Find Franklin County Public Records

Franklin County public records span a massive system of courts, offices, and agencies based in Columbus, the state capital and county seat. As Ohio's most populous county, Franklin County processes more public records than any other county in the state. The Clerk of Courts alone oversees more than 200 Deputy Clerks working across five Legal Divisions and the state's largest Auto Title Division. You can search many Franklin County public records online for free through tools like Case Information Online and the Municipal Court search. Ohio law under R.C. 149.43 guarantees the right to access public records from all county offices.

Franklin County Clerk of Courts

The Franklin County Clerk of Courts manages court documents for the Court of Common Pleas and the 10th District Court of Appeals. The Honorable Maryellen O'Shaughnessy serves as Clerk, first elected in 2009 and now in her fifth four-year term. The office has five divisions: Auto Title, Legal, Fiscal Services, Information Technology, and Administration. Four divisions are spread across seven offices in the Franklin County Courthouse complex. The Auto Title division has four branch offices throughout the county.

The main office is at 373 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43215, phone 614-525-3600. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with a late opening at 8:15 a.m. on Wednesdays. The e-Filing Help Line is 614-525-3090. This is the largest Clerk of Courts operation in Ohio by a wide margin. The volume of Franklin County public records processed each year reflects the size and activity of a county that includes the state capital.

If you have questions about Franklin County public records, the Clerk's website is a good first stop. You can also submit a formal Public Records Request through the site.

Search Franklin County Public Records Online

The Case Information Online (CIO) system is the main way to search Franklin County court records for free. CIO provides public record information for criminal and civil cases filed in the General Division of the Common Pleas Court, domestic relations cases, and appellate cases filed in the 10th District Court of Appeals. The docket entries in CIO match those on the official court docket. But the online information is a copy, not the official record. If questions come up about accuracy, check the original court file at the courthouse.

CIO is not built for bulk downloads. The system will detect and stop attempts to mine large amounts of data without prior approval. Any organization or individual who wants data files must submit a Public Records Request through the Clerk's website. The system has periodic maintenance and outages, both scheduled and unscheduled. For the most reliable access, visit during business hours or plan for occasional downtime.

The Franklin County Clerk of Courts Case Information Online system gives free public access to court records across all divisions.

Franklin County Municipal Court Records

The Franklin County Municipal Court runs its own records search tool. Clerk Lori M. Tyack provides public access to search court dates, amounts due, warrant status, and more. The Municipal Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and small claims matters. This is a separate system from the Common Pleas Court's CIO tool.

If you are looking for a traffic ticket, a misdemeanor case, or a small claims filing in Franklin County, the Municipal Court search is where you should start. The Common Pleas CIO handles felonies and larger civil matters. Knowing which court has your case saves time. Most people who call the Clerk's office looking for records end up needing to be directed to one court or the other. Check both if you are not sure.

Franklin County Property Public Records

The Franklin County Recorder maintains real estate records, deeds, mortgages, and liens. The office is at 373 South High Street, 18th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215, phone (614) 525-3930. Online records search is available through the Recorder's website. The Recorder's Office processes millions of documents each year, making it one of the busiest in the state.

Property public records in Franklin County include deeds, mortgage documents, lien filings, plat maps, and other instruments tied to real property. The Recorder indexes each document so you can search by name, parcel number, or document type. Certified copies cost $2 per page plus a certification fee. The county office is always the cheapest place to get official property records. Private companies that send letters offering to sell you copies of your own deed charge far more than what the county asks.

Vital Records in Franklin County

Columbus Public Health issues birth and death certificates for events in Franklin County. The office is at 240 Parsons Avenue, Columbus, OH 43215, phone (614) 645-7416. Certified copies cost $25.00 per copy. Online ordering is available through VitalChek. You can also request by mail or in person.

Marriage records are at the Franklin County Probate Court at 373 South High Street, 24th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215, phone (614) 525-3894. Marriage records are available online from 1989 to the present. Certified copies cost $2.00 each. The Probate Court handles marriage licenses, estates, guardianships, and adoptions. Divorce records are at the Clerk of Courts, not the Probate Court. For state-level records, the Ohio Department of Health charges $21.50 per search.

Criminal Records in Franklin County

The Franklin County Sheriff's Office at 369 South Front Street, Columbus, OH 43215, phone (614) 525-3310, provides incident reports, arrest records, and jail information. An inmate search is available online through the Sheriff's website. The Sheriff also maintains the sex offender registry for Franklin County.

Felony criminal case records are at the Clerk of Courts through the CIO system. Misdemeanor and traffic records are at the Municipal Court. For statewide checks, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation charges $22 for a criminal record search. You need a completed application, valid ID, and fingerprints. All criminal records in Franklin County are public under R.C. 149.43 unless sealed by court order or covered by a specific exemption like records from juvenile proceedings.

How to Get Franklin County Public Records

Under R.C. 149.43, anyone can request public records from Franklin County offices. You can ask in person, by phone, email, or mail. No form is needed, though Franklin County does offer a formal Public Records Request form on the Clerk's website for convenience. You do not need to give your name or reason. Standard copies cost about $0.05 per page.

If a request is denied, the office must explain in writing and cite the law. You can appeal to the Ohio Court of Claims for $25 or call the Attorney General's mediation line at (800) 282-0515. The Ohio Attorney General's Sunshine Laws page has training materials and guides. Given the size of Franklin County's government, the formal request process can sometimes be the fastest way to get what you need.

Cities in Franklin County

Franklin County includes Columbus, the state capital, and parts of Dublin. Public records for residents of these cities are filed at the county level through the offices described on this page. Court cases, property records, and vital records go through Franklin County offices.

Nearby Counties

If you need public records from neighboring areas, these counties border Franklin County.