Common Questions

Common Questions

Q.) My credit report shows an Indiana Department of Revenue lien on my record. It says this report is on file in the Recorder's office? How can I get a copy?

A.) Credit bureaus frequently and incorrectly report that state tax liens are filed in the Adams County Recorder's Office. These records are not held by this office. The best source of information regarding your state tax liens is the Indiana Department of Revenue at 317-232-2240 The Department of Revenue can also be contacted online at www.in.gov/dor.

Q.) Where is the Adams County Recorder's Office located?

A.) The Adams County Recorder's Office is located in Room 240 of the Adams County Service Complex, 313 W Jefferson St., Decatur, IN 46733.

Q.) How are the fees charged by the Recorder's Office determined and set?

A.) The Recorder's Office is a state constitutional office and as such, fees charged by the Recorder's Office (such as the $1 per page cost of copies) are established under Indiana Code 36-2-7.

Recording requirements are set by Indiana Code 36-2-11.

Q.) I received a solicitation by mail offering to sell me a copy of the deed to my home. Is this the only way I can obtain this record?

A.) The deed to your home or property is a public record available in the Recorder's Office. In many cases, it costs $2 or less to obtain a copy of your deed from the Recorder's Office. To obtain your deed, you will need to provide the owner's name, the property's legal description and an approximate date of purchase. Deeds can sometimes be located by address.

Q.) I need to file a document with the Recorder's Office. Do you provide templates or blank forms that I can fill out to prepare a lien, release, deed or other document?

A.) The Adams County Recorder's office provides blank copies of the Certificate of Assumed Business Name form in hard copy and for download that you may fill out and return. Because of the legal specificity other instruments require, no other forms or templates are provided.

Q.) Why won't the Recorder's Office perform lien searches?

A.) The Recorder's Office is committed to providing excellent customer service. However, we are also concerned about making sure customers have a complete picture when looking for liens or other claims against property. All records which have been recorded in Adams County are open and available for review by you in the Recorder's Office. Please be aware that court judgments, state tax liens, bankruptcies are among the claims against property that are NOT necessarily filed with the Recorder's Office.

Q.) If I have a question about whether or not I have prepared a document correctly, will you evaluate it for me before I submit it for recording?

A.) The Recorder's Office staff is happy to review documents in advance to check for missing recording requirements. We cannot answer legal questions or review aspects of the document beyond its compliance with recording requirement.

Q.) I need a copy of my birth certificate. Are birth certificates available in the Adams County Recorder's Office or elsewhere?

A.) Birth certificates for persons born in Adams County, Indiana, are available through the Adams County Health Department whose phone number is (260) 724-5326.

Q.) Do you have an online searchable database for recorded deeds and other information?

A.) Yes! Data and documents going back to 1990 can be viewed online @doxpop.com

Q.) What types of payment does the Recorder's Office accept?

A.) The Recorder's Office currently accepts payments for recording and copies by cash, check or credit card.

Q.) How do I know if I must include the Social Security affirmation statement on my document?

A.) In accordance with Indiana Code IC 36-2-11-15, most documents submitted to the Recorder's Office must contain the affirmation statement. Exceptions include an instrument executed before July 1, 1959, or recorded before July 26, 1967, a judgment, order, or writ of a court, a will or death certificate, an instrument executed or acknowledged outside Indiana; or federal liens on real property or a federal tax lien on personal property as described in IC 36-2-11-25. If you need an affirmation statement you may get one here.

Q.) How do I add or delete a name to the deed to my property?

A.) Consult an attorney to make certain you are executing a deed or instrument which transfers the property rights and interest you with to transfer.

In order to record a properly prepared deed or instrument, it must first have been submitted to the Adams County Assessor's Office and the Adams County Auditor's Office. The Adams County Assessor and Auditor may require a sales disclosure form be filed which may be acquired at the Assessor's office or online through the Assessor's web site.

Q.) What is the role of the Recorder's Office in starting a business?

A.) You are required under Indiana Code 23-15-1-1 to file a fictitious business name statement for a variety of different reasons. This document, known as a Certificate of Assumed Business Name, should be filed in the Recorder's Office in the county in which you are doing business. The form is available from the Recorder's office or here.