Dot Your I's, Cross Your T’s and Now, Use the Right Font, Margins, Paper Size and Ink Color

(Ohio HB 525 Sets Standards for Documents to be Filed with Ohio County Recorders)

While over 20 states (and counting) have joined the “e-real estate filing” trend (and adopted the Uniform Real Property Electronic Recording Act), Ohio is apparently content with making original filed documents look a little better by virtue of HB 525. Effective July 1, 2009, HB 525 is the new standardization act pertaining to documents filed with Ohio county recorders.

HB 525 creates a revised Section 317.114 of the Ohio Revised Code, with the following guidelines for recorded real estate documents.

1) Computer font size of at least ten point;

2) Maximum paper size: 8 ½ x 14; Minimum paper size: 8 ½ x 11;

3) Margins of 1 inch on each side of the page and on bottom;

4) 3 inch margin on the top of the first page, reserved for recorder, auditor and engineer;
1 ½ margin on the top of each of the remaining pages;

5) Black or blue ink only.

If a document does not conform to these guidelines, an additional recording fee of $20 will be due.

HB 525 does NOT apply to: (i) any document from any court or taxing authority; (ii) Plats;
(iii) DD214’s; (iv) any state or federal document; and (v) any document executed before July 1, 2009.