lancaster ohio public records guide for residents and researchers

What you can find

Located in Fairfield County, Lancaster maintains a wide range of public records that document property, courts, governance, and public safety. Many are searchable online, while older materials may be in bound indexes or microfilm at county offices.

• Court dockets and filings from the Fairfield County Clerk of Courts
• Property deeds, plats, and liens at the County Recorder
• Tax maps and valuations from the Auditor
• Birth, death, and marriage records via Probate and Health offices
• Police reports, incident logs, and city meeting minutes

How to request

Online and in person

You can submit requests by email, phone, mail, or at the counter. Provide names, parcel IDs, case numbers, and date ranges to narrow results. Offices offer reading rooms or terminals for self-service searches.

1. Identify the office that holds the record.
2. Describe the record clearly and prefer a time span.
3. Choose copies or inspection; ask about format (PDF, certified).

Costs and privacy

Under Ohio’s Public Records Act, you don’t need to state a purpose, and ID is not required. Reasonable copy fees and redactions for protected data apply; response times vary, but agencies must act promptly and communicate timelines.