Butler County, Ohio • deed and recorded-property research guide
Butler County Recorder: Search Deeds, Mortgages, Liens and Land Records
The Butler County Recorder’s Office records and preserves
deeds, mortgages, mortgage releases, liens, easements, powers of attorney,
leases, plats and other instruments affecting real property in Butler
County, Ohio.
Danny N. Crank is the current Butler County Recorder.
The office is located on the second floor of the Butler County
Administration Building at 130 High Street in Hamilton.
Butler County has also completed a major imaging project. The Recorder
currently states that all records are now available online,
including historical records that can be located by book and page.
Fastest route when you only know an address:
open the Butler County Auditor property search → search the street number
and street name without the suffix → save the parcel number, owner and
transfer-date information → open the Butler County Recorder Official
Record Search → use Advanced Search to search the owner as Grantor or
Grantee → compare date, document type, Book/Page and legal-description
information → save the document number.
County Recorder
Danny N. Crank
Recorder office
130 High Street, 2nd Floor, Hamilton, OH 45011
Current office hours
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Online-record status
Imaging project complete; all records now online
Search freshness:
the official Butler County Recorder portal currently displays a
“Certified through” date. Check that date before deciding that a document
recorded very recently is missing from the online index.
Independent informational guide:
County-CAD.us is not Butler County Government, the Butler County Recorder,
Auditor, Treasurer, Engineer, Clerk of Courts or State of Ohio.
Official document searches, recordings, payments and government
transactions must be completed through the official resources linked below.
Start with your actual goal
What Are You Trying to Do?
Recommended Butler County research order
Address → Parcel → Owner → Recorder Search → Document → Copy
1
Address
Start with property location.
2
Parcel
Confirm exact parcel.
3
Owner
Save owner and sale date.
4
Recorder
Search Grantor/Grantee.
5
Verify
Match book/page and legal data.
6
Save
Keep document reference.
Official government starting points
Which Butler County Website Should You Open?
DEED
Butler County Official Record Search
Deeds, mortgages, releases, liens, easements and other recorded real-property documents.
Open Official Recorder Search
ALRT
Property Alert
Register through the official Recorder records platform for monitoring.
Open Property Alert
Best route when you do not know the owner
How to Find the Butler County Parcel Number from an Address
1
Butler County Auditor Address Search
Use this before searching the Recorder when an address is your only clue.
Open Address Search
Open the official Address Search above.
Enter the street number.
Example: 130.
Enter the street name without a suffix.
The Auditor specifically instructs users not to enter suffixes such
as Street, Road, Avenue or Drive in the Street Name field.
Use the wildcard if necessary.
The current system accepts an asterisk (*) to broaden a partial street search.
Open the correct property.
Compare physical address, owner and taxing district.
Save the parcel number.
Most Butler County parcel numbers contain 14 characters, although
manufactured homes, RID and TIF records can use different lengths.
Save the owner name.
Review transfer history.
The property profile can provide transaction dates that help narrow
the Recorder search.
Move to the Recorder portal.
Search the owner and approximate transaction year.
Parcel-search shortcut:
the Auditor allows partial parcel numbers and the *
wildcard. That is useful when a document or tax bill shows only part
of the parcel identifier.
Current official Recorder interface
How to Search Butler County Deeds Online
The current Official Record Search provides both
Quick Search and Advanced Search.
GO
Butler County Recorder Quick Search
Search Real Property records.
Open Quick Search
Open the official search.
Confirm that the page identifies Danny N. Crank as Butler County Recorder.
Leave Department set to Real Property.
Enter the strongest search term you have.
Quick Search accepts grantor/grantee, subdivision, document type or document number.
Add a Recorded Date range.
A purchase, refinance, mortgage payoff or lien year can reduce hundreds
of unrelated results.
Use Search Index Only first.
This is usually the cleanest way to find indexed parties and document types.
Use Full Text OCR when the index is not enough.
OCR searches words found inside digitized document images.
Open plausible results.
Verify the document against the property.
Compare parties, date, legal-description clues, Book/Page and other identifiers.
Save the document number.
It is much easier to retrieve the document later by number than to
repeat a broad name search.
Recently recorded deed?
Check the “Certified through” date displayed near the search fields.
If your closing or filing happened after that date, allow the index to
update before treating the document as missing.
One of Butler County’s strongest research tools
Use Advanced Search When Quick Search Gives Too Many Results
Butler County’s current Advanced Search exposes much more than a basic
owner-name field.
Party Names
Enter parties using LASTNAME FIRSTNAME.
Grantor
Search specifically for the conveying party.
Grantee
Search specifically for the receiving party.
Recorded Date Range
Narrow the transaction period.
Document Types
Filter deed, mortgage, release, lien or another instrument.
Document Number
Search a single number or a range.
Book
Direct historical recording reference.
Page
Pair with Book for precise older-document retrieval.
Full Document Text
OCR phrase/term research.
City Legal
Narrow by city-related legal indexing.
Subdivision Legal
Useful for subdivision property research.
Township / Condo Legal
Search additional legal-description indexing.
Common-name strategy:
use Grantee + approximate purchase date when finding how a current owner
acquired the property. Use Grantor + later dates when researching how
that owner later conveyed an interest.
Historical-record shortcut
How to Search a Butler County Book and Page
The Recorder specifically states that its completed imaging project
allows documents to be accessed online by entering a
Book and Page number.
Open Advanced Search.
Find the Book field.
Enter the recorded Book number.
Enter the Page number.
Run the search.
Open the document image.
Verify parties and property description.
Book/Page searching is particularly useful when a newer deed,
title commitment, mortgage, probate filing or survey cites an older
recorded instrument.
What to Save from a Correct Butler County Record
Document Number
Strongest modern lookup reference.
Book / Page
Critical for older documents.
Recorded Date
Official recording timeline.
Grantor
Party giving or conveying an interest.
Grantee
Party receiving the recorded interest.
Document Type
Deed, mortgage, release, lien, easement, etc.
Legal Description
Helps verify the correct real property.
Subdivision / Township
Helpful when several properties have similar owners.
Cross References
Can point to an earlier deed, mortgage or related recording.
Imaging project complete
How to Research Older Butler County Deeds
The Butler County Recorder now states that its imaging project is
complete and all records are available online.
Historical research can require a slightly different strategy than
simply typing the current owner’s name.
Start with the current Auditor parcel record.
Save the owner, parcel number, transfer dates and legal description.
Find the newest known deed.
Read the deed for older Book/Page references.
Search the prior owner as a Grantee.
This can identify how that person acquired the property.
Move backward one transaction at a time.
Use Book/Page directly when available.
Use Geographic Indexes when name-based research breaks down.
The Recorder also makes geographic indexing resources available.
Email the Recorder if a needed image still cannot be viewed.
Important difference from many counties:
Butler County no longer describes a large undigitized historical-record
gap. Its Recorder states that the imaging project is complete.
Useful Butler County-specific copy service
How to Get a Butler County Deed or Recorded Document Copy
First search the official portal. If the record or index you need still
is not available for viewing, Butler County currently provides a useful
email-request option.
5
Free Requested Records
Up to five requested records can currently be emailed free per day.
$2
Above Five Requests
Current email-copy rate is $2 per page after the five-record allowance.
24h
Typical Email Response
Recorder states requests are sent within 24 hours or the next business day.
MAIL
Recorder Copy Request Email
Use when a document/index is unavailable through the public search.
Email Recorder@bcohio.gov
Search the document yourself first.
Save the exact Book/Page or document number.
Email Recorder@bcohio.gov.
State exactly which record you need.
Include Book, Page, document number, party name and approximate date when available.
State whether an ordinary image is enough or you need certification.
Ask for the current certified-copy procedure and fee when certification is required.
The free-email policy applies to the Recorder’s current copy-request
service and can change. High-volume commercial or certified-copy requests
may use different fees or procedures.
Ohio transfer workflow
How to Record a Deed in Butler County
A deed that transfers real estate does not normally go straight from
your printer to the Recorder. Ohio’s transfer process involves the
County Auditor and, where applicable, legal-description/
conveyance review before final recording.
1
Prepare
Complete legal deed.
2
Legal
Verify description.
3
DTE
Complete transfer form.
4
Auditor
Process conveyance.
5
Recorder
Record instrument.
6
Verify
Recheck online record.
Choose and prepare the legally appropriate deed.
Warranty deed, limited warranty deed, quitclaim deed, fiduciary deed,
survivorship deed and other instruments have different legal effects.
Use the correct grantor and grantee names.
Include the complete legal description.
Include the grantee’s tax-mailing address and required prior
instrument reference.
Complete execution and notarization.
Complete DTE 100 or DTE 100EX as appropriate.
Submit the conveyance through the Butler County Auditor process.
Pay applicable conveyance charges.
Submit the endorsed/approved deed to the Recorder.
Pay the current Recorder fee.
Save the final recording number.
Recheck the Auditor owner record after processing.
Allow the county systems time to update.
The Recorder cannot choose your deed or provide legal advice.
Transfers involving trusts, probate, divorce, survivorship, creditors,
Medicaid planning, tax consequences or disputed ownership should be
reviewed by an Ohio real-estate or estate attorney.
Auditor comes before final recording
Butler County DTE 100, DTE 100EX and Conveyance Workflow
DTE 100
Ohio Real Property Conveyance Fee Statement of Value and Receipt for
transactions subject to the conveyance-fee process.
DTE 100EX
Ohio statement used when a transfer qualifies for an exemption from
the conveyance fee.
Butler County Auditor’s property system includes a
Transfer & Conveyance Fee Calculator.
After opening a property record, look under the page’s Links area for
the calculator before preparing payment.
Conveyance Desk cutoff:
Butler County Auditor currently lists office hours of 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.,
but its Conveyance Desk closes at 3:30 p.m..
Do not plan a late-afternoon transfer visit based only on the general
Auditor closing time.
AUD
Butler County Auditor Property Search
Open a property record and use its Transfer & Conveyance Fee Calculator link.
Open Auditor Property System
Fee changed beginning January 1, 2025
How Much Does It Cost to Record a Deed in Butler County?
Butler County’s Recorder prominently posts a
recording-fee increase effective January 1, 2025.
Because the county-specific amount includes charges beyond Ohio’s basic
statewide recording calculation, verify the live Butler County schedule
immediately before preparing payment.
$34
Ohio Statutory Base
State-law base for the first two pages before any permitted county preservation surcharge.
$8
Additional Page
State-law additional-page amount.
$20
Non-Standard Format
Ohio non-standard-document charge can apply when statutory format is not met.
Do not mail only $34 based on an old statewide fee table.
Butler County specifically announced a county recording-fee increase
effective January 1, 2025. Call the Recorder or use its current fee notice
before submitting a time-sensitive instrument.
Current fee check
Call the Recorder at
513-887-3192
and provide the document type and total number of pages.
Recording fees and conveyance fees are different. A deed transferring
ownership can require both the Auditor’s conveyance process and the
Recorder’s document-recording fee.
Mortgage-payoff research
Paid Off Your Mortgage? Search for the Release or Satisfaction
Paying off a mortgage does not normally result in a new ownership deed.
The important follow-up record is the document that releases or satisfies
the mortgage.
Find the original mortgage.
Search the borrower/lender names and approximate loan date.
Save its Book/Page or document number.
Search later recordings.
Filter for Release, Satisfaction or similar mortgage-release documents.
Open the release.
Compare the referenced mortgage.
Make sure the release relates to the exact mortgage you paid off.
Save the release document number.
A refinance may produce several assignments, releases and new mortgages
near the same time. Match document references instead of assuming the
newest release belongs to the loan you are researching.
Search both sides of the record
How to Search Butler County Liens and Releases
Confirm the correct owner and parcel first.
Open Advanced Search.
Search the owner as a party.
Filter by the relevant lien document type.
Save the original lien recording reference.
Search later dates for a release or satisfaction.
Read the later instrument.
Confirm that it actually references the original lien.
Check court records separately when appropriate.
A lawsuit, judgment or foreclosure can involve the Butler County
Clerk of Courts in addition to Recorder documents.
Does a Recorder Search Prove Clear Title?
No.
Public land records are essential evidence, but searching one owner
or downloading one deed does not automatically establish marketable
or insurable title.
Recorder search helps you find
- deeds;
- mortgages;
- mortgage releases;
- liens;
- easements;
- leases;
- powers of attorney;
- other recorded real-property instruments.
A professional title examination addresses
- complete chain of title;
- unreleased interests;
- mortgage and lien priority;
- probate interests;
- easements and restrictions;
- recording defects;
- insurability and legal ownership.
For a purchase, refinance, estate, ownership dispute or major investment,
use an Ohio title company or real-estate attorney rather than treating
a public-record search as a legal title opinion.
Monitor new recordings
Butler County Property Alert
The official Butler County Recorder search platform includes
Property Alert.
SAFE
Property Alert
Register through the same official platform used for Butler County land-record searches.
Open Property Alert
Open Property Alert.
Register or sign in when requested.
Add the names/property criteria you want monitored.
Save the alert.
When an alert arrives, search the actual document.
Verify document type, parties and property before taking action.
An alert is not proof of deed fraud.
Legitimate mortgages, releases, deeds, liens, easements and other
instruments can trigger a matching alert. Read the actual recording first.
Professional filing route
Electronic Recording in Butler County
Butler County supports electronic workflows for qualifying recorded
documents, but professional submitters should confirm the Recorder’s
current approved eRecording provider and document eligibility
before transmitting a deed.
eRecording does not eliminate Ohio conveyance requirements.
A deed that requires Auditor/Engineer review, DTE processing or another
pre-recording step must still satisfy those requirements.
CALL
Confirm Current eRecording Route
Ask Recorder staff about accepted electronic submission providers and document types.
Call Recorder: 513-887-3192
Recorder vs Auditor vs Treasurer vs Clerk of Courts
Your task
Correct office
What that office does
Deed / mortgage / lien / release
Butler County Recorder
Records and preserves real-property instruments.
Parcel / owner / value
Butler County Auditor
Maintains property assessment and parcel records.
Transfer a new deed
Auditor / conveyance process first
Processes transfer forms, conveyance and tax-listing requirements before recording.
Pay property taxes
Butler County Treasurer
Tax bills, payments and tax account questions.
Foreclosure / lawsuit / court judgment
Butler County Clerk of Courts
Court case filings and dockets.
Clear-title opinion
Title company / attorney
Professional legal title examination.
Before Calling the Recorder, Gather These Details
- property address;
- parcel number;
- owner or former owner name;
- document number;
- Book and Page;
- approximate recording date;
- document type;
- whether you need a search, copy, certification or recording help.
Best preparation:
search the Auditor property record and Recorder portal before calling.
Staff can help much faster when you already have a parcel number,
document number or Book/Page.
Butler County-specific shortcuts
Practical Tips That Make the Search Faster
Remove the street suffix in the Auditor address search.
Search Main rather than Main Street or Main St.
Use the wildcard when the street or parcel is uncertain.
Butler County’s property system supports the asterisk (*).
Save the full parcel number before researching a common surname.
The parcel gives you an independent property check.
Use Grantee for the acquisition deed.
Search the current owner’s name as Grantee around the purchase date.
Use Grantor to trace what an owner later conveyed.
This is useful for a sale, easement or later interest.
Switch to Advanced Search early.
Butler County provides unusually detailed Book/Page and legal-description fields.
Use Book/Page instead of repeatedly searching old names.
Historical deed references can be much faster.
All records are now online.
The Recorder says its imaging project is complete.
If an image still fails, email the Recorder.
Up to five requested records can currently be emailed free per day.
Save the document number immediately.
It is your strongest future lookup key.
Check the Certified Through date for a recent deed.
A just-filed instrument may not be indexed yet.
After mortgage payoff, search for the release.
Do not wait for a replacement ownership deed.
Do not arrive at the Auditor Conveyance Desk after 3:30 p.m.
The general Auditor office stays open later, but Conveyance does not.
Do not rely on the statewide $34 base as your final Butler County fee.
Butler County announced a recording-fee increase beginning in 2025.
Use Property Alert after buying.
It adds another monitoring layer for newly recorded activity.
Buying Butler County Property? Check More Than the Current Owner Name
Parcel identity
Confirm address, parcel number and legal description.
Current deed
Verify Grantor, Grantee, date and property description.
Prior deeds
Trace older Book/Page references when title history matters.
Mortgages
Identify financing recorded against the parcel.
Mortgage releases
Confirm that older financing was properly released.
Liens and releases
Search both claims and subsequent discharge documents.
Easements
Read recorded access, utility or other easement instruments.
Tax record
Review current Auditor/Treasurer information separately.
Survey/boundary
Use a licensed surveyor for exact boundary conclusions.
Professional title search
Use a title company or attorney for a legal title conclusion.
Primary government source ledger
Official Sources Used for This Butler County Recorder Guide
Butler County Recorder Official Record Search
Used for current Recorder identity, Real Property Quick Search,
Recorded Date filters, Index Only search, OCR search and Property Alert.
Open Official Record Search
Recorder Advanced Search
Used to verify Grantor, Grantee, Party Name, Document Type,
Book, Page, document-number, OCR and legal-description fields.
Open Advanced Search
Butler County Recorder Office
Used for current officeholder, imaging-project status,
Book/Page availability, office address, hours, email,
Chief Deputy and copy-request procedure.
Open Recorder Website
Butler County Auditor Address Search
Used for street-number/name workflow, no-suffix instruction
and wildcard searching.
Open Address Search
Butler County Auditor Owner Search
Used for LastName FirstName formatting and wildcard owner searching.
Open Owner Search
Butler County Auditor Parcel Search
Used for parcel-number formats, partial matching and wildcard behavior.
Open Parcel Search
Ohio Revised Code 319.20
Used for the Auditor transfer process and deed-transfer information requirements.
Open Ohio Transfer Law
Editorial verification: August 15, 2026.
Recorder fees, Certified Through dates, copy policies, office hours,
conveyance charges and online-search features can change. Recheck the
responsible official source immediately before recording, paying or traveling.
10 Butler County Recorder questions
Butler County Recorder FAQs
1. How do I search Butler County Ohio deeds online?
Open the Butler County Official Record Search at butler.oh.publicsearch.us.
Leave the department set to Real Property, enter a grantor/grantee,
subdivision, document type or document number, and add a Recorded Date
range when possible. Use Advanced Search when you want separate Grantor
or Grantee fields, Book/Page, document-number ranges or legal-description
criteria. Save the document number after identifying the correct deed.
2. How do I find a Butler County deed if I only know the address?
Start with the Butler County Auditor Address Search. Enter the street
number and street name without a suffix such as Street, Road or Avenue.
Open the correct property and save its parcel number, owner and transfer
date. Then search that owner in the Recorder system as a Grantor or
Grantee and verify the correct deed using the transaction date,
Book/Page and property information.
3. Who is the Butler County Ohio Recorder?
Danny N. Crank is the current Butler County Recorder. The Recorder’s
Office is in the Butler County Administration Building at 130 High Street,
2nd Floor, Hamilton, Ohio 45011. The main phone number is 513-887-3192
and the current office email is Recorder@bcohio.gov.
4. Are old Butler County deeds available online?
Yes. The Butler County Recorder currently states that its imaging
project is complete and all records are now available online. Older
documents can often be located using Book and Page in Advanced Search.
The Recorder also provides Geographic Indexes, and the office asks
users to email Recorder@bcohio.gov when a needed document still cannot
be viewed through the search system.
5. Can I get a Butler County deed copy by email?
Yes. The Recorder currently says that records or indexes not available
through the search site can be requested at Recorder@bcohio.gov.
Up to five requested records are currently emailed free per day.
Requests above five are currently charged at $2 per page, and the
office states that requests are normally sent within 24 hours or the
next business day.
6. How much does it cost to record a deed in Butler County Ohio?
Ohio’s statutory base recording fee is $34 for the first two pages
plus $8 for each additional page, but Butler County announced a
recording-fee increase effective January 1, 2025 and county-specific
charges can raise the final amount. Confirm the current Butler County
fee directly with the Recorder at 513-887-3192 before preparing payment.
Ownership transfers can also involve separate Auditor conveyance fees.
7. What are DTE 100 and DTE 100EX in Butler County?
DTE 100 is Ohio’s Real Property Conveyance Fee Statement of Value and
Receipt for qualifying property transfers. DTE 100EX is used when a
transfer qualifies for a statutory exemption from the conveyance fee.
The Butler County Auditor handles the conveyance step before an
ownership-changing deed is finally recorded. The Auditor’s Conveyance
Desk currently closes daily at 3:30 p.m.
8. What should I search after paying off a Butler County mortgage?
Search later recorded documents for a Release, Satisfaction or similar
mortgage-release instrument tied to the original mortgage. First save
the original mortgage’s Book/Page or document number, lender and date.
Then compare those references with the later release. Paying off a loan
does not normally create a new ownership deed.
9. Does Butler County offer property fraud alerts?
Yes. Property Alert is available through Butler County’s official
Recorder records platform. Register or sign in, add the name or
monitoring criteria requested by the system, and save the alert.
When a notice arrives, search and read the actual recorded document.
A matching alert by itself does not prove that fraud occurred.
10. What are the Butler County Recorder office hours?
The Butler County Recorder currently lists office hours of
8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The office is at
130 High Street, 2nd Floor, Hamilton, Ohio 45011. The main phone
number is 513-887-3192. Check the Recorder website before a
deadline-day visit in case hours or holiday schedules change.