Recording deeds is a system of recording legal instruments at the Recorder of Deeds. The Recorder of Deeds is a local government office which maintains records and documents relating to real estate ownership.
A deed to real property becomes a public document when it is recorded with the Recorder of Deeds subsequent to delivery and acceptance. The initial step in the recording process is the presentation of deed along with copies to the recorder’s office in the county where the property is located. The copy of the deed is inserted into the current book of official records in numerical order. A map of the property is also included as a part of the document for identification purposes. The original deed is returned to the owner of the property from the office of the recorder after proper entry.
The office of the Recorder of Deeds maintains a set of indexes about each deed recorded, for an easy search. Almost all states have a grantor-grantee index including a reference to all documents recorded. These indexes are classified according to time periods.