Brown County Recorder: Deeds & Records

What documents does the Recorder maintain?

The Recorder maintains permanent records of instruments affecting real estate, including ownership transfers, mortgage documents, liens and subdivision plats.

Recording provides public notice of a document. It does not guarantee that a deed is legally valid or that a property’s title is clear.

Brown County offers an online document-search system with name indexes, document images, historical index books and advanced searching.

The system is useful for researching deeds, mortgages, mortgage releases, easements, liens and other recorded instruments.

Search by owner or business name

1. Open the official Brown County document search.
2. Choose the Land Records tab if it is not already selected.
3. Enter a person’s surname or the recorded business name.
4. Use additional available fields or date filters to narrow the results.
5. Look for the relevant deed, mortgage, assignment or release.
6. Check the document date, recorded names and book/page reference.
7. Open the document image and save the information you need.

Find a deed when you only know the address

A street address is usually a better starting point in the Auditor’s property database than in a Recorder name index.

Search the Auditor’s property records, identify the owner and parcel number, then use that information in the Recorder system.

Advanced searching

The Recorder’s system also offers an Advanced Search tab that may allow searching by date, similar words, firm name and description.

Where a parcel number was indexed in a description, searching for that parcel number may return matching records.

The county cautions that parcel numbers may not be indexed in the description when a deed covers more than three parcels.

Brown County’s Recorder states that the complete land-record index and documents from 1818 to the present are available at the office.

The online system also provides scanned deed, mortgage and index books, but older documents can require a different search method.

How to search deeds recorded before 1959

1. Open the official online records system.
2. Select Old Index Books.
3. Choose the deed, mortgage or miscellaneous index.
4. Select the surname and first-name initial groups.
5. Find the matching name and note the book/page reference.
6. Open the Images tab and search using that book and page.

If a document cannot be found online, save any index reference and contact the Recorder for staff-assisted retrieval.

Recording a deed generally involves more than handing the document to the Recorder.

Brown County conveyance documents must satisfy Tax Map and Auditor transfer requirements before recording.

Step 1: Prepare the deed correctly

The deed should identify the grantor, grantee, property legal description and other legally required information.

Proper signing and notarization are essential. Ohio-executed documents affecting real estate also generally require an instrument-preparer statement.

Step 2: Obtain Tax Map approval

Brown County’s Tax Map Department reviews legal descriptions and applicable transfer documents.

New surveys, subdivisions, replats, easements and other documents can involve additional review under local conveyance standards.

Step 3: Complete Auditor conveyance

The Brown County Auditor handles the property-transfer portion, including conveyance tax and applicable transfer forms.

A taxable conveyance generally uses DTE 100. Qualifying exempt transfers are reported through DTE 100EX.

Step 4: Submit the deed for recording

Present the document with the required Tax Map and Auditor endorsements, correct recording fee and any additional required references.

The Recorder accepts qualifying instruments and maintains the official recorded copy or image.

Document formatting checklist

A document that does not meet applicable Ohio recording standards may incur an additional $20 fee or need correction.

The Recorder’s published fee schedule took effect January 1, 2025 and remains the official schedule referenced here for 2026.

Most standard deeds, mortgages and leases cost $39 for the first two pages, plus $8 for each additional page.

Recording cost examples

Examples exclude extra references, nonstandard-document charges, conveyance tax and other document-specific fees.

Conveyance fees are paid separately

Brown County lists a conveyance tax of $4 per $1,000 of taxable consideration, plus a $0.50 parcel-transfer fee.

The county specifies a separate payment to the Brown County Auditor for applicable conveyance fees.

The Recorder provides public access to recorded land documents and accepts copy requests in person, by telephone, mail, email or fax where supported.

Some images can be accessed through the online search. Older or unavailable digital documents may require staff assistance.

What to provide in your request

Give the recorded parties’ names, document type, approximate recording date and book/page reference if available.

Brown County requires prepayment for staff-assisted requests made by phone, fax or email.

The right office depends on whether you need a recorded legal document, property value, parcel map, tax payment or court record.

Brown County accepts eligible electronic recordings through approved vendors.

The county specifically states that conveyance documents can be submitted electronically, provided all required approvals and recording requirements are satisfied.

Vendors listed by Brown County

The Recorder lists CSC, eRecording Partners Network, Indecomm Global Services and Simplifile.

Free recording alerts

The Recorder’s website offers access to a fraud-alert service that notifies registered users about matching recorded-document activity.

Such alerts may help identify an unexpected document sooner, but they do not stop a document from being recorded.

Confirming a paid-off mortgage

Paying off a mortgage does not necessarily produce a new deed. You should generally have received your deed when you purchased the property.

After payoff, look for a recorded mortgage satisfaction or release linked to the original mortgage.

If the expected release is missing, contact the lender or mortgage servicer before requesting further help from the Recorder.

The Brown County Recorder records eligible military discharge records, including DD214 forms.

The office also provides veteran identification cards. Applicants are asked to bring an original or certified discharge document and a valid photo ID.

Military discharge records have access restrictions under Ohio law and should not be treated like ordinary public deed images.

Use these official resources to verify services, fees and recording requirements before taking action.