Search East Chicago Deed Records
East Chicago deed records are filed and maintained at the Lake County Recorder's office in Crown Point, where all property deeds, land transfers, and mortgage documents for East Chicago are kept as part of the official public record. East Chicago is in Lake County, so all real property recording for East Chicago goes through the Lake County Recorder under Indiana law, not through any East Chicago city office.
East Chicago Quick Facts
East Chicago Deed Records at the Lake County Recorder
The Lake County Recorder is the official office for all deed records in East Chicago. The recorder's office is at 2293 N Main St, Crown Point, IN 46307, phone (219) 755-3360. The recorder's website is at lcrecorder.com. Crown Point is the Lake County seat and is about 22 miles south of East Chicago. This is where all deed recordings for East Chicago properties are filed, indexed, and stored as permanent public record.
East Chicago has its own city clerk: Richard Medina, 4525 Indianapolis Boulevard, East Chicago, IN, phone 219-391-8491. The city clerk handles city permits, licenses, and local government matters. But deed recording in Indiana is a county function under IC 36-2-11, not a city function. The Lake County Recorder in Crown Point is the only office that maintains deed records for East Chicago properties. If you are looking for a deed for an East Chicago property, go to lcrecorder.com or visit the Crown Point courthouse.
| Office | Lake County Recorder |
|---|---|
| Address | 2293 N Main St, Crown Point, IN 46307 |
| Phone | (219) 755-3360 |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM CST |
| E-Recording | Available |
| Website | lcrecorder.com |
| City Clerk (city matters only) | Richard Medina, 4525 Indianapolis Blvd, East Chicago, (219) 391-8491 |
The Lake County Recorder office in Crown Point has Spanish and sign language speakers on staff to help residents of East Chicago who may need translation assistance. The recorder handles deed filings for all Lake County cities and towns, with East Chicago being one of the larger cities in the county.
Indiana's State Land Office provides access to state property deeds, maps, and photos, which can provide context for East Chicago property research.
State-level deed records complement the Lake County Recorder's database when researching East Chicago property history.
How to Search East Chicago Deed Records
The Lake County Recorder provides online access to East Chicago deed records at lcrecorder.com. You can search by owner name, address, or document number. Doxpop at doxpop.com also aggregates Lake County deed records, including East Chicago properties. Doxpop lets you search by grantor, grantee, or legal description and displays document images for the full text of each recorded deed. Both pay-per-search and subscription options are available on Doxpop.
Tapestry by Fidlar at tapestry.fidlar.com is another online service for Lake County deed records. Title companies and real estate attorneys use Tapestry regularly for East Chicago deed searches. The Indiana Recorders Association at indianarecorders.org provides links to tools for searching deed records across Indiana, including Lake County. Access to this statewide recorder resource is free and a good starting point for understanding which county holds a specific property's deed records.
To search in person, go to the recorder's office at 2293 N Main St in Crown Point during business hours. Staff can look up East Chicago deed records by name or document number and make copies from the index. Bring the property address or owner name. Plain copies cost $1 per page. Certified copies add a $5 certification fee. The drive from East Chicago to Crown Point takes about 25 to 30 minutes on I-65 south, so plan enough time if you are going in person.
The Indiana Recorders Association represents all 92 county recorders and provides statewide resources for deed record access.
The association's resources can help East Chicago property owners and buyers navigate the Lake County recording system.
Recording a Deed for East Chicago Property
To record a deed for East Chicago property, bring or mail the signed, notarized document to the Lake County Recorder at 2293 N Main St in Crown Point. The recorder checks the deed against IC 36-2-11-14 requirements before accepting it. The deed must have the legal description, names of grantor and grantee, all grantor signatures, and a notary acknowledgment. If any required element is missing, the recorder returns the document unrecorded.
The recording fee for a deed is $25 under IC 36-2-11-15. Mortgages cost $55. If the deed is for a sale, you must attach the sales disclosure form (State Form 46021) for taxable transfers. The recorder will not record the deed for a taxable transfer without this form. Call (219) 755-3360 if you have questions before bringing your East Chicago deed to Crown Point.
Electronic recording is available through Simplifile and eRecording. Law firms, lenders, and title companies use these platforms to submit East Chicago deeds without traveling to Crown Point. E-recording confirms acceptance quickly and is the standard method for most real estate closings in East Chicago and across Lake County. Under IC 32-21-2-3, the deed becomes effective as constructive notice from the moment it is recorded, whether submitted in person or electronically.
Under IC 36-2-11-16.5, the recorder indexes each East Chicago deed by grantor and grantee name after recording. This index is what makes deed records searchable by name online and at the courthouse. The recorder also creates a digital scan of every document, which appears in lcrecorder.com's online portal and in third-party services like Doxpop and Tapestry. Once recorded and indexed, the East Chicago deed is part of the permanent public record for Lake County.
IC 36-2-7.5-4 gives the county authority to use recording fees for records management and technology upgrades. This is how the Lake County Recorder funds its online access system and keeps East Chicago deed records accessible through lcrecorder.com and connected third-party platforms. The Indiana State Board of Accounts at in.gov/sboa audits the recorder's operations to ensure proper records management.
East Chicago Property Record Types
The Lake County Recorder holds many types of property documents for East Chicago, including:
- Warranty deeds
- Quitclaim deeds
- Sheriff's deeds and trustee's deeds
- Mortgages and refinance instruments
- Mortgage releases and satisfactions
- Easements and right-of-way documents
- Subdivision plats
- Mechanic's liens and lien releases
- Affidavits of survivorship
- Lis pendens notices
- Industrial and commercial deed instruments
East Chicago has a significant industrial base along the Lake Michigan shoreline and the Calumet River, so the recorder handles a mix of residential and commercial deed transfers, as well as industrial property documents. All of these are public records under Indiana law. If you are buying East Chicago property, a title search will pull the full chain of title from the Lake County Recorder's index to check for outstanding liens, easements, or other encumbrances before closing.
East Chicago Recording Fees
Standard fees at the Lake County Recorder for East Chicago deed records are:
- Deed recording: $25
- Mortgage recording: $55
- Plain copies: $1 per page (up to 11x17 inches)
- Certified copies: $5 certification fee plus copy cost
Call (219) 755-3360 or visit lcrecorder.com to confirm current fees before recording. Fees are set by Indiana statute. Electronic recording services add their own transaction fees on top of the recorder's standard rates.
Nearby Cities with Deed Records
These qualifying cities are near East Chicago in Lake County, Indiana. All Lake County cities share the same recorder's office in Crown Point.
Lake County Deed Records
Deed records for East Chicago are on file at the Lake County Recorder in Crown Point. The recorder serves all cities and towns in Lake County. For full details on recording procedures, fee schedules, online access tools, and all Lake County deed records, visit the county deed records page.