deed is taken to the Recorder for official recording.

1. Prepare the deed correctly.

   Check the parties, legal description, acknowledgment, signature and “Prepared By” information.

   Seek legal assistance if you are uncertain which deed form is appropriate.

2. Check whether Auditor transfer is required.

   Most ownership-transfer deeds must be reviewed or transferred by the Auditor.

   The Recorder’s document list identifies different requirements for different instruments.

3. Take the deed to the Auditor.

   The Geauga County Auditor’s Office is in the same building as the Recorder.

   Complete the conveyance process and obtain the applicable endorsement or stamp.

4. Submit the stamped original to the Recorder.

   The county’s deed instruction page lists $34 for the first two pages and $8 per additional page.

   Make payment to the Geauga County Recorder.

5. Arrange return of the original.

   The Recorder keeps the deed for processing, then returns the original.

   Provide a self-addressed stamped envelope or ask about in-person collection.

Recording a deed by mail

Mail the document to Geauga County Recorder, 231 Main Street, Suite 1-C, Chardon, OH 44024.

• Include a brief cover letter explaining the requested recording and a telephone number.
• If mailing multiple deeds, explain the order in which they should be recorded.
• Use separate checks for Recorder fees and Auditor fees when both apply.
• Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope.
• Verify any required Auditor processing before mailing.

The Recorder publishes a document-by-document fee schedule. Not every land instrument costs the same.

The figures below are from the Recorder’s published schedule. Check the appropriate document type before sending payment.

Recording examples

Two-page deed: $34 in Recorder fees, assuming no additional charge applies.

Four-page deed: $50 in Recorder fees, calculated as $34 for the first two pages plus $8 for each of two additional pages.

These examples exclude Auditor conveyance fees and any document-specific charges.

Special requirements for common documents

Ohio Revised Code §317.114 establishes recording-format requirements. Geauga’s Recorder provides a plain-language checklist.

• Use paper between 8½ × 11 inches and 8½ × 14 inches.
• Use a computer font of at least 10 points.
• Use black or blue ink.
• Do not use highlighting.
• Leave one-inch side and bottom margins.
• Reserve three inches at the top of the first page.
• Leave 1½ inches at the top of subsequent pages.

A nonconforming instrument may incur an extra $20 recording fee. The law has exceptions for certain court, tax-authority, plat, military and government instruments.

The Recorder’s public-record policy distinguishes self-service paper copies, staff-assisted copies, emailed copies and certified copies.

When requesting a certified deed, supply the volume and page or other available recording reference to help identify the document.

For mailed copies, the Recorder requests a self-addressed stamped envelope. The office sends the documents after receiving payment.

Plats and subdivision plans

The Recorder operates a separate plat-search page. Users can search by plat name, owner, date and township or village.

Plat results provide recording references such as volume and page.

eRecording through approved providers

The county lists eRecording vendors including ePN, Indecomm, Simplifile and CSC.

Documents may be transmitted at any time, but the Recorder lists weekday processing from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM, excluding holidays.

Electronic conveyances have additional requirements. The eRecording page identifies ePN as the electronic-conveyance provider.

Property Fraud Alert

The Recorder links to a Property Fraud Alert service for monitoring new recordings associated with a name.

Alerts can help identify unexpected recorded activity. They do not prevent a fraudulent instrument from being filed.

Military discharge records and Veteran ID cards

The Recorder accepts military discharge records and offers Veteran ID cards under its program rules.

The FAQ says applicants must bring original discharge paperwork to be recorded before an ID card can be issued.

Military discharge documents are not ordinary public land records. The county’s fee schedule identifies no recording charge for Soldier’s Discharge records.

Older deed references

Historical land-record research may require searching older names, volume/page references and archived index materials.

Geauga County’s Department of County Archives and Records Enterprise is another relevant county resource for older-record questions.

Registered Land (Torrens)

Geauga’s Recorder FAQ says the county previously recorded Torrens registered land but no longer accepts Torrens instruments for recording.

If your historical property documents refer to registered land, contact the Recorder before using an ordinary deed workflow.

Transfer-on-death and probate questions

A transfer-on-death designation is not the same as a confirmation after the owner’s death.

The county’s published document requirements differ for these instruments, including when Auditor review and a certified death certificate are required.

• Need a deed image? Start with the Recorder’s AVA Online Indexes.
• Only know the address? Find the property in the Auditor’s REALink system first.
• Need a certified copy? Contact the Recorder with the instrument reference and request certification.
• Recording a new deed? Review the Auditor conveyance requirements before visiting the Recorder.
• Recording a mortgage release? Check the original mortgage reference and the specific release fee.
• Need a plat? Use the Recorder’s dedicated plat-search system.
• Disputing taxes or appraisal values? Contact the Auditor, not the Recorder.
• Concerned about property fraud? Review the Recorder-linked Property Fraud Alert service.

Independent Information, Legal Disclaimer and FCRA Notice

This is an independent public-information guide and is not an official website of the Geauga County Recorder, Auditor, Treasurer or any Ohio government agency.

Recorded land documents may be public, but reviewing them does not establish that a property has clear title. Deed transfers, ownership disputes, estate documents and lien questions can require qualified legal assistance.

Recorder fees, processing rules and office hours may change. Confirm details directly with Geauga County before filing or mailing an original instrument.

Do not use public land records for employment screening, tenant screening, credit eligibility, insurance underwriting or other FCRA-regulated decisions. This website is not a Consumer Reporting Agency.