A new state law went into effect July 1, (Ohio Revised Code 317.114) which establishes preparation guidelines regarding documents filed with any Ohio county recorder’s office.

Deeds, mortgages and liens are some of the documents filed in a recorder’s office for a permanent record.

These are recorded in order to establish a chain of title and rightful ownership for all parcels of land in the county.

Ohio House Bill 525 was designed to provide standards so that documents could be read and stored better and provide enough room on the documents for stamps from pertinent county offices such as the engineer, auditor and recorder.

The Ohio Recorders’ Association has been pursuing legislation for document standards since 1994. To date over 30 states have adopted similar standards.

The guidelines are as follows:

 Computer font size must be at least 10 point

Minimum paper size is 8 1/2 x 11, Maximum size is 8 1/2 by 14

Black or Blue ink only

No use of highlighting

Margins of 1 inch on each side of the page and on the bottom

Three-inch margin on the top of the first page, reserved for recorder, auditor & engineer stamps

One and one-half inch margin on the top of each of the remaining pages.

If a document does not conform to these guidelines, an additional recording fee of $20.00 will be collected. This fee, as well as all other recording fees, is established by the Ohio Revised Code and is not discretionary.

This law does not apply to:

Any document from any court or taxing authority

Plats

DD214’s (military discharge documents)

Any state or federal document

Any document executed before July 1, 2009

My staff and I have been distributing notices of the new law for several weeks to those using our office.

Please feel free to contact me or any member of my staff at 740-533-4314 with any questions regarding this new bill.

It remains our goal to do, “Good Deeds Daily.”

Sharon Gossett Hager is the Lawrence County Recorder.