Washington County Property Records

Washington County property records are held by the County Auditor and County Recorder in Marietta. You can search for deeds, tax data, parcel maps, and ownership information through the Auditor's website or by visiting the courthouse at 205 Putnam Street. The Recorder keeps deeds, mortgages, liens, and other land documents on file for public access. Ohio law under ORC Section 149.43 gives anyone the right to inspect these records. Both offices are open weekdays and can help with property lookups.

Washington County Auditor Office

The Washington County Auditor's Office is the main source for property data in the county. Real estate appraisal and assessment is the core duty of the Auditor. Every parcel of land and building must be fairly and uniformly appraised for tax purposes. Assessment is calculated at 35% of fair market value as required by Ohio law. Tax rates are determined by budgetary requests of governmental units as authorized by vote of the people.

Recent legislation has established an inflation cap for certain property value increases that may impact tax bills. Adjustments are reflected in second-half tax bills. The office can be reached at 740-373-6623 ext. 2121 for questions about these tax adjustments. Email auditor@washingtoncountyohio.gov for general inquiries about Washington County property records.

The Auditor handles property valuation, tax calculation, and exemption programs for all parcels in Washington County. The office is at the Washington County Courthouse in Marietta.

The Washington County Auditor website provides the main portal for property searches and tax information.

The property search system lets you look up parcels by owner name, address, or parcel number and view assessed values and tax data.

Search Washington County Property Records

Go to the Auditor's website and use the property search tools. Type in a name, address, or parcel number. The system finds matching records and shows the owner, property address, legal description, and current values. Building details like square footage, room count, year built, and construction type are included. Sales history shows past dates, prices, and transfer information going back several years.

The Washington County Recorder's Office maintains current recorded land documents. You can search by name or date range, including UCC filings. The office is at the Washington County Courthouse, 205 Putnam St., Marietta, OH 45750. Call (740) 373-6623. Recording standards require a 3-inch margin at the top of the first page and 1.5-inch margins on subsequent pages. Minimum paper size is 8.5 by 11 inches and maximum is 8.5 by 14 inches. Documents must use black or blue ink only with no highlighting.

Washington County Recorder and Deeds

The Washington County Recorder's Office stores all official land records. The office files deeds, mortgages, liens, and other real estate documents. When land changes hands, the new deed must be recorded here to give public notice of the transfer. Before any deed can be recorded, the buyer must present it to the County Auditor along with a Conveyance Fee Statement under ORC Section 319.202.

The Recorder's Office has strict document formatting rules. All documents submitted for recording must meet specific margin and paper size requirements. Use black or blue ink only. No highlighting is allowed on recorded documents. These standards help ensure that all Washington County land records are legible and can be properly scanned and indexed for the public search system. Copy fees are set by Ohio law at $2 per page with a $1 certification fee per document.

Washington County Property Tax Information

Property taxes in Washington County fund local schools, roads, and public safety. The Auditor sets each assessed value at 35% of fair market value under ORC Section 319.54. Tax rates are expressed in mills. One mill equals $1 of tax per $1,000 of assessed value. The Ohio Property Tax Rate Database shows current rates for all taxing districts in Washington County, including townships, school districts, and special levies.

Ohio law requires a full reappraisal every six years with a statistical update at the three-year mark. The Ohio Department of Taxation certifies value changes based on sales ratio studies. Conveyance fees follow the state rate of $4.00 per $1,000 of sale price plus $0.50 per parcel under ORC Section 319.20. The 2.5% Tax Reduction applies to residential real property occupied by its owner as the principal place of residence in Washington County.

Homestead Exemption in Washington County

The Homestead Exemption shields up to $25,000 of market value from taxation. It is open to homeowners age 65 and older or permanently and totally disabled homeowners. Your Ohio Modified Adjusted Gross Income must be under $40,000. You must own and live in the home as your main residence. Apply using Form DTE-105A through the Washington County Auditor.

The form must be signed under penalty of perjury. Making a false statement is a fourth-degree misdemeanor. If convicted, you repay the exempted taxes plus interest and lose eligibility for three years. Contact the Auditor at 740-373-6623 ext. 2121 for help with the application or to check your eligibility status.

Washington County Property Resources

The GeoOhio Statewide Parcel Viewer lets you search parcels across county lines and links back to the local Auditor site. This is useful when you need to compare Washington County properties with those in neighboring areas. The statewide viewer covers all 88 Ohio counties and provides a broad perspective on land records and parcel data.

The Ohio Secretary of State business search helps when the property owner is a corporate entity or LLC. You can look up the registered agent and contact info for any business holding real estate in Washington County. For historical land records not available online, visit the Recorder's office in person at the Marietta courthouse.

Nearby Counties

Washington County sits in southeastern Ohio along the Ohio River. If you need property records from a neighboring county, these pages may help.