To get a copy of a property deed, contact the county recorder’s office in the county where the property is located. Depending on the state, that office may be called the county clerk or the register of deeds, but the function is the same: it maintains the official record of every deed filed in the county. You can usually request a copy online, in person, or by mail, and the more identifying information you bring, the faster the search goes.
Which Office Holds Your Deed
Every time real property changes hands and the deed is properly filed, it goes into public records kept by a county-level office. That office is called the County Recorder’s Office in some states, the County Clerk’s Office in others, and the Register of Deeds elsewhere. All three describe the same job: keeping the chain-of-title records for every parcel in the county.
To find yours, search online for the county name plus “property records” or “recorder of deeds.” Most counties maintain websites with contact information, office hours, and instructions for requesting documents. A free directory at publicrecords.netronline.com links to county assessor, treasurer, and recorder websites nationwide, which can help if you’re not sure where to start.
One point of confusion worth clearing up: the assessor’s office is not the recorder’s office. The assessor values property for tax purposes and tracks ownership data, but the recorded deed itself lives with the recorder. If you want the actual document, go to the recorder.
Information to Have Ready
County records can span decades. The more you can tell the office or the search system, the faster your deed surfaces.
- Property address. Often enough on its own for a simple search.
- Owner names. Current or previous, spelled the way they appear on the deed. Older records are typically indexed by grantor and grantee names, so spelling matters.
- Parcel number, also called an assessor’s parcel number or tax ID. This is the unique identifier your county assigns to the lot, and it removes ambiguity when addresses look alike.
- Legal description. The formal lot-and-block, metes-and-bounds, or subdivision plat reference. It usually appears on your property tax statement or mortgage paperwork.
- Recording reference. If you know the book and page number or the instrument number from when the deed was filed, staff can pull the document almost instantly. Many counties have moved from book-and-page to a single instrument number, but either reference works.
- Approximate transaction date. Useful when a name search returns too many hits.
Three Ways to Request a Copy
Online
Many county recorders now run online portals that let you search recorded documents by name, address, parcel number, or recording date. Some let you view and download the deed image at no cost. Others charge a small per-page fee. The quality of these systems varies. Larger counties often have searchable databases going back decades; smaller or rural counties may have only recent records digitized, or nothing online at all.
Online copies are almost always unofficial. They’re fine for personal reference, checking a legal description, or confirming the chain of ownership. If you need a copy stamped and authenticated for a court filing or a closing, request a certified copy separately.
In Person
Walking into the recorder’s office is still the fastest way to get a copy. Bring a photo ID and whatever identifying information you have. Staff can search the records and print copies while you wait, usually within minutes. If you need a certified copy, they can stamp and authenticate it on the spot.
By Mail
Most offices accept written requests. You’ll typically need to include the property information, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a check or money order for the copy fee. Turnaround runs from a few days to several weeks depending on the office’s backlog. Some busier offices caution that mail requests can take up to 90 days during peak periods.
Through a Title Company
You wouldn’t normally hire a title company just to pull your own deed. But if you’re already buying or refinancing, the title company runs a full chain-of-title search as part of the transaction, covering recorded deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments, and tax records to confirm clear title. If county records prove hard to navigate on your own, or if you suspect title problems, a professional search can uncover issues a basic records request would miss.
Certified or Uncertified
An uncertified copy is a photocopy or digital image of the recorded deed. It looks like the real thing but carries no official authentication. For most everyday purposes, including checking your legal description, confirming ownership details, or keeping personal records, an uncertified copy works fine.
A certified copy carries a stamp, seal, or certificate from the recorder’s office attesting that the copy is a true and accurate reproduction of the original recorded document. You need one when a court, lender, title company, or government agency requires proof of ownership that carries official weight. Common situations include real estate closings, refinancing, and probate proceedings. Certified copies cost more, so don’t pay the premium unless the other side of a transaction specifically requires certification.
What It Costs and How Long It Takes
Copy fees are set at the county level and vary across the country. Uncertified copies typically run a few dollars per page. Certified copies carry an additional authentication fee on top of the per-page charge. Some counties charge a flat rate per document. Payment methods usually include cash, check, money order, or credit card, though smaller offices may not accept cards.
In-person requests are usually filled the same day, often within minutes. Online downloads, where available, can be nearly instant. Mail requests take the longest, from a few business days in responsive offices to several weeks in larger jurisdictions. If timing matters, call first to ask about current processing times and accepted payment methods.
If You Can’t Find Your Deed
When a search turns up nothing, the problem usually falls into one of two categories. The deed exists but was never recorded, or the deed was recorded but you’re searching with the wrong information.
Start with your search terms. Try alternate spellings of names, the previous owner’s name instead of yours, or the parcel number from your tax bill. If the property changed hands through a corporate entity, a trust, or an estate, the deed may be indexed under a name you wouldn’t think to search.
If the deed genuinely was never recorded, it doesn’t automatically become invalid. An unrecorded deed still transfers ownership between the original parties. But the practical problems are serious. Without recording, there’s no public notice that you own the property, which leaves you exposed to competing claims on the same parcel, to judgment creditors of the prior owner placing liens on it, and to difficulty getting title insurance or mortgage financing.
To fix an unrecorded deed, contact the title company or closing attorney who handled your purchase. They likely have a copy of the executed deed in their files. If you can locate the original signed deed, you can record it with the county even years after the transaction, paying the standard recording fee and any applicable transfer taxes. If the original is truly lost and no copies exist, a real estate attorney can help you pursue a corrective deed from the grantor or, as a last resort, a quiet title action to establish your ownership on the record.
Fixing an Error on the Copy You Receive
Once your copy is in hand, read it carefully. Mistakes on recorded deeds happen more often than most people expect. A misspelled name, an incorrect legal description, or the wrong vesting type can create real problems years later when you try to sell, refinance, or pass the property to heirs. The fix depends on how serious the error is.
- A scrivener’s affidavit handles minor typos and misspellings. The person who drafted the original deed signs a sworn affidavit identifying the error and stating what the deed should have said. The affidavit is recorded alongside the original.
- A correction deed handles more substantial errors, like an incorrect legal description or wrong parcel boundaries. It identifies the mistakes in the original and states the correct information.
- A new deed is sometimes the simplest fix. If two co-owners were listed as tenants in common but intended joint tenancy with survivorship rights, they can record a new deed conveying the property to themselves under the correct arrangement.
All three methods require the corrective document to be recorded with the same county office that holds the original. Catching errors early is far easier than fixing them after one of the parties has died or become unreachable, so review the deed as soon as you get it back from your request.