Pickaway County Recorder: Deeds & Records

The 3:30 PM cutoff applies to documents brought to the office for recording. Documents received afterward may be reviewed but will not be recorded until the following business day.

Pickaway County uses CountyFusion for online recorded-document searching. The records are indexed by name rather than street address.

This matters when checking a house you recently bought. You may know the address but not the exact name used on the recorded deed.

Search by grantor or grantee name

1. Open the official Recorder Public Records page.
2. Select the CountyFusion record-search link.
3. Choose the appropriate available name or index search.
4. Enter the person’s surname or business name and narrow the results.
5. Look for deeds, mortgages, releases or other relevant document types.
6. Open the matching record and verify the recording date, parties and document reference.
7. Download or print the image when one is available.

Search by property address or parcel number

The Recorder does not provide the same address-search function as the Auditor. For an address-only search, use this two-office route.

The Auditor’s current owner listing is useful for finding a starting name, but it does not replace a professional title examination.

Pickaway County’s recording history begins in 1810. The online system contains modern indexes, historical index references and an expanding set of scanned document images.

Two historical searching details worth knowing

Official Records began April 16, 1996. Older filings were kept in separate deed, mortgage, lease, power-of-attorney and lien books.

For historical indexes, the Recorder says the letter R index accepts only the first letter. Names beginning SCH should be searched under SH.

A missing online image does not necessarily mean the document was never recorded. The office maintains historical record materials that may not yet be available as digital images.

Mortgage releases and marginal notations

If you paid off a mortgage, look for a recorded Release of Mortgage tied to the original mortgage.

For marginal notations recorded after March 18, 2019, CountyFusion can show a blue VIEW control linked to the referenced document.

Earlier marginal notation details may appear under the legal-description tab rather than as a direct linked image.

The Recorder accepts documents in person, by mail when eligible, and through approved electronic-recording vendors.

However, a property-transfer deed often requires review before it reaches the Recorder. The exact path depends on the document and legal description.

In-person recording

Bring the original documents to Suite G, Pickaway County Service Center. Cash, checks and cards are accepted.

The office asks for a self-addressed, stamped envelope so original documents can be returned safely after processing.

Documents delivered after 3:30 PM are normally recorded the next business day, even though the public office remains open until 4 PM.

Recording by mail

Mail original documents to the Recorder only when they do not require Engineer Map Department or Auditor approval.

The office cannot circulate mailed documents to the Engineer and Auditor for signatures. Documents requiring those approvals will be rejected if mailed directly.

New surveys and new legal descriptions

Pickaway requires documents involving new surveys or new legal descriptions to be walked through in person. They cannot be mailed or e-recorded.

For documents eligible for preliminary Engineer review, email the complete document to deeds@pickawaycountyohio.gov.

Pickaway’s published fee information reflects Ohio Senate Bill 94 and the document-preservation surcharge introduced in 2025.

The standard $39 figure reflects the $34 statutory first-two-page fee and Pickaway’s $5 document-preservation surcharge. Special document categories, nonconforming documents and other applicable charges can change the amount owed.

Illustrative recording-cost examples

These examples exclude conveyance charges, card-processing costs, nonstandard-document charges and other special fees.

Auditor conveyance charges are different

A deed transfer may also require an Auditor conveyance fee. That payment is not the same as the Recorder’s document-recording fee.

The appropriate form depends on the transaction. DTE 100 is the conveyance-fee statement; DTE 100EX is used when claiming a qualifying fee exemption.

Many online document images can be downloaded, saved and printed free of charge through CountyFusion.

If a document image is missing or you need an office-supplied copy, contact the Recorder and provide the volume and page reference whenever possible.

Electronic recording

Pickaway has offered eRecording since 2017 through supported third-party vendors, mainly for frequent submitters such as title companies and law offices.

Documents can be transmitted at any time. The county processes electronic submissions during business-day recording hours.

Engineer preapproval must accompany eligible submissions that require it. Documents containing new surveys or new legal descriptions cannot be e-recorded.

FraudSleuth: free recording alerts

Pickaway’s FraudSleuth service sends an email notification when a document is recorded using a name you monitor.

Registration is free. The service does not prevent a document from being filed or guarantee that fraud will be detected.

Electronic notarization and papered-out documents

Pickaway’s guidance permits eligible electronically notarized documents to be printed for recording when accompanied by the required original Authenticator Certificate.

The certificate becomes part of the recorded document and can add $8 in page charges. Review the county’s current instructions before filing.

Veteran discharge records

The Recorder also handles military discharge records. These are different from ordinary real-estate documents and can have access restrictions.

Contact the Recorder for the current procedure rather than assuming military records are available through unrestricted online deed search.

Pickaway GIS and map assistance

The County GIS Department provides parcel mapping resources. Its official page also directs visitors to the Tax Map Office for plats, surveys and conveyance review.

GIS Department: 124 W Franklin Street, Circleville, OH 43113. Phone 740-474-5823.

Tax Map / conveyance review: 740-474-1764.

The following official resources support the instructions in this guide. Fees, office procedures and available online records may change.