Butler County OH Recorder of Deeds: Search Land Records, Recording Fees, Property Alerts & Office Guide
The Butler County Recorder of Deeds is the Ohio county office that records and preserves deeds, mortgages, leases, releases, assignments, liens, powers of attorney, plats, UCC real-estate-related filings and other instruments affecting land records in Butler County.
Use this guide to search Butler County recorded documents, use the Cloud Search system, understand OCR and index-only searches, prepare a deed or mortgage for recording, check the 2025 fee schedule, request copies by email, set up property fraud alerts, and visit the Recorder at 130 High Street, 2nd Floor, Hamilton, OH 45011.
What Does the Butler County Recorder of Deeds Handle?
In Ohio, the County Recorder maintains the official land-recording system for documents that affect real property. In Butler County, the Recorder’s Office is led by Danny N. Crank and is located in the Administration Building at 130 High Street, 2nd Floor, Hamilton, Ohio 45011.
Search Recorded Land Documents
Use Butler County’s public records search to find deeds, mortgages, releases, assignments, leases, liens, plats, powers of attorney and other recorded documents. Cloud Search supports both indexed-field searching and full-text OCR searching.
Best identifiers: grantor/grantee name, document number, book/page, subdivision, city, township, parcel number or recording date range.
Record Deeds and Mortgages
The Recorder accepts documents that meet Ohio recording standards and are submitted with the correct fees. Deeds also require Auditor review, conveyance/exemption forms, transfer-tax handling and parcel identification numbers.
Important: the Recorder records documents but does not draft deeds or provide legal advice.
Use the Right Office
The Recorder handles recorded documents. The Butler County Auditor handles parcel records, property search, conveyance review and property valuation. The Treasurer handles tax bills and payments.
Tip: if you only know the address, start with the Auditor property search before using the Recorder search.
Butler County Recorder Office Address, Phone and Map
The Recorder’s public notice lists the office in the Butler County Administration Building. Current public notices list office hours as 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; verify holiday closures or same-day recording questions before traveling.
Danny N. Crank, Butler County Recorder
Address:
Administration Building
130 High Street, 2nd Floor
Hamilton, OH 45011
Phone: 513-887-3192
Fax: 513-887-3198
Copy request email: Recorder@bcohio.gov
Chief Deputy contact listed in public notices: Denise Goll, denise.goll@bcohio.gov, 513-887-3195
Open Recorder Map ↗How to Search Butler County Recorder of Deeds Records Online
Butler County’s current search system is a public records tool with quick search, advanced search, indexed-field search and full-text OCR search. The county also notes that the legacy search system remains accessible through the Recorder site for users who prefer that workflow.
Open the Butler County Official Record Search
Start with the county’s official public records search page. The search page shows the Butler County Recorder name, quick search, advanced search, property alert access and a certified-through date for recently indexed records.
Use Quick Search Like a Search Engine
Quick Search can look for a grantor, grantee, subdivision, document type, document number, location, lot number or other search term. It is useful when you are not sure which exact indexed field contains the information.
Choose Index Only or Full Text OCR
Index-only searching checks indexed recording information such as party names and document fields. Full-text OCR can search text inside document images, which can help when the parcel number, address or older deed detail is typed in the document but not indexed as a search field.
Use Advanced Search for Precise Fields
Advanced Search allows more granular searches by party names, grantor, grantee, recorded date range, document type, document number, book/page, city, subdivision, township or condominium information.
Use Wildcards for Name Variations
The Cloud Search manual explains wildcard characters. Use an asterisk to replace multiple unknown characters and a question mark to replace one character. This helps with spelling variations, initials and older indexing differences.
Search the Auditor Database When You Only Have an Address
If you only know a street address, use the Butler County Auditor property search to find the parcel number, owner name and property record. Then return to the Recorder search and try the owner name, parcel number or deed references.
Open the Document and Save the Reference
Save the document number, book/page, recorded date, document type, party names and any legal-description or parcel-number clues. These details are needed for copies, chain-of-title research, mortgage releases and future recordings.
What a Butler County Recorder Search Result Means
Recorder data, Auditor data and Treasurer data answer different questions. Use this table to understand what each field can and cannot prove.
| Field or Clue | What It Means | Best Use | Common Mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grantor / grantee | Parties indexed to a recorded document, often seller/buyer or borrower/lender depending on document type. | Finding deeds, mortgages, assignments and releases by name. | Searching only one spelling or only the current owner. |
| Document number | A specific recording identifier used to locate a document quickly. | Certified copy requests, title references and confirming a document was recorded. | Confusing document number with parcel number. |
| Book and page | Traditional land-record reference used heavily in older documents and chain-of-title work. | Following older deeds and mortgages backward through the record. | Ignoring a book/page recital on a current deed. |
| Parcel number | An Auditor property identifier that may appear in deed documents or search results. | Connecting a recorded instrument to the Auditor property record. | Assuming the Recorder controls valuation, exemptions or tax bills. |
| Document type | The category of recorded document, such as deed, mortgage, release, lien, lease or power of attorney. | Narrowing search results to the exact legal instrument needed. | Opening a release or assignment and assuming it is the deed. |
| Certified-through date | The search system’s update marker for records that have completed office indexing and verification. | Checking whether a very recent recording may still be in processing. | Assuming an uncertified newly posted document has completed every verification step. |
How to Record a Deed, Mortgage, Release or Other Document in Butler County
Recording a document is different from preparing a legally correct document. The Recorder can record an instrument that meets recording requirements and is submitted with correct fees, but staff cannot choose the correct deed type, fix title issues or give legal advice.
Prepare the Correct Legal Instrument
For a deed transfer, survivorship change, transfer-on-death affidavit, certificate of transfer, trust transfer, mortgage release or correction instrument, consult an Ohio attorney, title company or qualified real-estate professional when ownership rights are affected.
Meet Ohio Standard Recording Format
Ohio recording standards generally require legible print of at least 10-point size, letter or legal paper, black or blue ink, no highlighting, 1-inch side and bottom margins, a 3-inch top margin on the first page and a 1.5-inch top margin on later pages.
Add Required Legal Description and Parcel Information
Butler County’s fee schedule notes that legal descriptions are required with all documents submitted for recording, and deeds require parcel identification numbers. Use the Auditor property search if you need to confirm the parcel number.
Handle Auditor Conveyance Requirements for Deeds
Deeds require conveyance/exemption forms, Auditor transfer-fee handling and conveyance tax when applicable. The fee schedule lists Butler County conveyance tax at $3.00 per $1,000 of purchase price plus a 50-cent parcel transfer tax fee per parcel number.
Check Prepared By and Affidavit Requirements
The Butler County schedule states that documents notarized in Ohio require a Prepared By Statement and that all affidavits require current owner information under ORC 5301.252.
Calculate the Correct Recorder Fee
The 2025 fee schedule lists $39 for deeds, mortgages, leases and other documents up to and including two pages, $8 for each additional page or attachment after the first two pages, and $4 per reference for satisfactions, releases, assignments, rerecords, amendments, modifications, lien releases and similar documents.
Include the Correct Checks and Return Envelope
The fee schedule says transfer fees and conveyance tax are payable to the Butler County Auditor, while Recorder fees are paid to the Recorder. A self-addressed stamped return envelope is required for returning recorded originals.
Confirm Recording and Save the Online Reference
After recording, search the document number or book/page in the public records system. Public notices state that document turnaround time is 24 hours, but time-sensitive filings should still be confirmed directly with the office.
Butler County Recording Readiness Checklist
This checklist is not a legal review. It helps catch common rejection and extra-fee risks before you submit a deed, mortgage, release, assignment, affidavit, lien, lease or power of attorney.
Butler County Recorder Fees, Conveyance Tax and Copy Costs
Butler County’s fee schedule is especially important because deed transfers may require both Recorder fees and Auditor conveyance-related payments. Do not mail a deed packet until both payment paths are checked.
| Cost Item | Published Amount / Rule | Where It Applies | Practical Warning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deed, mortgage, lease and other documents | $39 up to and including two pages, including the $5 preservation surcharge. | Common recordable land documents. | Additional pages and attachments can change the total. |
| Additional pages | $8 per additional page after the first two pages. | Long deeds, exhibits, legal descriptions, attachments and multi-page filings. | Count every attachment page before payment. |
| Reference fee | $4 per reference. | Satisfactions, releases, assignments, rerecords, amendments, modifications, lien releases and revocations. | Multiple referenced instruments can increase cost. |
| Non-standard document fee | $20 per document. | Documents not meeting standard Ohio formatting rules. | Fix margins, font, paper size, ink and highlighting issues before recording. |
| Conveyance tax | $3 per $1,000 purchase price. | Applicable deed transfers through the Auditor process. | Transfer-tax exemptions and special transfers require correct forms. |
| Auditor parcel transfer fee | 50 cents per parcel number payable with deeds. | Deed transfers involving one or more parcels. | Make the Auditor check payable as instructed by the Auditor/Recorder guidance. |
| Copies and certification | $2 per page for copies and $1 per document certification. | Copy requests from recorded documents. | Current notices also describe limited free emailed copy requests and paid pages beyond that limit. |
Butler County Recorder Copy Requests, Property Alerts and DD214 Records
Butler County provides online record searching, email copy-request guidance and property alert tools. Veterans can also use Recorder services for military discharge record preservation and related veteran ID programs.
Copy Requests by Email
Public Recorder notices say copy requests should be sent to Recorder@bcohio.gov. The notice states that up to five requested records will be emailed free per day, and anything above five requests is emailed at $2.00 per page.
Have ready: document number, book/page, party name, document type and recording date.
Property Alert and FraudSleuth
Butler County offers property-alert tools that can send email alerts when a document matches a registered name or legal description. Alerts help owners notice suspicious recordings, but they do not block a document from being recorded.
Important: create profiles for name variations because alerts depend on matching criteria.
Veteran DD214 and ID Help
Ohio county recorders may record military discharge papers for veterans. Butler County veteran ID materials state that honorable veterans who present an original or certified DD214 to the Recorder for recording may be issued a veteran ID card with required identification.
Privacy note: military discharge records are not ordinary public deed records.
Recorder vs Auditor vs Treasurer in Butler County Ohio
Butler County property research often requires more than one office. Use this comparison before calling or visiting.
| Office / System | Use It For | Do Not Use It For | Best Starting Point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butler County Recorder | Deeds, mortgages, releases, assignments, liens, powers of attorney, leases, plats, UCC real-estate filings, copy requests and property alerts. | Property valuation, tax payments, legal advice, boundary surveys or deed drafting. | Official Record Search and Recorder office at 130 High Street, 2nd Floor. |
| Butler County Auditor | Property record search, parcel numbers, owner/address lookup, conveyance desk, property values and transfer-related Auditor forms. | Recording an already prepared deed into land records. | Auditor property search by owner, address or parcel ID. |
| Butler County Treasurer | Property-tax bills, tax payments, receipts, escrow/payment status and delinquent-tax payment questions. | Recording deeds or changing legal ownership records. | Treasurer tax search or tax-payment portal after confirming the parcel number. |
| Attorney / Title Company / Surveyor | Title opinions, deed drafting, estate transfers, survivorship disputes, mortgage payoff release issues, legal descriptions and boundary questions. | Replacing the Recorder’s official filing function. | Use professional help when the document affects ownership, debt, inheritance or litigation. |
Official Butler County Recorder of Deeds Links
Use these official or government-linked resources before paying a third-party site or mailing a document. Each link includes what to do after opening it.
Butler County Recorder Official Website
Official county Recorder website for public notices, search links, forms, fee schedules, copy request guidance and office contact details.
- Open the official Recorder website.
- Look for search records, forms, fee schedule, property alert and copy-request notices.
- Check the current office-hour notice before visiting.
- Use Recorder@bcohio.gov when the site says a document or copy is not available online.
Butler County Official Record Search
Current county public-search system for real-property records with quick search, advanced search, index-only search and full-text OCR search.
- Open the public-search page and confirm it says Butler County Recorder.
- Choose Quick Search when you want a broad search box.
- Choose Advanced Search when you know grantor, grantee, document type, book/page, document number, city, subdivision or township.
- Select Search Index & Full Text when the needed clue may be inside the document image.
- Save the document number or book/page before requesting copies.
Butler County Cloud Search Manual
Official search-system guide explaining quick search, advanced search, OCR, wildcard searching, recent history and property alerts.
- Read the Quick Search section if you are searching by name, keyword, location or document type.
- Read the Advanced Search section if you need grantor, grantee, document number, book/page, city, subdivision or township fields.
- Use the wildcard examples when names or spellings are uncertain.
- Read the Property Alerts section if you want automatic email notices.
Butler County Recorder 2025 Fee Schedule
Official Recorder fee schedule for common recording fees, transfer-fee notes, formatting warnings, UCC fees, copy fees and certification fees.
- Check the base fee for your document type.
- Add page, attachment and reference fees.
- For deeds, check conveyance tax and Auditor parcel transfer-fee instructions separately.
- Review non-standard document rules before printing or mailing.
Butler County Auditor Property Search
Official property-record search for owner, address and parcel ID information before using Recorder land records.
- Open the Auditor property search.
- Search by owner, address or parcel ID.
- Copy the parcel number, current owner name and property address.
- Return to the Recorder search and use those details to find deeds and related recordings.
Ohio Revised Code 317.114 — Recording Standards
State law for Ohio county recorder document-format standards and non-standard document fee rules.
- Review the font-size, paper-size, ink and margin rules.
- Confirm the first-page 3-inch top margin and later-page 1.5-inch top margin.
- Check whether your document type is exempt from standardization.
- Use the statute with the county fee schedule before recording.
Ohio DTE 100 Conveyance Fee Statement of Value
State conveyance form used with many Ohio deed transfers and Butler County Auditor review.
- Open the DTE 100 form and instructions.
- Complete grantor, grantee, property address, tax-bill mailing address and consideration details.
- Review owner-occupancy, homestead and CAUV-related questions if they apply.
- Submit the required conveyance paperwork through the Auditor process when recording a deed.
Butler County FraudSleuth / Property Alert Information
Recorder information for property-fraud monitoring alerts by name or legal-description profile.
- Create or log into the account used by the county alert system.
- Open Preferences and choose the FraudSleuth profile configuration area.
- Create separate profiles for each version of your name or business name.
- Do not use periods or commas when the guide warns against them.
- Call the Recorder if you receive an alert for a suspicious document.
Common Butler County Deed Search and Recording Mistakes
Mistakes That Cause Problems
- Calling the Recorder for property valuation, tax bills or homestead exemption questions.
- Searching by street address only in Recorder records instead of starting with the Auditor property search.
- Using index-only search when the parcel number or address is buried inside the document image.
- Mailing a deed without Auditor conveyance forms, parcel numbers or conveyance-tax review.
- Forgetting the 3-inch first-page top margin and triggering a non-standard document fee.
- Assuming a FraudSleuth or property alert stops a suspicious recording before it happens.
- Trying to change ownership by editing an old deed instead of recording a new legally prepared instrument.
Better Local Workflow
- Use the Auditor search first when you only know the address.
- Copy the parcel number, owner name and legal-description clues.
- Use Recorder Quick Search for broad searches and Advanced Search for exact fields.
- Use full-text OCR for addresses, parcel numbers and older document text.
- Confirm Recorder fees and Auditor transfer fees before mailing payment.
- Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for recorded originals.
- Register property-alert profiles for name variations and business names.
What Should You Do Next?
| Your Situation | Best Next Step | Use This Office or Link |
|---|---|---|
| You need a deed, mortgage, release or assignment. | Search the official public records system by name, document number, book/page, subdivision or date range. | Butler County Official Record Search |
| You only know the property address. | Find the parcel number and owner in the Auditor property search first. | Butler County Auditor Property Search |
| You need to record a deed. | Prepare the deed, complete required conveyance/exemption paperwork, check parcel IDs, calculate Auditor and Recorder payments and confirm the fee schedule. | Auditor Conveyance Desk + Recorder Office |
| You need a copy of a recorded document. | Save the document number or book/page and email the Recorder copy request address with clear details. | Recorder@bcohio.gov |
| You are worried about deed fraud. | Register for property alerts and create profiles for your exact name variations, business names or legal-description options. | Property Alert / FraudSleuth |
| Your document affects ownership, inheritance or title. | Do not rely on Recorder staff to choose the form. Get legal or title guidance before recording. | Ohio attorney, title company or qualified professional |
Butler County Recorder of Deeds FAQs
Where is the Butler County Recorder of Deeds located?
The Butler County Recorder is located in the Administration Building at 130 High Street, 2nd Floor, Hamilton, OH 45011. The main phone number is 513-887-3192 and the fax number is 513-887-3198.
What are the Butler County Recorder office hours?
Current Butler County Recorder public notices list office hours as 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Confirm holiday closures or time-sensitive recording questions before visiting.
How do I search Butler County deeds online?
Use the Butler County Official Record Search. Quick Search works for broad searches by name, document type, subdivision, document number and keywords. Advanced Search allows more specific searches by grantor, grantee, recorded date, document type, book/page, city, subdivision, township and other fields.
What is the difference between index-only search and full-text OCR search?
Index-only search checks recorded indexing fields such as party names and document details. Full-text OCR searches text inside document images, which can help when an address, parcel number or older deed detail appears in the document but was not separately indexed.
How much does it cost to record a deed or mortgage in Butler County Ohio?
The 2025 fee schedule lists $39 for deeds, mortgages, leases and other documents up to and including two pages, plus $8 for each additional page or attachment. Deeds can also involve Auditor conveyance tax, parcel transfer fees and required conveyance/exemption forms.
What recording-format rules apply in Butler County?
Ohio standardization rules generally require at least 10-point legible text, letter or legal paper, black or blue ink, no highlighting, 1-inch side and bottom margins, a 3-inch top margin on the first page and a 1.5-inch top margin on later pages. A non-standard document fee can apply when rules are not met.
Can the Recorder prepare a deed or tell me which deed form to use?
No. The Recorder records documents but does not provide legal advice or prepare deeds for the public. For a deed transfer, correction deed, survivorship issue, trust transfer, estate transfer or ownership dispute, contact an Ohio attorney, title company or qualified real-estate professional.
How do I request copies from the Butler County Recorder?
Public notices say copy requests should be emailed to Recorder@bcohio.gov. Include the document number, book/page, party names, document type and recording date when available. The Recorder notice says up to five requested records will be emailed free per day, and requests above that limit are emailed at $2.00 per page.
Does Butler County offer property fraud alerts?
Yes. Butler County offers property alert tools including FraudSleuth guidance. Users can create profiles for exact name variations, business names or legal-description-based alerts and receive email notifications when matching documents are recorded.
Is County-Appraisal-District.org the Butler County government website?
No. County-Appraisal-District.org is an independent educational resource. It is not the Butler County Recorder, Butler County Auditor, Butler County Treasurer, Ohio Recorders’ Association, a title company, a law firm or a consumer reporting agency.
Independent Educational Guide
County-Appraisal-District.org is an independent informational website and is not affiliated with the Butler County Recorder, Butler County Auditor, Butler County Treasurer, Butler County Government, the Ohio Recorders’ Association, any title company or any law firm.
Recorded documents, deed transfers, legal descriptions, transfer taxes, lien priority, copy certification, title issues and recording acceptance can affect important legal and financial rights. Verify current requirements with the Recorder and Auditor, and consult a qualified professional when a document affects ownership, inheritance, financing, liens or litigation.
Public land records should not be used for employment screening, tenant screening, credit eligibility, insurance underwriting or other regulated consumer-reporting purposes. This website is not a Consumer Reporting Agency.