Putnam County Recorder: Deeds & Records

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Putnam County, Ohio recorder resources reviewed September 2026

Putnam County Recorder: Deeds, Land Records, Online Search, Copies & Recording Office

The Putnam County Recorder in Ottawa, Ohio records and preserves deeds, mortgages, releases, easements, liens, land contracts and other documents affecting real estate in Putnam County. The office also provides an online recorded-document index, historical land-record access, certified copies and electronic recording.

A useful local distinction is that deeds transferring property usually do not go straight to the Recorder. Putnam County says the legal description must first be approved by the Tax Map Office, then the Auditor handles the conveyance transfer, and the document is recorded afterward.

Search Deeds Record a Deed Office & Map
✓ Online index from 1993 ✓ Historic records from the 1800s ✓ Auditor transfer workflow ✓ Certified-copy fees ✓ Free recording alerts
Quick Answer

What Does the Putnam County Recorder Handle?

The Recorder is the land-record office for Putnam County, Ohio. Its job is to accept authorized documents for recording, preserve them, index them so they can be located later, and provide public access to those records.

Recorded Land Documents

Use the Recorder for deeds, mortgages, releases, easements, liens, land contracts, powers of attorney and other authorized recorded instruments.

Property Search & Values

Use the Putnam County Auditor when you need to search a parcel by address, owner or parcel number, check assessed value or review property-tax information.

Ownership Transfer

A conveyance generally passes through Tax Map review and the Auditor before the Recorder accepts the final document for recording.

Do not confuse the offices: the Recorder preserves the recorded deed. The Auditor maintains parcel, owner, value and transfer information. A deed appearing in the Recorder system does not turn the Recorder into the property-tax assessment office.
If You Only Know the Address

Start With the Putnam County Auditor Property Search

Recorder databases are document indexes rather than ordinary street-address parcel databases. If you only have a street address, first locate the parcel through the Auditor.

Search the Auditor

The Auditor’s advanced search supports owner name, parcel number and street address. Owner searches use a “Last First” format.

Open Auditor Property Search ↗

Then Return to the Recorder

  • Save the parcel number.
  • Write down the current owner.
  • Review transfer/sale history.
  • Note previous owner names.
  • Use those names to search Recorder documents.
After opening the Auditor search: choose Owner, Parcel or Address; enter one reliable search field first; open the correct parcel; save the owner name and parcel number; then return to the Recorder’s Acclaim system to search recorded deeds and mortgages.
Record Types

What Records Can You Find With the Putnam County Recorder?

Ownership Records

Deeds, sheriff deeds, certificates and land contracts affecting title or ownership interests.

Mortgage Records

Mortgages, assignments, assumptions, releases and related financing instruments.

Property Restrictions

Easements, restrictions, covenants, leases, options and rights affecting real property.

Liens & Notices

Authorized liens, judgment-related filings, tax liens, lis pendens and releases.

Title-search caution: Recorder records are essential evidence for chain-of-title research, but finding one deed does not automatically establish clear legal title. Liens, easements, probate matters, prior deeds and other instruments may affect ownership.
Local Transfer Workflow

How to Record a Deed in Putnam County, Ohio

Putnam County publishes a useful local sequence for ownership transfers: Tax Map review comes first, then Auditor transfer, then Recorder recording.

1

Prepare the Transfer Document

Use a properly prepared recordable instrument with a complete legal description and the information required by Ohio law. Recorder staff can explain recording requirements but should not be expected to draft legal language.

2

Get the Legal Description Approved by Tax Map

Putnam County Auditor guidance says all legal descriptions must be pre-approved by the Tax Map Office and meet the county’s conveyance standards.

Tax Map phone: 419-523-6931

3

Complete the Auditor Conveyance Form

Use DTE 100 for a regular conveyance subject to the transfer fee or DTE 100EX when claiming a statutory exemption from the conveyance fee.

4

Pay the Auditor Transfer / Conveyance Amount

The Putnam County Auditor currently states that the conveyance fee is $4 per $1,000 of purchase price, with a $0.50 transfer fee per parcel. Exact-payment rules apply.

5

Take the Transferred Document to the Recorder

After Tax Map approval and Auditor transfer, submit the document to the Putnam County Recorder for final recording.

Tax Map approval → Auditor conveyance transfer → Putnam County Recorder
6

Keep the Recorded Document

The Recorder FAQ says counter-recorded documents are returned immediately after recording. Documents delivered by mail services are sent out the next business day, while e-recorded documents are returned electronically after recording.

Transfer Forms

Putnam County Deed Transfer Forms

Form When It Is Used Where It Goes
DTE 100 Real Property Conveyance Fee Statement of Value & Receipt for regular taxable conveyances. Putnam County Auditor transfer process.
DTE 100EX Statement of Reason for Exemption from Real Property Conveyance Fee when a statutory exemption is claimed. Putnam County Auditor transfer process.
DTE 101 Statement of Conveyance of Homestead Property when applicable. County Auditor.
DTE 102 Statement of Conveyance of Current Agricultural Use Valuation property. County Auditor for qualifying CAUV property transfers.

Open Official Auditor Transfer Forms ↗

After opening the forms page: choose DTE 100 for a normal money transfer or DTE 100EX if a conveyance-fee exemption applies; review any homestead or CAUV forms tied to the parcel; complete the forms before presenting the transfer to the Auditor.
Ohio Recording Standards

Document Formatting Rules That Can Add Cost

Putnam County follows Ohio Revised Code §317.114. A document that does not meet the standard format can generally still be accepted, but Ohio law provides for an additional $20 nonconforming-document charge in applicable cases.

Standard Document Checklist

  • At least 10-point computer font.
  • Paper at least 8.5 × 11 inches.
  • Paper no larger than 8.5 × 14 inches.
  • Black or blue ink.
  • No highlighting.
  • One-inch side and bottom margins.

Top-Margin Requirements

  • Three-inch blank top margin on the first page.
  • Recorder endorsement uses part of that first-page space.
  • 1.5-inch blank top margin on later pages.
  • Some court, government, plat and older documents are exempt.

Open Putnam County Document Standards ↗

After opening: compare your document’s font, paper size, ink and margins before submission. If a deed was prepared by an attorney or title company, still check that the final signed version has not been reformatted or reduced in a way that breaks the recording standard.
Recording & Copy Costs

Putnam County Recorder Fees

Recording fees are controlled by Ohio law and the Recorder’s current fee schedule. The exact amount can vary with pages, document type, marginal references, nonstandard formatting and any current document-preservation surcharge.

Service Published / Statutory Amount Important Note
Many standard recordings $34 for first 2 pages Ohio Revised Code §317.32. Check the Putnam County schedule for any preservation surcharge or document-specific charge.
Additional recording pages $8 each Applies to each subsequent page or fraction of a page under the statute.
Nonstandard format +$20 Applicable documents that do not meet Ohio’s standardization rules may incur this additional charge.
Marginal reference $4 each The Putnam County FAQ confirms a $4 fee for each marginal notation/reference.
Certified copy $2/page + $1 certification Available from the Recorder during regular business hours.
Unassisted copy $0.25/page Recorder’s currently published copy fee.
Staff-assisted copy $2/page Recorder’s published assisted-copy rate.
Before mailing payment: check the Recorder’s current fee page or call 419-523-6490. Ohio law now also permits county recorders to collect a document-preservation surcharge of up to $5, so a simple statewide fee formula may not equal the final local amount.
Copies & Certification

How to Get a Putnam County Deed Copy

Online Reference

Search the index first. Registered image users can view watermarked online images for reference.

Ordinary Copy

The Recorder currently publishes an unassisted copy rate of $0.25 per page and an assisted-copy rate of $2 per page.

Certified Copy

A certified copy costs $2 per page plus $1 per document for certification under the Recorder’s current published copy guidance.

Open Official Copy Instructions ↗

After opening: decide whether you need an ordinary or certified copy, identify the exact recorded document, confirm page count if possible, and contact the office for mailed-record cost because postage and envelope charges may apply.
Free Fraud-Monitoring Tool

Putnam County Recording Notification Service

Putnam County offers a free Recording Notification Service (RNS). If a new Recorder document is indexed with a monitored name, the system sends an email notification.

What It Can Do

  • Monitor names entered in the service.
  • Email when a matching document is recorded.
  • Help owners notice unexpected recorded activity.
  • Provide an additional layer of record monitoring.

What It Cannot Do

  • It does not stop a document from being recorded.
  • It does not determine whether a document is fraudulent.
  • It does not replace title insurance or legal advice.
  • It only works when the indexed name matches the monitored information.

Open Recording Notification Service ↗

After opening: register your email, add your name and useful name variations, confirm the subscription, and review any future alert against the actual Recorder document before deciding what it means.
Electronic Recording

Can Putnam County Deeds Be E-Recorded?

Yes. The Recorder states that its electronic-recording service includes deeds and other transfer documents. Submissions are made through approved third-party e-recording providers rather than a public upload box on the Recorder website.

Simplifile

Listed by the Recorder as an approved e-recording provider.

CSC

Corporation Service Company is listed as an approved provider.

eRecording Partners Network

The Recorder specifically notes expanded deed and transfer-document e-recording through EPN.

Open Official E-Recording Information ↗

After opening: choose one of the currently approved providers, establish a provider account, verify whether your deed or document is eligible, complete any required Tax Map/Auditor transfer workflow, then submit the final recordable instrument electronically.
Office, Phone & Map

Putnam County Recorder Office in Ottawa, Ohio

Putnam County Recorder

Recorder: Sherri Britsch

Address:
Putnam County Government Center
245 E. Main St., Suite 202
Ottawa, OH 45875

Phone: 419-523-6490
Toll free: 888-638-0042
Fax: 419-523-4403

Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Recording hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:15 p.m.

The office observes county holidays. Time-sensitive recording should be completed before the 4:15 p.m. recording cutoff.

Before arriving with a deed: confirm that Tax Map review and Auditor transfer have already been completed when required. Arriving at the Recorder first with an unstamped conveyance can result in an unnecessary second trip.
Common Local Mistakes

Putnam County Recorder Mistakes to Avoid

  • Searching the Recorder by address before checking the Auditor parcel record.
  • Assuming the computerized index includes every historical Putnam County deed.
  • Treating a watermarked online image as a certified or recordable document.
  • Taking a conveyance straight to the Recorder before Tax Map and Auditor approval.
  • Using a document with the wrong margins or formatting and triggering extra cost.
  • Expecting Recorder staff to determine whether a deed gives clear legal title.
  • Save the parcel number and exact owner names.
  • Search current and prior parties when tracing ownership.
  • Use the non-indexed/historical tools for pre-1993 records.
  • Check recording fees before mailing payment.
  • Use the free RNS alert service.
  • Keep the returned recorded document and recording reference.
Decision Path

What Should You Do Next?

I need a deed image Search the Recorder’s Acclaim index first. Register for image access if needed, or request an office copy.
I only know the address Search the Auditor by address → save the owner and parcel number → use owner names in the Recorder search.
I need a certified deed Locate the exact document → request a certified copy from the Recorder → pay the current $2/page plus $1 certification fee.
I am transferring property Prepare the deed → Tax Map approval → Auditor DTE form/conveyance transfer → Recorder.
I need an older deed Use the historical/non-indexed search tools or contact the Recorder because computerized indexing starts in 1993.
My assessed value is wrong Contact the Auditor or use the Board of Revision process. The Recorder does not decide property valuation.
Frequently Asked Questions

Putnam County Recorder FAQs

Which Putnam County does this Recorder guide cover?

This guide covers Putnam County, Ohio. The official Putnam County Recorder office is in the Putnam County Government Center at 245 E. Main Street, Suite 202, Ottawa, Ohio 45875.

Who is the current Putnam County Ohio Recorder?

The Putnam County Recorder website currently identifies Sherri Britsch as County Recorder.

Can I search Putnam County deeds online?

Yes. The Recorder provides an Acclaim online index. The office states that computerized indexed documents begin January 1, 1993. Online document images require the office’s subscriber/image-access process.

How do I search if I only know the property address?

Start with the Putnam County Auditor property search, which supports address, owner and parcel searches. Save the owner name and parcel number, then use the owner’s name to search Recorder documents.

How far back do Putnam County land records go?

The Recorder states that Putnam County records date back to the mid-1800s. The computerized index begins in 1993, so older records may require historical or non-indexed record research.

How much is a certified copy from the Putnam County Recorder?

The Recorder currently lists certified copies at $2 per page plus a $1 certification fee per document.

What is the common deed recording fee in Putnam County?

Ohio Revised Code §317.32 sets $34 for the first two pages and $8 for each subsequent page for many recorded instruments. Putnam County may also apply a current document-preservation surcharge or other document-specific charges, so verify the final total before filing.

Does a deed go straight to the Putnam County Recorder?

Not usually for a normal conveyance. Putnam County Auditor guidance says legal descriptions must first receive Tax Map approval; the Auditor then processes the transfer and conveyance documents before the deed is recorded.

Can Putnam County deeds be electronically recorded?

Yes. The Recorder lists Simplifile, CSC and eRecording Partners Network as approved providers and says e-recording has expanded to include deeds and other transfer documents.

Does the Recorder’s online deed search prove legal title?

No. Recorded documents help establish chain of title and identify liens or encumbrances, but determining legal title can require review of multiple instruments and legal issues. Recorder staff do not provide legal advice.

Independent Records Guide

This website is an independent informational resource and is not affiliated with the Putnam County Recorder, Putnam County Auditor, Putnam County Government, State of Ohio or any other government agency.

Recording eligibility, legal-description approval, conveyance fees, document formatting, certified-copy requirements and legal ownership questions are governed by Ohio law and the responsible county offices. Verify time-sensitive details directly before filing an original document.

Public deed and property 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.

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