Responsibilities
The purpose of the Register of Deeds Office is to preserve and maintain the land records of Franklin County. We pledge to maintain them in good working order for all to use. Our goal is to provide friendly, efficient, and cost effective service.
The Register of Deeds Office is a recording agency and therefore cannot make out legal documents or give advice which pertains to legal matters.
The Register of Deeds Office files and records documents that pertain to real estate. These documents include:
- Deeds
- Mortgages
- Oil and gas leases
- Affidavits
- Plats
Filing
Filing fees are set by state statute.
2020 Fee Schedule
NOTE: Starting Jan 1, 2019, there will be no more mortgage registration fees. When mortgages are filed, all that will be charged will be recording fees. (Recording fees remain the same as 2018.) If a mortgage is being filed as a capped mortgage, please remember we still require the affidavit to accompany the mortgage at the time of filing.
Uniform Commercial Code
Notice - Franklin County is now doing E-Recording. For more information, or to get started, contact Simplifile at 800-460-5657. All you need is a PC, scanner, and high-speed internet access.
Documents presented for filing are given a filing time, book and page, and then indexed according to names and legal descriptions.
This office also files liens on personal property - also known as UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) filings. These would include federal and state tax liens, and liens for automobile repairs and fixtures.
Brief History
The earliest records in the Register of Deeds Office date back to the 1860's. Genealogists researching their lineage rely on the early records of the county.