Knox County, Ohio • Recorder office and land records • Updated October 2026
Knox County Recorder: Deeds, Public Records, Fees & Mount Vernon Office
The Knox County Recorder maintains recorded land documents for properties in Knox County, Ohio. These records include deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, plats and other instruments affecting real estate.
You can search many Recorder records online for free. The county provides separate tools for modern records and older historical documents.
The Recorder’s Office is at 117 East High Street, Suite 114, Mount Vernon, OH 43050. The current Recorder is Tara Stiltner.
Start here
Knox County Recorder Quick Facts
Elected Knox County Recorder.
Suite 114, Mount Vernon, Ohio 43050.
Recorder records, copies and recording questions.
Monday–Friday, excluding holidays.
Search current digitized land records.
Separate historical record books and indexes.
The county states official records are accessible online without charge.
Free recorded-document notification service.
This guide covers Knox County, Ohio, whose county seat is Mount Vernon.
It does not cover the Knox County Register of Deeds in Knoxville, Tennessee, or recorder offices in other states.
Online search
How to Search Knox County Deeds and Records Online
The Recorder’s official website links to its Public Image Search. The county separates modern records from older indexes.
For deeds, mortgages and other recent filings, start with the September 1981–Present records link.
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Open the official Recorder website.
Start on the Knox County Recorder’s government page.
Open Knox County Recorder -
Select the correct date range.
Choose Records: September 1981 – Present for newer records or Records: Prior to September 1981 for older documents.
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Search using the information available.
Start with a property owner’s name or a known recorded-document reference.
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Review the matching documents.
Check the names, document type, recording reference and legal description before relying on a result.
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View the document image.
Open the matching document using the public-image tools and save the recording information for later use.
How to find a deed if you only know the address
If you have a street address but no owner name, begin with the Knox County Auditor’s property search.
The Auditor maintains current parcel, assessment and ownership-reference information. Use those details to identify a deed in the Recorder’s index.
Open Knox County Auditor property search
An Auditor parcel record is not the same as a recorded deed. For mortgages, releases, easements or older ownership transfers, review the actual recorded instruments.
Historical land records
Knox County Recorder Records Before September 1981
Knox County provides a separate historical index for documents recorded before September 1981.
This is useful for older farms, inherited property, subdivision histories, genealogy and chains of title involving several generations.
Older deeds
The historical index inventory lists deed books and indexes beginning with the county’s earliest records.
Separate deed-index periods include 1843–1856, 1856–1882 and later ranges.
Mortgages and releases
Historical resources include older mortgage indexes and combined deed, mortgage and lease indexes.
Use the relevant year and document type before searching the record book.
Old plats and surveys
The county also makes subdivision plats, archived tax maps and historical atlas material available.
These resources help identify older boundaries and subdivision references.
Historical index inventory
The county publishes a table of contents identifying index types and record-book date ranges.
Check this inventory if an older deed does not appear in the modern search.
Open Knox County Historical Indexes Inventory (PDF)
Open Recorder Plats and Historical Resources
The Recorder’s resource library includes subdivision plat material for Apple Valley and several Knox County communities.
If the deed references a subdivision lot, check the recorded plat as well as the deed description.
Deed filing process
How to Record a Deed in Knox County, Ohio
Recording a deed is different from preparing the deed. The Recorder preserves eligible completed instruments but does not resolve legal ownership problems.
Ohio conveyances can require review by the Tax Map Office and an Auditor endorsement before recording.
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Prepare the correct deed.
Confirm the parties, legal description, signatures and notarization. Get professional assistance if title or ownership is disputed.
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Check the Tax Map requirements.
Bring the existing deed, proposed description or survey information needed to review the property.
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Complete Auditor conveyance.
Some deeds require DTE forms, conveyance fees and an Auditor endorsement before recording.
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Submit the document to the Recorder.
Take the approved instrument to Suite 114 or follow the office’s accepted mailing or recording instructions.
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Retain the recording information.
Keep the recorded document reference and check the Auditor property listing after the transfer is processed.
Knox County Tax Map review
The Tax Map Office is on the first floor of the Knox County Service Center, near the Auditor and Recorder.
The office reviews legal descriptions, survey drawings and mapping information. It also accepts documents by email for review and preapproval.
Tax Map address: 117 East High Street, Suite 131, Mount Vernon, OH 43050.
Phone: 740-393-6754.
Open Knox County Tax Map & GIS
Ohio recording prerequisite
Ohio Revised Code §317.22 governs the Auditor endorsement required before recording certain deeds and instruments.
Read Ohio Revised Code §317.22
Documents requiring an Auditor endorsement should not be sent straight to the Recorder without the necessary transfer approval.
Call the Recorder or Auditor before mailing documents if you are unsure about the local procedure.
Recording expenses
Knox County Recorder Fees and Conveyance Charges
Ohio Revised Code §317.32 establishes the statewide recording fee structure.
Most ordinary instruments have a base recording charge for the first two pages, plus a per-page charge for additional pages.
First two pages of most standard documents.
Each page after the first two pages.
Applicable additional recording references.
May apply when statutory formatting requirements are not met.
Ohio’s statutory Recorder copy charge.
Ask for the total when requesting an officially certified copy.
Example: recording a four-page deed
$34 for the first two pages plus $16 for two additional pages equals $50 in standard page-based recording fees.
This example does not include a county preservation surcharge, extra references, nonstandard-document fees or Auditor conveyance charges.
Auditor conveyance costs are separate
The Knox County Auditor lists a conveyance fee of $3 per $1,000 of sale price.
For example, a $200,000 taxable transfer would produce a $600 value-based conveyance fee before any additional transfer charges or exemptions.
The correct amount depends on the type of transfer and whether an exemption applies.
Check Knox County Auditor conveyance information
State recording fee law
Read Ohio Revised Code §317.32
Recorded deed copies
How to Get a Copy of a Knox County Deed
If the deed was recorded in Knox County, the Recorder is the correct office to request a copy.
You do not need to buy a costly third-party deed package if the document is available through the county’s free public record search.
Online document image
Start with the official Public Image Search.
Locate the document and use the available viewing, printing or download tools.
Official Recorder copy
Contact the office with the document number, parties or book/page reference.
Ask about regular and certified copy charges before ordering.
Certified copy vs. regular copy
A regular copy is useful for personal research. A certified copy includes the Recorder’s authentication when required by a court, lender, title company or government agency.
Confirm whether the requesting organization requires certification before paying for it.
Recorder contact: 740-393-6755.
Paying off a mortgage does not normally create a new deed. The lender should arrange the appropriate release or satisfaction document.
Search for the recorded release if you want to confirm it appears in the public record.
Free owner protection
Knox County iNotify Property Fraud Alerts
The Knox County Recorder offers a free property-record notification service called iNotify.
It alerts registered users to certain new recordings matching their monitored information.
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Open the Recorder website.
Go to the official public-image search section.
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Choose modern records.
Select Records: September 1981 – Present.
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Create an iNotify account.
Look near the top center of the portal for the New iNotify Account button.
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Set up monitoring.
Follow the portal’s instructions and review alerts if new documents match your information.
Open Knox Recorder iNotify instructions
An unexpected notification does not automatically prove fraud, and registering does not prevent false documents from being filed.
Review the instrument and seek legal assistance if you suspect a fraudulent transfer or lien.
Local office information
Knox County Recorder Address, Phone, Hours and Google Map
Knox County Recorder
Recorder: Tara Stiltner
Address:
117 East High Street, Suite 114
Mount Vernon, OH 43050
Phone: 740-393-6755
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Closed: weekends and county holidays.
Before visiting
The Recorder, Auditor and Tax Map offices are located in the same county government complex.
For deed transfers, check with Tax Map and the Auditor before visiting the Recorder.
Bring the properly prepared document, legal description, any required endorsements and correct recording fees.
Call before visiting if you need certified copies, special recording arrangements or accessibility assistance.
Verify Knox County government office directory
Troubleshooting
Common Knox County Recorder Search and Filing Problems
- Cannot find a deed from 1960? Use the historical pre-September 1981 records, not the modern search.
- Only know the property address? Find the parcel and owner through the Auditor before searching recorded instruments.
- Need a subdivision lot or boundary reference? Check the Recorder’s plat resources and Tax Map office.
- Deed description was rejected? Ask Tax Map to review the existing deed, survey and proposed legal description.
- Recorded deed but ownership is not updated? Contact the Auditor’s Real Estate division about the conveyance record.
- Need your mortgage release? Search using the lender or borrower names and relevant recording period.
- Receiving a deed-copy solicitation? Compare its price with free public search access and official Recorder copy charges.
- Want to add or remove an owner? A new legal instrument may be needed. Seek Ohio legal advice before signing.
Public-record limitations
Deed Records, Title Research, Privacy and FCRA Notice
The Recorder maintains public documents, but recorded instruments alone do not prove that ownership is free of every lien, easement, judgment or title defect.
For real-estate purchases, estates, mineral rights and disputed ownership, a professional title search or legal review may be needed.
Military discharge records and other sensitive government records may have access restrictions under Ohio law.
This independent website is not an official Knox County government service. It does not provide legal advice or certified title opinions.
Public records should not be used for employment screening, tenant screening, credit eligibility, insurance underwriting or other FCRA-regulated decisions.
Frequently asked questions
Knox County Recorder FAQs
Where is the Knox County Recorder’s Office?
The office is at 117 East High Street, Suite 114, Mount Vernon, Ohio 43050. The phone number is 740-393-6755.
Who is the current Knox County Recorder?
Tara Stiltner is the elected Knox County, Ohio Recorder.
What are the Recorder’s office hours?
The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except weekends and holidays.
Can I search Knox County deeds online for free?
Yes. The official Recorder website states that public records are free to access and provides links to modern and historical record-search systems.
How far back do Knox County online records go?
Modern search records cover September 1981 to the present. Earlier records are available through separate historical indexes and record-book resources.
How do I search for a deed by address?
Start with the Knox County Auditor’s property search to identify the parcel and owner. Then use the Recorder’s public-image search to locate the deed.
How much does recording a deed cost in Knox County?
Ohio’s standard recording fee is $34 for the first two pages and $8 for each additional page. Additional local surcharges or document-specific charges may apply.
Do I need Auditor approval before recording a deed?
Many deeds and property-transfer instruments require an Auditor endorsement under Ohio law. Knox County’s Tax Map Office may also need to review the legal description.
Can I get a certified copy of my deed?
Yes. Contact the Knox County Recorder at 740-393-6755 with the document reference and ask for the current certified-copy fee.
Does Knox County offer property fraud alerts?
Yes. The Recorder offers a free iNotify service through its September 1981–Present public records search system.
Official sources
Knox County Recorder and Ohio Government Resources
Official office information, Recorder, modern and historical record searches, and iNotify instructions.
Addresses and telephone numbers for the Recorder, Tax Map, Auditor, Treasurer and other offices.
Subdivision plats, township resources, zoning materials and historic indexes.
Old deed, mortgage and lease index date ranges and record-book information.
Survey documents, legal descriptions, parcel maps and transfer review.
Property search, conveyance charges, tax records, exemptions and county valuation.
Auditor endorsement requirements for deeds and other instruments.
Standard recording charges, additional pages, copies, certification and preservation surcharges.
Statewide recording fee guidance and explanation of county preservation surcharges.
Common Pleas public case records and court filings, separate from Recorder land records.
Reviewed October 17, 2026. Office hours, electronic systems and recording requirements may change. Confirm the current fee and filing method with the Recorder before submitting documents.