Putnam County, IN Property Records: Search Deeds, Owners, Tax Records, and Maps

The Offices of the Recorder, Assessor, Auditor, and Treasurer manage Putnam County property records. Anyone can use resources provided by these custodians to access property information for over 25,000 land parcels across the county.

Homes on the market typically receive purchase offers in about 21 days, in line with the statewide average. Over 70% of the housing units in Putnam County are detached single-family homes.

Recent records reveal the underlying factors influencing the local real estate market, with a median home value of $176,550 and median rent of $886, alongside a median household income of $73,232 and a median real estate tax rate of 0.56 as a percentage of the property's assessed value.

How to Look Up Putnam County Property Records

Anyone can search for property records in Putnam County through free online portals offered by county departments. Each department maintains a separate portal for looking up records it holds.

Who Keeps Putnam County Property Records?

Access to public property records of Putnam County is regulated by the Indiana Access to Public Records Act. These records are managed by the following local departments:

• The Recorder’s Office in Putnam County maintains official records relating to real property such as deeds, plats, mortgages, and liens. Such records can be obtained both online and in person from the office.

• The Assessor’s Office in Putnam values real estate and keeps records of assessments and ownership. The office also reviews assessment appeals.

• The Auditor’s Office determines tax bills for properties in Putnam County and manages property tax exemptions for qualified parcels. This office also conducts county tax sales.

• The Treasurer’s Department collects property taxes and sends tax bills to homeowners in Putnam County.

How to Search Putnam County Property Records Online

To access Putnam County property records online, follow these steps:

1. Visit the Think GIS portal to locate the parcel and open the property record card. You can view ownership and parcel information, including parcel number, owner name, legal description, acreage, and assessment history.
2. Search the Recorder index on the Doxpop portal by name, document number, or book/page to access recorded documents. The portal requires users to sign up and subscribe to view the documents or obtain digital copies.
3. Verify the property’s chain of title by checking recorded deeds via the Recorder’s Doxpop portal. Confirm the chain is valid by ensuring each deed's listed grantor matches the grantee in the prior deed.
4. Search for mortgages and liens on the Doxpop portal and confirm financial claims recorded against the property.
5. Access the Treasurer's Property Tax Portal to check tax bills, payment records, and current balances to confirm the property’s tax status.

Recorder: Deeds, Mortgages, and Plats

Putnam County residents elect the Recorder to record and manage property documents, such as deeds, mortgages, plats, liens, and easements. The Recorder’s office discharges its duties under IC 36-2-11, including providing access to the documents it maintains.

Assessor and Auditor: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

The Putnam County Assessor is responsible for uniformly assessing all parcels owned by residents to determine their gross assessed value. The assessor also handles sales disclosure when recording a conveyance document. The Auditor calculates property tax bills and applies deductions for eligible properties. The county conducts assessments on January 1 each year, and mails Form 11 (Notice of Assessment) to every resident each April.

Treasurer: Tax Bills and Payments

In Putnam County, the Treasurer's Office mails property tax bills to homeowners in mid-April, and they are payable in two installments due on May 10 and November 10. The treasurer also manages tax information through its payment portal and collects payments online, in person, or by mail.

Property Tax in Putnam County: Caps, Deductions, and Appeals

Under IC 6-1.1, assessment and taxation are imposed on all parcels in Putnam County. To calculate a property’s tax bill, the Auditor multiplies its net assessed value by the local tax rates and applies valid deductions and tax caps.

Circuit-breaker caps

Under IC 6-1.1-20.6, the Auditor’s office applies circuit-breaker caps to ensure property tax bills do not exceed a specific percentage of the property’s gross assessed value. The Auditor automatically applies a 1% cap to an owner-occupied homestead, 2% to other residential properties and agricultural land, and 3% to commercial properties.

Deductions and relief

Appealing your value

Putnam County allows homeowners to appeal their property value by filing Form 130 with the Assessor’s office within 45 days after receiving their Notice of Assessment (Form 11). The Assessor will schedule a meeting and review any evidence the homeowner presents to support the appeal, such as appraisals or comparable sales.

If both sides cannot reach an agreement, the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals will hear the matter. The homeowner can further contest the PTABOA’s determination by appealing to the Indiana Board of Tax Review. This must be done within 45 days of the determination by filing Form 131.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

The Putnam County Plat Office maintains the county’s Geographic Information System (GIS) through the Think GIS portal. You can access an interactive map to locate parcels, review property record cards, explore parcel maps, and verify property boundaries. The portal also allows parcel searches by owner name, address, or parcel number.

To review parcel tax details statewide, visit Indiana's DLGF Gateway online portal.

Foreclosure and Tax Sales

Indiana has two types of foreclosure that are important for property research.

Mortgage foreclosure

Mortgage foreclosure in Indiana involves judicial proceedings to auction a property following a mortgage default. By law, the lender must send a pre-foreclosure notice to the property owner before filing the suit. Property owners may request a settlement conference to negotiate terms with their lender and avoid foreclosure. If the lawsuit proceeds and the court grants the foreclosure, the lender can sell the property at the county’s Sheriff's Sale.

Tax sale

Under IC 6-1.1-24, the Treasurer’s Office can certify properties with delinquent taxes to be eligible for the county’s tax sale. The county will notify the property owner of the foreclosure and publicly advertise the auction. Interested buyers must register for the auction, and the winning bidder will receive a tax sale certificate signed by the County Treasurer and Auditor.

Under IC 6-1.1-25, Indiana allows the homeowner to redeem the property by paying the delinquent taxes, penalties, interest, and other applicable fees within a year of the property sale. The buyer does not own the property until the Auditor issues a tax deed.

Costs to Access Property Records

The following include the various costs to access property records in Putnam County, including recording and copy fees:

Recording fees are specified in IC 36-2-7-10, while the Assessor and Auditor handle sales disclosure and transfer fees. Contact the Recorder’s Office to confirm total recording costs.

How to Record a Document

In Putnam County, you must record documents through the Offices of the Assessor, Auditor, and Recorder. You can follow these steps to record a document:

1. Prepare the document to comply with the recording requirements in IC 32-21-2. Documents must be notarized, contain consistent party names, use required margins, and use a font size of at least 10 points. It must also include a legal description and a "prepared by" statement.
2. Submit a sales disclosure form to the Assessor’s office, then get the document endorsed by the Auditor and pay the applicable fees.
3. Submit the document to the Recorder’s Office in person, by mail, or through an authorized e-recording vendor and pay the applicable recording fees.
4. The Recorder typically records documents within 24 hours of submission and returns the original within five business days. You can access recorded documents online through the Recorder’s land records portal.

FAQs

Quick Reference: Your Putnam County Property Records Checklist

Key Contacts and Official Portals