To get the title to your house, request a copy of your recorded deed from the county recorder’s office in the county where the property sits. That office is sometimes called the register of deeds, county clerk, or land records office, and it keeps every recorded deed as a public document. You can usually ask for a copy online, by mail, or in person, and the fee is small.
One quick clarification before you start calling offices. “Title” isn’t a physical document. It’s the legal concept of ownership. The paper that proves and transfers that ownership is the deed. When people say they need the title to their house, they almost always mean a copy of their recorded deed, and that is what the county has on file.
Which Office Holds Your Deed
Every county in the United States maintains a land records office that stores recorded deeds. The name varies: county recorder, register of deeds, county clerk, land records office. The function is the same everywhere. When a property changes hands, the new deed gets recorded there, which puts the public on notice of the ownership change and makes the county’s copy the authoritative version.
If you have a mortgage, your lender or a trustee may hold the original physical deed until the loan is paid off. That doesn’t affect your ownership or the public record. The deed is still recorded with the county, and you can still get a certified copy whenever you need one. If you bought the property outright, or if your mortgage is paid off, the original was likely mailed to you after closing. If you can’t find it, the title company or attorney who handled the purchase is the right first call.
How to Request a Copy
Start by searching online for the recorder or land records office in the county where your property is located. Many counties now have online portals that let you search property records by owner name, address, or parcel number and download copies on the spot. Others still handle requests by mail or in person only.
When you make the request, you’ll typically need:
- The property address.
- The owner’s name as it appears on the deed.
- Sometimes the parcel number or assessor’s identification number.
If you don’t have the parcel number, the county’s property tax records usually list it, and the recorder’s office can look it up by address.
Fees vary by jurisdiction. Certified copies generally run $1 to $5 per page, with an added certification charge and sometimes a small flat search fee. If you only need a copy for your files and don’t need it certified, many online portals let you view and print the recorded document free of charge. A certified copy is the one you’d want for a legal matter, an estate filing, or anything that may be challenged.
What to Check Once You Have It
Read your deed carefully when you get it. Misspelled names, wrong legal descriptions, and missing information turn up more often than you’d expect, and even small errors can slow down a future sale or refinance.
A few things are worth looking at specifically.
The Type of Deed
Deeds come in different flavors, and the type matters because each offers a different level of protection to the owner.
- A general warranty deed gives the strongest protection. The seller guarantees clear ownership and promises to defend against any title claims, including ones that predate their own ownership. This is the most common type in a standard home purchase.
- A special warranty deed covers only title problems that arose during the seller’s ownership. Earlier defects aren’t covered. These are common in commercial transactions and bank-owned sales.
- A quitclaim deed makes no guarantees. The seller transfers whatever interest they have, if any. These show up frequently in transfers between family members, divorces, or estate planning, where both sides already trust each other. A quitclaim from a stranger in a standard sale is unusual and worth asking a title professional about.
Errors in the Document
Minor clerical mistakes, such as typos or misspelled names, can usually be fixed with a correction deed (also called a corrective or confirmatory deed) or an affidavit of correction. Neither replaces the original. They get recorded alongside it, referencing the original document and specifying the correction. The method depends on your state and the nature of the mistake.
For bigger issues, such as a wrong legal description or a missing party, you may need a new deed, often a quitclaim from the person who should have been included or who was incorrectly named. A real estate attorney can advise on the right approach. Fixing an error now costs far less than discovering it during a time-pressured closing.
Old Liens That Were Never Released
If you’ve paid off a mortgage, the lender is required to release its lien by filing a document called a satisfaction of mortgage (or deed of reconveyance, depending on the state). That document gets recorded with the county and clears the lender’s claim. Most states give lenders between 30 and 90 days to file after payoff.
Don’t assume this happened on its own. Check your county’s land records to confirm the satisfaction was recorded. State property records will show whether the lien has been released, and you can find this through your local land records office or secretary of state.1Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. After I Have Paid Off My Mortgage, How Do I Check If My Lien Was Released If a paid-off lien still shows as active, contact the lender’s loan servicing department and insist they record the release. An unrecorded satisfaction creates real headaches when you try to sell or refinance.
Storing the Copy You Get
Keep your original or certified copy in a fireproof safe or a bank safe deposit box. A digital scan is a smart backup, but a scan isn’t a legal substitute for the recorded original or a certified copy from the county. You’ll need the deed for selling or refinancing, settling boundary disputes, certain insurance claims, and estate planning. Having it accessible saves time.
If you lose it, the county recorder has the official version on file indefinitely, and getting a new certified copy is the same process described above. Losing a personal copy is inconvenient, not catastrophic.
A Note on Deed Fraud and “Title Lock” Services
Since you’ll be looking at your records anyway, it’s worth knowing that deed fraud is a growing problem. The FBI has warned that scammers forge documents to record phony transfers of ownership, with vacant land, mortgage-free properties, and elderly homeowners most often targeted. Once a fraudulent deed is recorded, the criminal may try to sell the property, borrow against it, or rent it out.2Federal Bureau of Investigation. FBI Boston Warns Quit Claim Deed Fraud Is on the Rise
Many county recorder offices now offer free notification programs that alert you whenever a document is recorded against your property. Sign up if yours offers one. The FBI also recommends periodically checking your online property records and paying attention if you suddenly stop receiving property tax or utility bills.2Federal Bureau of Investigation. FBI Boston Warns Quit Claim Deed Fraud Is on the Rise
You may have seen ads for “title lock” services that charge monthly fees to monitor your deed. The FTC has said these are not insurance and cannot prevent title theft. They only notify you after a fraudulent transfer has already been recorded, which is the same thing many county alert programs do for free.3Federal Trade Commission. Home Title Lock Insurance? Not a Lock at All If you discover fraud, report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov within 72 hours; the FBI can sometimes work with financial institutions to freeze or recover stolen funds during that window.2Federal Bureau of Investigation. FBI Boston Warns Quit Claim Deed Fraud Is on the Rise