How to Search Franklin County Records (Start Here)
Franklin County (Columbus, Ohio's capital) has two separate court clerks — Common Pleas and Municipal — each with its own online search. Property runs through the Auditor and Recorder.
- Common Pleas court cases: Case Information Online (CIO) at fcdcfcjs.co.franklin.oh.us — covers criminal and civil cases in the Court of Common Pleas.
- Municipal court cases: fcmcclerk.com/case/search — Franklin County Municipal Court Clerk. Search for court dates, amounts due, and warrant status.
- Property values and ownership: Franklin County Auditor at property.franklincountyauditor.com. Ohio uses Auditors for property, not Assessors.
- Recorded deeds, mortgages, liens: Franklin County Recorder at recorder.franklincountyohio.gov — free public records search. No account registration required but available for extra features.
- Marriage licenses: Probate Court — standard for Ohio.
Official government databases are listed below, organized by record type.
Criminal & Court Records
Jail & Inmate Records
Property & Tax Records
Business, Voter & Other
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are there two court clerks in Franklin County? ▼
Common Pleas and Municipal are separate courts with separate clerks. Common Pleas (felonies, major civil) uses CIO at fcdcfcjs.co.franklin.oh.us. Municipal Court (misdemeanors, traffic, small claims) uses fcmcclerk.com. If you're not sure which court, check both.
Where do I search Franklin County property records? ▼
Two offices. The Auditor (property.franklincountyauditor.com) maintains values, ownership, and tax data. The Recorder (recorder.franklincountyohio.gov) has the actual filed documents — deeds, mortgages, liens. No registration needed for the Recorder's public search.
Can I check warrant status online? ▼
The Municipal Court Clerk at fcmcclerk.com provides warrant status in search results alongside court dates and amounts due.
What is CIO? ▼
Case Information Online — Franklin County Clerk of Courts' system for looking up Common Pleas cases. It provides public record information for criminal and civil cases filed in the Court of Common Pleas.
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