In DeKalb County, you can read your recorded deed online for free, stamp and all. The Clerk of Superior Court's own search site shows the deed image with an "Unofficial Copy" watermark, and you don't need an account1. The statewide GSCCCA site is different: its free account shows index lines, not the deed itself4,5.
This guide walks through the free screens with pictures, then shows how to order a certified copy. It ends with Georgia's 2024 squatter law, because the DeKalb cases below involved houses that sat empty.
- Step 1Search the Clerk's records by name
- Step 2Read the free deed image
- Step 3Use the statewide index only if you need it
- Step 4Order a certified copy
How do you get a copy of a property deed in DeKalb County, GA?
Search the Clerk's LandmarkWeb site for free, and pay only when you need a certified copy. DeKalb deeds are recorded by the Clerk of Superior Court, whose records go back to 1842, when a fire destroyed the older ones2.
A deed is the signed paper that moves a home from one owner to the next. Your title is the ownership itself, and the chain of recorded deeds is how anyone proves it.
| Way to get it | What you get | Cost | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| LandmarkWeb, the Clerk's search site | The full deed image, watermarked Unofficial Copy | Free, no account | Reading and checking your own deed |
| GSCCCA Limited-Use account | Index lines only, no images | Free | Finding a book and page in any Georgia county |
| GSCCCA Single-Use account | Index and deed images for 4 hours | $5.00, plus 50 cents a printed page | A one-time search across counties |
| Regular copy from the Clerk | A paper copy | $1.00 a page | Your own files |
| Certified copy from the Clerk | A copy the Clerk certifies | $2.50 first page, 50 cents each extra page | Paperwork that asks for a certified copy |
Fees come from the Clerk's real estate page and GSCCCA's account pages2,4,5. Plat copies, which are survey maps of a lot, cost $2.00 a page.
How do you search DeKalb County property records by name?
Open LandmarkWeb, accept the disclaimer and use the Name tab. It is free, needs no login, and its online index runs from 1979 to today1.
- Go to LandmarkWeb and click Name Search.
- Accept the disclaimer that opens.
- Set Party Type to Both, so you see deeds you signed and deeds made out to you.
- Type your last name, a comma, then your first name, as in "Smith, John."
- Leave the dates alone and click Submit.
- Double-click a line in the results to open that document.
The grantor is the person who signs a property away, and the grantee is the person who receives it. The Quick Search tab also has a ready-made choice: "I want to see all documents with my name on them."
The Clerk's staff won't research records for you by phone. Anyone may use the public computers at the courthouse instead, and deputy clerks help there from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays1.
What does the free Unofficial Copy show?
It shows the whole recorded document, page by page, with the Clerk's stamp at the top. The watermark marks it as a viewing copy, not a certified one.
On a recent deed, the stamp lists the instrument number, the deed book and page, the date and time of filing, the recording fee and the transfer tax. The book and page is the deed's address in the Clerk's records. Write it down, because the Clerk asks for it on copy requests2.
While the deed is open, check three things:
- Your name should be the grantee on the newest deed for your home.
- Nothing newer should appear that you didn't sign. Watch for a quitclaim deed, which hands over whatever share the signer has with no promises, and a security deed, Georgia's version of a mortgage.
- The parcel ID at the top of page one should match your tax bill. DeKalb deeds that transfer property must show it, a rule in place since July 1, 20192.
Found a deed you never signed? Our guide on what to do about a fraudulent deed covers the first calls and the court steps.
When is the statewide GSCCCA search worth paying for?
Only when you need to search many Georgia counties at once. GSCCCA, the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority, keeps a statewide index of deeds, liens and plats5.
GSCCCA's name search asks for a party type, a county and a name. Its free Limited-Use account lists matches, but "document images may not be viewed or printed."5
To see the deed there, a Single-Use account costs $5.00 for four hours, plus 50 cents for each page you print. Monthly plans cost $14.95 (Regular) or $29.95 (Premium)4,5.
On October 25, 2026, GSCCCA listed DeKalb's index as running from January 1, 1987 through October 22, 2026, three days behind3. For one DeKalb home, LandmarkWeb shows you more for nothing.
How do you order a certified copy from the Clerk?
Ask the Clerk's Real Estate Division in person, by mail or through GSCCCA's eCertification Portal. A certified copy carries the Clerk's statement that it matches the record. It costs $2.50 for the first page plus 50 cents for each page after2.
Courthouse, ground floor
The Real Estate Division is at 556 N. McDonough St. in Decatur, open 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. Regular copies there are $1.00 a page.
Send the book type and page
Pay by cashier's check, money order or attorney's check made out to Dekalb County Clerk of Court. Address it to Attn: Real Estate at the courthouse.
eCertification Portal
Make an account at ecert.gsccca.org and send a request. When the Clerk posts your copy, you have six days to pay, or the request is rejected.
Don't know your book and page? Email the county's mapping team at mappingteam@dekalbcountyga.gov with your address or parcel ID, and they will confirm the latest one. The mapping office itself doesn't make copies6.
If your deed is right but the tax record shows the wrong owner, email the recorded deed to deedteam@dekalbcountyga.gov with the subject line "Ownership Update."6
Can you get an alert when a new DeKalb deed is filed?
Yes: FANS, the statewide Filing Activity Notification System, sends a free email or text when a new filing matches what you told it to watch. It replaced the Property Fraud Registry that Clerk Debra DeBerry started on February 24, 2014. She said that registry grew out of WSB-TV's reporting on fraudulent filings2,9.
If you signed up for that old registry, you have to register again in FANS2. Sign up at fans.gsccca.org with an owner's name, which is required, and add the property address, which the Clerk's flyer recommends. You can watch DeKalb alone or every county, and you must log in once a year to keep the account active8.
FANS only reports filings indexed after you join. GSCCCA also warns its notices are not promised to be "comprehensive, accurate, complete, or current."7 To see what free alerts other counties and states run, use our county fraud alert map.
What does Georgia's 2024 squatter law mean for an empty DeKalb home?
It made squatting a crime and gave owners a faster way out, but how fast depends on the papers the occupant shows. The Georgia Squatter Reform Act, House Bill 1017, became law in 202410.
An affidavit is a written statement you swear is true, and a counteraffidavit is the occupant's sworn answer. Papers set the pace: if an occupant shows a lease or a deed, police may call it a civil dispute. Check your deed record before a house sits empty.
What happened in recent DeKalb deed and squatter cases?
DeKalb's recent cases: a deed police say was forged for a dead owner, occupants holding ownership papers, and a house taken the day after its owner died. Cases like these are uncommon, which is why each one made the news. Our guide to deed theft explains the national picture; here is how it looked in DeKalb.
In May 2025, people moved into a late father's house on Crestknoll Circle the day after he died, just as his family was about to close a sale. County records still showed the parents as the owners15.
The man inside first claimed to own the home, then said he had a lease. The family filed a squatters' affidavit, and a county incident report showed the occupants were cited15.
Who can help in DeKalb County?
Call the Clerk about records, the police about a crime, and Atlanta Legal Aid if you can't afford a lawyer. We checked each number below on official websites on October 25, 2026.
- Clerk of Superior Court, Real Estate Division: 404-687-3812. The Clerk's main line is 404-371-28362.
- GSCCCA help desk (FANS and accounts): 800-304-51742.
- DeKalb County Police: 911 if someone is inside your home now, or 404-294-2911 for non-emergency reports17. If your city has its own police department, call that one.
- DeKalb County District Attorney: 404-371-256118.
- Atlanta Legal Aid Society, DeKalb office: 404-377-0701. It gives free civil legal help to people who can't afford a lawyer19.
Georgia's 2024 deed fraud law, House Bill 1292, lets an owner sue anyone who knowingly records a false or forged deed. The owner can recover actual damages or $5,000, whichever is greater, plus reasonable attorney's fees16.
If a court finds the defendant faked the deed, the same law gives the owner all costs of the case to cancel it, including reasonable attorney's fees. Our quiet title action guide explains that kind of case. Since January 1, 2025, people filing their own deeds must e-file and have their ID verified first2,16.
Frequently asked questions
Can anyone request a property deed?
Yes. The DeKalb Clerk's search site says its records are public and that anyone may come into the office to research them. The Clerk's copy instructions ask for the book type, page number and fee, and they list no ownership requirement.
How much does it cost to get a deed for your property?
Viewing a recorded DeKalb deed on LandmarkWeb is free. A paper copy from the Clerk is $1.00 a page, and a certified copy is $2.50 for the first page plus 50 cents for each page after. On GSCCCA, a four-hour Single-Use account costs $5.00, plus 50 cents per printed page.
What does a property deed look like in GA?
A recent DeKalb deed starts with the Clerk's stamp: instrument number, deed book and page, filing date and time, recording fee and transfer tax. Below that are the parcel ID, the names of the grantor and grantee, a description of the land, and signatures. The Clerk says most documents must be signed, witnessed and notarized.
What does GSCCCA stand for?
It stands for the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority. The Georgia General Assembly created it in 1993. It runs the statewide real estate index and FANS.
How long does it take to evict a squatter in Georgia?
Under the 2024 law, a person cited for unlawful squatting has three business days to show a lease or proof of rent. If they show papers, a hearing is set within seven days. Ownership claims can slow it down: in the 2024 Janjolin Way case, police sent the dispute to civil court.
Can you go to jail for squatting in Georgia?
Yes. Unlawful squatting is a misdemeanor, and a person who can't show papers within three business days of a citation can be arrested. If a court finds their papers were fake, forgery penalties can be added.
Sources
- Official Records Search (LandmarkWeb), DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court, checked October 25, 2026
- Real Estate, DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court, checked October 25, 2026
- Real Estate Index name search and county good-from/thru dates, GSCCCA, checked October 25, 2026
- Compare Accounts, GSCCCA, checked October 25, 2026
- Account types and terms, GSCCCA, checked October 25, 2026
- Property Mapping and Land Records FAQ, DeKalb County GIS, checked October 25, 2026
- Filing Activity Notification System, GSCCCA, checked October 25, 2026
- FANS Property Fraud Registry flyer, DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court, October 2025
- DeKalb Clerk of Superior Court Property Fraud Registry now available, DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court, February 25, 2014
- House Bill 1017 (Georgia Squatter Reform Act), as signed, Office of the Governor of Georgia, 2024
- Georgia Squatter Reform Act of 2024, Athens-Clarke County Police, checked October 25, 2026
- Vacant and Foreclosure Registry, DeKalb County Code Compliance, checked October 25, 2026
- Fake name, forged deed. DeKalb police say they've arrested who's responsible, Atlanta News First, March 26, 2026; first report May 29, 2024
- Homeowners say they can't get squatters out, even though there's a new law meant to do just that, WSB-TV, November 22, 2024
- DeKalb family says childhood home taken over by squatters planning VIP pool party, WSB-TV, May 30, 2025
- House Bill 1292, as signed, Office of the Governor of Georgia, 2024
- Contact Us, DeKalb County Police Department, checked October 25, 2026
- FAQs: General, Office of the DeKalb County District Attorney, checked October 25, 2026
- Atlanta Legal Aid Society, checked October 25, 2026
- Overview, GSCCCA, checked October 25, 2026
