Washington County, Ohio • deed and land-record research
Washington County Recorder: Search Deeds, Mortgages, Liens and Land Records
The Washington County Recorder in Marietta, Ohio,
maintains the permanent public record of documents affecting ownership
and encumbrances on real estate throughout Washington County.
Common recorded instruments include deeds, mortgages, assignments,
releases, leases, liens, easements, powers of attorney, plats and other
documents authorized by Ohio law.
Teresa Judson is the current Washington County Recorder.
Her office is located in the Washington County Courthouse at
205 Putnam Street, Marietta, Ohio 45750.
Best route when you know only the address:
open the Washington County Auditor property search → search by address →
save the parcel number, exact owner, legal description and sale clues →
open the Recorder’s GovOS Official Record Search → use Advanced Search
for Grantor or Grantee → narrow by recorded date or document type →
compare Book/Page and document information → save the exact recording reference.
Recorder
Teresa Judson
Office
205 Putnam Street, Marietta, OH 45750
Office hours
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Online search cost
County FAQ currently states no charge for online access.
Geographic indexing
Yes — county FAQ confirms tract/geographical indexing.
Do not confuse Washington County, Ohio with the many other
Washington Counties in the United States.
This guide covers Marietta and Washington County, Ohio. The correct
government domains used here include washingtongov.org,
auditorwashingtoncountyohio.gov and the county’s
GovOS records portal.
Independent informational website:
County-CAD.us is not Washington County Government, the Washington County
Recorder, Auditor, Treasurer, Tax Map Office, Clerk of Courts or State
of Ohio. Complete final searches, recordings and payments through the
official government resources linked below.
Choose your task first
What Are You Trying to Do?
Recommended deed-search sequence
Address → Parcel → Owner → Recorder Search → Document → Copy
1
Address
Start with location.
2
Parcel
Confirm exact tax parcel.
3
Owner
Save exact party name.
4
Recorder
Search recorded documents.
5
Verify
Match property/reference.
6
Copy
Order only when needed.
Official government systems
Which Washington County Website Should You Use?
ADV
Recorder Advanced Search
Separate Grantor, Grantee, date, Book/Page and document-number fields.
Open Advanced Search
MAP
GIS Parcel Map
Use for parcel location and tax-map context, not legal boundary proof.
Open GIS Parcel Map
REC
Recorder Office
Contacts, eRecording vendors, responsibilities and FAQ access.
Open Recorder Office
ALRT
Property Alert
Available through the county’s current official recording portal.
Open Property Alert
Best route from address to deed
Find the Parcel and Owner Before Searching Recorder Records
Washington County Auditor Matthew Livengood provides a modern search
system supporting parcel, owner and property-address searches.
Open the official Auditor Search.
Use one of the three direct search methods.
Owner Name, Parcel Number or Address.
For owner searching, use Last First format.
For address searching, separate the fields.
The system provides House #, Direction, Street Name and Street Type.
Open the correct parcel.
Compare owner, physical address, township/city and legal description.
Save the parcel number.
Save current owner and sale information.
Purchase date and buyer/seller names are useful Recorder-search clues.
Move to the official Recorder search.
Verify the deed against the Auditor parcel.
Do not rely on name alone.
Advanced buyer/seller research:
the Auditor’s Advanced Search includes sale-date ranges, price,
Buyer’s Name and Seller’s Name. This is useful when you know roughly
when a property changed hands but do not know the exact deed reference.
Current GovOS recorder interface
How to Search Washington County Ohio Deeds Online
GO
Washington County Official Record Search
Free online access according to the Recorder’s current county FAQ.
Search Recorded Documents
Confirm the portal says Washington County Recorder Teresa Judson.
Leave Department set to Real Property.
Enter a Search Term.
The current Quick Search accepts grantor/grantee, subdivision,
document type or document number.
Add a Recorded Date range when possible.
A purchase, refinance, payoff or lien year can remove many unrelated results.
Use Search Index Only first.
This searches indexed fields and treats multiple words separately.
Try Full Text OCR if the index is not enough.
OCR searches words inside digitized document images and treats multiple
entered words as a phrase.
Open plausible results.
Compare the document with the Auditor parcel.
Check parties, date, legal description, Book/Page and other property references.
Save the document number.
This makes later copies and staff questions much easier.
Recent filing:
check the “Certified through” date shown on the live portal.
That date changes as indexing advances. A recording after that date may
exist even though it is not yet returned by the public search.
Useful for difficult searches
Washington County Advanced Search Fields
Party Names
General indexed-party searching.
Grantor
Search the party conveying or granting an interest.
Grantee
Search the party receiving the interest.
Recorded Date Range
Narrow results by recording period.
Document Type
Filter deeds, mortgages, releases and other instruments.
Single Document Number
Direct lookup of a known recording.
Document Number Range
Useful for related recordings.
Book
Historical/recording reference.
Page
Pair with Book for a precise result.
Full Document Text OCR
Search text within digitized images.
Index Books
Additional index-book research route.
Acquisition-deed shortcut:
search the current owner’s name as Grantee near the
Auditor’s sale date. If researching a later transfer out of that owner,
search the same person as Grantor.
Precise recording reference
How to Search by Book and Page
A Book/Page reference is often more useful than a broad name search,
particularly for older deeds, mortgages and referenced instruments.
Open Advanced Search.
Enter the Book number.
Enter the Page.
Add document type or party only if necessary.
Run the search.
Read the actual document.
Save cross-references to earlier recordings.
What to Save from the Correct Recorder Result
Document Number
Best direct modern lookup key.
Book / Page
Important recorded-document reference.
Recording Date
Date accepted into county land records.
Grantor
Party conveying an interest.
Grantee
Party receiving an interest.
Document Type
Deed, mortgage, release, lien, assignment, lease, etc.
Legal Description
Helps verify the exact property.
Cross Reference
Points to related older instruments.
Document Image
Read the instrument rather than relying solely on the index.
Old-deed and land-title research
How to Research Older Washington County Land Records
The Recorder maintains Washington County’s permanent land records,
and the county confirms that it uses
tract / geographical indexing.
For difficult historical research, combine Recorder records with the
Tax Map Office’s historical property maps.
Start with today’s Auditor parcel.
Save parcel number, current owner, legal description and map number.
Find the newest known deed.
Read it for prior Book/Page references.
Search the prior owner as Grantee.
This can reveal how that person acquired the property.
Use Advanced Search → Book/Page or Index Books.
Use geographic/tract indexing when name research becomes difficult.
Compare old Tax Map records.
The Tax Map Office maintains historical property maps dating back to the 1880s.
Visit the Recorder or Tax Map Office for difficult title-history work.
MAP
Washington County Tax Map Office
Legal-description research, GIS, plats and historical maps dating to the 1880s.
Open Tax Map Resources
GIS lines are not surveys.
Washington County says GIS and hard-copy tax maps are representative
tax-purpose drawings and are not official survey plats. Use a recorded
plat or licensed surveyor for legal boundary decisions.
Washington County copy policy
How to Get a Deed or Recorded Document Copy
$2
Recorder Copy
County FAQ currently lists $2 per page.
$2
Assisted Copy
County FAQ currently lists $2 per page.
3 days
Document Turnaround
County FAQ’s currently stated turnaround.
Important copy-request exception:
Washington County’s general Public Records Request form says the
Recorder’s Office does not email Recorder records.
Recorder copies are priced separately at $2 per page.
Search online first.
Online access is currently described by the county as free.
Save the exact document number or Book/Page.
Decide whether an online image is sufficient.
If you need an official paper copy, contact the Recorder.
Tell staff if certification is required.
Ask for the exact current total because Ohio certification/seal charges
can differ from an ordinary informational copy.
For mailed documents, include a self-addressed stamped envelope.
The county says a SASE is required or postage will be charged.
Cost-saving route:
use the free online Recorder search for ordinary research and pay for
a county copy only when you need an official paper or certified document.
Mortgage payoff research
Paid Off a Mortgage? Search for the Release
Paying off a mortgage does not normally produce another ownership deed.
The key follow-up recording is the document releasing or satisfying
the mortgage.
Search the original mortgage.
Save its document number, Book/Page, lender and recording date.
Search later dates.
Filter for Release, Satisfaction or related document types.
Open the later document.
Compare the mortgage reference.
Make sure the release actually applies to your mortgage.
Washington County’s FAQ says a legal description is not required for
a mortgage assignment, while a lease assignment does require one.
That distinction can matter when reviewing or preparing related instruments.
Search beyond one result
How to Search Liens and Releases
Identify the correct owner and parcel.
Open Recorder Advanced Search.
Search the owner / party name.
Filter by applicable lien-type documents.
Save the original lien reference.
Search later dates for releases.
Compare document references.
Do not assume any later release applies to the lien you found.
Check Clerk of Courts records when the issue involves litigation or judgment.
A Recorder search is not a guaranteed title search. Use an Ohio title
company or real-estate attorney when lien priority, marketable title or
ownership rights affect a transaction.
Washington County transfer workflow
How to Record a Deed in Washington County Ohio
1
Prepare
Complete legal deed.
2
Description
Verify parcel/legal data.
3
Conveyance
Complete Auditor transfer.
4
Fees
Pay transfer charges.
5
Record
Submit to Recorder.
6
Verify
Save recording reference.
Correct deed type
Determine the legally appropriate conveyance instrument.
Grantor and grantee
Names should be complete and consistent.
Legal description
Use the correct recorded property description.
Parcel information
Compare against the Auditor record.
Prior instrument reference
Include required source-of-title references.
Execution and acknowledgment
Complete signatures and notarization as required.
DTE conveyance paperwork
Complete the applicable Ohio conveyance form.
Auditor transfer step
Process conveyance before final Recorder filing when required.
Recording format
Meet ORC 317.114 standards to avoid the additional $20 fee.
Return envelope / postage
Washington County requests a SASE or charges postage.
Recorder staff do not supply blank legal forms and cannot choose the
correct deed for your circumstances. Transfers involving trusts, probate,
divorce, survivorship, life estates, creditors or estate planning should
be reviewed by an Ohio attorney.
Auditor transfer charges
Washington County Conveyance and Parcel Transfer Fees
Washington County’s Recorder FAQ currently publishes the following
Auditor transfer amounts:
$4.00
County Auditor Conveyance Fee
Confirm current calculation through the Auditor’s live Conveyance Calculator.
$0.50
Transfer Fee
Current county FAQ amount per parcel.
Conveyance and Recorder fees are separate.
Do not calculate the Recorder’s page-based filing charge and assume it
covers the Auditor transfer process.
Ohio recording fee structure
Washington County Recorder Filing Fees
Ohio Revised Code 317.32 establishes the main statewide fee calculation.
$34
First Two Pages
Current statewide base + housing trust fund calculation.
$8
Each Additional Page
Current statutory additional-page amount.
Up to $5
Preservation Surcharge
Ohio law permits a county document-preservation surcharge.
$20
Non-Standard Document
Additional charge under ORC 317.114 when applicable.
$4
Marginal Reference
Washington County FAQ confirms this amount for qualifying releases/assignments.
$2
Recorder Copy
Current county copy charge per page.
Do not prepare a recording check from the $34 figure alone.
Ohio law allows a document-preservation surcharge, and a filing can also
contain extra pages, marginal references or non-standard-format charges.
Call the Recorder with the document type and page count for the exact total.
Fee-underpayment policy:
Washington County says documents that are underpaid are returned.
If the payment is over by $5 or more, the office usually returns the document;
smaller overpayments may be returned in cash. Calculate carefully before mailing.
Electronic recording
Washington County Ohio eRecording Options
The Recorder currently lists three commercial eRecording providers.
CSC / Corporation Service Company
County-listed electronic recording provider.
eRecording Partners Network (ePN)
County-listed electronic recording provider.
Simplifile
County-listed provider, but the county FAQ specifically notes that
Simplifile is unable to record deeds in Washington County.
Important deed exception:
do not assume all three vendors can submit every document type.
Washington County’s current FAQ specifically marks
Simplifile as unable to record deeds.
Confirm the document is eligible for eRecording.
Choose a county-accepted vendor.
If it is a deed, verify the vendor accepts deeds in Washington County.
Complete any Auditor / conveyance requirements first.
Upload and submit the document package.
Save the accepted recording information returned by the system.
Monitor new land-record activity
Washington County Property Alert
The current GovOS Recorder portal includes
Property Alert under Other Services.
SAFE
Property Alert
Register through the same official portal used for recorded-document searches.
Open Property Alert
Open Property Alert.
Register or sign in if requested.
Add the name or monitoring criteria requested by the portal.
Save your alert.
Review any notification against the actual recorded document.
Property Alert is a monitoring tool, not proof of fraud.
A legitimate deed, mortgage, assignment, release, easement or other
recording may trigger an alert. Read the instrument first.
Legal-description research support
When to Use the Washington County Tax Map Office
Washington County describes the Tax Map Office as a first stop for
real-estate descriptions and land-title research.
Useful for
Parcel maps, legal-description context, historical maps, GIS and
certain survey plats.
Not a substitute for
A recorded deed, official survey or legal title examination.
Does a Recorder Search Prove Clear Title?
No. The Recorder provides public access to recorded instruments,
but a consumer name search or one downloaded deed is not the same as a
professional title examination.
Recorder research helps find
- deeds;
- mortgages;
- assignments;
- releases;
- liens;
- leases;
- easements;
- other recorded instruments.
Professional title work can address
- complete chain of title;
- unreleased mortgages;
- lien priority;
- probate ownership;
- easement rights;
- recording defects;
- marketable / insurable title.
For a purchase, refinance, estate, boundary dispute or ownership problem,
use an Ohio title company or real-estate attorney rather than relying on
one public-record result.
Recorder vs Auditor vs Tax Map vs Treasurer vs Court
Your task
Correct office
Use it for
Deed / mortgage / release / lien
County Recorder
Recorded instruments, land-record search and copies.
Owner / parcel / value
County Auditor
Property search, appraisal, transfer and tax-list information.
Legal description / map research
Tax Map Office
Plat/map research, GIS and historical map context.
Property tax payment
Treasurer
Bills, payment status and tax collection.
Foreclosure / civil judgment
Clerk of Courts
Court cases and litigation records.
Exact boundary
Licensed surveyor
Legal boundary determination.
Washington County-specific shortcuts
Practical Tips That Save Time
Start with the Auditor parcel.
Parcel, owner and sale information make Recorder verification much easier.
Use Advanced Search early.
It exposes Grantor, Grantee, Book, Page and document-number fields.
Search Index Only before OCR.
OCR is useful for text buried inside an image but can be broader/noisier.
Check the live Certified Through date.
A recent filing may not yet be visible in the searchable index.
Search the buyer as Grantee.
This is usually the quickest route to a purchase deed.
Search the seller as Grantor.
Useful for tracing the later disposition of an interest.
Save Book/Page and document number.
Do not rely on remembering the owner name.
Use geographical indexing for stubborn historical research.
Washington County confirms that it maintains tract indexing.
Use Tax Map historical maps for old parcel context.
County maps date back to the 1880s.
Do not treat a GIS line as a legal boundary.
Washington County expressly describes the parcel maps as tax-purpose drawings.
After mortgage payoff, search for the release.
Do not expect another ownership deed.
Online Recorder searching is currently free.
Search before ordering $2-per-page copies.
Recorder records are not emailed under the general county request form.
Use the Recorder-specific copy process.
Include a SASE when mailing documents.
Otherwise the office says postage can be charged.
Do not underpay a mailed recording.
The county returns underpaid documents.
Simplifile currently cannot record deeds here.
Confirm the document type before choosing an eRecording vendor.
Register for Property Alert.
Monitor future recorded activity after acquiring a property.
Buying Washington County Property? Check These Records
Auditor parcel
Confirm owner, address, parcel, value and tax district.
Current deed
Verify grantor, grantee and legal description.
Prior deeds
Trace Book/Page and former-owner references.
Mortgages
Identify financing recorded against the property.
Mortgage releases
Check whether prior loans were released.
Liens / releases
Review both the claim and later discharge.
Tax Map
Use for parcel and historical mapping context.
Property taxes
Check Treasurer records separately.
Professional survey
Required for exact boundary conclusions.
Title examination
Use a title company or attorney for legal ownership conclusions.
Primary government source ledger
Official Sources Used for This Guide
Washington County Recorder
Verified current Recorder Teresa Judson, office address, phone,
hours, Recorder responsibilities and listed eRecording vendors.
Open Recorder Office
Official Record Search
Verified Quick Search, Real Property department, grantor/grantee,
subdivision, document-type, document-number, Recorded Date and OCR search.
Open Quick Search
Recorder Advanced Search
Verified Party Name, Grantor, Grantee, Index Books, date range,
document type, document number, Book, Page and full-text OCR fields.
Open Advanced Search
Recorder FAQs
Verified geographic indexing, $2 copies, free online access,
conveyance/transfer fees, SASE requirement, three-day turnaround,
over/under-payment policy and eRecording limitations.
Open Recorder FAQs
Washington County Auditor
Verified current parcel, owner, address search, sales filters,
conveyance calculator and Auditor role.
Open County Auditor
Auditor Advanced Search
Verified Owner Name, Parcel Number, House #, street fields,
Buyer, Seller, sale date, price and location filters.
Open Property Search
Washington County Tax Map Office
Verified legal-description research role, GIS caveat,
historical maps dating to the 1880s and office contacts.
Open Tax Map Office
Public Records Request
Verified that Recorder records are excluded from the county’s
free-email delivery option and Recorder copies are $2 per page.
Open Public Records Request
Ohio Revised Code 317.32
Verified recording-page fees, certification/copy structure,
marginal-reference charges and optional preservation surcharge.
Open Ohio Recording Fee Law
Editorial verification: August 15, 2026.
The online portal’s Certified Through date changes as documents are
indexed. Recording fees, preservation surcharges, office procedures,
eRecording eligibility and contacts can also change. Verify the live
government source before filing, paying or traveling.
10 Washington County Recorder questions
Washington County Ohio Recorder FAQs
1. How do I search Washington County Ohio deeds online?
Open the Washington County Official Record Search at
washington.oh.publicsearch.us. Leave Department set to Real Property
and search a grantor/grantee, subdivision, document type or document
number. Add a Recorded Date range when possible. For more precision,
use Advanced Search to search separate Grantor, Grantee, Book, Page
and document-number fields. Save the document number after identifying
the correct deed.
2. How do I find a Washington County deed if I only know the address?
Start with the Washington County Auditor search. Search the address,
open the correct parcel and save its parcel number, owner, legal
description and sale information. Then open the Recorder search and
search the buyer or current owner as a Grantee near the transfer date.
Compare the recorded document with the Auditor parcel before relying on it.
3. Who is the Washington County Ohio Recorder?
Teresa Judson is the current Washington County Recorder. The office is
at the Washington County Courthouse, 205 Putnam Street, Marietta,
Ohio 45750. The main county phone is 740-373-6623; Recorder extensions
are 2223 and 2225.
4. Does Washington County offer free online deed searching?
Yes. The county Recorder FAQ currently states that online Recorder
access is available at no charge. The current GovOS portal provides
Quick Search and Advanced Search, including grantor/grantee,
document-number, Book/Page and full-text OCR options.
5. How much does a Washington County Recorder copy cost?
Washington County’s Recorder FAQ currently lists document copies at
$2 per page, including copies made with staff assistance. The county’s
general Public Records Request page also specifically says Recorder
records are not included in its free email-delivery option and Recorder
copies are $2 per page. Ask the Recorder for the total when a certified
copy or seal is required.
6. How much does it cost to record a deed in Washington County Ohio?
Ohio Revised Code 317.32 currently uses $34 for the first two pages
and $8 for each additional page as the principal statewide recording
calculation. Ohio law also permits a county document-preservation
surcharge of up to $5, and additional charges may apply for marginal
references or non-standard formatting. Call the Washington County
Recorder with the document type and page count for the exact filing total.
7. What should I search after paying off a Washington County mortgage?
Search later Recorder records for a Release, Satisfaction or similar
document tied to the original mortgage. First save the original
mortgage’s document number or Book/Page, lender and recording date.
Then compare the later release with that original reference. Paying
off the mortgage does not normally create a new ownership deed.
8. Does Washington County Ohio have geographical or tract indexing?
Yes. The Washington County Recorder’s current FAQ confirms that the
county has tract or geographical indexing. This can be especially
useful for older title research when owner-name searching becomes
difficult. Book/Page references and the Tax Map Office’s historical
property maps can provide additional research clues.
9. Can I e-record a deed in Washington County Ohio?
Washington County lists CSC, eRecording Partners Network and Simplifile
as accepted electronic-recording vendors. However, the county’s current
FAQ specifically notes that Simplifile is unable to record deeds.
Confirm current document eligibility and complete any required Auditor
conveyance step before submitting electronically.
10. What are the Washington County Recorder office hours?
The Washington County Recorder’s Office currently lists hours of
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except legal holidays.
The office is at 205 Putnam Street in Marietta, Ohio 45750. Call
740-373-6623, extension 2223 or 2225, before a deadline-day visit.