Summit County, Ohio • deed and recorded-property research guide
Summit County Recorder: Search Deeds, Mortgages, Liens and Recorded Documents
People commonly search for the Summit County Recorder,
but Summit County no longer operates a separate elected Recorder’s
Office in the traditional Ohio county structure.
Summit County voters approved consolidation of the former Recorder,
Auditor and Treasurer functions. Today, deeds and other real-estate
recordings are maintained by the
Recording Division of the Summit County Fiscal Office.
Kristen M. Scalise, CPA, CFE is the current Summit
County Fiscal Officer. The Recording Division preserves deeds,
mortgages, easements, releases, assignments, plats, land contracts,
condominiums, liens and other documents affecting real estate.
Fastest route for most homeowners:
search the Summit County property record by parcel number, owner or
street address → save the seven-digit parcel number and exact owner name →
open the official Recorded Documents Self-Service system → search the
recorded owner/party and approximate date → open the deed or related
document image → save the reception/document number or book/page reference.
Current recording authority
Summit County Fiscal Office — Recording Division
Fiscal Officer
Kristen M. Scalise, CPA, CFE
Additional recording numbers
330-643-2713 • 330-643-2720
Office hours
Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Online document coverage
1988 forward
Temporary office-location alert for 2026:
the Ohio Building at 175 S. Main Street is undergoing renovation.
Summit County announced that Recording, Conveyance, Tax Maps,
Customer Service, deeds and plats are temporarily operating from
500 Grant Street, Akron.
The relocation is expected to continue until later in 2026.
Some older Fiscal Office pages still display
175 S. Main Street, 4th Floor as the Recording
Division’s office because that is its normal Ohio Building location.
Do not rely on the old address for an in-person visit while the
renovation relocation remains in effect.
Independent informational website:
County-CAD.us is not Summit County, the Summit County Fiscal Office,
Recording Division, Property Transfer Department, Treasurer,
Clerk of Courts or State of Ohio. Complete searches, recordings,
payments and legal transactions through the official government
resources linked below.
Choose the correct route first
What Are You Trying to Do?
Best beginner research sequence
Address → Parcel → Owner → Recorded Document → Reference → Copy
1
Address
Start with what you know.
2
Parcel
Find seven-digit parcel ID.
3
Owner
Save exact party name.
4
Recorder
Search land documents.
5
Reference
Save book/page or reception number.
6
Copy
Order only when needed.
Official government starting points
Which Summit County Website Should You Open?
PROP
Property Tax & Appraisal Search
Find parcel, owner, address, value, sales and tax information.
Open Property Search
GIS
Summit County GIS Parcel Viewer
Search parcel number, owner or street address on the county map.
Open Parcel Viewer
FEE
Recording Fee Schedule
Recording, copies, certification, plat and conveyance fees.
Open Current Fees
When a street address is your only starting point
Find the Summit County Parcel Number Before Searching the Deed
A parcel number gives you a much stronger way to verify a deed than
relying on an owner name alone.
Open the county property search.
Search by parcel number when you already have it.
Summit County parcel numbers use seven digits.
Otherwise search the street address.
Start with the street number and main street name.
Remove unnecessary direction words.
Summit County’s property-search instructions specifically recommend
omitting directions such as S. or South from basic address searches.
Remove the street suffix if the first attempt fails.
Try Main rather than Main Street, Main St. or Main Ave.
Open the exact parcel.
Compare address, owner, legal/property information and map location.
Save the seven-digit parcel number.
Save the owner name and approximate acquisition date.
These become the strongest clues for the Recorded Documents search.
Map fallback:
if the tax/property interface is temporarily unavailable, use the
Summit County GIS Parcel Viewer. Its search box accepts parcel number,
owner name or street address.
Modern records — 1988 forward
How to Search Summit County Deeds Online
Summit County states that recorded documents from
1988 forward can be searched and viewed through a web browser.
Open the official Self-Service site.
You may be asked to verify that you are not a robot.
Accept the disclaimer.
This opens the public records system.
Search the recorded party.
Begin with the exact owner, seller, buyer, lender, trustee or business
name you collected from the property record or closing documents.
Add an approximate recording period.
Purchase, refinance, mortgage-payoff or lien dates can remove many
unrelated same-name records.
Use the parcel number when the search interface provides that option.
This is especially helpful for common names.
Filter by document type when useful.
Look for deeds, mortgages, releases, assignments, easements,
liens, land contracts, condominium documents or plats.
Open the result details and document image.
Compare the actual property/legal information.
Do not assume the first person with the same name owns the property
you are researching.
Save the recording reference.
Keep the reception/document number, book/page and recording date
that appear on the correct instrument.
Summit County is actively redacting personal information that may appear
in online recorded-document images. If you find sensitive personal
information in an online image, the Fiscal Office asks users to contact
the Recording Division with the book/page or reception number.
What to save from the correct record
Recorded Document Result Decoder
Reception / Document Number
Strong identifier for later copy and staff requests.
Book and Page
Especially useful with older recordings.
Recording Date
When the county officially accepted the instrument.
Grantor
Party conveying or granting an interest.
Grantee
Party receiving the recorded interest.
Document Type
Deed, mortgage, release, lien, easement, assignment, etc.
Parcel / Legal Description
Used to confirm the instrument affects the correct property.
Cross References
Can point to an earlier mortgage, deed, assignment or related document.
Document Image
Read the actual instrument rather than relying only on an index result.
1840-1988 historical workflow
How to Search Older Summit County Deeds
Summit County was created in 1840, and the county began preserving
its own recorded documents that year.
The Recording Division divides online historical research into two
broad periods:
1988 forward
Search and view through the modern Recorded Documents web system.
1840-1988
Research through the county’s Index Book Archive Viewer (IBAV).
Start with the modern property record.
Save current parcel number, owner and legal description.
Find the oldest modern deed you can locate.
Write down prior book/page references and prior owners.
Move into the Index Book Archive Viewer for pre-1988 records.
Access the historical viewer through the official Recording/Property
Transfer resources.
Search prior party names and recording books.
Continue backward through the chain.
Each older deed can supply the next prior owner or book/page reference.
Use the public Recording Division computers when the archive route
does not answer the question.
No result in the modern 1988-forward system does not mean
the deed does not exist.
Older Summit County land records belong in the 1840-1988 historical
index workflow.
Search first, order second
How to Get a Summit County Deed Copy or Certified Copy
$2
Document Photocopy
Current fee schedule lists $2 per page.
$1
Certification
Current additional certification fee per document.
3-5
Working Days
County’s stated normal document turnaround.
Why you may also see “$4 deed copy” on the county website:
the Recording FAQ describes a mailed deed-copy request as costing $4
plus $1 if certified. The current detailed fee table separately lists
document photocopies at $2 per page. Because deed page counts differ,
check the live fee page or call the Recording Division before mailing
a fixed payment.
Locate the correct deed first.
Save the reception number or book/page.
Decide whether an online image is enough.
For informal research, viewing the available online image may answer
the question without ordering anything.
If you need a paper copy, contact the Recording Division.
If certification is required, say so clearly.
A lender, court, agency or attorney may specifically require a certified copy.
For a mailed request, include the recording reference.
Avoid asking staff to identify a deed from only a common name.
Include a stamped, self-addressed envelope.
This is part of the county’s current mailed-deed-copy guidance.
Important homeowner cost-saving warning
Do Not Overpay a Private Company for Your Summit County Deed
The Summit County Fiscal Office has repeatedly warned property owners
about private companies that research public records and mail homeowners
offers to obtain a certified deed for a much larger fee.
You do not have to use one of these private deed-copy companies.
If you lost the deed supplied after your closing, obtain the copy directly
through the Summit County Fiscal Office Recording Division.
Do not immediately pay a deed-copy solicitation.
Search the deed through the county’s official Recorded Documents system.
Save the exact document reference.
Contact the Recording Division directly for the government copy price.
Mortgage-payoff research
Paid Off Your Mortgage? Search for the Release or Satisfaction
Paying off a Summit County mortgage does not normally mean you receive
a new ownership deed. Your ownership deed and your mortgage are different
recorded instruments.
Find the original mortgage recording.
Save the lender, recording date, reception number and book/page.
Search later documents.
Look for a Satisfaction, Release or related mortgage-release instrument.
Compare the released mortgage reference.
Make sure the later document actually references the loan you paid off.
Save or order the release document if proof is needed.
A refinance can create several mortgage-related recordings close together.
Do not assume the newest release belongs to the mortgage you are researching;
compare recording references.
Recorded encumbrances
How to Search Summit County Liens and Releases
The Recording Division maintains records affecting real estate,
including liens and releases. Some court judgments and court-filed
matters can also require research through the Summit County Clerk of Courts,
so the Recording Division is not the only possible source for every legal claim.
Identify the exact owner and parcel.
Search the owner’s recorded-document history.
Look for lien-type documents.
Save the lien’s recording number and date.
Search later documents for a release.
Verify that the release actually references the same lien.
Check court records when the issue involves a court judgment,
foreclosure or litigation.
The Recording Division does not perform title searches.
Use a title company or Ohio real-estate attorney for a complete title
examination, lien-priority analysis or legal ownership conclusion.
Summit County transfer-to-recording workflow
How to Record a Deed in Summit County
A deed changing ownership generally moves through more than one Fiscal
Office function before final recording.
1
Prepare
Complete new deed.
2
Legal Description
Check property description.
3
Conveyance
Complete transfer forms.
4
Fees
Calculate transfer charges.
5
Record
Submit to Recording.
6
Return
Save recorded original/reference.
Prepare the appropriate deed.
The county cannot determine which deed is legally correct for your situation.
Properly title, date and execute it.
Type names and titles beneath signatures and keep names consistent
throughout the document.
Complete witnessing/notarization requirements.
Use a complete, legible notary seal and expiration information where required.
Include a complete legal description.
Summit County requires legal-description review for qualifying transfers.
Take the deed through Property Transfer approval.
The Property Transfer Department approves legal descriptions and
processes conveyance of the property.
Complete DTE Form 100 or DTE 100(EX).
Use the correct form based on whether the transaction is subject to
conveyance fee or qualifies for an exemption.
Pay applicable conveyance and lot fees.
Submit the approved deed for recording.
Pay recording fees separately.
Summit County specifically recommends separate payments for applicable
taxes/extra fees and recording charges.
Include return information and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Summit County’s own rejection-prevention guidance
Before Submitting Any Recorded Document
Document is legible
Prepare it according to Ohio statutory standards.
Correct title
Clearly identify the document being recorded.
Names are consistent
Typed names and signatures should agree throughout.
Notary is complete
Verify seal and expiration information.
Legal description is complete
Include it on initial recordings and later recordings when required.
Prior documents are referenced correctly
Use document number, book/page and recording date where required.
Prepared-by information
Include the name/address of the document preparer.
Return address
State where the recorded document should be returned.
Phone number
Can help staff contact you about a minor correctable issue.
Schedules and exhibits labeled
Make attachments easy to associate with the main instrument.
Pages numbered
Helps prevent separated pages from being misidentified.
Separate payments
Follow county instructions for taxes, recording and extra fees.
GUIDE
Summit County Real Estate Recording Guide
Official county preparation checklist.
Open Recording Guide
Current Recording Division fee schedule
Summit County Recorder Fees
$34
First Two Pages
Basic recording fee.
$8
Additional Page
Each page after the first two.
$20
Non-Compliant Document
Additional qualifying document charge.
$4
Cross Reference
Each qualifying cross reference.
$2
Document Copy
Per photocopied page.
$1
Certification
Per document.
FEE
Official Recording Fees
Also includes plats, liens, maps and property-transfer charges.
Verify Current Fees
Ohio recording fees can be amended by state law, and counties may have
additional permitted charges. Always recheck the Summit County fee page
immediately before preparing payment.
Property Transfer Department
Summit County Conveyance Fees and DTE Forms
The Property Transfer Department reviews the legal
description on a transfer-of-title document and processes the conveyance
before the deed reaches Recording.
DTE Form 100
Real Property Conveyance Fee Statement of Value and Receipt.
DTE Form 100(EX)
Statement of Reason for Exemption from Real Property Conveyance Fee.
$4
Conveyance Fee
Summit County’s current fee page states $4 per $1,000 of sale value,
calculated under its published county formula.
$0.50
Lot Fee
Per lot contained in the legal description for exempt and non-exempt transfers.
Same-day cutoff:
Summit County says properly prepared conveyance forms should reach
Property Transfer for legal-description approval by
3:30 p.m. if you want the title-transfer process completed
that business day.
Do not confuse conveyance fees with recording fees.
The Property Transfer/Conveyance step and final Recording Division
charge are separate parts of the transaction.
A frequent homeowner question
How Do You Change a Name on a Summit County Deed?
Summit County states that changing the name shown on a current recorded
deed requires a new deed to be prepared and recorded.
Determine the legally appropriate new deed.
Prepare the new instrument.
The county’s FAQ says the person requesting the change or an attorney
can prepare the deed under Ohio law.
Submit it for legal-description review.
Complete the Property Transfer / conveyance step.
Record the approved deed.
A marriage, divorce, trust, probate event or estate-planning goal can
have legal and tax consequences beyond simply changing a printed name.
Use an Ohio attorney when the ownership effect is uncertain.
Electronic recording
Can You E-Record a Summit County Deed?
Summit County supports electronic recording through commercial
e-recording vendors.
Simplifile
County-listed e-recording provider.
CSC / Corporation Service Company
County-listed e-recording provider.
eRecording Partners Network
County-listed e-recording provider.
Choose an approved e-recording vendor.
Prepare the recordable instrument and required transfer documents.
Upload and index the electronic package.
Submit through the selected vendor.
Correct a rejected document when necessary.
Save the accepted recording reference and returned image.
Free monitoring against possible deed fraud
How to Set Up Summit County Property Record Alert
Summit County launched Property Record Alert as a
free automated email system. It notifies a registered user when
new documents are recorded using monitored personal or business names.
Open Self Service Records Public Access.
Verify you are not a robot and accept the disclaimer.
Select “Property Record Alert.”
Select “Sign Up.”
Complete the registration form.
Create your own UserID and password.
Verify your email address.
Open the verification link sent by the system.
Return to Property Record Alert and log in.
Review the disclaimer and choose Continue.
Add an individual name last-name first or a business name.
Use Refine Alert when you need to monitor multiple-name combinations.
Select Save.
The system sends an email confirmation when alerts have been set up.
An alert does not automatically mean fraud.
A legitimate deed, mortgage, lien, release, easement or other document
can use your name. Search and read the actual recording before concluding
that a fraudulent transfer occurred.
Does the Summit County Recording Division Perform Title Searches?
No.
The Recording Division’s current FAQ expressly says the office does
not perform title or property searches for the public.
Recording Division can provide
- public deed records;
- mortgages;
- releases and assignments;
- liens;
- easements;
- plats;
- condominium records;
- land contracts.
Professional title research may determine
- complete ownership chain;
- unreleased liens;
- mortgage priority;
- easement burdens;
- probate interests;
- title defects;
- insurable ownership.
Before buying, refinancing or resolving an ownership dispute,
use a qualified title company or Ohio real-estate attorney instead
of treating one online deed search as a complete title examination.
Protected veteran record
Military Discharge Records Are Not Publicly Viewable Online
Summit County records military discharge documents such as DD Form 214
at no recording charge and provides qualifying certified copies as a
courtesy to military personnel.
Privacy protection:
Military Discharge records are not viewable through the public
online Recorded Documents system.
Recording Division vs Property Transfer vs Treasurer vs Clerk of Courts
Your task
Correct office
What to do
Deed / mortgage / lien / release
Recording Division
Search or record land documents and obtain copies.
New deed transfer
Property Transfer
Approve legal description and process conveyance before recording.
Parcel / value / property characteristics
Fiscal Office Real Estate / Appraisal
Search property records and appraisal information.
Property-tax bill or payment
Treasurer Division
Review tax balance, bills and payments.
Foreclosure / court judgment
Summit County Clerk of Courts
Research the underlying civil court case.
Exact boundary / encroachment
Licensed surveyor
Obtain a professional boundary survey.
Before Visiting or Calling the Recording Division
Keep these details ready:
- seven-digit parcel number;
- property address;
- current or former owner name;
- reception/document number;
- book and page when known;
- approximate recording year;
- document type;
- legal description when recording a transfer;
- DTE form when applicable;
- whether you need a copy, certified copy, transfer approval or recording help.
For recording questions:
start with
330-643-2712.
For a deed-copy request,
330-643-2720
is also published by the Fiscal Office.
Summit County-specific shortcuts
Practical Tips That Save Time and Money
Search the parcel before a common owner name.
The seven-digit parcel number helps verify that a deed belongs to
the correct Summit County property.
Remove street direction and suffix when an address fails.
Summit County’s own property tools use simplified address searching.
Use GIS when the main property system is under maintenance.
The Parcel Viewer accepts parcel, owner or street address.
1988 is not the beginning of Summit County deed records.
It is the dividing point for the modern web-search system.
Use IBAV for 1840-1988.
Do not conclude that an older deed is missing because it does not
appear in the modern system.
Save the reception number immediately.
It is one of the best identifiers for a later staff or copy request.
Do not pay an expensive deed-copy solicitation first.
The Fiscal Office specifically warns homeowners about these mail offers.
After mortgage payoff, search for satisfaction/release.
Your ownership deed normally does not change simply because the loan ended.
A deed name change requires a new deed.
It is not simply edited in the existing county record.
Get Property Transfer approval before final recording.
Summit County combines several functions in the Fiscal Office,
but they are still separate transaction steps.
Arrive before the 3:30 p.m. conveyance cutoff.
This matters when trying to complete the transfer process the same business day.
Use separate checks where instructed.
The county recording guide specifically recommends separating recording,
taxes and extra fees.
Check formatting before mailing.
A non-compliant document currently adds $20.
Do not go automatically to 175 S. Main in 2026.
Recording operations are temporarily at 500 Grant Street during renovation.
Register Property Record Alert.
The free service can notify you about new recorded documents using
your monitored name.
Buying Summit County Property? Check More Than the Latest Deed
Parcel record
Confirm the correct seven-digit parcel and physical address.
Latest deed
Compare grantor, grantee, legal description and recording date.
Prior deeds
Follow older owners and book/page references.
Mortgages
Identify recorded financing instruments.
Mortgage releases
Determine whether older mortgages were satisfied.
Liens and releases
Review both claim and later discharge documents.
Easements
Read recorded access and utility instruments affecting the property.
Plats
Use recorded subdivision/condominium information where relevant.
Tax status
Check property-tax balance separately through the Fiscal Office Treasurer function.
Professional title review
Use a title company or attorney before a high-stakes purchase.
Primary government source ledger
Official Sources Used for This Summit County Recorder Guide
Summit County Fiscal Office — Recorder Division
Verified the Recorder-office consolidation history, types of records
maintained, privacy redaction policy, hours and customer-service numbers.
Open Recorder Division
Recording FAQs
Verified 1988-forward online access, 1840-1988 IBAV coverage,
three-to-five-day turnaround, deed-copy guidance, title-search limitation,
deed name-change process and e-recording vendors.
Open Recording FAQs
Recorded Documents
Verified the county’s warning about expensive private deed-copy
solicitations and direct deed-copy assistance.
Open Recorded Documents
Recording Fees
Verified $34 first-two-page fee, $8 additional pages,
$20 non-compliant fee, cross-reference charges, copy/certification
fees and property-transfer charges.
Open Recording Fees
Recording Guide
Verified execution, acknowledgment, legal-description,
cross-reference, preparer, return-address and separate-payment guidance.
Open Recording Guide
Property Transfer / Conveyance
Verified DTE 100, DTE 100(EX), legal-description approval and
the 3:30 p.m. same-day transfer cutoff.
Open Conveyance
Temporary Office Relocation Notice
Verified that Recording, Conveyance, Tax Maps, Customer Service,
deeds and plats temporarily relocated to 500 Grant Street during
Ohio Building renovations.
Open Relocation Notice
Property Tax & Appraisal
Used for the official parcel, owner and address search that begins
the address-to-deed workflow.
Open Property Search
Summit County GIS Parcel Viewer
Verified parcel-number, owner-name and street-address map searching.
Open Parcel Viewer
Ohio Revised Code 317.114
Used to verify minimum font, paper size, ink and margin standards
for recordable instruments.
Open Ohio Format Law
Editorial verification: August 14, 2026.
The temporary office location is especially time-sensitive.
Recording fees, portal functions, relocation status, forms,
conveyance requirements and office procedures can change.
Recheck the responsible official source before filing, paying or traveling.
10 Summit County Recorder questions
Summit County Recorder FAQs
1. How do I search Summit County Ohio deeds online?
Open the Summit County Fiscal Office Self Service Records Public Access
system. Accept the disclaimer, search the owner or other recorded party
with an approximate recording date when possible, review the matching
deed and confirm the parcel or legal description. Save the reception
number, book/page and recording date for later copy or title research.
The modern online system covers recorded documents from 1988 forward.
2. How do I find a Summit County deed if I only know the address?
Start with the Summit County Property Tax & Appraisal search or
GIS Parcel Viewer. Find the correct property, save its seven-digit
parcel number and exact owner name, then move to the Recorded Documents
Self-Service system. Search that owner and approximate purchase date
and compare the resulting deed with the parcel and legal description.
3. How far back do Summit County recorded land records go?
Summit County began maintaining its own records when the county was
created in 1840. The Fiscal Office states that recorded documents from
1988 forward can be searched and viewed through the modern web system.
Records from 1840 through 1988 are available through the Index Book
Archive Viewer, with additional public research assistance available
through the Recording Division.
4. How much does a Summit County deed copy cost?
The current detailed Summit County Recording Fee schedule lists ordinary
document photocopies at $2 per page and certification at an additional
$1 per document. The county’s Recording FAQ also describes a mailed deed
copy as $4 plus $1 for certification. Because a deed’s page count can
differ, identify the exact deed and confirm the current total with the
Recording Division before mailing payment.
5. How much does it cost to record a deed in Summit County?
The current Summit County schedule lists $34 for the first two pages
and $8 for each additional page. A qualifying non-compliant document
adds $20, and cross references can add $4 each. A transfer of ownership
may also involve separate conveyance and lot fees, so check both the
Recording Fee and Property Transfer requirements before submitting a deed.
6. What should I search after paying off a Summit County mortgage?
Search the later recorded-document history for a Satisfaction,
Release or other mortgage-release instrument connected with the
original mortgage. Paying the loan normally does not create a new
ownership deed. Compare the release’s referenced mortgage number,
lender and recording information before relying on it.
7. How do I change the name on a Summit County deed?
Summit County states that a name on an existing deed is not simply
edited in the land-record database. A new deed must be prepared,
the legal description and property transfer must be approved through
the Fiscal Office, and the new deed must then be recorded. Legal help
is appropriate when the change involves marriage, divorce, trusts,
estates or other ownership consequences.
8. Does Summit County offer deed-fraud alerts?
Yes. Summit County Property Record Alert is a free automated email
service. Create an account in the Self Service Records Public Access
system, verify the email, open Property Record Alert, add individual
names in last-name-first order or business names, and save the alerts.
An alert indicates a matching recording and does not by itself prove fraud.
9. Does the Summit County Recording Division perform title searches?
No. The Fiscal Office specifically states that the Recording Division
does not perform title or property searches. The office provides access
to deeds, mortgages, releases, liens, easements and other public records,
but a complete title examination should be performed by a qualified
title company or Ohio real-estate attorney.
10. Where is the Summit County Recording Division located in 2026?
Because the Ohio Building at 175 S. Main Street is undergoing renovation,
Summit County temporarily relocated Recording, Conveyance, Tax Maps,
Customer Service, deeds and plats to 500 Grant Street in Akron beginning
August 25, 2025. Recording Division hours remain Monday through Friday
from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call 330-643-2712 before visiting because
the county expects the relocation to last only until later in 2026.