Hancock County Deed Records

Hancock County deed records are filed at the Hancock County Recorder's Office in Greenfield, Indiana, where the recorder maintains the official index of all property transfers, mortgages, easements, and other real estate instruments for land anywhere in the county. Anyone can access these public records in person at the Greenfield courthouse or request copies by mail or phone.

Hancock County Recorder's Office

The Hancock County Recorder's Office is at 111 American Legion Place, Suite 202, in Greenfield. The recorder is the official keeper of all deed records and land documents for property in Hancock County. Under IC 36-2-11, the office must accept, index, and store every document that meets Indiana's recording standards. Hancock County sits east of Indianapolis and has seen steady residential growth as the metro area expands outward along US 40 and I-70. That growth means new deed filings come in regularly throughout the year.

Staff record and index warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, mortgages, mortgage releases, easements, mechanic's liens, subdivision plats, and other property instruments. In-person access is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. Reach the office by phone at 317-477-1142 or by email at mrmoore@hancockcoingov.org. If you are mailing a deed for recording, send it to Suite 202 at the American Legion Place address in Greenfield along with a check for the correct fee and a self-addressed stamped envelope for return.

Call the office before you visit during busy periods to confirm counter availability and ask about current processing times. The email contact is also a good way to get quick answers about specific document requirements for Hancock County filings.

Hancock County Property Records Search

In-person searching at the Greenfield office is the most direct way to access Hancock County deed records. Counter staff can search by grantor name, grantee name, parcel number, or document type. Most index searches at the counter are free. Copies cost $1.00 per page for standard sizes, with a $5.00 additional fee for certified copies. For older records that predate digital indexing, deed books stored at the office are the primary source. Bring a full legal name or parcel number to get the best results at the counter.

Online platforms such as Doxpop and Beacon by Schneider Corp may provide partial or full access to Hancock County deed data. Call the recorder at 317-477-1142 or email mrmoore@hancockcoingov.org to confirm which services are currently active and what they cover. Beacon is particularly useful for parcel identification and assessment data as a starting point before doing deeper deed research in the recorder's index.

Mail requests for copies are accepted at the Greenfield office. Include a check for the correct fee and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Allow additional time for mail processing compared to in-person pickup. For chain-of-title research on Hancock County parcels, a local title company in Greenfield can search the complete ownership history using the recorder's full index going back many decades.

Hancock County Recording Requirements

Documents submitted for recording in Hancock County must meet Indiana's statewide formatting standards. IC 36-2-11-16.5 sets the rules for paper size, margins, and print quality. White paper in standard sizes (8.5 by 11 or 8.5 by 14 inches) is required. The top margin on the first page must be at least 2 inches to allow room for the recorder's stamp. All other margins must be 0.5 inches or more. Text must be at least 8-point type and dark enough to reproduce clearly on a scanner. Documents that do not comply are returned unfiled at the Hancock County Recorder's office.

All deeds in Hancock County must include the full mailing address of each grantee under IC 32-21-2-3. The document preparer must include their name and address under IC 36-2-11-15. That statute also directs the recorder to redact Social Security numbers before making documents publicly available. Deeds that transfer property must carry an auditor's transfer stamp from the Hancock County Auditor under IC 36-2-11-14 before being accepted for recording. All deeds and mortgages must be notarized under IC 33-42-10-2, with a valid notary signature and seal on the face of the document. When names on a deed are identical or similar, IC 36-2-11-16 sets rules for how the recorder indexes it.

The Indiana Recorders Association publishes the Indiana Recording Manual, which covers all of these requirements in detail. Review it before preparing any deed document for Hancock County to avoid rejection and resubmission delays.

Indiana Deed Records State Portal

Indiana's State Land Office portal shows deed records, maps, and property photos for state-owned land across Indiana, which can provide useful context when researching Hancock County parcels near state-controlled corridors or rights-of-way along I-70 and US 40.

For Hancock County property tax data linked to deed transfers, visit Indiana Gateway or contact the Hancock County Auditor's office to connect parcel assessments to recorded deed information in Greenfield.

Hancock County Deed Recording Fees

Hancock County follows Indiana's standard recording fee schedule. Deeds cost $25.00 to record. Mortgages cost $55.00. Oversized pages carry a $5.00 per-page surcharge. Standard copies are $1.00 per page for documents up to 11 by 17 inches. Larger copies cost $5.00 per page. Certified copies require an additional $5.00 fee plus the per-page copy cost. Cash or check is accepted at the counter. For filings with multiple pages or unusual document types, call 317-477-1142 before submitting to confirm the exact fee total. The Indiana State Board of Accounts reviews all county recorder fee schedules for compliance with Indiana law.

Electronic Recording in Hancock County

Indiana law under IC 36-2-11-16.5 authorizes county recorders to accept electronically submitted documents. Contact the Hancock County Recorder at 317-477-1142 or email mrmoore@hancockcoingov.org to confirm whether e-recording is currently active and which vendors are approved. The main e-recording services used across Indiana are Simplifile and CSC eRecording. These platforms transmit documents digitally to the recorder, process the recording, and return the stamped document electronically. Standard recording fees still apply, though the e-recording platform may add a transaction charge on top. Mail filing is also an option. Send your original document, payment, and a return envelope to 111 American Legion Place, Suite 202, Greenfield, IN 46140.

Hancock County Property Document Types

The Hancock County Recorder's index includes multiple types of property-related documents. Warranty deeds are the standard transfer instrument in Indiana. The grantor guarantees the title and promises to defend against future claims. Quitclaim deeds transfer only what the grantor owns, without any warranty. These are common in family transfers, estate situations, and corrections to prior deeds. Special warranty deeds limit the grantor's guarantee to the period they held the property.

Mortgages and deeds of trust show a lender's security interest in the property. When a loan is paid off, a release of mortgage must be recorded to clear the lien. IC 36-2-11-16 covers how the recorder handles these releases. A mortgage without a recorded release in the Hancock County index suggests an active lien, which creates title problems for any future sale of that property. Other documents in the index include subdivision plats, easements, mechanic's liens, tax liens, right-of-way agreements, and lis pendens notices. A full title search in Hancock County looks at all of these document types.

Cities in Hancock County

Greenfield is the county seat of Hancock County. No cities in Hancock County currently exceed 25,000 in population. All deed records for property anywhere in the county, including Greenfield, McCordsville, Fortville, and New Palestine, are on file at the Hancock County Recorder's Office in Greenfield.

Nearby Counties

Hancock County is in central Indiana east of Indianapolis and shares borders with several neighboring counties, each with its own recorder's office for deed and land records.