Where are free property fraud alerts offered?
Free alerts are now common in large counties. We checked the official website of each of the 50 most populous counties, based on the Census Bureau's 2025 estimates. We also read the state laws that require these alerts.
42 of the 50 largest counties offer a free alert you can sign up for
The map at the top of this page shades each state by its law and puts a dot on each of the 50 largest counties.
States
- Law requires an alert in every county: Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Utah
- Law takes effect in 2027: California, Virginia
- One free statewide service, no law: Georgia
- Up to each county: all other states and the District of Columbia
Largest counties
- Free alert you sign up for (42): every other county in the table below
- Mailed notice only (4): Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Alameda counties, CA
- No alert found (4): Santa Clara and Sacramento counties, CA; Travis County, TX; Montgomery County, MD
Sources: each county's official website, checked October 12–13, 2026; state laws listed below. Population: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025.
Only 4 of the 50 largest counties have no alert we could find
What the 50 most populous U.S. counties offer owners
Show the numbers
| Free alert you sign up for | 42 counties |
|---|---|
| Mailed notice only | 4 |
| No alert found | 4 |
Source: Still My Home review of county websites, October 12–13, 2026. Every county is listed in the table below.
The free alert has many names. Counties call it Property Fraud Alert, Property Watch, Title Alert, Fraud Notify or Recording Notification Service. They all do the same basic job. You give your name, your parcel number or your address. The county emails or texts you when a document is recorded that matches it.
Many counties use the same company. Fidlar Technologies runs Property Fraud Alert, at propertyfraudalert.com, for counties across the country. Its help line is 800-728-3858, as Kalamazoo County, Michigan explains. To learn what these alerts catch and miss, read our guide to Property Fraud Alert.
How do you find your county property fraud alert?
Start with the office that records deeds in your county. It runs the alert in most places. Then follow these steps.
- Check the table below. If your county is one of the 50 largest, its program and official link are in the table.
- Search your county's own website. Type "property fraud alert" or "recording notification" into the search box on the recorder's or clerk's site. Use the official site, which usually ends in .gov.
- Call the recorder's office. Ask: "Do you send an alert when a document is recorded in my name?" Staff can tell you, even if the website doesn't.
- Sign up with every version of your name. Add your parcel number too if the form allows it. Sign up separately in every county where you own property.
Which states require every county to offer an alert?
Six states have passed laws, and four are in effect now. In every other state, each county decides for itself.
| State | What the law requires | Starts |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | Every county clerk runs a free alert. Emails go out within 24 hours of recording. You can watch at least 5 names or parcels. (s. 28.47) | July 1, 2024 |
| Arizona | Every county recorder offers an opt-in alert by email or text when you are named in a recorded document. (A.R.S. 11-467) | Jan. 1, 2025 |
| Utah | Every county recorder sends an opt-in electronic notice within 30 days after a deed or mortgage is recorded. (SB 165) | Jan. 1, 2025 |
| Illinois | "Every county shall establish and maintain a property fraud alert system." The sign-up form must show any cost. (Public Act 104-0382) | Jan. 1, 2026 |
| California | Every county mails a notice within 30 days when a deed or mortgage is recorded. No sign-up. Email is optional. Los Angeles already does this. (SB 255) | Jan. 1, 2027 |
| Virginia | Circuit court clerks with e-filing must offer an alert by name or tax parcel ID, "at no cost." (Va. Code 17.1-258.3:1) | July 1, 2027 |
Florida covers all 67 counties. The state's clerks said in January 2025 that "all 67 Clerks of the Circuit Court and Comptrollers statewide now offer free property alert services" (Florida Bar News). Their statewide directory has a sign-up link for every county.
Utah's law grew out of one county. Salt Lake County started Property Watch in 2019. In 2024, the legislature required "a system like Property Watch in every county recorder's office in Utah" (Salt Lake County).
Arizona owners get two more tools. The state Department of Real Estate started a free Early Real Estate Sales Alert in August 2026. It warns you about a pending sale of your property before closing. A 2026 law also has county assessors offer alerts when a parcel's owner or mailing address changes, by Jan. 1, 2027 (SB 1479). Our Maricopa County Title Alert guide shows how to sign up for both.
Georgia has one free service for the whole state, without a law. The Filing Activity Notification System, at fans.gsccca.org, is run with the state's superior court clerks. It sends email or text alerts for filings in any county (Gwinnett County Clerk).
Free property fraud alerts in the 50 largest counties
Search for your county below. Each link goes to the county's own page. We list the date we last checked it.
| County | Free alert? | Program and official link | Alerts by | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maricopa County, AZ (#4 by population) | Yes | Maricopa Title Alert (County Recorder) | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Pima County, AZ (#44 by population) | Yes | Fraud Notify (County Recorder) | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Alameda County, CA (#22 by population) | Mail only | Real Estate Fraud Notification Program (District Attorney) | Mail (automatic) | Oct 13, 2026 |
| Contra Costa County, CA (#41 by population) | Yes | Real Estate Recording Notification Alert, plus mailed letters (Clerk-Recorder) | Email; mailed letter | Oct 13, 2026 |
| Fresno County, CA (#48 by population) | Yes | Property Owner's Protection Alert (Assessor-Recorder) | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Los Angeles County, CA (#1 by population) | Yes | Homeowner Alert Service (e-Notification), plus mailed notices (County Assessor and Registrar-Recorder) | Email; mailed copy | Oct 12, 2026 |
| Orange County, CA (#6 by population) | Mail only | Property Fraud Prevention Courtesy Notice (Clerk-Recorder, with the District Attorney) | Mail (automatic) | Oct 13, 2026 |
| Riverside County, CA (#10 by population) | Mail only | Courtesy Notice (Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder) | Mail (automatic) | Oct 13, 2026 |
| Sacramento County, CA (#23 by population) | None found | What the county offers (Clerk/Recorder) | – | Oct 13, 2026 |
| San Bernardino County, CA (#15 by population) | Mail only | Courtesy Notification Program (Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk) | Letter (automatic) | Oct 13, 2026 |
| San Diego County, CA (#5 by population) | Yes | Owner Alert (Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk) | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Santa Clara County, CA (#18 by population) | None found | What the county offers (Clerk-Recorder) | – | Oct 13, 2026 |
| Broward County, FL (#17 by population) | Yes | Recording Notification Service (County Records Division) | Email or text | Oct 12, 2026 |
| Duval County, FL (#47 by population) | Yes | Property Fraud Alert (Clerk of the Circuit Court) | Email, text or call | Oct 12, 2026 |
| Hillsborough County, FL (#26 by population) | Yes | Property Fraud Alert (Clerk of Court & Comptroller) | Email, text or phone | Oct 12, 2026 |
| Miami-Dade County, FL (#7 by population) | Yes | Property Fraud Alert (Clerk of the Court and Comptroller) | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Orange County, FL (#28 by population) | Yes | Property Fraud Alert (County Comptroller) | Email, text or phone | Oct 12, 2026 |
| Palm Beach County, FL (#24 by population) | Yes | Property Fraud Alert (Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller) | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Fulton County, GA (#43 by population) | Yes | R.E.A.A.C.T. (Clerk of Superior and Magistrate Courts) | Email and text | Oct 13, 2026 |
| Gwinnett County, GA (#49 by population) | Yes | Filing Activity Notification System (FANS) (Clerk of Superior Court) | Email or text | Oct 13, 2026 |
| Cook County, IL (#2 by population) | Yes | Property Fraud Alert (Cook County Clerk) | Email or phone call | Oct 13, 2026 |
| Middlesex County, MA (#20 by population) | Yes | Consumer Notification Service (Middlesex South and North Registries of Deeds) | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Montgomery County, MD (#45 by population) | None found | What the county offers (Circuit Court land records) | – | Oct 13, 2026 |
| Oakland County, MI (#34 by population) | Yes | Property Records Notification (Clerk/Register of Deeds) | Email; text optional | Oct 13, 2026 |
| Wayne County, MI (#19 by population) | Yes | Property Alert (Register of Deeds) | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Hennepin County, MN (#35 by population) | Yes | Property Watch (Hennepin County) | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Mecklenburg County, NC (#37 by population) | Yes | Property Fraud Alert (Register of Deeds) | Not stated | Oct 13, 2026 |
| Wake County, NC (#36 by population) | Yes | Fraud Alert (Register of Deeds) | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Clark County, NV (#11 by population) | Yes | Recording Notification Service (County Recorder) | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Bronx County, NY (#29 by population) | Yes | Notice of Recorded Document (NYC Department of Finance) | Email or mail | Oct 12, 2026 |
| Kings (Brooklyn), NY (#9 by population) | Yes | Notice of Recorded Document (NYC Department of Finance) | Email or mail | Oct 12, 2026 |
| Nassau County, NY (#30 by population) | Yes | Property Fraud Alert (County Clerk) | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| New York (Manhattan), NY (#21 by population) | Yes | Notice of Recorded Document (NYC Department of Finance) | Email or mail | Oct 12, 2026 |
| Queens County, NY (#12 by population) | Yes | Notice of Recorded Document (NYC Department of Finance) | Email or mail | Oct 12, 2026 |
| Suffolk County, NY (#27 by population) | Yes | Homeowners Watch List (HOWL) (County Clerk) | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Westchester County, NY (#50 by population) | Yes | Property Alert Service (County Clerk) | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Cuyahoga County, OH (#38 by population) | Yes | Property Alerts (Fiscal Officer) | Not stated | Oct 13, 2026 |
| Franklin County, OH (#32 by population) | Yes | Property Alert (County Recorder) | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Allegheny County, PA (#39 by population) | Yes | Property Fraud Alert (Division of Real Estate) | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Philadelphia, PA (#25 by population) | Yes | Deed Fraud Guard (Department of Records) | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Bexar County, TX (#16 by population) | Yes | Vanguard Property Alert (County Clerk) | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Collin County, TX (#33 by population) | Yes | Property Alert (County Clerk) | Email, text or phone | Oct 13, 2026 |
| Dallas County, TX (#8 by population) | Yes | Property Fraud Alert (County Clerk) | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Denton County, TX (#46 by population) | Yes | Property Alert (County Clerk) | Not stated | Oct 13, 2026 |
| Harris County, TX (#3 by population) | Yes | Property Alert System (PAS) (Harris County Clerk) | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| Tarrant County, TX (#14 by population) | Yes | Property Fraud Alert (County Clerk) | Email or phone | Oct 13, 2026 |
| Travis County, TX (#31 by population) | None found | What the county offers (County Clerk) | – | Oct 13, 2026 |
| Salt Lake County, UT (#40 by population) | Yes | Property Watch (County Recorder) | Email; text optional | Oct 13, 2026 |
| Fairfax County, VA (#42 by population) | Yes | Property Alerts (MyFairfax) (Circuit Court Clerk) | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| King County, WA (#13 by population) | Yes | Recording Activity Notification System (County Recorder's Office) | Oct 13, 2026 |
"Checked" is the day we last opened the county's official page. The four New York City counties share one program from the city's Department of Finance. It says "there are no fees to register" (NYC Finance). Our NYC deed theft guide shows how to sign up. Your county isn't listed? Follow the four steps above.
Which big counties still don't have a sign-up alert?
Eight of the 50 largest counties have no alert you can sign up for. Six are in California, where the new state law starts in 2027.
- Travis County, Texas (Austin). The county appraisal district says a free clerk alert "is not offered by Travis County." It notes that more than 40 other Texas counties offer one (Travis Central Appraisal District). That notice was last updated in 2024, and we found nothing newer on the clerk's site.
- Montgomery County, Maryland. The land records page lists no alert. Owners can search Maryland's free statewide records site, MDLandRec, after applying for a login (Montgomery County Circuit Court).
- Santa Clara and Sacramento counties, California. We found no alert on either official site. Both must start mailing notices by Jan. 1, 2027.
- Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Alameda counties, California. These mail a letter to the owner when certain documents are recorded. You don't need to sign up, but you can't choose email. Alameda's covers only grant deeds and quitclaim deeds (Alameda County District Attorney).
Harris County, Texas came late too. It had no alert as recently as August 2026, when the clerk was still "preparing to launch" one (ABC13). Its Property Alert System was live when we checked on October 12, 2026.
No alert where you live? Look up your property on your county's records website a few times a year. Our list of free ways to protect your home title walks you through it.
Do all county alerts work the same way?
No. Counties differ in what you watch and how fast you hear. Some match only your name. Others watch your parcel or address. Florida's law says 24 hours. Philadelphia says to expect an email about 30 days after a document is recorded.
| County | You watch | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Fulton, GA | Parcel ID | Alerts by email and text. You add each property by its parcel ID (Fulton Clerk). |
| Suffolk, NY | Address | Condo owners need the exact tax map number. New buyers may need to wait until their deed is recorded (Suffolk Clerk). |
| Allegheny, PA | Name | Alerts come when your name appears on a recorded document as the person giving or receiving the property (Allegheny County). |
| San Diego, CA | Name or parcel | Up to 10 names and 10 parcel numbers per email. Covers only documents recorded after you sign up (San Diego County). |
| Middlesex, MA | Name, address or book and page | Up to 3 properties per account. Not for commercial property (Massachusetts CNS). |
| Oakland, MI | Parcel, name or address | No limit on alerts, and texts are optional (Oakland County). |
"Some areas even have a free notification program that allows you to sign up for alerts."
An alert tells you after the fact. Hennepin County, Minnesota says plainly that its free email service "won't prevent fraud" (Hennepin County). What it does is cut the time a fake deed goes unnoticed. For other signs to watch, see our checklist of warning signs.
Frequently asked questions
Is Property Fraud Alert a free service?
Yes, for owners in the counties we checked. Most county pages say the alert is free, and a few don't mention any cost. Florida and Virginia law say it must be free. Illinois law says the sign-up form must list any cost, so read it before you sign up.
Does Cook County offer deed alerts?
Yes. The Cook County Clerk runs a free Property Fraud Alert. You sign up online with your 14-digit property index number, which is printed on your property tax bill. Since 2026, Illinois law requires every county in the state to have an alert.
How can you tell if someone is trying to steal the deed to your house?
Watch for a county alert you didn't expect, a property tax bill that stops coming, or mail about a loan or sale you didn't make. Then look up your property on the county's records website. If the latest deed isn't yours, call the recorder's office and the police.
Who records the deed with the county?
The county office that keeps land records. Its name changes by place: recorder, county clerk, register of deeds or clerk of court. In New York City it's the Department of Finance. This is usually the office that runs the free alert.
What should you do if you get an alert you don't recognize?
Open the document on the county's records website and read who signed it. If it isn't yours, call the office that sent the alert and report it to your local police or prosecutor. Then talk to a real estate lawyer or a free legal aid group.
What if my county doesn't offer a property fraud alert?
Check your property record online yourself a few times a year. Ask the recorder's office if an alert is coming. In California, every county must start mailing notices by Jan. 1, 2027, and Virginia clerks must offer alerts by July 1, 2027.
Sign up in your county today
Find your county in the table, or call the recorder's office. Signing up takes a few minutes. Then see what a recorded notice adds.
Find your countySee how Still My Home worksSources
- County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025 (Vintage 2025), U.S. Census Bureau, March 2026
- Section 28.47, Florida Statutes: Recording notification service, The Florida Senate, checked October 13, 2026
- Clerks say free property alerts now available in all 67 counties, The Florida Bar News, January 29, 2025
- Statewide Property Alert Services, Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers, checked October 13, 2026
- A.R.S. 11-467: Recorder notification system, Arizona State Legislature, checked October 13, 2026
- Laws 2026, chapter 31 (SB 1479), Arizona State Legislature, April 2026
- Early Real Estate Sales Alert System, Arizona Department of Real Estate, checked October 13, 2026
- S.B. 165, Title Recording Notice Requirements Amendments (enrolled), Utah State Legislature, signed March 19, 2024
- Salt Lake County's online Property Watch program leads to statewide mandate, Salt Lake County, 2024
- SB 1523, Public Act 104-0382 (enrolled text), Illinois General Assembly, via LegiScan, August 15, 2025
- SB 255 (Seyarto), Chapter 351, Statutes of 2025 (chaptered text), California Legislature, via LegiScan, October 6, 2025
- Va. Code 17.1-258.3:1 (effective July 1, 2027), Virginia General Assembly, checked October 13, 2026
- Filing Activity Notification Systems, Gwinnett County Clerk of Superior Court, checked October 13, 2026
- Protect your home from scammers with Kalamazoo County's free Property Fraud Alert, Kalamazoo County, Michigan, October 2022
- Deed fraud program FAQ, NYC Department of Finance, checked October 13, 2026
- Consumer alert: forged and fraudulent deeds in Travis County, Travis Central Appraisal District, updated September 2, 2024
- Land records, Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland, checked October 13, 2026
- Real Estate Fraud Notification Program, Alameda County District Attorney's Office, checked October 13, 2026
- Harris County to launch new tool to protect property owners from deed fraud, ABC13 Houston, August 26, 2026
- City releases free online Fraud Guard tool and website for deed fraud, City of Philadelphia, October 30, 2019
- Property Fraud Alert, Tarrant County Clerk, checked October 13, 2026
- Property Fraud Alert brochure, Nassau County Clerk, March 2026
- Resources for new homeowners, Hennepin County, checked October 13, 2026
- Home title lock insurance? Not a lock at all, Federal Trade Commission, August 26, 2024
Each county's program link in the table is also a source. We opened each one on the date shown.