1. Have the Permanent Parcel Number: Example: 312-15-009. Sources: appraisal, tax bill, deed, mortgage. The number can also be obtained at this website: http://auditor.cuyahogacounty.us/repi/
2. Proceed to Map Room (Room 310) of Cuyahoga County Administration Building (southeast corner of Lakeside at Ontario). The 8-digit parcel numbers tell you where to find the map of your property. The first three digits (312) refer to the book, the second 2 digits (15) refer to the page, and the final three digits (009) refer to the lines on the page. The final three digits (009) match the circled numbers on the map for each page, which is in the same book.
3. The shelves of map books on the outer wall contain more recent information. The shelves in the center of the room contain books with older ownership information. Depending upon the ownership history of a property, these books often provide search results back to the 1920s or 1930s.
4. These books show the date of property transfer and to whom. Write down the date and names in chronological order, with the most recent transfer first. This will help for the deed research. (i.e. 7-13-2008 John and Jane Doe; 10-29-1997 Robert Smith)
5. For owners and transfer dates earlier than the books on the shelves, ask the staff for assistance to view the microfiche files. The microfiche files provide search results back to about 1900. The list of dates and owners can now be used to research deeds. Cuyahoga County is the first county in the United States to put all of its deeds online in a searchable database. Deeds are available back to 1810, when Cuyahoga County was created.
6. Go to the Cuyahoga County Recorder’s Office website: http://recorder.cuyahogacounty.us. On the left side of the page, click Search Database, and then click General Search. A search can be done on a date range, which will show all documents recorded for the dates selected. A search can be done on a person’s name or a company’s name, which will show all documents related to that name in date order. A search can combine a date range and a name. Click Begin Search at the bottom of the page.
7. On the Results page, find the correct entry and click on the long number in the AFN column, which will show additional information. To view the deed, click View Image and follow the instructions. The deed can be printed or saved in an electronic form. If saved in electronic form, the file name will be the AFN number.
8. The AFN number is helpful to keep because each deed has a unique AFN number. Example: 200906250037. The first four digits (2009) refer to the year. The next two digits (06) refer to the month. The next two digits (25) refer to the day of the month. The final four digits (0037) refer to the document number for that day.
9. If a search returns no results make the search more board, such as using only the first few letters of the last name, using no first name, using only a first initial, or expanding the date range. Errors do happen in the database, due to spelling errors in the original deeds, or copying errors when the information was entered into the database.
10. The Date Recorded information in the database may be slightly different than the date in the map books. There are two deeds on a date: the date the deed was filed (when it was brought to the Recorder’s Office) and the date the deed was recorded (when it was officially entered into the records, which could be one or many days after it was brought to the Recorder’s Office.) For consistency, use the date shown in the database.

Prepared by Mary Gagen, 2/2000
Updated 8/2005
Updated by Marcia Moll and Richard Sicha 7/2009

Other Sources of Research
Lakewood Historical Society