How to Find the Deed to Your House (and Check It Hasn't Changed)

Where is the deed to your house kept?

The official record of your deed is kept by your county, not by you or your lender. When you bought your home, the deed was recorded with the county office that keeps land records. That record is what proves who owns the home.

The office has a different name from place to place. It may be the county recorder, the register of deeds, the county clerk or the clerk of court. They all do the same job: they file and keep land records such as deeds, mortgages and liens.

In a few places, a city or town office keeps land records instead. Your county's website will say. You'll see these words as you search:

The paper deed from your closing may be in your files. After recording, the county mails the original back. In Madison County, Illinois, for example, the office says it mails documents back "within 5-7 business days" (Madison County Recorder). The title company, closing lawyer or your lender may also have a copy.

Losing the paper deed doesn't change who owns your home. A Florida real estate law firm says its clients don't need the original deed to sell or refinance. As the firm puts it, "In most instances, a certified copy has the same legal significance as the original document" (Sackrin & Tolchinsky).

How do you find the deed to your house online?

Search your county recorder's official records by your name, then open the latest deed that lists you as the buyer. Many counties have a free online search. Here's the general method. Each county's site looks a little different.

What a property records search result looks like

Each line in the county's index is one recorded document. This made-up example shows a home bought in 2015 and refinanced in 2021.

Example only. The names and numbers are made up.

The warranty deed is the one that made Jane the owner. The deeds of trust are her loans. The release shows the first loan was paid off when she refinanced.

Some states have one site for every county. Maryland's land records site gives "free online access to Maryland's land records" for every county (Maryland State Archives). Georgia's clerks run a statewide search of deed records for all its counties (GSCCCA).

Older deeds may not be online. Many counties only put records from recent decades on their websites. In Miami-Dade County, documents recorded before 1974 are "only available in person or by mail" (Miami-Dade Clerk). If you've owned your home for a long time, plan on a visit or a letter.

How do you get a copy of your deed in person or by mail?

Visit or write to the county office that records deeds, and bring the details that help staff find it. Staff can search the index for you and print a copy while you wait. Most offices can also mail one.

Miami-Dade's clerk asks mail requests to include these details. Most counties ask for something similar:

Source: Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller, checked October 13, 2026.

Here's how the three ways compare:

How much does a copy of your deed cost?

A copy of your deed usually costs a few dollars, and viewing it online is often free. A certified copy carries the county's stamp and costs a little more than a plain one.

Here's what five offices charge, checked on October 13, 2026:

Sources: Maryland State Archives; Madison County Recorder; Miami-Dade Clerk; Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder; Dutchess County Clerk, December 12, 2018.

Most people only need a plain copy. A certified copy is for legal use, such as a court case or an estate. Maryland's archives put it simply: if you "do not need legally certified copies, then no need to place an order."

Mail offers charge many times the county's fee

Private companies mail homeowners official-looking letters that offer to send a copy of their deed. Their fee is many times what the county charges.

How do you read your deed?

Check five things: the names, the property, the type of deed, the notary and the recording stamp. Together they tell you who owns the home and when that became public record.

Your deed won't show everything. It doesn't list loans, unpaid taxes or court judgments against you. Those are separate records, and some, like court judgments, may sit with the court clerk instead of the recorder.

How do you check that no one has changed your deed?

Search your name in the county's records and look at everything recorded after your own deed. If the last deed still names you as the owner and every loan is one you know about, your record is clean today.

Criminals who commit deed theft forge a deed in an owner's name, then record it. It's rare, but a quick check every year catches it early.

The FBI warned in June 2026 that criminals pose as owners of vacant land to sell it. In one case, they used a fake deed to convince real estate agents the sale was real (FBI IC3).

Do the check once a year, and sooner if your mail changes. Missing tax bills and letters about loans you never took out are warning signs. Our list of 9 signs of home title theft covers the rest.

A free county alert does the watching for you. Many counties email or text you when a document is recorded in your name. Our guide to Property Fraud Alert shows how it works.

Your own search has limits. It may miss a document filed in the last few days. And the county can't certify that your title is clear. Madison County's recorder says "the only way to guarantee that there are no liens against you or your property would be through a title company."

Found something you didn't sign? Act the same day. Our guide on what to do if a fraudulent deed is filed lists the first calls to make. For every free step, read how to protect your home title for free.

Frequently asked questions