Guide to filing a mechanics lien in Cuyahoga County

Where is the Cuyahoga County Recorder's Office that files mechanic liens?

You can file your mechanic liens in person at the Cuyahoga County Fiscal Office located at:

2079 East Ninth Street
Cleveland, OH 44115

Transfer & Recording
Brian O’Malley
216-443-7385

Real Property
Donna Carter
216-443-7010

Office Hours
Monday through Friday: 8:30am – 4:30pm

What is Cuyahoga County's Recording Backlog?

The Cuyahoga County Fiscal Office does not publicly disclose information on recording backlog.
However, note that the county’s document turnaround time is 24 hours.

Should I file my mechanics lien in Cuyahoga County?

If your construction project is located in Cuyahoga County, then yes, you should file your lien here.

What are Cuyahoga County's requirements for recording a mechanics lien?

The Cuyahoga County Recorder’s Office follows the requirements set by Ohio state law. They are as follows:

1. Liens must be filed in the counties in which the construction project took place.
2. Liens must include a legal description of the property in question. This information can be obtained form the Cuyahoga Recorder’s Office.
3. Include detailed information regarding yourself, the hiring party, and the property owner.
4. Liens must include your (the claimant’s) name and address.
5. Provide the first and last furnishing dates. The first furnishing date is when work on the project began, and the last furnishing date is
when work on the project ended.
6. Provide the most accurate number possible when calculating the lien cost. Factor only the value of labor and materials–otherwise, you
could face some major fines or penalties.

Ohio state law mandates that you have 75 days after the last furnishing date to file a mechanics lien. On residential projects, however,
that deadlined is shortened to 60 days.

What are the margin & page size requirements to file a lien in Cuyahoga County?

The Cuyahoga County Fiscal Office’s document standardization guidelines are as follows:

(1) Legible print
(2) Minimum paper size of eight and one-half inches by eleven inches;
size not smaller than a computer font size of ten;
(3) Maximum paper size of eight and one-half inches by fourteen inches;
(4) Black or blue ink only;
(5) No use of highlighting;
(6) Margins of one-inch width on each side of each page of the instrument or document;
(7) A margin of one-inch width across the bottom of each page of the instrument or document;

(9) A one and one-half-inch margin of blank space across the top of each of the remaining pages of the instrument or
document to accommodate any certification or endorsement of the county engineer, county auditor, or county
recorder, as may be required by law

(B)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(2) of this section, the county recorder shall accept for recording an instrument or document that does not conform to the foregoing requirements set forth in division (A) of this section but shall charge and collect the following additional fees for each such instrument or document: an
additional base fee for the recorder’s services of ten dollars and a housing trust fund fee of ten dollars, which shall be collected pursuant to section 317.36 of the Revised Code.

(2) The county recorder shall accept for recording an instrument or document that does not conform to the requirements set forth in division (A) of this section but shall not charge and collect the additional fees specified in division (B)(1)
of this section for page numbers, hand-written, typed, or printed initials, bar codes, copyright information, trailing portions of signatures, plat description of any oil and gas well location or drilling unit or lease, or any other incidental
information that is not essential to the recording process or to the legal validity of the instrument or document and that may appear in either of the side margins or in the bottom margin. In addition, notary stamps and seals and any signatures and initials that may appear within the instrument or document need not satisfy the font size requirement and no additional fees may be charged or collected by the county recorder for such a nonconformance.

How can I make payment to the Cuyahoga County Recorder's Office?

The Cuyahoga County Recorder’s Office accepts cash, certified check or money order. No personal checks are accepted.

What are the filing fees to record a mechanics lien in Cuyahoga County?

The Cuyahoga County Fiscal Office’s recording fees are as follows:

Recording Fees

Basic Recording Fees: $28.00 for the first two pages and $8.00 for each additional page
Separate release, partial release, or assignment: 28.00 for the first two pages and $8.00 for each additional page

Non Conforming Fee: $20.00

Lien Fees

Federal Tax Lien (Original, Correction, Refile, Partial Release, Subordination): $5.00
Release of Federal Tax Lien: $3.00
Federal Tax Lien Withdraw with Error: $5.00

Copy Fees

Copy of recorded instrument:$2.00 per page
Certified copy: $2.00 per page plus $1.00

How do I get a recorded copy of my lien from the Cuyahoga County Recorder's Office?

You can obtain a recorded copy of your lien in person at the Cuyahoga County Fiscal Office located at:

2079 East Ninth Street
Cleveland, OH 44115

Transfer & Recording
Brian O’Malley
216-443-7385

Real Property
Donna Carter
216-443-7010

Office Hours
Monday through Friday: 8:30am – 4:30pm

Copy fees are as follows:

Copy of recorded instrument:$2.00 per page
Certified copy: $2.00 per page plus $1.00

You can also search for Cuyahoga County Recorder’s documents online at:

https://recorder.cuyahogacounty.us/searchs/generalsearchs.aspx

https://recorder.cuyahogacounty.us/searchs/parcelsearchs.aspx