Highland County Recorder: Find Deeds, Search Land Records and Prepare Documents for Recording
The Highland County Recorder’s Office in Hillsboro, Ohio, records and maintains deeds, mortgages, liens, releases, easements, plats and other documents authorized by Ohio law.
If you need an old deed, want to check whether a mortgage release was recorded, or are preparing to transfer property, start with the Recorder’s official records search. For property addresses, parcel numbers, conveyance calculations and valuations, the Highland County Auditor provides a separate search system.
Independent public-records guide using Highland County and Ohio government sources.
Which Highland County Office Handles Your Property Record?
Highland County does not keep all property information in one database. A deed search, parcel valuation search and property-tax payment are separate government functions.
Recorder: Legal Instruments
Use the Recorder for recorded deeds, mortgages, releases, liens, easements, plats, land contracts and other instruments affecting real property.
Best when: You need a deed image, recording reference, lien document or recording instructions.
Auditor: Parcels and Conveyances
Use the Highland County Auditor for owner and address searches, parcel numbers, tax values, conveyance fee calculations, GIS maps and related transfer paperwork.
Best when: You only know the property address or need transfer information before recording a deed.
Treasurer: Property Taxes
Use the Treasurer for tax bills, property-tax payments, balances, receipts and delinquency questions.
Best when: Your problem concerns money owed on the tax account rather than a recorded document.
How to Search Highland County Ohio Deeds and Recorded Documents
The Recorder’s official website links to a CountyFusion/Kofile records-search system. It is intended for recorded documents, while the Auditor’s property-search website is designed for parcels, addresses and assessment information.
Start with the Highland County Recorder website
Open the official Highland County Recorder page and select CLICK HERE for Records Search.
Using the county’s link helps ensure that you reach the recording system currently designated by the office.
Identify the document or property owner
Start with the owner, former owner, business or trust name shown in the property records. If you have an instrument number, recording date, book or page reference, retain it for use in the portal’s available search fields.
Search by the parties to the recorded document
For deeds, look for the grantor (person transferring an interest) and grantee (person receiving it). Try the prior owner’s name if the current owner’s name produces no useful result.
Find the correct document type
Distinguish a deed from a mortgage, release, assignment, lien, land contract or easement. Use date or document-type filtering if those options are available in the current search interface.
Open the recording details
Compare the names, date, instrument reference and property description with the information you already have. For a mortgage or lien, also search later dates for a release or satisfaction.
Save the reference or request a copy
Record the document number, book/page or recording date. If you need a certified copy, contact the Recorder to confirm its current copy and certification procedure rather than assuming an ordinary online printout is sufficient.
How to Find a Highland County Deed When You Only Know the Address
Highland County’s Auditor provides an advanced property search that can help resolve the biggest obstacle in recorder research: identifying the correct owner and parcel before searching legal documents.
| What You Know | Auditor Search Method | What to Save |
|---|---|---|
| Street address | Use House #, Street Name, Direction and Street Type as applicable. | Parcel number, owner name, municipality and transfer details. |
| Owner’s name | Use Owner Name. The Auditor labels its field as Last First. | Correct owner spelling and associated parcels. |
| Parcel number | Use Parcel Search. | Property identification and owner information. |
| Approximate purchase date | Use sales criteria, including sale-date range or buyer/seller name. | Relevant transfer period and transaction parties. |
| Location or acreage clues | Use township, tax district, neighborhood or land criteria in Advanced Search. | Potential parcel matches for further verification. |
Highland County Recorder Office Address, Phone, Hours and Map
Highland County Recorder’s Office
Recorder: Chad McConnaughey
Chief Deputy: Emily Jackson
Deputy Recorder: Emily Barr
Physical address:
119 Governor Foraker Place
Suite 108
Hillsboro, OH 45133
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 804
Hillsboro, OH 45133
Phone:
937-393-9954
Email:
recorder@co.highland.oh.us
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM.
Recording cutoff: Documents received after 3:30 PM are held for recording the next business day.
Directions to Recorder ↗How to Record a Deed in Highland County, Ohio
A deed affecting property ownership needs correct legal preparation and may require conveyance approval before recording. The Recorder records eligible documents; legal drafting and conveyance review are separate responsibilities.
Prepare the correct legal instrument
Confirm the parties, legal description, signature, acknowledgment and required references. Obtain professional help for survivorship, trusts, probate, divorce, correction deeds or other transactions affecting legal rights.
Confirm the parcel and conveyance standards
Check the property’s parcel information with the Highland County Auditor and review the county’s conveyance standards. New legal descriptions, land splits and certain surveys may need additional review.
Prepare the applicable Auditor transfer form
Ohio uses DTE 100 for a Real Property Conveyance Fee Statement of Value and Receipt, while DTE 100EX applies when a qualifying reason for exemption from the conveyance fee is being claimed.
The Auditor also provides DTE 101 for conveyance of homestead property and DTE 102 for conveyance of property under Current Agricultural Use Valuation when applicable.
Meet Ohio recording-document standards
Check the required paper size, margins, ink, font size and reproduction quality under Ohio Revised Code 317.114. Nonconforming documents can incur an additional $20 fee unless a statutory exception applies.
Calculate recording charges
Highland County lists $39 for one or two pages and $8 for each additional page. Add $4 per applicable marginal reference and any nonstandard document fee.
Submit with correct payment and return handling
The Recorder currently accepts cash or checks for recording, not credit cards. If documents need to be mailed back, include a self-addressed stamped envelope. For same-day recording, submit before the 3:30 PM cutoff.
Highland County Deed Transfer Forms and Special Situations
The Highland County Auditor publishes transfer forms and local conveyance standards. Not every deed uses the same form, and exempt transfers are not automatically exempt from all paperwork.
Ordinary Real-Property Transfer
The DTE 100 form collects seller and buyer information, tax-bill mailing address, consideration and additional transaction details.
The form instructions also address owner-occupancy, homestead and CAUV information when applicable.
Claimed Conveyance-Fee Exemption
The Auditor lists DTE 100EX as the form used to state the reason for a claimed exemption from real-property conveyance fees.
A family transfer, gift or other special transaction should be reviewed for its actual statutory exemption category.
Homestead or CAUV Property
Transfers involving homestead-exempt property or Current Agricultural Use Valuation may require the appropriate DTE 101 or DTE 102 statement, depending on the facts and form instructions.
Land Splits and Changed Descriptions
The county’s conveyance standards address surveys, metes-and-bounds descriptions, property splits and circumstances requiring additional review.
Contact the Auditor or Engineer before recording a deed containing a new or materially changed legal description.
Highland County Recorder Fees: 2026 Planning Guide
The Recorder’s official website publishes recording rates effective January 1, 2025. The office’s schedule includes a local preservation surcharge, which is why the published starting amount is $39 rather than the statewide $34 basic fee shown on some older websites.
| Recorded Pages / Service | Published Fee | Practical Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 pages | $39.00 | Starting charge for standard recording. |
| 3 pages | $47.00 | One additional page. |
| 4 pages | $55.00 | Two additional pages. |
| 5 pages | $63.00 | Three additional pages. |
| 6 pages | $71.00 | Four additional pages. |
| 7 pages | $79.00 | Five additional pages. |
| 8 pages | $87.00 | Six additional pages. |
| 9 pages | $95.00 | Seven additional pages. |
| 10 pages | $103.00 | Eight additional pages. |
| Marginal notation | $4.00 per reference | May apply to a release, assignment or other instrument referencing an earlier recording. |
| Nonstandard document | Additional $20.00 | Applies when the statutory standardization charge is required. |
| Real-estate-related UCC document | $12.00 per form + $4.00 per name | Highland County requires a real-estate connection and full legal description for UCC filings handled by its Recorder. |
| Recording payment | Cash or check | The office says credit cards are not accepted for recordings at this time. |
Estimate a Highland County Standard Recording Fee
Enter the page count and any marginal references. The estimator applies Highland County’s published standard-recording fee structure. It excludes Auditor conveyance fees, special UCC filings, plats, certified copies and other transaction-specific charges.
Before conveyance and special charges
Formula: $39 for the first two pages + $8 for each additional page + $4 per marginal reference + $20 if a nonstandard-document fee applies. This is an educational estimate, not an official payment quote.
Ohio Recording Standards That Apply in Highland County
Ohio Revised Code 317.114 specifies document standards for most covered instruments. The Recorder’s website explicitly warns about the additional $20 nonstandard charge.
Formatting Checklist
- Font at least 10 points.
- Paper at least 8½ × 11 inches.
- Paper no larger than 8½ × 14 inches.
- Black or blue ink.
- No highlighting.
- One-inch side and bottom margins.
- Three-inch blank top margin on the first page.
- One-and-a-half-inch top margin on subsequent pages.
Additional Highland County Checks
- Correct marginal references for applicable releases or assignments.
- Full legal description for real-estate-related UCC documents.
- Any required Auditor or Engineer review.
- Correct recording fee using the county’s $39 starting rate.
- Cash/check payment rather than a credit card for counter recording.
- Self-addressed stamped envelope when the document must be mailed back.
- Submission before 3:30 PM when same-day recording is needed.
Highland County Fraud Sleuth: Free Recording Alerts
The Highland County Recorder provides Fraud Sleuth, an optional name-based notification service within the recording system. It can alert registered users when a document is recorded using a monitored name.
How to Register
- Open the Recorder’s official Records Search.
- Find the FraudSleuth option near the search interface.
- Create a user profile or sign in.
- Enter a valid email address.
- Open Fraud Sleuth preferences and configure name profiles.
- Add relevant name variations and save.
The county describes Fraud Sleuth as free and optional.
Name Variations Matter
The Recorder’s instructions recommend monitoring different forms of your name. The document specifically mentions adding a trustee-style name when property could be transferred in that form.
For example, a document might list an individual personally or as trustee. A single profile may not cover every variation.
Fraud Sleuth provides notifications; it does not prevent, verify or cancel a fraudulent recording.
Highland County Recorded Document Types Explained
| Record Type | What It Can Show | What to Check Next |
|---|---|---|
| Deed | An instrument transferring or affecting property ownership. | Grantor, grantee, legal description, date and later conveyances. |
| Mortgage | A recorded security interest in real estate. | Subsequent release, satisfaction, assignment or modification. |
| Release / Satisfaction | A recorded instrument releasing a particular interest or claim. | The original document reference and scope of the release. |
| Lien | A claim recorded against real estate or a party. | Later release and any related court or tax records. |
| Easement | Rights affecting use, access or another interest in land. | Legal description, beneficiaries and amendments. |
| Plat / Survey Map | Recorded subdivision or land-division information. | Current parcel map and professional boundary survey if needed. |
| Land Contract | A recorded installment or contractual real-estate transaction. | Later completion, transfer or termination documents. |
Why Your Highland County Deed Search May Not Show the Record
| Problem | What to Try |
|---|---|
| You only have a property address. | Use Highland County Auditor Address Search and save owner/parcel information before searching the Recorder. |
| The current owner name shows nothing. | Try the seller, previous owner, business entity or trust name. |
| Too many results have the same last name. | Add first name, approximate date or document type when supported by the portal. |
| You found a mortgage but no release. | Search later dates and related parties; contact a title professional if the status affects a transaction. |
| The document appears very old or lacks an image. | Contact the Recorder with the known names, dates and any book/page reference. |
| The online portal fails to load. | Return to the official county Recorder page and use its current Records Search link. Contact the office if the system remains unavailable. |
| Your deed is not showing after submission. | Check when it was received. Highland County does not record documents received after 3:30 PM until the following business day. |
Highland County Recorder, Auditor and Ohio Recording Resources
Use these government links for the task shown. Each resource includes a short guide to what to do after opening it.
1. Highland County Recorder Official Website
Visit Highland County Recorder ↗
Best for office contact, recording fees, filing cutoff, payment instructions, recording process and the official records-search link.
- Confirm the Recorder’s current office details.
- Select CLICK HERE for Records Search if you need a document.
- Review the January 2025 fee schedule before recording.
- Read the 3:30 PM processing and cash/check payment notices.
2. Highland County Auditor Property Search
Search Highland County Property Records ↗
Use this when you know an owner, parcel number or address but do not have the deed recording reference.
- Choose Owner, Parcel or Address Search.
- For owner names, follow the portal’s Last First format.
- For addresses, enter house number and street fields separately.
- Open the matching property and save parcel, owner and sale clues.
- Return to the Recorder search to find the recorded document.
3. Highland County Auditor Conveyance Fee Calculator
Open Official Conveyance Calculator ↗
Useful when a real-estate transfer requires Auditor conveyance and parcel-transfer fees.
- Enter the number of parcels being transferred.
- Enter the sale price.
- Select Compute.
- Review the estimated Auditor conveyance and parcel-transfer charges.
- Calculate Recorder charges separately.
4. Highland County Auditor Real-Estate Transfer Forms
The Auditor lists DTE 100, DTE 100EX, DTE 101 and DTE 102 under Real Estate Conveyance Forms.
- Find the Real Estate Conveyance Forms section.
- Choose DTE 100 for an applicable real-property transfer statement.
- Review DTE 100EX if claiming a conveyance-fee exemption.
- Check DTE 101 or DTE 102 if homestead or CAUV conveyance provisions apply.
- Confirm the correct submission and approval sequence with the Auditor before recording.
5. Highland County Conveyance Standards
Open County Conveyance Standards PDF ↗
Relevant when transferring real property, changing legal descriptions or working on parcel splits or surveys.
- Review the general deed-transfer requirements.
- Locate the standards for new surveys, metes-and-bounds descriptions and parcel splits if your deed changes land descriptions.
- Identify which Auditor or Engineer reviews apply.
- Contact the responsible county office before finalizing a new survey-based deed.
6. Highland County Fraud Sleuth Instructions
Open Official Fraud Sleuth PDF ↗
The Recorder provides separate instructions for existing users and new users.
- Choose the instructions for your account status.
- For a new account, open FraudSleuth from the Recorder search portal and create your profile.
- For an existing account, open Preferences and configure your Fraud Sleuth profile.
- Add the name variations to monitor.
- Save the profile and confirm your notification email.
7. Ohio Recorder Fees and Standardization Rules
Ohio Recorders Association Fee Guide ↗
Ohio Revised Code 317.114 — Document Standards ↗
- Review the statutory fee structure and nonstandard-document provisions.
- Check formatting standards for margins, paper size, ink and font.
- Use the Highland County Recorder’s published schedule for the local $39 starting charge.
- Contact the Recorder about document-specific fees and exceptions.
What Should You Do Next?
I need a deed copy
Open the Recorder’s official records search. Find the correct document and save the recording reference. Ask the office about certification if an official certified copy is required.
I need to record a new deed
Confirm the legal instrument, parcel details, Highland County conveyance standards, applicable DTE forms and recording fees. Do not overlook the 3:30 PM cutoff.
I found an old mortgage
Search for later releases, assignments or satisfactions. A recorded mortgage does not necessarily mean the balance is still unpaid.
My owner or property value record is incorrect
Use the Auditor’s property search and compare it with the recorded deed. Contact the appropriate office depending on whether the error is in the deed or assessment record.
Highland County Recorder Ohio FAQs
Where is the Highland County Ohio Recorder’s Office?
The Recorder’s Office is at 119 Governor Foraker Place, Suite 108, Hillsboro, OH 45133. Its mailing address is P.O. Box 804, Hillsboro, OH 45133.
Who is the Highland County Recorder?
Chad McConnaughey is the Highland County Recorder. The official office page also lists Emily Jackson as Chief Deputy Recorder and Emily Barr as Deputy Recorder.
What is the Highland County Recorder phone number?
The Highland County Recorder’s phone number is 937-393-9954. The office email address is recorder@co.highland.oh.us.
How do I search Highland County Ohio deeds online?
Open the official Highland County Recorder website and select CLICK HERE for Records Search. Use the linked CountyFusion/Kofile system to search recorded deeds, mortgages and other available documents.
Can I find Highland County deed records by address?
Start with the Highland County Auditor property search if you only know the address. Save the owner name and parcel information, then use those details to search Recorder documents.
How much does Highland County charge to record a deed?
The Highland County Recorder’s published schedule lists $39 for the first two pages and $8 for each additional page. Marginal references and applicable nonstandard-document fees can increase the total.
Does the Highland County Recorder accept credit cards?
The Recorder’s official website states that recording payments are cash or check only and that credit cards are not accepted at this time.
What time does Highland County stop same-day recording?
The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Documents received after 3:30 PM are held for recording on the following business day.
Does Highland County provide property fraud alerts?
Yes. The Highland County Recorder offers a free optional Fraud Sleuth service. Users register an email address and configure name variations to receive recording notifications.
Can the Highland County Recorder prepare a deed or guarantee clear title?
No. The Recorder maintains official recorded instruments but does not provide legal deed preparation or guarantee clear title. Contact a qualified Ohio real-estate attorney or title professional for legal ownership questions.